I try to answer 4hrs of comments every day so I can help people out. That's the goal of my channel and sometimes the comments are the extra help that makes it possible.
@@dennisrandall8040 funny, the only problems I've ever had is from the idiot that owned it before me. Since I fixed those and have been taking good care of it never had an issue.
Old cleaning trick using a penny and good ol' Agua. It will leave your copper terminals looking brand new. 1. Place penny on top of the post. 2. Slowly pour water (I've tried this with bottled water), almost to a trickle. The post will clean up right before your eyes. 3. Dry up all areas and proceed with your favorite preventative solution to avoid further corrosion. Great tutorials by the way. Keep it up!
Before removing any fuses I recommend you take a photo of the fuse box just in case you misplace a fuse as some fuse places are empty. After finishing check the photo to see if all fuses are properly placed.
This is a very good idea and I learned it the hard way! I now take a digital photo of anything that is to be dismantled just as a precaution and it can be a great help when re assembling.
If you remember, photos will save you from lots of difficulties. I have a friend who takes photos of receipts, utility bills, documents etc. Photos or scans. In case you loose something, you can retrieve it quickly.
Ive always thought it was kind of funny how he sounds a little depressed in this video in comparison to the others where he is more peppy, Electrical work is tough man, we all been there...I feel ya lol
man ..my wifes car battery just died and i needed/wanted to check for voltage bleed,so i looked to youtube/chris fix and shure enough ,he’s got a video on how to......now i’m a handy man with mechanical stuff and a diy’er but car electrics not so much ,glad that my go to guy has all the very usefull videos i need!!! great guy and awesome videos ,so keep them coming,let’s keep our cars rolling and the cost minimal greetings from the netherlands
Agreed. I love how they tell us to check the wiring connections and grounds. As if there are only a few and all are accessible. A bad ground from the battery is a good place to start. And learn to use a multi meter.
Thank you CrisFix, without a doubt you are the best auto mechanic UA-camr when it comes to teaching, you go straight to the point and avoid all the nonsense, like staring to the camera nonstop or placing silly memes, hiding behind a truck gate etc.
Yep,. He did a video about cleaning interiors with a brush and I thought it was complete bs, but it was like might and day. This dude gives straight info and he's reliable.
The reason we disconnect the negative ground first is because if you are disconnecting a grounded battery and your wrench touches the side of the cars body or any metal, you will get that wrench literally seared into your hands. You only make that mistake once before you always remember to disconnect the ground its like disarming a battery. And when reattaching start with Pos and end with Neg. The reverse. This is for safety and very important.
koscashcars this is soooo flipping true...had a dude do this once in the Army and seared his ring to a wrench and to the vehicle 🚗 bad baby back day baby !!!
Great video Chris. I did notice when you first disconnected the battery you layed the open end wrench down on top of battery very close to the positive and negative terminal. Not a good idea. But still very good information. Thanks
This is the first comment I have ever left on UA-cam. Your videos are so helpful. You are very clear and easy to understand. You explain things very well. Concise. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos.
One time-saver is to take out a row of fuses at a time, carefully arranging them aside in order. Go row by row until you find a problem, then drill down further within that row.
On some old vehicles with worn ignition switches, the key might come out _just_ before the off position. In other words, you think it is 'off' but it is not. Took me two years to discover that.
BMW cars are known for that. Plastic square pin breaks between key and ignition switch built into steering column housing. Also German design runs bat+cable through stamped sharp body from trunk to backseat then to trunk. Cable is proun to much wear and tear in pour design flaws.
PacificCircle1 I'm thinking that's what happened to me on my 2007 duramax. Both batteries drained. Been charging them each not connected to truck. Will do a drain test today. Truck has never done this before and I hope it's an easy find and fix.
Compared to your other videos, you sound like you were having a bad day when you taped this. Might also want to pick yourself up a $3 battery brush ;-) Instead of disconnecting fuse by fuse, you can test them in mV mode (they have two tiny tabs on top for your meter), you should see a reading if they are actually pulling current from a voltage drop across the fuse. A 0 reading indicates the fuse isn't pulling anything. Saves time - trick I learned on YT as well.
+Rick J, I cannot reply to your comment for some reason so I hope you see this and reply to this. This sounds like you have a bulb going bad and it might go out soon. There are bulbs behind the dash that light up the speedometer and stuff. This can also be a charging problem because some cars are particular with having the exact correct voltage coming from the alternator. Might want to check this out: How to Test an Alternator
hello! chris ,i was driving today and suddenly my idller increases i check already the adjuster and idller but still the same how could i fix the problem..my car is lancer carburator type...thanks
Rick j Did you test the circuit to make sure it wasnt fried? If that isnt it, that is tough to diagnose over the internet. I would check grounds and make sure they are clean. Check out this video (I know you said you checked the alternator but I check other things too): How to Test an Alternator
Rick j You need to adjust your google+ settings or something because I cannot reply to comments you create, only comments you reply to. Like your other comment, I cannot reply to that. If you cannot figure it out, as your question as a reply to my comment.
You could use duct tape to hold the door switch closed why the door is open for your test if your fuse box is is blocked by the door. Just while your doing the test.
