Re: ihc-digest V5 #194

[<hofs@domain.elided>]

>THE PROBLEM,
>now my scout drains the battery every 3 days if I don't run it.  This
>NEVER happened before.  Is there a hot lead that I should not have
>directly wired, I can't see how...  my only Idea is that I somehow
>unintentionally have a hot lead grounding out and draining my battery,
>I'm going to rewrap all electrical tape tomorrow.
>
>
>Is there something I'm completely missing??? are there any reasons that
>anyone knows why this would be happening?  
>
>
>I think the neighbors run their computers off it at night! :)

Ed,
Wire an ammeter in series with a battery cable and observe the drain. Be 
careful not to turn on things that will exceed the capacity of the 
ammeter shunt. Now assuming you see a drain with everything turned off, 
wiggle wires and such to see if you can eliminate the drain which will 
allow you to isolate the source of the problem. Most digital voltmeters 
will measure up to 10 amps and this will be plenty of capacity for your 
problem if the battery is taking 3 days to drain.
John

John Hofstetter  "Ol'Saline's Web Site" www.goldrush.com/~hofs
Life Member, National Rifle Association     California Rifle and Pistol 
Asc.
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"