A spark, well that is easy.  I have a new 1000 W Zantrex inverter and every
time I replace a blown fuse for it (30Amp I know it should be more but
that's what I use and it works) it sparks a little bit.  I figured that was
normal.  And no, I don't leave the switch in the on position on the
inverter.  But odd that a good quality inverter would be causing a problem.
Maybe something is touching something it shouldn't.

Thanks,
Dave

>From: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
>Reply-To: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Battery Drain
>Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:20:50 -0500
>
>  Doing it that way won't tell you what you need to know.  You need to see
>current flow in series (amps), not voltage in parallel (volts).
>  First, shut off the dome light(s), as Boston Bob suggested.
>  Then, remove all the fuses, make notes of how many amps fuse goes in
>which
>slot (refer to owners manual or Bentley for correct fuses).
>With dim daylight, install each fuse, one at a time, watching to see if
>there's a spark when touching it to the terminals.  If there's a spark,
>something in that circuit is drawing current.
>  Small spark = small current draw/ big spark = big current draw.
>Only one fuse should show a spark, that's your problem circuit.  Reinstall
>all the rest, leave that one out, see what doesn't work now.  Or refer to
>the manual(s) to determine what that fuse provides power to.
>  Don't forget, the radio may draw a tiny spark for memory/ presets, etc.
>and the clock will always draw a little (not usually a battery-draining
>problem).  Chase that circuit to see if there's any shorts to chassis or
>add-on current consuming accessories (like an alarm or something).
>  If you have to, leave that fuse out overnight or for extended storage.
>You could also use an ammeter to check current draw at each fuse, that'll
>tell you the same thing.
>
>HTH,
>
>Mike B.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Dave Vickery" <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:52 AM
>Subject: Re: Battery Drain
>
>
>>I was hoping I could just turn the voltmeter (or maybe it is a multimeter
>>or
>>ammeter--it has a lot of settings on it) to the proper setting and touch
>>one
>>side each of the fuses until I get a reading that means something.
>>
>>Like I said, electrical stuff is a weakness for me.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Dave
>>
>>
>>>From: Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@HOTMAIL.COM>
>>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>
>>>" and now my batteries drain down in a couple weeks time."
>>>
>>>Dave,
>>>this may or may not be germain to your situation. I added gauges to my
>>>dash
>>>top and used a + spade on the back of the main fuse panel. Little did I
>>>know
>>>that these gauges constantly draw on an open electrical circuit and my
>>>battery would run down in about 7 days. I fixed this by taking the
>>>steering
>>>column shroud off and literally poking around near the ignition switch
>>>until
>>>I found one that came on when the key is not, off when the key is off and
>>>my
>>>problem disappeared.
>>>
>>>your mention of "a good quality digital voltmeter" makes me wonder if
>>>this
>>>is a hand-held instrument you use to check elec. circuits on your van, or
>>>if
>>>it's a gauge you've wired into the "new" system and sits on your dash? If
>>>so, this just might be your culprit .... I don't know?
>>>Makes me wonder also what "accessories" you've wired into this battery.
>>>If
>>>one of them has the tendency to draw current if it's available, like my
>>>dash
>>>gauges, and may need to be "switched"?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Bob Stevens
>>>'87 Westy Syncro
>>>"Passion Fruit"
>>
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>>

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