People have nothing better to do then to criticize, ridicule and HOPE their lame comment or down vote gets “them“ upvotes somewhere else. It is the Internet “no one knows who you really are”
There is a difference between a parasitic draw and a short circuit. A short circuit will usually blow a fuse because of excessive current draw. The fuse is in the circuit to protect the wiring and the component that you are protecting. Your example was a parasitic draw because the circuit was operating as designed. A better way to check for a parasitic draw is to do a voltage drop across the fuse of the circuit that you suspect is causing the current draw. Also, when using a ammeter a short circuit would probably exceed the 10 amps that the meter is designed for which would probably blow the fuse in the meter.
great video. thanks. knowledge really helps and anyone who shares stuff like this really save us time. especially someone like me that doesnt know much about wiring and havnt had a car running in over a month
Hey Chris- just wanted to say thanks for all your practical and ingenious solutions. You're definitely one of the best of the best Automotive Technicians in the World. You're in a Class all by yourself. Thanks Man!
An easier tool to use is a simple prong type tester with an alligator clip. You disconnect the negative cable touch the point of the tester to the battery and clip the alligator clip to the negative battery cable... If there is a draw the light in the tester will light up. Pull fuses until the light goes out.
easier way to figure out a battery drain problem is hook your meter to the battery and remove fuses one at a time until the voltage rises. that will tell you what circuit is the culprit and then you figure out the culprit from there.
Excellent !!! And how about just measuring the voltage between the fuse (without removing the fuse) and the closest grounded metal, one by one till showing voltage !? Am I wrong !? :)
Yet another very important note: most multimeters are only rated for 10A max for a few seconds, so dont leave it connected, just check it for a few seconds, espcially cheap Chinesium ones they might heat up quickly
It's amazing how many of you geniuses watch his videos only to pick them apart, trying to show everyone that your the smartest kid in the room. If you all know so damn much start your own YT channel, otherwise just shut up.
Nice clip! Very useful topics!!! I had a cadillac Seville 00 which used to drain the batt in a couple hours. Used this method and couldn't find the issue. It rarely drained the batt with alarm on ( if it was off, batt drained for sure).
Chris Forgot to mention that a 50 millyvolt (mv) drop is exceptable as a car when not in use will have a tiny bit of electrical current that is being used up coming from places like the light around the ignition lock for example ,the cars clock might stay on all the time, Memory seats, mirrors, radio presets, satellite radio, GPS systems causing this 50 mA reading. If you have a parasitic draw of a over 100 mV that is definitely too much and there is a problem with the cars electrical system someplace. More times than not the fault can be traced back to an aftermarket part that was installed such as a remote car starter system,dash cam,aftermarket radio or fog lights that were installed. Any voltage stop higher than 50 mv would indicate that the vehicle has an open circuit causing the battery to be slowly drained.Pulling fuses one by one is the best way to find out where the problem is once you find out the area that is responsible for this voltage bleed or leak ,you could then take a closer look at the wires that connect the device; often times the problem is the wires at the fog light lamp itself or the wires going into the dome light or into the radio or aftermarket guages.
Hey Chris, first off, love your vids and I subscribed to you today. Watching this video made me nervous for you though lol, using that box wrench on the battery terminals you came awful close a few times with that wrench in your hand between the battery positive and negative terminals. I would add a safety tip on that lol. I like to use a small nut driver or smaller ratchet that can't accidently span that gap and short the battery.
lightblade543 Glad you like the videos and subscribed! Welcome aboard. The box wrench wasnt long enough to short the battery but that is a good tip! Thanks!
Shperformance. Would you get a shock if they touched both? Why don’t you get a shock if you touch the positive and negative with your hands at the same time? Never understood that. ( surely power is going through your body)
Great vid man.. !now gonna go and try to diagnose where the short on my car is at.... be getting this kind of deaming on my interior and exterior car lights.... gonna test my alternator and battery first .
@1:59: Why wouldn't you want the negative battery lead to touch a ground (on the car) when disconnected? Don't all the car's grounds go back to the negative terminal via that lead? Therefore, with that lead disconnected, isn't everything in the car ungrounded? (I understand not allowing it to touch a ground off the car.)
Nice video. Learned something. For safety you need to be careful about setting steel tools on the battery that are long enough to bridge the gap between the posts. The energy released by shorting the posts on a car battery is impressive and can easily start a fire. You laid a combination wrench on the battery. I'm a subscriber and I enjoy your videos. I even liked this one. :0)
Much better with a test light with alligator clip,you can watch the light go out when you find the problem fuse,saves walking back and forth,love your vids.
Chris, love your videos. For ideas for future vids here are two suggestions. 1) How to test for vacumm leaks. 2) How to repair wire insulation eaten by rodents. I experienced where a rodent ate the insulation off about 5 wires in the harness leading to the gas tank (emissions system). I understand car companies were using soy for insulation. I fixed with electrical tape but not sure if this is best method. Did not want to shrink wrap so close to gas tank. Thanks.
I know it's old comment, but my dad uses liquid tape when this happens. You won't have to worry about the adhesive from the tape failing from the heat and coming off.
Hey Chris, I have one to add. I was looking for a parasitic load on a vw golf, and found the reason the bat was dieing after a couple of days. The trunk light was on, when it should not have been, trunk was closed & only noticed it @ night. Fixed the switch. Battery & girl friend were so pleased. Have a great day
Wow! This video is almost 4 years old! Where has the time gone? It's interesting to see/hear how your videography and narration styles have progressed. I think that a parasitic draw/drain can also occur from something as simple as a dirty/damp (conducting) battery case top. This can be found with a multimeter, too.
