86toyota

Well I searched for a while came close but didn't get the answer I was looking for. How do you check for a drain on your battery? Do you disconnect the positive battery cable and hook my digital meter in between the cable and battery.My meter has three settings for amps: one fused circuit for checking uA(A AC) the other for mA(A DC). I also have an unfused circuit for 20A Max. Is this how you hook it up and what setting do I use?

shovelhead

Use the 20 amp setting and hook it up between the negative terminal and the main negative cable with all negative wires disconnected fom the battery. the rule of thumb is more than half an amp is unaccepable. If the draw will light a test light its too much

MTL_4runner

shovelhead is right, make sure there are no negative wires connected to the negative battery post. Then use the highest amp setting first. Now tick one probe on the negative battery cable terminal and the other probe on the negative battery terminal. Now take a reading. Even half an amp seems much to me but make sure everything is closed and off in the car. Usually the only current draw is the clock radio, an alarm or the car stereo memory.

86toyota

I just wanted to say thanks for the help. I tested it just like you said and was drawing .2 amps on the meter,and it would also light the test light. I had my relay for the fog ligths wired wrong,it was always giving power to it. It didn't make sense because they always worked right and have been hooked up like this for over a year. I just had to switch the wires and it's perfect now. Thanks again!!