# check amp draw on car battery



## quatsch (Feb 4, 2021)

No.


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

quatsch said:


> No.


Why not? It would be like hooking to the battery?


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Amp draw requires measure current through one of the cables connected to the battery AND the load. The jump start port is a dead end cable connected only to the battery. You could measure voltage there but not the amp draw.


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## quatsch (Feb 4, 2021)

The only time current flows thru these jump start terminals is when you are jumping the battery.

You need to put a meter in series with the fusible link, or the battery cable [if you're measuring cranking current].

The fusible link current should probably be less than 0.1A with everything off, the batt. cable while cranking might read 200A.
If the batt. cranking current or short circuit current [400A] somehow goes thru your wedding ring, you can lose your finger.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Get one of these. Not your typical multimeter or even your typical clamp on ammeter. This one also does DC amps and while it isn't cheap it also is not super expensive.

Fluke 362, 200A AC/DC Clamp Meter - - Amazon.com


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## quatsch (Feb 4, 2021)

I clicked. How can it not need a battery?


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

??? Fluke meter above uses 2 AA batteries. Came with it.



quatsch said:


> I clicked. How can it not need a battery?


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## quatsch (Feb 4, 2021)

The "product details" said no batts supplied & none needed. What a typo!


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

LOL... yes. I never even looked down that far in the product info page. And, honestly now I don't recall if it came with batteries or not. If it did then the batteries required being "no" would be correct in a way, but then batteries included should have been "yes". 



quatsch said:


> The "product details" said no batts supplied & none needed. What a typo!


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

rusty baker said:


> Why not? It would be like hooking to the battery?


You need the meter between the battery and the cable to see if anything is drawing current.


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## raylo32 (Nov 25, 2006)

Should be able to clamp the meter onto either the + or - battery cable to get the full current. Or other wires if you are concerned about individual circuits. I don't believe this particular meter does micro level of current so may not be useful for looking for those little phantom current drains. 



Mike Milam said:


> You need the meter between the battery and the cable to see if anything is drawing current.


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## quatsch (Feb 4, 2021)

Adverts that argue with themselves are nothing new. . .


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)




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## GrayHair (Apr 9, 2015)

Clamp style is better for anyone unfamiliar with measuring current draw. And sometimes better for those familiar with it. Some fuses in VOMs are pricey! Don't ask.


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