Don't use sandpaper to clean terminals! Sanding makes the connection loose. Only if there is a LOT of rust or corrosion, to get the larger part off, then use the proper cleaner or de-rusting chemical. There are some very good sprays to remove the corrosion from battery terminals and cable connectors.
ChrisFix I'm having a problem with my 1993 Honda accord LX I can't exactly tell if it's a computer problem or if it's this. My rpms don't move when cranked and my check engine light turns off in the ready position. It wasn't started and survived a winter without being cranked. I replaced the dead battery nd I've watched your videos and it doesn't appear to be anything besides a parasitic leak or a computer problem. Please help.
IF you find a short but you can't fix it at home just remove negative cable overnight, when you need your car you can put it back again. and this will save some of the battery energy till you fix your short
You forgot to say you connect wires to the headlight and the other ends to were the blown fuse is at.But this idiot is not checking for a blown fuse,he's checking for battery drainage.
I just preformed this test on my 911 and discovered it’s parasite free. Now I can have peace of mind on some of my recent soldering projects. Thank you Chris Fix! (long time subscriber)
Wow Chris!! Again, another clearly spoken, easy to understand, step by step, how to repair something on my car. I had no parasitic draw until repairing the cat converter in my 2003 Corolla. While inspecting my finished job my face touched the frame and then felt that parasitic tingle. So thanks again, yours such a an excellent source I always check with no matter what. Thanks again & keep them coming!
I am having a hard time finding a problem with my car. Battery voltage 12.6 engine running 14.3 but when put all load it drops nearly 12.5. And while driving after 15 mins when engine heated I will further drop to 11.8 v. And if I operate power window switches at same time engine will die. I have tried replacing a battery No response. Clear body and engine grounds got no effect. Is it a bad alternator? Please help me out
Excellent video ... You are a natural bro. I worked in the automotive industry for over 27 years and I love trouble shooting. I worked with brakes, suspension, differentials etc etc. I loved it !!
@Av987 If by mistake you knock the tool into the terminals it can cause various issues. Batteries are stable in use but can quickly become volatile when shorted out not to mention it can cause issues in other systems. Its best to avoid problems that can be avoided (even if its unlikely to actually cause any issues) . it was worth noting in my book as not everyone watching these videos is aware of this. This is an older video and Chris at this point is well aware of this so its not meant to be directed at him.
Again it's a great instructive help to those of us especially who's first time using a multimeter to detect a parasite draw, of which I have a draining battery. Did the cruiser have a malfunctioning light switch, I am assuming that it did? Nice work
Chris, I learned another helpful technique from you! Thanks! Would have liked if you had told us what caused the problem that you were checking for - bad switch, shorted wire, etc. But thanks again for another well done video.
I have one question Chris when you were removing the fuses did you put them back in their place or did you keep them off until you found the voltage drop?
I love your vids. I'm very good with electronics (110,240,low voltage. ....) Your explaining EVERYTHING in a way that ANYONE could understand. GO YOU!!!! Great job, keep 'em coming . Even with my vast knowledge, your vids are a PERFECT refresher, even if I do end up skipping most of it lol :-)
+AlienMonkeyDXB Technically, the Ohm is a unit of measure for resistance. I think Chris meant you use resistance to check for continuity. If there is no break in a wire, the resistance will be zero (or very low because it is measuring the resistance of the voltmeter and the resistance in the wire itself, but that's typically neglected). If there is a break in the wire, there will be infinite resistance (very large number) as if you were holding the leads away from each other in air.
Good job. Nicely explained. One small correction, you said that ohms was continuity. Actually continuity is only good for good / no-good conditions, such as is a wire broken or not. Ohms which IS resistance, saying how much resistance exists between two points ie, a bad solder joint or a rusted socket. I hope that this helps. Keep up the good work.
50 miliamps is the acceptable rest amperage. I also noticed the load went up after you pulled your first fuse, it's important here to note that if you leave your DVOM hooked up and add to the load, you can blow the meter. It's always best to bypass door switches for this reason
I suppose you could, but it’s easy enough to just put some tape over the door switch or if it’s built into the latch manipulate the latch with a screwdriver so I’ve never tried
I am thinking It's not a short, would blow a fuse in your meter, or melt your meter, it is an unwanted current drain, but I like your idea a lot ... Great idea
He means that the switch is bad/shorted (which means that rather than being open when the switch is off it's closed as if it were switched on) causing the lights to be on all the time. Not a short to ground.
Maybe tell us how you fix the problem so it doesn't happen again in the future? I know this is an old video and you are much more detailed in your newer videos. Would you just pull out the fuse and just keep it out so the fogs don't work therefor not draining the battery?
Very informative video, but i have one question i accidently touch my car battery positive terminal to car body and then i saw a big spark, Now then everything is fine except that my car All lights are flickering.What's the issue?Please clarify
We don't have don't have a short system but a few months ago our minivan has a ground and the high beams does not turn off so we fix it and it does not ground any more. And we took our minivan to a 3 and a half hour journey and it made it but the very next day when try to start it and the battery was toast and we pushed start it and it starts a few weeks later it happened again it turns out that the battery is 5 years old and also there is a bunch of accessories that was eating the battery it has a backup camera and four mini electric fans.
