Battery stuff...help please

['73 K5]

How much of a draw is allowed on a sitting car? I can't remember the exact numbers. When you disconnect the + wire from the battery and hold a voltmeter in between the post and cable how much of a draw is acceptable??? Thanks.

'73 K5
Chevy good...Ford bad

 

[Predator]

Are you wanting to measure volts or amps? Inline is the way to read amps and you need a meter that will handle quite a few (around 80?) to avoid damaging the meter (in case your drawing a lot of amps). I would say a truck at idle w/o ac and w/o accesories on, will pull around 35 amps?. To measure volts connect the meter positive to positive and neg. to neg. If the the alternators charging it should be around 13 volts. Some of the other guys could probably be more specific.

 

['73 K5]

To measure the draw, it would be in amps. It seems to drain the battery a little overnight...so I'm measuring the draw with the engine and everything off........like it would be sitting over night. That way my regular old voltmeter will be safe....not too many amps. I just can't remember what number was too much...in amps.

'73 K5
Chevy good...Ford bad

 

[craig]

If you are talking about the 73 k5 then there should be no draw unless you have added any aftermarket equipment such as a stereo with a memory. If you have then just pull the fuse from any equipment you have installed. If you are using a digital multimeter then you won't get a 0 reading but any reading of milliamps should do. If you are talking about a modern car then just do the fuse thing on the computer also.