Please Help With Electrial Problems
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TECH Apprentice
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
Please Help With Electrial Problems Ok here is the story. I replaced my 8 month old stock battery with an Optima Red Top. The Red Top lasted for 6 months, replaced it with another Red Top wich is already going dead in 2 months.
When the car is running I get 14.3 Volts to the car.
So that means the alt. is good right.
When the car is off and the alarm is off after 30 min. I get a 23 milliamp draw.
So this is normal, anything below 50 milliamps.
When the car is off and the alarm is on after 30 min. I get a 23 milliamp draw.
So this is normal, anything below 50 milliamps.
I tested the milliamps by using a fluke multimeter and disconecting the neg. battery cable and attaching the meter to the neg. battery terminal and the neg battery cable wire.
Anyone have ideas. I already searched.
When the car is running I get 14.3 Volts to the car.
So that means the alt. is good right.
When the car is off and the alarm is off after 30 min. I get a 23 milliamp draw.
So this is normal, anything below 50 milliamps.
When the car is off and the alarm is on after 30 min. I get a 23 milliamp draw.
So this is normal, anything below 50 milliamps.
I tested the milliamps by using a fluke multimeter and disconecting the neg. battery cable and attaching the meter to the neg. battery terminal and the neg battery cable wire.
Anyone have ideas. I already searched.
It's a little wierd that with the alarm off and on, current draw is the same.
Does the car sit alot or is it used quite often?
Large Stereo? Aftermarket stuff? All Stock?
I'm not 100% on the current draw of the vehicle. 23mA is a tad high I think. (could be wrong). My own Car goes dead after 1 week. I daily drive mine anyways so it is almost never an issue.
Does the car sit alot or is it used quite often?
Large Stereo? Aftermarket stuff? All Stock?
I'm not 100% on the current draw of the vehicle. 23mA is a tad high I think. (could be wrong). My own Car goes dead after 1 week. I daily drive mine anyways so it is almost never an issue.
30mA is the accual GM figure. Just cause your Alt is at 14.3 volts does not mean it is producing the nessary amps to charge the battery. How often to you drive it? When you do is it just short trips (under 5min) nothing long? Another thing to do since you have the meter is to do a long term draw test, set the meter up for peak Amp draw and let it sit overnight on the car. You would be surprized things can pop up and turn on randomly, esp if you have an aftermarket alarm. If that doesnt help, pm me and I'll try to help ya out more. Btw I am certified in GM electrical, I dont mind helpin ya out.
O and I just noticed this, you should use the Positive batt termenal not the Negitive. A battery cutoff (forgot the J-tool #) is used to help in testin. O and be careful not to open any doors when you do this, you will blow the 5 dollar pita to find fuse
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From: H-Town
Originally Posted by HMFDZ28
30mA is the accual GM figure. Just cause your Alt is at 14.3 volts does not mean it is producing the nessary amps to charge the battery. How often to you drive it? When you do is it just short trips (under 5min) nothing long? Another thing to do since you have the meter is to do a long term draw test, set the meter up for peak Amp draw and let it sit overnight on the car. You would be surprized things can pop up and turn on randomly, esp if you have an aftermarket alarm. If that doesnt help, pm me and I'll try to help ya out more. Btw I am certified in GM electrical, I dont mind helpin ya out.
HMFDZ28 - how's it feel to be one of the very few wrenches that seems to understand the concept of electricity?
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TECH Apprentice
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
Thanks for the replies.
The car is driven on the weekends only, but on this last battery I tried using the Battery Tender Plus during the week.
I don't have any aftermarket stereo equipment or aftermarket alarm but I do have a scanmaster, Harlen shift light, electric fuel pressure guage, electric water temp. guage, Harlen 2-Step, Racetronix twin fuel pumps with hobbs switch run off of the battery, and a SLP Line Lock.
How can I check if the Alt is producing enough amps with it still on the car? I really don't want to remove it because I have remove the SC first.
Why should I use the positive batt teminal instead of the neg. Everyone has told me to use the neg?
The car is driven on the weekends only, but on this last battery I tried using the Battery Tender Plus during the week.
I don't have any aftermarket stereo equipment or aftermarket alarm but I do have a scanmaster, Harlen shift light, electric fuel pressure guage, electric water temp. guage, Harlen 2-Step, Racetronix twin fuel pumps with hobbs switch run off of the battery, and a SLP Line Lock.
How can I check if the Alt is producing enough amps with it still on the car? I really don't want to remove it because I have remove the SC first.
Why should I use the positive batt teminal instead of the neg. Everyone has told me to use the neg?
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Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
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From: Cape Coral, Florida
Update
Higest draw for 3 hrs. was 25 mA
I took the car out for a spin with the new battery switched the scanmaster to Voltage and...
When I first started the car it was reading 14.3 V
After it warmed up it was reading 13.5 V and it stayed at this reading even if the lights and A/C and fans were on.
Is 13.5 volts to low, I always thought I needed to be over 14.0 V
Higest draw for 3 hrs. was 25 mA
I took the car out for a spin with the new battery switched the scanmaster to Voltage and...
When I first started the car it was reading 14.3 V
After it warmed up it was reading 13.5 V and it stayed at this reading even if the lights and A/C and fans were on.
Is 13.5 volts to low, I always thought I needed to be over 14.0 V
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