Re: ihc-digest V5 #41

[<hofs@domain.elided>]

>
>3.  If it's high (over 30 milliamps?), have the battery load tested anyway,
>just to eliminate the possibility, then
>start looking for the battery drain (the way you were unhooking stuff
>before would probably work), but with the ammeter hooked up as noted.
>
>If I've written anything vaguely inaccurate or flat out stupid, I'm sure
>someone will correct me.  Otherwise, good luck, and feel free to email me
>if you want to.
>
>Rob

CAUTION: Rob is correct in advising the use of the ammeter hooked in 
series with the battery and one disconnected cable. Actually it could be 
either the positive or negative cable, requiring only that the ammeter 
leads be hooked to the battery terminal and cable terminal correctly. 
However, a 10 amp maximum is as high as you usually find on a 
multi-meter, and often the ampere maximum is much lower than that. All 
the current drawn by any part of the vehicle will be drawn through the 
multimeter and will certainly burn out the shunt that is a part of any 
ammmeter if it exceeds the capacity of the meter by much at all. If you 
have the ammeter hooked up, you can't turn on your headlights or try to 
start your vehicle. 

AN AMMETER IS ALWAYS WIRED IN SERIES, NEVER IN PARALLEL. This means that 
you never turn your meter to amps and put one lead on the negative 
battery terminal and the other on the positive battery cable. It also 
means that you put your leads from the ammeter so that they become part 
of the circuit. I should draw you a picture, but won't because I can't.
John

John Hofstetter
Life Member, National Rifle Association
Member, California Rifle and Pistol Association
Member, Sierra Macintosh Users Group  Member, MacTwain Macintosh Users 
Group
Charter Member, FRIENDS OF DEATH VALLEY   Member, Blue Ribbon Coalition
Life Member, Association of California School Administrators
Owner of 79 Scout Terra "It's a legend"