Engineering geniuses out there

[Tim Ward]

"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> I know someone has an answer. I need to find out if I'm drawing power when
> my master switch is off. Something is quirky and I want to be able to hook
> something up in the batteries position to find out if anything is drawing
> little bits of power. Any one know of a simple instrument?
> __________________________________________________ ________________ scott
>

Yes. An ampmeter in series with the battery with the master switch off
should show zero current.
Try the larger ranges (10 Amps, for example) first, so you don't pop the
fuses in your meter.

Tim Ward

[Scott]

I know someone has an answer. I need to find out if I'm drawing power when
my master switch is off. Something is quirky and I want to be able to hook
something up in the batteries position to find out if anything is drawing
little bits of power. Any one know of a simple instrument?
__________________________________________________ ________________ scott
ICQ#: 34312461 Current ICQ status: + More ways to contact me
__________________________________________________ ________________


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[John Morgan]

"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> thank you


Just to be sure there's no confusion, you will need to remove one lead from
the battery, doesn't matter which one. Then set the multimeter on its
highest amp range and hook one meter lead to the battery terminal and the
other to the wire you removed. With master off the meter should read zero.
Switch to the lower current ranges and the reading should still be zero.

Don't have an ammeter (some cheaper multimeters don't), no problem. Just
hook a resistor (a car tail lamp bulb will do) between the battery terminal
and the wire you removed from that terminal. Set the meter to read DC
voltage and hook one lead to the battery terminal and the other to the wire
(this would be in parallel with the resister or bulb). There should be no
voltage drop across the resister and thus the meter should read zero volts.

If you get the desired zero reading, then the battery voltage is dropping
for another, perhaps more likely, reason. Sealed lead acid batteries of the
type normally used in gliders, have a life expectancy of no more than 5
years. They lose capacity as they age. If your battery isn't holding a
charge, then perhaps it's time to replace the battery?

--
bumper - ZZ >
"Dare to be different . . . circle in sink."
to reply, the last half is right to left


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[Scott]

thank you
"Tim Ward" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Scott" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I know someone has an answer. I need to find out if I'm drawing power
when
> > my master switch is off. Something is quirky and I want to be able to
hook
> > something up in the batteries position to find out if anything is
drawing
> > little bits of power. Any one know of a simple instrument?
> > __________________________________________________ ________________ scott
> >
>
> Yes. An ampmeter in series with the battery with the master switch off
> should show zero current.
> Try the larger ranges (10 Amps, for example) first, so you don't pop the
> fuses in your meter.
>
> Tim Ward
>
>


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[Steve B]

Absolutely correct...

A simple test also is to as John mentioned remove one battery cable
terminal from the battery... take a voltmeter set to 12 v and attach
one lead to the battery terminal and one lead to the cable. If it
reads 12v then you have a current draw... start removing fuses or
breakers until the meter no longer reads 12 v and you will have the
source of the draw.

By the way... I am sure that you know how electrons work. I have
discovered that they run on smoke... when you break them all the smoke
comes out.

They don't call me Stevie Zappo for nothing.



"John Morgan" > wrote in message >...
> "Scott" > wrote in message
> ...
> > thank you
>
>
> Just to be sure there's no confusion, you will need to remove one lead from
> the battery, doesn't matter which one. Then set the multimeter on its
> highest amp range and hook one meter lead to the battery terminal and the
> other to the wire you removed. With master off the meter should read zero.
> Switch to the lower current ranges and the reading should still be zero.
>
> Don't have an ammeter (some cheaper multimeters don't), no problem. Just
> hook a resistor (a car tail lamp bulb will do) between the battery terminal
> and the wire you removed from that terminal. Set the meter to read DC
> voltage and hook one lead to the battery terminal and the other to the wire
> (this would be in parallel with the resister or bulb). There should be no
> voltage drop across the resister and thus the meter should read zero volts.
>
> If you get the desired zero reading, then the battery voltage is dropping
> for another, perhaps more likely, reason. Sealed lead acid batteries of the
> type normally used in gliders, have a life expectancy of no more than 5
> years. They lose capacity as they age. If your battery isn't holding a
> charge, then perhaps it's time to replace the battery?
>
> --
> bumper - ZZ >
> "Dare to be different . . . circle in sink."
> to reply, the last half is right to left
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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[John Scott]

A simple test to determine if it is a faulty battery, is simply to
disconnect one lead from the battery for a period of time, say a week, and
see if the charge leaks off. If so, they the battery has developed a
reduced internal resistance and needs to be replaced.

--
John Scott

[Michael]

"John Morgan" > wrote
> Don't have an ammeter (some cheaper multimeters don't), no problem. Just
> hook a resistor (a car tail lamp bulb will do) between the battery terminal
> and the wire you removed from that terminal. Set the meter to read DC
> voltage and hook one lead to the battery terminal and the other to the wire
> (this would be in parallel with the resister or bulb). There should be no
> voltage drop across the resister and thus the meter should read zero volts.

This isn't going to work for a slow leak (anything less than about 50
ma) because at low current, the resistance of a tail light is nearly
zero.

The typical glider battery is about 6 Ah, which means a 50 ma leak
will drain the battery flat in about a week.

There are all kinds of problems that cause slow leaks. A friend of
mine once discovered about a 20 ma leak in his installation where the
leakage was through the battery box grommet.

Michael

Please do not send email replies to this posting. They are checked
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[Bob Greenblatt]

in article , Scott at
wrote on 10/8/03 1:48 AM:

> I know someone has an answer. I need to find out if I'm drawing power when
> my master switch is off. Something is quirky and I want to be able to hook
> something up in the batteries position to find out if anything is drawing
> little bits of power. Any one know of a simple instrument?
> __________________________________________________ ________________ scott
> ICQ#: 34312461 Current ICQ status: + More ways to contact me
> __________________________________________________ ________________
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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> Version: 6.0.524 / Virus Database: 321 - Release Date: 10/6/2003
>
>
>
>
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Do you happen to have a Microair transponder? It draws about 50ma when it's
OFF.

--
Bob & Lynne Greenblatt
Bob-lynneATcomcast.net<--fix this before replying