Is there supposed to be any current drain when the key is off?

[quilbilly]

I am getting my truck back on the road and I have been connecting and disconnecting the battery for any number of reasons and when I hook the ground back up I always notice a little spark even when the key is out and the dome light off. Finally I hooked up my multimeter and it reads . 63 amps. This seems unusual unless there is something that is supposed to be drawing some power when the key is off. That seems like a lot, any ideas? The only thing I think of is the radio station memory and I can't imagine it draws that much. Thanks in advance Todd

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

If your radio has a digital clock then yes it would have to draw some amperage. Also, do you have an underhood light that comes on when the hood is raised? My '89 has electrical leaks all over the place but luckily not while it is turned off! Usually I hit a BIG bump in the road and the weak connections at the fusible links that I need to fix come apart and the truck dies RIGHT NOW!!!



Trent

 

[JDMills]

Todd,

I often see a small arc when I hook up the negative ground. could the computer be pulling a bit of juce as well? (didn't the intercooled trucks have some kind of computerized gizmo) That all being said, if you pull a fuse one at at time, and check the electrical draw, then you might be able to narrow some thing down to a single circut.

Jason

 

[steveinaz]

could be your internal voltage regulator(alt. ). if the diodes are burnt the regulator will "click" to charge when the battery is hooked up causing a small draw.

 

[sparks57]

Mine sparks too when I hook it up... no matter if the key is on or not.



Although it's kind of a bad idea to fool with the battery while the key is on!

 

[dpuckett]

Volt reg on a 90 is external, and the geniuses in engineering decided to put it in the HOTTEST place possible without bolting it to the exhaust- above the turbo downpipe on the firewall. CB- at least you recognize it's not such a good idea. Now to get you to quit fooing with stuff and just drive the darn thing. I know, that would be too simple for your overactive mind.



Daniel

 

[sparks57]

Quit fooling with stuff??? YEAH RIGHT!