measuring battery drain

[John S. Lagnese]

A light bulb works in a pinch. If there is no draw the in line light bulb 
will not light.
John
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Grant Lenahan" <glenahan at vfemail.net>
To: <audi at humanspeakers.com>
Cc: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 8:11 AM
Subject: Re: measuring battery drain


> "drain" is the amount of electricity (current, not voltage) that is
> being drawn by the car all the time when it is off.
>
> You simply open up the ground lead and insert an Ammeter (amp-meter) so
> that the electricity flows from the battery through the meter, to the
> ground lead to the car.  Actually it flows in reverse, btu that's
> immaterial.
>
> You can only do this for low currents. Never turn anything on that
> draws a lot of power with a portable meter in line like this. And for
> heavens sake dont try to start the car. Your meter and its wires will
> be toast. Literally.
>
> Read the meter. It will be in milli-Amps (Amps/1000). For power,
> multiply by the battery voltage, which better be around 12.5-13 volts.
>
> Circuits 101.  The best summary I know of basic electrical circuits is
> the preamble to "the radio amateurs' handbook" - the official
> publication of the ARRL - the ham club.  or any physics 101 textbook.
>
> Grant
> On Sep 4, 2007, at 11:08 PM, Huw Powell wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>> For some of us who don't understand how to measure "battery drain",
>>> could
>>> someone please explain.
>>
>> Not to be snippy, but have you tried:
>>
>> http://www.google.com/search?
>> num=50&hl=en&q=measuring+battery+drain&btnG=Search
>>
>> If you want to get fancy, restrict the search to this site (I think you
>> type "site:audifans.com" as well, to do that, but I never remember it
>> right).
>>
>> -- 
>> Huw Powell
>>
>> http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi
>>
>> http://www.humanthoughts.org/
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