Help with multimeter current draw testing
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Help with multimeter current draw testing
I want to check my current draw on my battery. I have borrowed a craftsman 82400 multimeter but i dont have the manual for it. It can read up to 20 amps. I disconnected the neg lead and placed the multimeter in the amp settings. with the neg lead in the COM hole and the pos. lead in the ohms hole. If I connect the pos lead to the battery and the neg lead to the ground wire I get .25amps if I reverse the leads I get .6 amps. If I move the pos lead over to the 20amp hole I get .3amps either way I connect the leads to the battery and cable.
Which way is correct and am I doing something wrong?
Which way is correct and am I doing something wrong?
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I tried this on another truck and when plugged into the amp hole it does nothing. From what I have read it can be plugged into either hole and read amps. The 20 amp is just when you have higher amps. Also when I make the conections if I would turn on a light should it turn on. For some reasen it doest seem to make the series and turn the light on.
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Update
Testing the correct way I am showing.25 amps + - . If not mistaken that is 250 miliamps. I pulled every fuse and relay and the only thing that changed the current draw was the battery saver relay in the inside fuse box. It took it down to .17 amps. The other fuse that did any thing was maxi fuse 105 under the hood. The manual says it is the junction box battery feed. I also disconnected the altenator wires at the alenator and also disconected my brake controller and scangauge 2. Any ideas?
Testing the correct way I am showing.25 amps + - . If not mistaken that is 250 miliamps. I pulled every fuse and relay and the only thing that changed the current draw was the battery saver relay in the inside fuse box. It took it down to .17 amps. The other fuse that did any thing was maxi fuse 105 under the hood. The manual says it is the junction box battery feed. I also disconnected the altenator wires at the alenator and also disconected my brake controller and scangauge 2. Any ideas?
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Cargo Master
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Update
Testing the correct way I am showing.25 amps + - . If not mistaken that is 250 miliamps. I pulled every fuse and relay and the only thing that changed the current draw was the battery saver relay in the inside fuse box. It took it down to .17 amps. The other fuse that did any thing was maxi fuse 105 under the hood. The manual says it is the junction box battery feed. I also disconnected the altenator wires at the alenator and also disconected my brake controller and scangauge 2. Any ideas?
Testing the correct way I am showing.25 amps + - . If not mistaken that is 250 miliamps. I pulled every fuse and relay and the only thing that changed the current draw was the battery saver relay in the inside fuse box. It took it down to .17 amps. The other fuse that did any thing was maxi fuse 105 under the hood. The manual says it is the junction box battery feed. I also disconnected the altenator wires at the alenator and also disconected my brake controller and scangauge 2. Any ideas?
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: West Virginia
.25 amps isn't much at all, thats inline with the memory for the radio and all the other power functions, the theft light, keyless entry system, etc.
I haven't actually run mine on the excursion but when i did car stereos I checked current draw on a ton of cars (sometimes a poorly installed radio would create a slow current draw and drain batteries and I had to fix it) and I found the average car would draw around .2 amps.
I haven't actually run mine on the excursion but when i did car stereos I checked current draw on a ton of cars (sometimes a poorly installed radio would create a slow current draw and drain batteries and I had to fix it) and I found the average car would draw around .2 amps.
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