5 Pro Tips For Battery Drain Test

Parasitic Battery Drain Test has many methods for diagnosing and locating the problem. In this video we look at 5 tips to help you work smarter when performing you parasitic draw testing. We look at the fuse volt drop method, using the amp clamp with PicoScope 2204a oscilloscope and also thermal camera diagnostics!

Fuse Volt Drop Chart - I have put it in our free shared folder (it was the easiest way to share). Click the link to access:

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00:00 How to Perform A Battery Drain Test
00:15 Parasitic Draw Test with Multimeter
01:00 Avoid losing time, date and calibrations
04:31 Oscilloscope Amp Clamp for Battery Draw Test
06:31 Check out the Mechanic Mindset Membership!
07:10 How to measure Fuse Volt Drop
08:26 Using the correct Multi-meter for Fuse Volt Drop Testing
10:03 Identifying a Battery Drain with Thermal Imaging Camera

The Mechanic Mindset channel is here to help you improve your automotive diagnostic skills. We upload regular, easy to understand, automotive training and tutorial videos covering topics such as; oscilloscope diagnostics, PicoScope, CAN bus, waveform analysis and much more! Subscribe to stay up to date!

[anthonysova]

Fantastic job especially the meter in series with ground of the battery to a ground then only remove the accessory ground don’t know how I never thought of that just genius CHEERS

[mikemurphy]

Hands down best video for drain testing, big thumbs up.

[arthurfricchione]

Darren this is really a tremendous course. I sent you a message on my own battery drain experience. I’m a hands on learner and by physically doing the tests it never registered in my brain that a simple 12V lamp staying on already exceeds the mA of say 20 to 50mA limits on most cars. The picture I sent shows one bulb drawing .065A. Thanks for sharing. Artie 👍

[DJ-tnvj]

Excellent diagnose D. Keep up the good work

[terrybarkman]

I like the fused jumper wire with a scope. Did it this morning on the job to verify a parasitic drain repair.

[talkingtraveldogs]

The thermal camera is pretty awesome, your video as well.👍

[francisdsa]

Very good explanation and demonstration appreciate thanks 💐

[careyautorepairs]

Just saved this video to my DIY playlist and how to playlist.

[lawsonthursfield]

Some really great tips in this video Darren, especially like the amp clamp tip .
Keep up the good work buddy 👍

[stephanevaucelles]

Hello and thank you for the video, it's been a long time

[nickayivor]

SUBSTANTIAL Mechanic Mindset
Tutorial great video brilliant 👏 👌 👍
Thank you
Good Evening
Mechanic Mindset
From Nick Ayivor from London England UK 🇬🇧

[ashleyg]

Tip no. 1 - mind blown, thanks for this

[sollykhan]

Darren, another AWESOME video, it's made me quite hungry whilst watching your endless tutorials, i think i def need a thermal camera, to check on my Pizza, so it's still warm !!🙂 keep up the great work, as ever, Bless 😇

[juergenscholl]

To not loose settings, keep alive memory etc. sometimes the following may come in handy:

Connect a second battery to the B+ stud of the alternator and chassis ground. Then open the ground/negative connection of the original battery's post and go inline with your metering device. Then you disconnect the auxiliary battery.

In a similar way this technique will allow to change a battery without loosing information/memory.

[michaelpistilli]

Electronic Specialties makes several miliamp range amp clamps that are designed for parasitic drain measurements that fit easily around the postive or negative battery cables and their really accurate

[j.]

As always on this channel, this video is didactically excellent. Moreover, it is very pleasant to have all this presented in the distinguished manner of a British gentleman. Thank you.

[eurowerx]

Nice video!!
I Like the amp clamp first at the battery separation points to isolate fuse boxes. MV check across fuses, unplug associated components!
CAN bus is also a nice place to scope if it’s not so easy to locate

[JIS]

I use my digital multi meter bit I do not break the connection. One thing I always teach younger techs. Disconnecting the battery completely can reset all the modules back to normal if there really was an issue.

[seankennedy]

Hi, Sean here, mechanic from Ireland. Love your videos. Keep them coming. Just wondering where you got the seek camera attachment for your phone please. ? They vary in price wildly from €33(ali express) to €300(amazon) . Would you trust the ali express? Also I made a pulse pressure sensor, for myself and a few workmates. They work great. Thanks. 😊

[jamesbarratt]

Hey i bought your pico cheap kit from Amazon . Its in the post. So have you ever thought about altering yours so the grounds per channel are not shared?

Video of yours explained how it caused a misfire.