Topic: another battery shot? or major electrical drain?
in Forum: C3 Electrical, Body and Interior
1973 L-82 4 spd

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Joel Adams
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Just a quick caution with the volt/ohm meter suggestions... I'm guessing this is what is also called a multi meter, make sure you have it set to the highest Amp scale it has (usually 10 Amps) before connecting it in line between the battery post and the cable normally connected to that battery post.
If it's on ohms, you will instantly fry the meter. Poof !!
If it's on volts, it will happily tell you a voltage of some sorts, and not destroy the meter, but not helpful.
If on the 10 Amp scale you only get a small or negligible reading, then drop down the scales in turn until
a reading is present. This is all key off of course, and don't turn the key at any time.
Also, while you have one meter probe connected to the +12V batter post and the meter is on any Amps/millAmps scale, do not let the other meter probe accidentally touch a metal part of the car or POOF - no more meter !!
Cheers

Thanks, John. I've had a cut-off switch installed for several years now (it's actually a decent one) but I don't typically have to use it, even if I won't drive the car for a month. Going to be looking for some sort of drain.
Just a quick caution with the volt/ohm meter suggestions... I'm guessing this is what is also called a multi meter, make sure you have it set to the highest Amp scale it has (usually 10 Amps) before connecting it in line between the battery post and the cable normally connected to that battery post.
If it's on ohms, you will instantly fry the meter. Poof !!
If it's on volts, it will happily tell you a voltage of some sorts, and not destroy the meter, but not helpful.
If on the 10 Amp scale you only get a small or negligible reading, then drop down the scales in turn until
a reading is present. This is all key off of course, and don't turn the key at any time.
Also, while you have one meter probe connected to the +12V batter post and the meter is on any Amps/millAmps scale, do not let the other meter probe accidentally touch a metal part of the car or POOF - no more meter !!
Cheers
Thanks - yep I know about the concerns about testing current draw with the multimeter. Mine you have to move the red lead to a different terminal if you want to test on the 10A setting. Even then if it's drawing anywhere close to that you can only let it operate at that current for a matter of seconds, I think. Will be careful...thanks.
No courtesy light timer on mine. It is possible the interior lights were on all night, but it's unlikely. It's parked in our garage right now where I see it all the time at night versus my shop where it usually lives. But possible. Doesn't take much for a door switch to fail and go to ground which turns on the lights. Alternator is definitely a possibility too. It's a reman that I bet is more than 10 years old. Or the alarm relay. Or something else. Or it could just be the battery with no drain. I'll be looking into it later this week. Thanks for the suggestions.