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[ironcrx]

so the stank ride (85 200sx) has a power drain in it some where. Brand spanking new battery is completely dead in less than 24hours while the car has been off.  Is there anything that commonly does that shit?

Anyways, how the fuck do I find shit that is "on" when my car is off?

Multimeter? explain.

[Ntrain2k]

Pull battery negative. Place test light between negative terminal and negative cable. If there is a load it should glow. If it's a load too small to turn light the bulb, use a multimeter instead of the test light. Set on DC volts.

Get in car with everything turned off. Start pulling fuses until light goes out(or volts go to 0).

That's the circuit with the problem. From there, whiskey might help.

[bgdriver]

Check resistnace between ground and every fuse. The fuse(s) that doesn't have infinite resistance with everything off has the power draw.

[ironcrx]

fuck yes.  Thats the shit I wanna hear.

Ill be trying that shit tomorrow

[HiProfile]

The more common thing to happen is wires wearing out or getting pinched. A corroded wire touching sheet metal won't blow the fuse, instead that high resistance becomes a slow drain. That's what was doing it to my bro's accord, the same one he eventually put a sign in the window saying "don't smash window, doors are unlocked". Fucking 's in milwaukee.

All that fuse BS should help trace it down. Won't be fun, but almost always works when done right.

[crttaz]

Bad diodes in the alternator will drain a battery, pulling fuses won't help.

[Robb]

Bad diodes in the alternator will drain a battery, pulling fuses won't help.

+1

Its probably the dome light.  Its always the fucking dome light.

[crttaz]

90-91 4 door, the auto belts will get water in them and cause a drain.

I fixed that by pulling the weatherstripping out and filled the channel with black roof sealant.....no more 4" of water or battery drain.

[Tim]

Bad diodes in the alternator will drain a battery, pulling fuses won't help.

+1

Its probably the dome light.  Its always the fucking dome light.

+1 or at least on my gm's its always the dome.

I disconnect the battery terminal and reconnect it with a multimeter set to dc amps.
then pull fuses until the amp draw drops away and that will isolate it if it is a fused circuit.

[HiProfile]

Bad diodes in the alternator will drain a battery, pulling fuses won't help.

Well that's 2 connectors to "remove", easy enough. Not terribly common though.


For whatever reason, I've never had success reading any amperage using a multimeter. I've tried shit from cheap-RS crap to borrowed fluke meters. I even left my two 30amp relays on, nothin.

[Tim]

For whatever reason, I've never had success reading any amperage using a multimeter. I've tried shit from cheap-RS crap to borrowed fluke meters. I even left my two 30amp relays on, nothin.

stupid question maybe but did you make sure to switch the lead to the proper input?

check the fuses inside as I've toasted a few myself and have a couple meters that someone else toasted.  It is not hard at all to excede the current rating if you're not paying attention.

The other basic need is you usually have to complete the circuit through the meter.  None of my meters will measure current if they are in parralel to the circuit.