With the truck running, measure the voltage at the battery. If less than 13.9-15.1v http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b.../2onvehicl.pdf your new alternator may not be charging the battery.

 

thanks allot i really appreciate it
when i get off work i will try it out
i just notice it seems to get weaker

 

so it's a new battery? you haven't had a failure yet, you are just checking the parasitic current draw? not a bad idea.

hook the meter up the way that you have it now, then follow through with what james woods posted above, and you should be able to figure out what circuit is drawing the current.

 

yes it is a new battery but i noticed that it seems to start acting like it is getting weaker and weaker

as soon as i get back to my truck i will check it out with the meter
i will check the battery before i crank the motor then i will check it with it running

 

ok i just got in
it showed 12.68 cold and 14.60 running
battery acted stronger than it did 24 hours ago
i had installed a very old horn on a wire i had hooked to the battery with a fuse
i pulled the fuse about 24 hours ago and drove the truck for 40 miles
so i am thinking that the old horn may of had a short in it

still wondering if the .003 is normal for a pull on the battery?
i am going to leave the horn unplugged and see what happens
i still have the factory horn hooked up

thanks for all the help
i welcome all ideas

 

See attachment.

As long as it is hooked up the way I drew, and the fuse in your meter is good, then the draw should be less than 30 milliamps.
I have heard several sources out in the field, as what would be acceptable.
Some say 30 milliamps, some say 60.
For an '88 Toyota, there is barely anything that will pull while it is off. Personally I stick with the 30 rule.
If I'm seeing your picture correctly, you have it in a 10amp range.

0.003 AMPS would be 3 milliamps. You are good.

http://www.convertunits.com/from/amps/to/milliamps

.

 

Thanks. I really like the picture cause it is one of the best one to follow.
This is the way I was doing the test.
I wish I had not replaced the old battery with out testing it first.
Advance auto could not tell me any thing cause it was dead so I just got a new one.
One i live about 30 miles from advance
And two this battery was very old.
What I have always done was if my yota needed a battery I would pull the one from my wifes car and put it in the yota. Then I would buy the wife a new one.
Same with tires I drive so much and the wife hardly ever drives.
Same with my other truck. I drive it about once every ten days.

So anyway I do think since the battery way so old it could have been bad.

Also when I think the started is dragging a little, well it could be going bad.
I have only replaced it about ten years ago.
About two months ago it would not crank so I tapped on it with a wrench to start it.

I will keep an eye on it and see what happens.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

I think that everyone is saying the same thing wrt that 3ma draw... it shouldn't be enough to hurt anything.

remember, the way to track down that possible short to the horn is to hook the meter back up per the diagram above, which is basically how you had it, put the horn fuse back in, and see if the 3ma figure changes.

the voltages you listed are within spec, can't see a problem there.

another thing you can try is to go to the truck at night, engine off, turn headlights on bright, then start the motor.

if there is a problem with a weak battery, starter overload, ignition key switch, etc., it should show up as very dim headlights, *while the starter is turning over*

when things are really bad, the headlights nearly go out, and the starter turns the engine over really slowly.

 

I have seen this problem a few times and helped a couple of others with it also. The ignitions are so wore out on these that the key will come out when you turn it off. The problem is that you forget to hit the black button on the steering column to let the key go to the OFF postion.

You are thinking the system is shut down, the clock dislpay stays on and other other circuits are energized as well. If this happens for a day, the truck will usually start again as the draw isnt so bad to drain the battery over nite. Usually takes a few days. May not be your problem but make sure you are hitting the balck button and shutting it off completely.

 

well i tried starting the truck at night
i did not see Any difference in the lights
i think i have been worring for nothing
i guess it is better to check now and lake sure all is good.than wait till later

 

my switch is on the dash
it is wore out
i can take the key out with it running but i.do try to make sure i turn the key before i pull the key out

 

Ok I left the truck at the office for.two days while I was out of town driving trains.
When I got back this morning the battery read 12.73
I checked this before I started the truck.
So I guess the old battery may have been bad after all.
I.was a little worried since I did not no for sure.
Thanks for all the help.