You make an "open" in the circuit in question, either at the fuse of by disconnecting a wire, and then insert the test light in series.
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Does any one know how many milli amp should be drawn when bike is turned off?
I think pretty much zero. Maybe DESS draws a little, but every other load should be pretty much isolated from the charging circuit, I would think. I've had my bike sitting for 2 months or more without a battery maintainer hooked up and the battery was a little down but always has enough to start the bike.
Just a simple question for the electrical engineer's here:
Putting a VOM in series with the negative terminal of the battery and the neg. cable ( set on amps of course) should give a reading. Ignition off-- VOM on Milliamps.
Just want some input before I try it.
Lew L
Spread some newspapers under the Spyder so you can see where the electricity is leaking.
I think if it's more than 3Ma you have a parasitic draw. I'm just going off the top of my head as a standard.
I just went through my manual. 10-20 mA draw is within normal. Sorry.
I'm not trying to start a tire pressure/ tire size/ oil brand, ect. war here but:
Removing the negative side is a lot safer on a neg ground vehicle. If you testing with the positive side un done and touch any grounded metal with a load---- you may fry a meter set on milliamps. Always start with the highest ampere setting on the meter .
Lew L
definitely the negative!: :yikes: shemademe_smilie:
Hi Pete,
Just looking out for your( and others )safety. I have an expensive VOM and I wouldn't want to fry it. When the + cable is removed first-- any touching of a conducting material will cause a direct short.
Hope your winter is treating you well. We are getting blasted now and another storm tomorrow, Oh boy.
Lew L
PS: Check out Bart in this thread. Is he close to you guys???
With US automotive wiring methods, in general you would want to do that if your measurement of interest is a specific electrical load, if the ammeter is wired in securely or permanently. The US standard is to switch the load on the positive or power side. With Japanese vehicles, and most of the circuits in the Spyder, the controls for power to a specific load are usually on the the negative or ground side of the load. In that case you might want to put the ammeter in the ground side as it usually is specific to that load and not shared with other loads.
I've never figured out why the Japanese like to switch the ground side and not the power side in vehicle and electronics wiring. You sure don't want to do that with house wiring and voltage!
In the case of the OP's question, we're looking at a very temporary situation so safety is the overriding consideration.