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Parasitic Draw Test and how to find a short. Does your car battery die after your car sits for a few hours, a day, or a couple of days? Well there are 3 causes for this: bad/old battery, a bad alternator, and a short (parasitic draw). This video shows you how to see if you have a short and then how to diagnose that short.

Here is a good yet inexpensive multimeter you can use for this test: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001O1X65A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001O1X65A&linkCode=as2&tag=chri0e2-20&linkId=KP2P5CB4LHRHVABF

The follow-up video with how I fixed the short:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj1lNnxuGEo

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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of ChrisFix, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. ChrisFix assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. ChrisFix recommends safe practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of ChrisFix, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not ChrisFix.

22 thoughts on “How to Find a Short in your Car”

Hey Chris, been watching your videos for sometime and really need help with an issue I’m having. I have an electrical problem in my vehicle.

Issue: Battery Voltage when vehicle is running stays at 12.3 Volts. It reaches 13.9 Volts when Air Conditioning fan is set to 7 or 8. If I drop the fan setting below 7, the voltage drops from 13.9 Volts to 12.3 Volts instantly.

I replaced my alternator and my battery is new. What could be the problem I’m facing?

Hi Chris my battery keeps draining which is frustrating. But when I test for a draw it’s nothing! This drain only happens sometimes randomly after driving. It drained it to 3v after being parked for one day. Next day I drove it and it sat for 4 days holding a charge. I’m so confused. I have even tested every fuse and nothing is drawing

Yes and Thank you. Simple and to the point.😊❤

My 94 f100 has no reverse lights the number 5 fuze slot under the hood is melted how do o fix it?

I don't have this problem but I sure appreciate your video young man.
It's good to see there's still some youth that knows how to do things for themselves. 👍🏿

Still watching the old videos ❤❤

Instead of disconnecting battery negative and measuring amperage, is it possible to measure parasitic draw by leaving the battery connected and measuring amperage on the fuses themselves?
I'm thinking of connecting one multimeter probe to ground, and touching the other probe to one or both sides of each fuse and checking amperage that way.

Can we use 55amp battery instead of 45amp?

Mine don't stay still it started at around 8 now its down to 1 .what does that mean and I have not taken any fuses put yet

Wow, what a terrible spot for a battery

Thank you! I didn't know where to start, and you've given me that.

Where os the enthusiasm hahahah, its nostalgic yet so weird to hea your tone i these old vids. Love your progress ❤

greetings from Vancouver Island,bc. . It proves that old saying , if you can't fix it dont buy it!!!

0.010 is it grounded?

THANK YOU!!

Is it normal to have a small spark when I put the negative and positive to the cable and negative side on the battery?

Obviously this was an early video, it seemed that way right away. At the end you say to subscribe because you're going to be making more videos soon

I have an 87 Suzuki samurai and the drives side taillight fuse keeps popping. Its a 5 amp fuse. I traced all the wires going back to the tail light and they all look fine. I cant figure it out to save my life. Then my dash lights all stopped working. I think thats a totally different problem though. Im just needing my tail light to work. Any ideas on if im missing something or anything i should check

I'm trying to purchase that electrical short tester chri where csn i purchase it at ?

Hey man I tested my battery with the dcv and tells me how much I had , but when I go to the amps it used to show me how much drainage was happening, but when I tried to look at it again today it wouldn’t show anything it would just say 0.00 and there’s no sparks all connectors are right and everything