You BETTER be verry careful to let your wrench on the battery. In case it accidentally make a shortcut between the positive and negative verry high current will pass through the wrench and it will partially melt in a second. Not to mention the battery might even explode and strong acid will spread around. It happened to me ones luckely only a wrench was ruined.
Thanks Chris awesome videos! O found a common problem on these also can be the ASD relay believe it or not even after you replace 02 sensor's it could effect voltage. I never tried to do that voltage thing frankly it confuses me... you do a great job explaining but it just confuses me.
Hi chris i have a problem that my car no power on ignation and i have 12volts battery.i try to jumpstart it it start the engine.but if i shout it off the engine i wont start and back to no power.
![[UA] NAVI проти G2 Esports | Blast Premier Fall Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QWlIm4FGESQ/mqdefault.jpg)
9 years later (2023) and you're still helping people with this - thanks Chris!
I try to answer 4hrs of comments every day so I can help people out. That's the goal of my channel and sometimes the comments are the extra help that makes it possible.
❤🎉
@@chrisfix Wow chris, you are very nice and helpful!
So you always read the comments of every video this deserves to be reached to ten million
Hell yes he is! Someone who understands electrical circuits and can simplify an explanation so us retarded laypeople can understand
Problem #1: PT Cruiser. Lol.
lol
I thought the exact same thing lol. #1 solution? Sell that POS, if you can find a sucker.
*PT LOSER*
F U N N Y 😆
@@dennisrandall8040 funny, the only problems I've ever had is from the idiot that owned it before me. Since I fixed those and have been taking good care of it never had an issue.
Old cleaning trick using a penny and good ol' Agua. It will leave your copper terminals looking brand new.
1. Place penny on top of the post.
2. Slowly pour water (I've tried this with bottled water), almost to a trickle. The post will clean up right before your eyes.
3. Dry up all areas and proceed with your favorite preventative solution to avoid further corrosion.
Great tutorials by the way. Keep it up!
It's crazy that Chris still reads comments on a 7 year old video. Thanks for all that you do!
he gets a warn...
@@jllewislewis5210 warn what
Sheesh dude hahah the quality difference is insane!!
The proiblem of your car is the fogs lights are on.
Really? funshet
Excellent! Thanks for not giving your life story before getting to the point as some do. Short, thorough, sweet!
:)
Took the words right out of my mouth Mike M.
That's ChrisFix for ya. He has always been "to the point".
So post yammering comments about how you dont like yammering. 😀
And thanks for the non-existent crappy and annoying music at the beginning of the video.
Before removing any fuses I recommend you take a photo of the fuse box just in case you misplace a fuse as some fuse places are empty. After finishing check the photo to see if all fuses are properly placed.
+marinostb Just like to say that's a very smart idea. Good thinking!!!
+marinostb Pull it then replace that one before proceeding to the next one,but I guess a picture is not bad to be double sure
good idea good idea
This is a very good idea and I learned it the hard way! I now take a digital photo of anything that is to be dismantled just as a precaution and it can be a great help when re assembling.
If you remember, photos will save you from lots of difficulties. I have a friend who takes photos of receipts, utility bills, documents etc. Photos or scans. In case you loose something, you can retrieve it quickly.
Ive always thought it was kind of funny how he sounds a little depressed in this video in comparison to the others where he is more peppy, Electrical work is tough man, we all been there...I feel ya lol
good work sir you are hard working man
@@goodcat1982 mujhe english nahi aati sir please help me to learn english
man ..my wifes car battery just died and i needed/wanted to check for voltage bleed,so i looked to youtube/chris fix and shure enough ,he’s got a video on how to......now i’m a handy man with mechanical stuff and a diy’er but car electrics not so much ,glad that my go to guy has all the very usefull videos i need!!!
great guy and awesome videos ,so keep them coming,let’s keep our cars rolling and the cost minimal
greetings from the netherlands
Thanks a lot and good luck!
Agreed. I love how they tell us to check the wiring connections and grounds. As if there are only a few and all are accessible. A bad ground from the battery is a good place to start. And learn to use a multi meter.
Thank you CrisFix, without a doubt you are the best auto mechanic UA-camr when it comes to teaching, you go straight to the point and avoid all the nonsense, like staring to the camera nonstop or placing silly memes, hiding behind a truck gate etc.
Yep,. He did a video about cleaning interiors with a brush and I thought it was complete bs, but it was like might and day. This dude gives straight info and he's reliable.
And I do not have to worry about what language my kids are going to hear when I click on his repair videos compared to others.
The reason we disconnect the negative ground first is because if you are disconnecting a grounded battery and your wrench touches the side of the cars body or any metal, you will get that wrench literally seared into your hands. You only make that mistake once before you always remember to disconnect the ground its like disarming a battery. And when reattaching start with Pos and end with Neg. The reverse. This is for safety and very important.
koscashcars this is soooo flipping true...had a dude do this once in the Army and seared his ring to a wrench and to the vehicle 🚗 bad baby back day baby !!!
Had this happened to me once with 24v heavy equipment while running.. Never again will that happen. I was like 15 at the time.
koscashcars hey so just to reiterate, you are saying to always remove the negative first when doing anything with the battery?
TanSuperm4n yes! And be careful with metal contacts, rings, watches...
True that! Keeps you from blowing out another fuse or something.
