Parasitic Current Draw

[Guest]

I have an 81 1100e that has a parisitic draw of about 30 nano amps with the ignition off. That's 0.03 on the 200 micro amp scale. It reverses polarity with a changing of the probes, and it goes away when I pull the main fuse, but not any of the other fuses. As I understand it, this rules out the r/r. My coil relay mod also works as it should, such that I can hear the relay clicking on and off with the ignition switch. It's a very small draw, but it's definitely there, and it's enough to drop my battery voltage from 12.6 to 11.9 in about a week. That's enough to keep the starter from turning over. My battery dealer says my battery is healthy, and he's charged with his high current charger. Otherwise I'm left to recover the charge with just my battery tender, which takes all day. The battery will maintain its charge if I leave it disconnected. What do you think is going on?

[posplayr]

It sounds like 30 milli-amps NOT 30 nano amps. Self discharge is going to be more than 30 nano-amps.

30 mAmps will draw down your battery in a week or so. Disconnect stuff till the 0.03 goes away (also suggest reading your meter's manual). It is probably something you added or the R/R is starting to fail.

With the IGN key off basically the only thing connected to the battery is the R/R unless you added something else.

[BigD_83]

Do you have any accessories installed?

Does it happen all the time?

[Steve]

Why do you think that would rule out the R/R?

If anything, it points directly TO the R/R. That is the only device between the battery and the ignition key, which switches the power to the rest of the fuses.

As a test, find the connector from the R/R to the wiring harness. With your meter attached, disconnect that connector, see if your draw drops.

By the way, what meter are you using that has a MICROamp scale? I have a decent meter, but it only goes to MILLIamps, which are 1000 times larger.

.

[Guest]

Something I read earlier made me think that since the current went out with the main fuse, I should be looking up around the ignition switch. But that is not the case. It is the r/r. It I pull the red wire from the r/r, current goes away and stays away even after I reconnect r/r. Then I reconnect the battery, disconnect the battery and reconnect the meter, current is back and stays back until I disconnect the r/r again. The question now is, what's wrong inside r/r?

[Guest]

It's a Fluke 8060 A. I was hoping the image would transfer with the same resolution. 200 micro-meter scale

[posplayr]

It's a Fluke 8060 A. I was hoping the image would transfer with the same resolution. 200 micro-meter scale

So what do you believe is your reading?

[Guest]

You could say it is .03 ?A's, or just move the decimal 3 places to the right to get to the next stop on the scientific notation scale - mili, micro, nano, pico. Either way it's a very small current, like from a shorted diode. My r/r has one black wire going to ground, 1 red, and 3 white. I'm measuring continuity from red to the three whites in at least one spot where I shouldn't and least two spots where I should, I think. This is according to the stater papers test. The stator Ohms out ok, but I confess to not having tested it with the engine running yet. The current draw is so small that I doubt it's what killing the battery. It seems more likely that I'm getting home with the battery not fully charged. I think I'll be finding a new r/r tonight.

[posplayr]

I'm pretty sure you are confused about your meter and it is reading 0.030 amps or 30 milliamps (these two currents are the same) which will drain your battery.

A simple test would confirm. Does the displayed current change when you change the range? If not then the meters is displaying in amps unless it says something else.

If it is 30 mAmps and it goes away with the R/R then that is a problem and needs to be replace.

http://assets.fluke.com/manuals/8060a_3vimeng0200.pdf

[tom203]

"....I think I'll be finding a new r/r tonight."

do yourself and bike a favor and get the series r/r SH-775: polaris p/n 4012941. The Westbrook Polaris dealer might be able to get one - like everyone, he'd have to order from warehouse. Otherwise try online.
Most r/r's are inferior shunt units,

[roeme]

A reading of 0.03?A would be at both the bottom range and resolution of this meter. But neither from the picture or your description it's conclusive whether this is the case here...

Replacing the stock R/R is a good idea in any case, and as suggested, you should aim to get a SH-775.

[robertbarr]

A draw of 30 nanoamps (3x10EE-8) would take almost 2.6 million hours to consume a single Ah of battery capacity... so, odds are the reading is a little off.
I have a nearly identical meter that has served me very well for about 20 years. Nice little unit. Not sure how small a current it can measure.

[Guest]

I knew nanoamps would never kill the battery, but I didn't want to do the calculations. The measurement is irrelevant at this point because I know the r/r is toast. It fails the continuity test and the diode test. My battery voltage also drops from 12.8V to 12V after start, and it stays there through 5000 RPM. My battery voltage was 12.3 after a five minute ride. I feel lucky that I got home the last few times I was out. I'm happy to report the stater checks out fine with 85V on each leg at 5000 RPM. The best part of this story is that my local guy told me about my local Polaris dealer.
Incidentally, that meter has a 0.01 micro amp resolution, and I was reading three of them. I could turn them off and turn them on. That meter will read down to 2 nano amps with a 0.1 pico amp resolution if used in a high-voltage mode with a big shunt resistor. I was pretty impressed when I read that.

[posplayr]

Next time do a Quick Test, less drama involved

[robertbarr]

Next time do a Quick Test, less drama involved

... and what fun is that?