3.42mA draw on battery while key is out, is this normal?

[achtunge30]

Trying to figure out if I have a big enough draw to kill batteries or if my alternator is on the way out. I pulled each fuse out one by one and kept checking the battery with a digital multimeter and had 3.42mA each time.

[a_thomasmr23]

that sounds about normal to me its to keep the clocks, radio presets, and ecu setting good

[jlevie]

As much as 60ma would be normal.

[achtunge30]

Problem is...if I leave the car unattended overnight with battery connected, it wont even click the next morning and the lights just fade out.

[Dirtbleed]

starter solenoid?

[achtunge30]

starter solenoid?

But it starts right up with a freshly exchanged Walmart battery.

[dmwe30]

any autozone or advanced auto they can load test the alternator for free

[jlevie]

Problem is...if I leave the car unattended overnight with battery connected, it wont even click the next morning and the lights just fade out.

Then there must be a greater load than 3ma. Might it be that you are reading the meter wrong? If the load were to be 3.48a, the battery would be pretty flat after sitting overnight.

[StereoInstaller1]

Then there must be a greater load than 3ma. Might it be that you are reading the meter wrong? If the load were to be 3.48a, the battery would be pretty flat after sitting overnight.

what he said

[mutty]

Did you unplug the ecu?

[Jean]

Then there must be a greater load than 3ma. Might it be that you are reading the meter wrong? If the load were to be 3.48a, the battery would be pretty flat after sitting overnight.

[Wh33lhop]

Problem 1 - your battery is toast. get a new one.
Problem 2 - there is much more than 3mA of draw. this may be moot if you get a new battery.

[Wh33lhop]

Then there must be a greater load than 3ma. Might it be that you are reading the meter wrong? If the load were to be 3.48a, the battery would be pretty flat after sitting overnight.

If the load were to be 3.48A, he'd probably have blown a fuse on his DMM unless he used the unfused path.

Speaking of which, if you did this you might be assuming that the units are mA when they are not.

[StereoInstaller1]

If the load were to be 3.48A, he'd probably have blown a fuse on his DMM unless he used the unfused path.

Speaking of which, if you did this you might be assuming that the units are mA when they are not.

Would have to be a shitball DVM to have 3.5A pop the fuse

[achtunge30]

Then there must be a greater load than 3ma. Might it be that you are reading the meter wrong? If the load were to be 3.48a, the battery would be pretty flat after sitting overnight.

I have the meter on the mA position and the (+) and (-) on their respective terminals on the battery.