Great video Chris. I did notice when you first disconnected the battery you layed the open end wrench down on top
of battery very close to the positive and negative terminal. Not a good idea. But still very good information. Thanks
I figured he'd get crucified for that but now we get to tell people about it and maybe it helps someone right..
This is the first comment I have ever left on UA-cam. Your videos are so helpful. You are very clear and easy to understand. You explain things very well. Concise. Thanks for taking the time to make these videos.
I'm glad you find the videos helpful! Thanks a lot!
Good job Chrisfix
What he said
100%
Thanx again
One time-saver is to take out a row of fuses at a time, carefully arranging them aside in order. Go row by row until you find a problem, then drill down further within that row.
Just an excellent job of showing how to trace out a system short! Many thanks!!
Thanks James! Glad the video was helpful!
On some old vehicles with worn ignition switches, the key might come out _just_ before the off position. In other words, you think it is 'off' but it is not. Took me two years to discover that.
BMW cars are known for that. Plastic square pin breaks between key and ignition switch built into steering column housing. Also German design runs bat+cable through stamped sharp body from trunk to backseat then to trunk. Cable is proun to much wear and tear in pour design flaws.
And no mechanic wud have guessed that. It's gr8 u identified d problem urself
My car will one up you the key comes out even if it’s still running. 😂
PacificCircle1 I'm thinking that's what happened to me on my 2007 duramax. Both batteries drained. Been charging them each not connected to truck. Will do a drain test today. Truck has never done this before and I hope it's an easy find and fix.
@@timbow50 what did you find out?thanks
Compared to your other videos, you sound like you were having a bad day when you taped this. Might also want to pick yourself up a $3 battery brush ;-) Instead of disconnecting fuse by fuse, you can test them in mV mode (they have two tiny tabs on top for your meter), you should see a reading if they are actually pulling current from a voltage drop across the fuse. A 0 reading indicates the fuse isn't pulling anything. Saves time - trick I learned on YT as well.
This is exactly what i thought. Chris fix energy was not the same and I immediately picked it up.
I think he was still new at making videos and wasn't as confident sounding but that's with every youtuber
This video was made in 2013....long time ago...thats probably why he sounds different.
You sure picked up your video game because now your videos are the best
@@CBRRR-eh3ky he sounds little tired maybe. I didn't think anything of it.
if you put the multimeter to the windshield you don't need some one else to tell you is it ok or not
Or you could get a girlfriend.....
a girlfriend hahahaa ok ok
and cheaper....
Hahaha
Lol, good one. In my case boyfriend but my multi meter won't reach to the windshield. Guess I need longer leads, cheaper that way too!! lol
Needed this video. Didn't realize how old it was until I didn't here a "Hey guys!" in the beginning. Thanks for the videos Chris
8 years later and still helpful. Nice how-to, thanks.
+Rick J, I cannot reply to your comment for some reason so I hope you see this and reply to this. This sounds like you have a bulb going bad and it might go out soon. There are bulbs behind the dash that light up the speedometer and stuff. This can also be a charging problem because some cars are particular with having the exact correct voltage coming from the alternator. Might want to check this out: How to Test an Alternator
hello! chris ,i was driving today and suddenly my idller increases i check already the adjuster and idller but still the same how could i fix the problem..my car is lancer carburator type...thanks
larry ofw What year car? Does it have an OBD1 or 2 port? Does it have Oxygen sensors?
Rick j Did you test the circuit to make sure it wasnt fried? If that isnt it, that is tough to diagnose over the internet. I would check grounds and make sure they are clean. Check out this video (I know you said you checked the alternator but I check other things too): How to Test an Alternator
Rick j You need to adjust your google+ settings or something because I cannot reply to comments you create, only comments you reply to. Like your other comment, I cannot reply to that. If you cannot figure it out, as your question as a reply to my comment.
To test the circuit you need a multimeter and you make sure the led is working and visually you dont have any dark/burn marks anywhere
You could use duct tape to hold the door switch closed why the door is open for your test if your fuse box is is blocked by the door. Just while your doing the test.
Torpedomtb Or you can switch it off.
Torpedomtb youre right i done before...it does the trick!
Door switch will trigger light/circuit even if car is off. And this could create a false positive to your problem.
what i want to know is what the hell with the thumbs down!!??
People have nothing better to do then to criticize, ridicule and HOPE their lame comment or down vote gets “them“ upvotes somewhere else. It is the Internet “no one knows who you really are”
There is a difference between a parasitic draw and a short circuit. A short circuit will usually blow a fuse because of excessive current draw. The fuse is in the circuit to protect the wiring and the component that you are protecting. Your example was a parasitic draw because the circuit was operating as designed. A better way to check for a parasitic draw is to do a voltage drop across the fuse of the circuit that you suspect is causing the current draw. Also, when using a ammeter a short circuit would probably exceed the 10 amps that the meter is designed for which would probably blow the fuse in the meter.
great video. thanks. knowledge really helps and anyone who shares stuff like this really save us time. especially someone like me that doesnt know much about wiring and havnt had a car running in over a month
Hey Chris- just wanted to say thanks for all your practical and ingenious solutions. You're definitely one of the best of the best Automotive Technicians in the World. You're in a Class all by yourself. Thanks Man!
An easier tool to use is a simple prong type tester with an alligator clip. You disconnect the negative cable touch the point of the tester to the battery and clip the alligator clip to the negative battery cable... If there is a draw the light in the tester will light up. Pull fuses until the light goes out.
