Battery electrical leak

[Bart]

definitely the negative!: :yikes: shemademe_smilie:

 

[UtahPete]

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

Lew, it doesn't matter to me which side of the circuit is used for this test.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Removing the negative side is a lot safer on a neg ground vehicle.

:agree: I was thinking about that when I responded but I just wanted Pete to be aware that as far the flow of electricity goes it makes no difference which side is used.

 

[Lew L]

Lew, it doesn't matter to me which side of the circuit is used for this test.

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???

 

[UtahPete]

Hi Pete, Check out Bart in this thread. Is he close to you guys???

Kaysville is north of Salt Lake City. About 50 miles from Oakley. We're at our winter 'retreat' in southern Utah, where we are getting the cold but at least no snow.

 

[UtahPete]

:agree: I was thinking about that when I responded but I just wanted Pete to be aware that as far the flow of electricity goes it makes no difference which side is used.

I did know that. I was just thinking that ammeters are usually wired in on the positive leg of a circuit. Thanks fellas!

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I did know that. I was just thinking that ammeters are usually wired in on the positive leg of a circuit. Thanks fellas!

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.

 

[Easy Rider]

I would test the circuit draw at the positive terminal, I think. Start at the highest amp range then work down from there.

Which terminal you use makes no difference......except that if you make a klutz move and short something out, the negative side is MUCH less likely to cause any damage.

And yes, you always should start with an AMPS range and work your way down.