How to check the battery with a meter?

The current consumption at a standstill in the car can be measured. Having a battery meter, you can check the current consumption in the car. It is necessary to remove the battery clamps, close the car and set the sensor to the closed position of the hood. After that, plug the meter between the terminal and the removed clamp, remembering that it must be set in the current measurement mode.

Of course, you need to take care to turn off all power-generating devices, namely: radio, heated seats, lights. If the energy consumption at a standstill is 0.1 A to 0.4 A, there may be a problem with battery discharge and shorter life. However, this applies to mid-range cars. On the other hand, having a car with a lot of electronic gadgets, the current consumption at a standstill can be in the range of 0.06 to 0.08A. Higher readings on the battery meter speak for the need to go to an auto repair shop. After completing the measurements in the car, unplug the meter from the circuit and install the minus clamp, remembering to tighten it well.

To check the current consumption, follow these steps:

  1. Make sure the vehicle’s engine and all receivers (lights, radio, phone chargers, etc.) are turned off.
  2. We pull the keys or card outside the vehicle.
  3. Disconnect the minus clamp from the battery. Positive (Plus, +) clamps are not disconnected!
  4. Between the terminal and the battery terminal, plug in in series a meter set to measure DC current at, for example, 20mA, 200mA or 10A as in the example below (the idea is to run the current through the meter).
  5. You can also switch the flap or hood sensor to simulate their closure.
  6. We lock the vehicle with the key or remote control (as if we were going home).
  7. Now wait until the electronics turn off completely. The waiting time, depending on the brand, model and equipment, can be up to 40 minutes.
  8. During the measurement, do not open the car or turn on anything, it may cause an incorrect reading.
  9. The final result should be between 0.00A and 0.04A, but this also depends on what kind of car you have. A result of 0.04A is accepted as the norm in mid-range vehicles, while in cars with a lot of electronics the current draw can reach 0.06 to 0.08A.
  10. When the result exceeds the values given above and is, for example: 0.41A then you should go to an electrical workshop to diagnose the source of current consumption.
  11. After 40 minutes have elapsed, we can finish the measurement, unplug the meter from the circuit and fix the minus clamp by tightening it well.

How to check the current consumption of a car?

It is worth checking which electrical equipment in the car affects the rapid leakage of energy.You simply need to turn them off one by one, checking when the meter readings are the lowest. Which electrical components of the vehicle draw the most current? Auto alarm, amplifier, hands-free kit, radio, etc. You should give up the biggest energy eater or experience dilemmas at a standstill, when its loss makes it difficult to start the car. It’s also worth checking the voltage regulator with the same battery meter.

How to check whether the parking heater affects the amount of power consumption at a standstill? Having a meter, you can also carry out such a check. If the car has a simple heater installed in the engine, it will not consume much energy. However, with extensive heating and an electric blower installed, power consumption will increase significantly. What else needs to be taken into account when checking the power consumption of the car? The condition of the battery is important, after all, its inferior performance is affected by high sulfation and excessive freezing, in which case a limited usable capacity is created.