I think somewhere in there you mean amps (current "draw" - I know it's only semantics, but "draw" isn't used to indicate voltage - voltage would be "drop"). And current is measured with the meter in series with the supply, voltage, parallel.

Can you supply more details about what was measured (DCA or VDC) and where the + and - probes were?

Also, unplug the 120 VAC when you take the measurements if you haven't already.

Hi Rusty! Boy did I space out on that last test. I had the multimeter set on DC voltage.
As suggested I went back outside and unplugged the 120VAC shore line. Next I setup my meter to measure DCA. With the neg meter lead on the Red load cable and the positive meter lead on the positive battery post I get a reading of 2.46DCA (I told Bill 3 DCA) but since our phone conversation it dropped????) Anyway I decided to charge up the battery overnight and take Bill H.s advice and first buy a hydrometer and verify the condidtion of this battery. Next course of action is to start removing/isolating the cables from the starter..

Hey Bill, I charged up the suspect battery for 24 hours, disconnected the charger and let the battery sit disconnected for 10 hours. Current Voltage reading is 13.6VDC. 30 minutes later I bought a hydrometer and tested each of the 8 cells and the reading of each cell indicated between 1.175-1.2 According to the float stem markings it is indicating this battery is in a "discharged condition"...the area of the float stem is clearly colored RED. So what does all this mean?

If the hydrometer is correct, the battery is a goner. A defunct unloaded battery can still hold a "surface charge" within specs, but the test is the voltage drop when a large load is applied.

But I'd test the hydrometer on a known good battery, because it's very unusual for a battery to have all its cells read equally bad unless it's been abused, badly sulfated, or is very old.

well I went out snd tested the other battery and it also is giving me the same hydrometer readings. How can a brand new hydrometer be off by so much?? Is it because I bought it at Pep Boys instead of Sears? It appears to be well made...although the $5.99 price was suspicious..I guess I'll take the battery and have it tested. sigh..

A decent (read: "accurate") hydrometer can be a handy device.

But it wouldn't hurt to have the battery load tested (at around 100-400 A); that's the best way to find out if it's "funct" or "defunct".

Hi Barthmobilers, now that it's cooled down a bit I've continued in my attempt to find my 4 DCA drain. I've eliminated the starter and disconnected the main POS lead that feeds the left front DC power distribution for the entire dash assembly and ignition. Still have the 4DCA drain. I've pulled all the possible fuses I can. Unplugged quite a few items too. Do you guys have any other ideas as to what it could be? I need to use the coach this month...any reason why I can't drive the vehicle if I disconnect the battery while parked?

quote:

Originally posted by hilarlee:
Do you guys have any other ideas as to what it could be?

I have found on some of my electrical hunts for power draw/drain that the voltage regulator would fail causing the alternator to become a power drain when parked. When you start it up it works like it should but when the motor is not running it drains the batteries.

Try disconnecting the positive cable going to the alternator and isolate your batteries like you stated on 6/28 (This morning I isolated each of the two batteries so one battery is feeding one circuit and the other battery feeding the other.) See if that is your power draw.

An alternator make a magnetic field anytime it's producing or if bad using power. If you are "crazy enough" (I am) to touch the alternator pulley of a running motor (Do not try at home, professional mechanic on a closed course, death or major injury etc...) or the back side of the bearing cup (with a metal object, like a wrench) you'll find a strong magnetic field. The more amps it's producing (or using) the stronger the pull

quote:

Originally posted by hilarlee:
....any reason why I can't drive the vehicle if I disconnect the battery while parked?

Yeah, you could do that. Check the alternator for power draw when it's not running. Just trying to save you a breakdown on the road. You never know who might come out for you at 3am

quote:

Do not try at home, professional mechanic on a closed course, death or major injury etc...)

Bill:

I am not sure but I think if the phrase "severe injury or death" were removed from the new Harley manual this book would be reduced from several hundred pages to about fifteen.

Good tip on the alternator by the way, I'll add it to the bag of tricks.

Thanks:

Timothy

quote:

Originally posted by Bill N.Y.:
I have found on some of my electrical hunts for power draw/drain that the voltage regulator would fail causing the alternator to become a power drain when parked. When you start it up it works like it should but when the motor is not running it drains the batteries.

Anyone remember cutout relays?

[QUOTE]I have found on some of my electrical hunts for power draw/drain that the voltage regulator would fail causing the alternator to become a power drain when parked. When you start it up it works like it should but when the motor is not running it drains the batteries.

Try disconnecting the positive cable going to the alternator and isolate your batteries like you stated on 6/28 (This morning I isolated each of the two batteries so one battery is feeding one circuit and the other battery feeding the other.) See if that is your power draw.

An alternator make a magnetic field anytime it's producing or if bad using power. If you are "crazy enough" (I am) to touch the alternator pulley of a running motor (Do not try at home, professional mechanic on a closed course, death or major injury etc...) or the back side of the bearing cup (with a metal object, like a wrench) you'll find a strong magnetic field. The more amps it's producing (or using) the stronger the pull[QUOTE]

Bill N Y also brings up a possibility that the alternator diode/s have failed short. Disconnecting the positive (heavy) cable from the alternator would isolate that issue. Rx is to replace the alternator.

HAY! I'm confident I found the culprit. Anyone wanna take one last guess?...........................SPEEDOMETER GENERATOR!!! After isolating the alternator as suggested (no change) I followed the 4DCA drain to a relay. The only item left from this junction was three wires that go to the top of the transmission...I guess it's called a speed sender...generator. Two of the three wires went to the front of the coach labeled, Speedo Neg and Speedo Pos. After disconnecting both of those leads-no change. Unplugging the device from the circuit and the meter reads Zero....What do you guys think? This gizmo screws into the top of the Allison four speed housing ..actually it looks like it first screws into some other device with wires. I'm guessing it's a tach sensor of some sort. You know these Barths are unbelievable. While crawling around on my back searching and probing for the problem, I could hardly believe the two wires I was working with were numbered AND labeled, "SPEEDO NEG 23 and SPEEDO POS 24...the words were actually printed on the insulation of the wire! when I went 30' to the front of the coach it was a cinch to find the same two wires behind the guages labeled the same. Checking my Spartan circuit legend and schematic the search was not too bad afterall. I wonder if an Allison dealer would sell this part or ?

quote:

I wonder if an Allison dealer would sell this part or ?

Congratulations on a good find!

If Allison doesn't have one, sounds like a good excuse to buy a GPS.

"Victory belongs to the most persevering."

-Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 - 1821

Good find! Keep in mind the speedo head might not be the culprit, but rather the circuit feeding it, which should be dead with the ignition off.