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Re: tracing battery drains
>What is the best proceedure for tracing battery drains?
>(possible grounding out)
First of all you need a DMM with a current reading capability.
Can get one for $50 at radio shack in a pinch. You can
start the fun. For a good reference, you could diconnect the
battery + terminal, then hook up the meter to read current
out of the battery. now you know the total drain. Next you
reconnect the battery and move on to the fuse box. now you
take out one at a time, and hook the meter across the fuse
contacts. Note the current for each curcuit group. You should
be able to see that most current (i.e. your fault) is going into
one fused circuit group. now you have to find out everything
in that group. Now you have to start finding out which specific
curcuit is involved. Much harder without a schematic. You can
try diconnecting things and watching your current, or possibly
looking for shorts to ground. I know this is incomplete, but
it gives you a start. Any EE's care to add/clarify/scold :-)
paul t-