This suggestion is great IF you have a light up tester. LOL
6 years after, this video helped me with my problem. Just chrisfixed my car. Feeling good!
I'm glad the video was helpful!
Nice one Chris.. I can finally diagnose my issue with my own power meter. Knowledge is power...
Awesome!
Something tells me this kid's channel will gain millions of subscribers over the next decade.
easier way to figure out a battery drain problem is hook your meter to the battery and remove fuses one at a time until the voltage rises. that will tell you what circuit is the culprit and then you figure out the culprit from there.
Excellent !!!
And how about just measuring the voltage between the fuse (without removing the fuse) and the closest grounded metal, one by one till showing voltage !?
Am I wrong !? :)
Very importatnt note before measure current: All devices in car must be turned off, and key must be out from the ingnition.
Yet another very important note:
most multimeters are only rated for 10A max for a few seconds, so dont leave it connected, just check it for a few seconds, espcially cheap Chinesium ones they might heat up quickly
I hear an AvE reference :P
thats right, my Battaria is not Chuching properly, gotta check for Parasitic draw :D
But if the negative cable is not connected to the battery, everything will be off anyway right?
It's amazing how many of you geniuses watch his videos only to pick them apart, trying to show everyone that your the smartest kid in the room. If you all know so damn much start your own YT channel, otherwise just shut up.
Nice clip! Very useful topics!!! I had a cadillac Seville 00 which used to drain the batt in a couple hours. Used this method and couldn't find the issue. It rarely drained the batt with alarm on ( if it was off, batt drained for sure).
Thanks a lot! And that's interesting, what ended up being the issue?
Chris Forgot to mention that a 50 millyvolt (mv) drop is exceptable as a car when not in use will have a tiny bit of electrical current that is being used up coming from places like the light around the ignition lock for example ,the cars clock might stay on all the time, Memory seats, mirrors, radio presets, satellite radio, GPS systems causing this 50 mA reading.
If you have a parasitic draw of a over 100 mV that is definitely too much and there is a problem with the cars electrical system someplace.
More times than not the fault can be traced back to an aftermarket part that was installed such as a remote car starter system,dash cam,aftermarket radio or fog lights that were installed.
Any voltage stop higher than 50 mv would indicate that the vehicle has an open circuit causing the battery to be slowly drained.Pulling fuses one by one is the best way to find out where the problem is once you find out the area that is responsible for this voltage bleed or leak ,you could then take a closer look at the wires that connect the device; often times the problem is the wires at the fog light lamp itself or the wires going into the dome light or into the radio or aftermarket guages.
Lol Real olds chool ChirsFix here.. legit took me a second to realize it was you without the
"Hey guys ChrisFix here"
Yeah lol
Hey Chris, first off, love your vids and I subscribed to you today. Watching this video made me nervous for you though lol, using that box wrench on the battery terminals you came awful close a few times with that wrench in your hand between the battery positive and negative terminals. I would add a safety tip on that lol. I like to use a small nut driver or smaller ratchet that can't accidently span that gap and short the battery.
lightblade543 Glad you like the videos and subscribed! Welcome aboard. The box wrench wasnt long enough to short the battery but that is a good tip! Thanks!
Shperformance. Would you get a shock if they touched both? Why don’t you get a shock if you touch the positive and negative with your hands at the same time? Never understood that. ( surely power is going through your body)
Help chris i remove all the fuse of the car but i cant find the short HELP
Then check the big wire going from positive side of battery to fuse panel and make sure it isn't shorting to the chassis some where.
@@alan4sure when i unplug the wire going to the fuse panel the voltage drop to 0 i will tchek the wire going to the fuse thank you man
@@simonrileyg You're welcome.
Great vid man.. !now gonna go and try to diagnose where the short on my car is at.... be getting this kind of deaming on my interior and exterior car lights.... gonna test my alternator and battery first .
@1:59: Why wouldn't you want the negative battery lead to touch a ground (on the car) when disconnected? Don't all the car's grounds go back to the negative terminal via that lead? Therefore, with that lead disconnected, isn't everything in the car ungrounded? (I understand not allowing it to touch a ground off the car.)
Interesting question I hoped to see an answer
Nice video. Learned something. For safety you need to be careful about setting steel tools on the battery that are long enough to bridge the gap between the posts. The energy released by shorting the posts on a car battery is impressive and can easily start a fire. You laid a combination wrench on the battery. I'm a subscriber and I enjoy your videos. I even liked this one. :0)
excellent video, i use a screwdriver to imitate locking the door, you just have to remember to open it with the handle before you shut it again
Much better with a test light with alligator clip,you can watch the light go out when you find the problem fuse,saves walking back and forth,love your vids.
+Ra F thanks for sharing.
On new fancy cars with tons of tech, what is an acceptable parasitic draw and would that be enough to light up a test light?
I just lay my multimeter on the windshield - that way I can see it from inside my vehicle(s).
Chris, love your videos. For ideas for future vids here are two suggestions. 1) How to test for vacumm leaks. 2) How to repair wire insulation eaten by rodents. I experienced where a rodent ate the insulation off about 5 wires in the harness leading to the gas tank (emissions system). I understand car companies were using soy for insulation. I fixed with electrical tape but not sure if this is best method. Did not want to shrink wrap so close to gas tank. Thanks.
