Date:         Fri, 7 Aug 2009 18:45:06 -0500
Reply-To:     Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject:      Re: [T2] setting up multimeter to check current draw
Comments: To: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <c4e7c5f90908071634w382904b6mf8e0d090f2a49fa7@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

It really doesn't matter which battery cable you are in series with because
the same current flows from the battery, through the accessories & back to
the battery. In other words, the measurement will be the same.

But it's always better to disconnect the ground cable first so that you
don't accidently short the hot terminal to the body.

Thanks,
Tom Hargrave
Our Web Sites:
www.kegkits.com
http://www.kegkits.com/JABF/
www.stir-plate.com
www.andyshotsauce.com
256-656-1924


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
neil N
Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 6:34 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: [T2] setting up multimeter to check current draw

I used this page (at bottom)

http://mechatronics.mech.northwestern.edu/design_ref/tools/multimeter.html

This page has a picture clearly showing meter in series at + wire:

http://scienceshareware.com/how-to-measure-DC-current-with-a-dmm.htm

Hope that helps!

Neil.

On Fri, Aug 7, 2009 at 4:25 PM, Courtney Hook<courtneyhook@shaw.ca> wrote:
> Hi Mike, I'm actually trying to find a small current draw that is slowly
> draining my battery over a few days. I remember doing this with my bug,
and
> putting the multimeter in between one battery terminal and it's cable. It
> read the current being drawn from whatever the culprit was. I then removed
a
> fuse at a time until I found the circuit that was drawing the current and
> draining the battery. I can't remember if it was the pos. or neg. cable,
and
> what I had my multimeter set for, amps, or volts etc.?? I'm electrical
> stupid.
> Courtney
>



--
Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"

http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/

http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engine
s