Battry Drain - Can I use this to check?

[marbleapple]

Hi Guys,

 

I have one of these (see pic below) and was wondering if it is the right tool to check if there is a battery drain? I have presumed that the fault is the alternator but I just thought this evening that it might be my alarm (although a new Bosch battery shouldn't drain in under 2 days surely?)

 

[Al Massey]

yeah one of those is fine

[marbleapple]

yeah one of those is fine

 

Great thanks.

 

Presumably though the battery needs to be fully charged?

 

My battery has gone flat in 2 days... can't work out if it is a drain (must be massive to flatten a battery in 2 days), the battery is faulty (less than 3 months old) or there is a small drain and the alternator isnt working well (since I jumped it Saturday and it worked on Sunday).

[Al Massey]

leaving my sidelights on flatten my battery in half and hour.

 

use the fluke when the battery is fully charged to see if it holds the load

check volts and amps

 

then when the engine is running it should read more then 12 volts

 

put various loads on the battery and see if there is a drop

 

if the car runs after you have started, the alternator is doing its jobs

[merckx]

I might be blind but can this meter measure DC current because that's what you need if you want to measure battery drain?

[Al Massey]

I might be blind but can this meter measure DC current because that's what you need if you want to measure battery drain?

 

 

yes the V switch

 

its automatic

[merckx]

yes the V switch

 

its automatic

The V switch for current?

 

You need it on DC current to measure battery drain.

[Scott]

The V switch for current?

 

You need it on DC current to measure battery drain.

 

Think your right, AC curent only on that one by the looks of it.

[Al Massey]

but all he needs to check is the voltage in the battery and if there is any voltage drop.

so the greater the voltage the greater the flow of current

[Scott]

but all he needs to check is the voltage in the battery and if there is any voltage drop.

so the greater the voltage the greater the flow of current

 

He wants to check if there is any drain when the ignition is off. Only way to do that is to check the amps.

[sparkyspar]

all very technical here, quick and easy test is disconnect all known power usage bits on your car i.e sub amps,alarm etc then loosen poss bat terminal then tap it on and off the poss batt terminal if it sparks somethin is drawing current ( or you have a short on your wiring circuit someware ( good luck in finding that one(1st start with moving bit i.e door looms boot heating windows loom etc)))

[dangerous brain]

To test static battery drain you need something that measures current. Take off the earth from the battery and put the fluke between the battery and the earth lead with the key out and see what sort of amps its using when static.