I know it's old comment, but my dad uses liquid tape when this happens. You won't have to worry about the adhesive from the tape failing from the heat and coming off.
Man I love Chris, so much knowledge and money saved ever since I subscribed
Hey Chris, I have one to add. I was looking for a parasitic load on a vw golf, and found the reason the bat was dieing after a couple of days. The trunk light was on, when it should not have been, trunk was closed & only noticed it @ night. Fixed the switch. Battery & girl friend were so pleased. Have a great day
For your knowleged, i have subscribed this channel after this super useful video.
Wow! This video is almost 4 years old! Where has the time gone? It's interesting to see/hear how your videography and narration styles have progressed.
I think that a parasitic draw/drain can also occur from something as simple as a dirty/damp (conducting) battery case top. This can be found with a multimeter, too.
Thank you for this Chris! I have an '88 Corvette that has this problem.
Don't use sandpaper to clean terminals! Sanding makes the connection loose.
Only if there is a LOT of rust or corrosion, to get the larger part off, then use the proper cleaner or de-rusting chemical. There are some very good sprays to remove the corrosion from battery terminals and cable connectors.
He sounds so sad in this video compared to his enthusiasm in the other ones 😂
haha i know what you mean
Craftmax Cruz What do you mean by popping out? Like the fuse is breaking or literally not pushing all the way in?
ChrisFix
ChrisFix I'm having a problem with my 1993 Honda accord LX I can't exactly tell if it's a computer problem or if it's this. My rpms don't move when cranked and my check engine light turns off in the ready position. It wasn't started and survived a winter without being cranked. I replaced the dead battery nd I've watched your videos and it doesn't appear to be anything besides a parasitic leak or a computer problem. Please help.
Dont try to start your car when your multimeter is hooked up this way. 😂😎
IF you find a short but you can't fix it at home just remove negative cable overnight, when you need your car you can put it back again. and this will save some of the battery energy till you fix your short
thank god for this video something shorted out on my car and my battery lasts like 2 weeks so im testing out the fuses right now!
Easier idea is to connect head lamp bulb instead of meter when it goes dim short has gone
You forgot to say you connect wires to the headlight and the other ends to were the blown fuse is at.But this idiot is not checking for a blown fuse,he's checking for battery drainage.
I just preformed this test on my 911 and discovered it’s parasite free. Now I can have peace of mind on some of my recent soldering projects. Thank you Chris Fix! (long time subscriber)
if u didnt add any fuses to the new wires, then it will just burn down anyway, so u dont even have to worry about it anymore LOL
Wow Chris!! Again, another clearly spoken, easy to understand, step by step, how to repair something on my car. I had no parasitic draw until repairing the cat converter in my 2003 Corolla. While inspecting my finished job my face touched the frame and then felt that parasitic tingle. So thanks again, yours such a an excellent source I always check with no matter what. Thanks again & keep them coming!
I am having a hard time finding a problem with my car. Battery voltage 12.6 engine running 14.3 but when put all load it drops nearly 12.5.
And while driving after 15 mins when engine heated I will further drop to 11.8 v. And if I operate power window switches at same time engine will die. I have tried replacing a battery No response. Clear body and engine grounds got no effect. Is it a bad alternator? Please help me out
This guy would be good neighbor
Excellent video ... You are a natural bro. I worked in the automotive industry for over 27 years and I love trouble shooting. I worked with brakes, suspension, differentials etc etc. I loved it !!
Bad habit to put tools on battery...
Yea it is! Thanks for sharing.
Nice, Chris knows this and agreed it was just a little mistake. I have to remind myself the same thing on occasion.
ty, that was bugging the hell outa me lol
Why is that an issue?
@Av987
If by mistake you knock the tool into the terminals it can cause various issues. Batteries are stable in use but can quickly become volatile when shorted out not to mention it can cause issues in other systems. Its best to avoid problems that can be avoided (even if its unlikely to actually cause any issues) .
it was worth noting in my book as not everyone watching these videos is aware of this. This is an older video and Chris at this point is well aware of this so its not meant to be directed at him.
Chris, great information and well set step by step processes. I'm going thru your channel and am enjoying all . thanks vince
Again it's a great instructive help to those of us especially who's first time using a multimeter to detect a parasite draw, of which I have a draining battery. Did the cruiser have a malfunctioning light switch, I am assuming that it did? Nice work
Thanks Chris, you helped me find that parasite. Now my hearse can burry people happily!
@2:38 never put metal tools on top of the battery!
a short between the pos. and neg. terminal is dangerous
Thanks for the tip!
Chris, I learned another helpful technique from you! Thanks! Would have liked if you had told us what caused the problem that you were checking for - bad switch, shorted wire, etc. But thanks again for another well done video.
Did you ever figure out where the short was at with your fog lights Chris?
Yes the fix is in the link in the description.
ChrisFix Ok, thanks...
Hey Chris, thanks for the time to make the videos. Super nice!!!! Do you have any video about how to restore a dead battery?
i love you so much man. You really explain everything and make it very simple.
I have one question Chris when you were removing the fuses did you put them back in their place or did you keep them off until you found the voltage drop?
Doesn't really matter either way.
