Parasitic draw test for batteries on the truck?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by gekko1323, Mar 31, 2024.

  1. gekko1323

    gekko1323 Road Train Member

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    Good morning folks. I was wondering if there is a different technique for doing a parasitic draw test on our tractors? I know how to do it on a car, but since we have 4 batteries in parallel, I don't want to risk mucking things up by doing it incorrectly. Thanks.
     
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  3. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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    Pretty much the same, though you may have more than 1 ground wire to the batteries depending on setup.
     
  4. gekko1323

    gekko1323 Road Train Member

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    So what you are saying is that if I just have to test ONE of the negative posts?
     
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  5. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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    You'll need to remove the main ground from the batteries. Leave your jumpers hooked up between the batteries. But, you may not have just one ground. Depends on how the truck is setup.

    A pic inside the battery box would help
     
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  6. gekko1323

    gekko1323 Road Train Member

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    Yes. Assuming there is one ground, I remove the main ground, attach the red lead of my multi meter to that terminal, and then attach the black lead onto ONE of the negative battery posts?
     
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  7. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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    Is your meter fused at 10A?
     
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  8. gekko1323

    gekko1323 Road Train Member

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    Yeah. And it has different settings.
     
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  9. gekko1323

    gekko1323 Road Train Member

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    It's an old clamp Hioki. I think it can handle 1000 amps.
     
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  10. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    From my own personal experience those amp clamps aren't good for checking small amounts of amperage. They're meant to check high amperage circuits like the starter or alternator. They generally won't measure current in milliamps with any sort of accuracy.
     
  11. North Pole Nightmare

    North Pole Nightmare Heavy Load Member

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    Fluke meter is very accurate.I have an old one I bought years ago,still works great.Disconnect the ground cable and get the measurement between the terminal and the cable.Years ago you could start pulling fuses after that,find the circuit that was drawing the voltage or amps.New equipment has a lot more fuses and circuits so more difficult to find the source.
     
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