Post by iicap on Feb 2, 2011 16:37:17 GMT -5
Like many of us I look in on other forums. Recently while visiting Red Square I came across a thread by SOI on checking for a Parasitic Drain on the battery. He posted a schematic on using a DVOM( digital volt ohm meter) to check for a drain that is minute, but could kill a fully charged, good battery in a few days or more.
Allis, my 314 D with FEL had this problem since I bought it. There was a new battery in it but not using it for a week the battery would be dead. This happened numerous times. I tested with a test light hooked between the Neg(-) battery post and the Neg battery cable. If there was a draw(something electrical on) the light should illuminate telling you yes there is. The testlight on Allis DID NOT light. Ok maybe battery is just no good and can't keep the charge.
When I read SOI's thread, I said I'll try that as soon as I can. I ran the test and found that my ammeter was the culprit killing my battery. Seeing as I had success with this procedure I continued on in his thread thanking him for his tutorial and then described the process I did to find the prob. He complimented my diagnosis and suggested things to check on the ammeter as to why it was drawing from the battery. I will give a synopsis of what I did here and a couple of pics.
If I could post his schematic I would. I will try a close up pic of my meter so you can see all the functions and ports. Anyway taking your DVOM and plugging the leads into the appropriate ports. Black into the com port and on my meter the red into the 10A port. Before going any farther you should know YOUR meter. They usually have a fuse to protect portions of the meter. My meter says 10A for 30 sec max every 15 minutes. In parasitic testing we are looking a draw in a fraction of a amp or miliamps.
Now we need the neg batt cable hooked up and tight. I'd clean the term and post.
Disconnect the Pos cable from the battery. With the meter on and turned to the 10A position. Not connected, the gauge on the meter may/should look like this 0.00, now hook the black lead to the pos battery cable and the red lead to the Pos battery post. If you have a reading on the gauge, there is something drawing current. You now have to go down the line looking for what it is that's causing the draw.
On Allis' test, my meter read 00.06 which I believe is 6 hundredths of a amp. Now to search. The main feed wire to all electrical on Allis and most tractors starts at the starter solenoid Pos battery cable stud. Then (all reference now pertains to Allis) to a circuit breaker which hangs in mid air, no metal contact, then to the ammeter. I disconnected the feed wire at the ammeter and DVOM read 0.00, as it should because I removed the load that is farther down the line. Hooked the wire back on the ammeter and tested again, reading of 00.06 is back. Then disconnected the other wire on the ammeter and tested, it still read 00.06, wait now by removing this wire I disconnected the rest of the electrical system and I have the draw. So the ammeter is causing the draw.
As a test I took the other wire back off the ammeter and bolted the two wires together and tested again and the DVOM read 0.00, this confirmed the ammeter was the culprit killing the battery. I'll post this and follow with pics and text as to what was wrong with the meter.
Allis, my 314 D with FEL had this problem since I bought it. There was a new battery in it but not using it for a week the battery would be dead. This happened numerous times. I tested with a test light hooked between the Neg(-) battery post and the Neg battery cable. If there was a draw(something electrical on) the light should illuminate telling you yes there is. The testlight on Allis DID NOT light. Ok maybe battery is just no good and can't keep the charge.
When I read SOI's thread, I said I'll try that as soon as I can. I ran the test and found that my ammeter was the culprit killing my battery. Seeing as I had success with this procedure I continued on in his thread thanking him for his tutorial and then described the process I did to find the prob. He complimented my diagnosis and suggested things to check on the ammeter as to why it was drawing from the battery. I will give a synopsis of what I did here and a couple of pics.
If I could post his schematic I would. I will try a close up pic of my meter so you can see all the functions and ports. Anyway taking your DVOM and plugging the leads into the appropriate ports. Black into the com port and on my meter the red into the 10A port. Before going any farther you should know YOUR meter. They usually have a fuse to protect portions of the meter. My meter says 10A for 30 sec max every 15 minutes. In parasitic testing we are looking a draw in a fraction of a amp or miliamps.
Now we need the neg batt cable hooked up and tight. I'd clean the term and post.
Disconnect the Pos cable from the battery. With the meter on and turned to the 10A position. Not connected, the gauge on the meter may/should look like this 0.00, now hook the black lead to the pos battery cable and the red lead to the Pos battery post. If you have a reading on the gauge, there is something drawing current. You now have to go down the line looking for what it is that's causing the draw.
On Allis' test, my meter read 00.06 which I believe is 6 hundredths of a amp. Now to search. The main feed wire to all electrical on Allis and most tractors starts at the starter solenoid Pos battery cable stud. Then (all reference now pertains to Allis) to a circuit breaker which hangs in mid air, no metal contact, then to the ammeter. I disconnected the feed wire at the ammeter and DVOM read 0.00, as it should because I removed the load that is farther down the line. Hooked the wire back on the ammeter and tested again, reading of 00.06 is back. Then disconnected the other wire on the ammeter and tested, it still read 00.06, wait now by removing this wire I disconnected the rest of the electrical system and I have the draw. So the ammeter is causing the draw.
As a test I took the other wire back off the ammeter and bolted the two wires together and tested again and the DVOM read 0.00, this confirmed the ammeter was the culprit killing the battery. I'll post this and follow with pics and text as to what was wrong with the meter.