I love your vids. I'm very good with electronics (110,240,low voltage. ....) Your explaining EVERYTHING in a way that ANYONE could understand. GO YOU!!!! Great job, keep 'em coming . Even with my vast knowledge, your vids are a PERFECT refresher, even if I do end up skipping most of it lol :-)
Who was it that liked this/my comment? ..... I will delete this after I get my answer, thank you
Your mum
@@mobmob5944 🤣🤣🤣🤣
You are easily my favorite D.I.Y. instructor. Your narration is so clean, even in this older video. This one helped so much, thank you.
+Kev Sims thanks a lot!
Petition to have ChrisFix re-do all 5+ year old videos.. We can't be having a ChrisFix video without a 'hey guys, ChrisFix here' 😅
Old school chrisfix, been watching since 2014.
Ohms = Resistance. NOT Continuity. Not the same thing
+AlienMonkeyDXB Technically, the Ohm is a unit of measure for resistance. I think Chris meant you use resistance to check for continuity. If there is no break in a wire, the resistance will be zero (or very low because it is measuring the resistance of the voltmeter and the resistance in the wire itself, but that's typically neglected). If there is a break in the wire, there will be infinite resistance (very large number) as if you were holding the leads away from each other in air.
+Drew Randall I see what you mean, guess I didn't see it that way at first. That should work :-)
That would be a Mho! (see Wikipedia)
Start your on channel or shut up.
Why we splitting hairs
thank you you helped a lot, i tried it on my motorcycle and it worked, but now i gotta figure why my break light won't turn off lol
Angel Ripped The brake switch probably needs to be adjusted or replaced!
check the switch buddie it could be sticking
After 7 years of ChrisFix. you still taught me stg new. Thank you.
I'm glad you learned something new!
Very helpful video! Well done Chris.
Finally I understand how to do it..... Thank you...
Good job. Nicely explained. One small correction, you said that ohms was continuity. Actually continuity is only good for good / no-good conditions, such as is a wire broken or not. Ohms which IS resistance, saying how much resistance exists between two points ie, a bad solder joint or a rusted socket. I hope that this helps. Keep up the good work.
On the removal of the negative post it appears that you were tightening it. What gives?
Dana Anderson I think we all noticed that LOL
shut up
It's the camera
50 miliamps is the acceptable rest amperage. I also noticed the load went up after you pulled your first fuse, it's important here to note that if you leave your DVOM hooked up and add to the load, you can blow the meter. It's always best to bypass door switches for this reason
+Clay Hawkins thanks for the tip!
Wouldn't it be the same if the doom fuse was just taken out without having to "bypass" anything? That will at least cut the power of the door lights.
I suppose you could, but it’s easy enough to just put some tape over the door switch or if it’s built into the latch manipulate the latch with a screwdriver so I’ve never tried
I am thinking It's not a short, would blow a fuse in your meter, or melt your meter, it is an unwanted current drain, but I like your idea a lot ... Great idea
He means that the switch is bad/shorted (which means that rather than being open when the switch is off it's closed as if it were switched on) causing the lights to be on all the time. Not a short to ground.
Question, are u inserting the fuse one by one after pulling out before taking out the next one?
You're video is really helpful. Thank you!
Why was ChrisFix so sad in those days?! I'm happy to know he's much happier now!!
I'm guessing this is when he just started, pretty sure he's getting paid now by sponsors
every youtuber is like this when they first start
Nice find thanks
Maybe tell us how you fix the problem so it doesn't happen again in the future? I know this is an old video and you are much more detailed in your newer videos. Would you just pull out the fuse and just keep it out so the fogs don't work therefor not draining the battery?
You would fix the issue by replacing the part that is broken, in this case the fog lights are shorting out so I would replace the fog lights!
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
Very informative video, but i have one question i accidently touch my car battery positive terminal to car body and then i saw a big spark, Now then everything is fine except that my car All lights are flickering.What's the issue?Please clarify
How is the condition of the alternator?
ChrisFix i didn't check because I'm confused that what causes the lights flickering, what's your opinion?
Great video as always
We don't have don't have a short system but a few months ago our minivan has a ground and the high beams does not turn off so we fix it and it does not ground any more. And we took our minivan to a 3 and a half hour journey and it made it but the very next day when try to start it and the battery was toast and we pushed start it and it starts a few weeks later it happened again it turns out that the battery is 5 years old and also there is a bunch of accessories that was eating the battery it has a backup camera and four mini electric fans.
It's 2024 I been watching ChrisFix videos since day1
Great video. The same problem we’re having
I wish this vid showed the repair to the draw and investigation to the rest of the draw as well. Other than that it was great
You BETTER be verry careful to let your wrench on the battery. In case it accidentally make a shortcut between the positive and negative verry high current will pass through the wrench and it will partially melt in a second. Not to mention the battery might even explode and strong acid will spread around. It happened to me ones luckely only a wrench was ruined.
Thank you....great video, simple and to the point.
And THANK YOU for not starting the video by saying : "HEY, whats up guys? " lol
Subscribed!
Thanks Chris awesome videos! O found a common problem on these also can be the ASD relay believe it or not even after you replace 02 sensor's it could effect voltage. I never tried to do that voltage thing frankly it confuses me... you do a great job explaining but it just confuses me.
Hi chris i have a problem that my car no power on ignation and i have 12volts battery.i try to jumpstart it it start the engine.but if i shout it off the engine i wont start and back to no power.
When you jump start you are able to start it?
Great info Thank you I am a 65 female and still fixing my auto without need to go to the library because of great videos like this one Major thanks