These analog meters were rated in "ohms/volt". So a 50K ohms/volt meter would present a 100K load on the circuit when measuring 1V.

Are you sure?

20k/volt represented 20k/volt on the 1 volt scale.

The dB comment directly answered a question.

The ohms power source can be other than 1.5V, it depends on the scale. A simpson 260 uses a 9V battery on the x10,000 scale.

 

Are you sure?

Fixed. Thanks. I remember 20K and 50K/volt meters.

The 260 came in so many varieties.

 

There are various series of the Simpson 260, all were still the same basic meter. One model had a low ohms position.

The first adjustment is to ensure the meter movement mechanical zero is set properly.

 

I had one version briefly until I decided it had to go. With the internet, now i might have been able to fix it,

i wasn;t specifically talking about the 260. I had a Micronta (Radio Shack) analog meter and a Triplitte analog meter at work. The ohms/volt varied. My first real meter was an Eico FET TVM. Huge: Three 9V and a D cell. At the time the Vacuum Tube Voltmeter was the standard.

The tube tester series TV7AU is calibration procedures are actually dependent on a "crummy meter" or one with a specific ohms/volt, otherwise the calibration could be way off.

The 260 was so iconic: http://www.simpson260.com/

 

Welcome Joe! I wrote down your decibel equation and put it behind my vintage Japanese International" brand analog meter in it's case. Thank you so much for your input Joe! -And Mr Williams, Sir, - I naturally used it for the parasitic test. I've not performed your battery test nor the $5 hydrometer test yet. I'm still disconnecting the battery to keep it charge in case I need to throw into the 3 cyl diesel tractor. Because in my opinion it's not ripe for recycling just yet.
-So can anyone tell me whether I'm reading 300mA? I have the dial set on 300mA and it just about pegs to the right. Let me see. Milli" means thousandths. 300 thousandth's of an amp. Well then 500 thousandth's would be half an amp. Well then I'm guessing I have pretty near half an amp of parasitic draw. Is that within the acceptable range for PCM, BCM, odometer backlight, voltage regulator to sleep on?
P.S. Mr. Williams, Sir, the OP does own (2) separate induction clamps. A Sears Craftsman AC inductive Clamp. And a Sears Craftsman DC inductive Clamp, -And you too KISS I enjoyed learning while you and Joe were talking about the analog meter! I love this thread! I'm reading it over and over. I have not had any time this weekend to do anymore actual work on the vehicle. - But believe it or not, I do plan to do both types of battery tests. Don't worry, I'll wear my PPE (personal protective equipment). I've had 2 batteries explode in front of me in my lifetime so far. - Oh! I almost forgot about the ear plugs. I don't want my ears to ring real bad like they did those last 2 times. Talk to ya's later... bye.

 

1.5 v bat, you are comical. Have to have a sense of humour in this business. As for your parasitic draw, you are almost 10 times the limit for parasitic draw. The PCM, BCM etc should all go to sleep and when they are, you should have no more than 30-50mA (0.030 - 0.050 Amps). Being that it is a 2000, it should take no longer than about ten minutes. I would say you have a problem. Now, if this is your true reading, pull the fuses and make it go away. 300mA could be a lot of things in that vehicle so don't skip steps. You will have the drivers door open while you do this so take the bulb out so you do not confuse the draw from it with the one you are looking for. Let me know what you find. I don't think your alternator is involved. Too low draw.

 

Oh ! and Joe, Thanks for that NEETS link. I forgot all about that one. Our professor turned on to that one back in 2009.

 

My dome lights are inoperative. however if the key is in the ignition a continuous eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
sound will occur. Not a broken chime warning. My meter did not peg all the way. It would actually be 298mA draw. -And that was without associating to one of the scales of the meter. -So that would be .30A rounded up from 0.298mA. If your remember back, the Harbor freight DMM on the 2mA setting brought up 1.mA < - - (inaccurate). -So there are the main fuse & Relay block under the hood. -And there is the smaller less amperage fuse inside the driver door. - Do understand that I am checking the smaller fuses in the cock-pit /cabin of the vehicle? -Oh and since Kiss was talking about pulling only 2 and then do a check; - I will be reading what they all go to before I decide which hunch I decided to try 1st. - Oh and way, way back before I even had the fuel pump problem, which you may of heard tell of earlier in this blog; I had a throttle position sensor code(and put in a new One) - I printed about 100 pages off of All Data . Com for the vehicle. and have the TSB's , fuse block Diagrams, wiring diagrams, (I should be good) (but I don't have current subscription for this vehicle with All Data.com at this time)

 

Goodnight Mr. Williams, Have a good week. (Spring ahead!) : )

 

Big week ahead but still have time to read. Okay a little more information for you to absorb. Off the main battery, the positive circuit may branch off into a few other branches, each one containing several more branches. These initial branches can come in the form of fusible links, or junction posts or they may even go directly to separate fuse boxes. Each fuse in those boxes may be in charge of protecting one circuit or several circuits but the one thing for sure, is that you need to find all the fuses, and pull them one at a time, until you can get that down below the specification I gave you. If you find one that drops down but not below the specification, leave it out and then keep pulling until you do get down below the spec. Then we will deal with that part of the problem.
I have read all 50 posts here and know exactly what you are doing, some confusing but I am following. Keep going, we will get there. The fact that your meter is pegged tells me that you are over 300mA. Don't leave connected too long or you may damage your meter. Might be good idea to invest in a cheap digital DVOM and start on the high scale (usually 10A). Talk tomorrow.

 

Big week ahead but still have time to read. Okay a little more information for you to absorb. Off the main battery, the positive circuit may branch off into a few other branches, each one containing several more branches. These initial branches can come in the form of fusible links, or junction posts or they may even go directly to separate fuse boxes. Each fuse in those boxes may be in charge of protecting one circuit or several circuits but the one thing for sure, is that you need to find all the fuses, and pull them one at a time, until you can get that down below the specification I gave you. If you find one that drops down but not below the specification, leave it out and then keep pulling until you do get down below the spec. Then we will deal with that part of the problem.
I have read all 50 posts here and know exactly what you are doing, some confusing but I am following. Keep going, we will get there. The fact that your meter is pegged tells me that you are over 300mA. Don't leave connected too long or you may damage your meter. Might be good idea to invest in a cheap digital DVOM and start on the high scale (usually 10A). Talk tomorrow.

Thanks for Typing late on a Sunday night "Will" The saga is now over. The van is fixed. I know it is. The LED Clock-Radio works also ! I wanna shout out a big Thank You to KISS also. He mentioned the GM Tech II scan tool. I did not buy one. But I ended up calling OEMtools.com. They cost approx. $ 4,500. new.
-Anyway I was chilling out on you tube late Monday afternoon. And just taking a break. I typed in a song to play by REM called " What's the Frequency Kenneth?" And after I watched they're video, There was a video labeled "Recommended for you". It was "Eric The Car Guy" , and I'd watched some of his videos before, but not this one. And He basically does what you guys are telling me to do. - So I'm immediately re-inspired and go out to work on the van into the night. I thought I'd get lucky like he did, So I tried the illumination fuse- No. And then the radio fuse -No. -And then Found another radio fuse -No. Then I was hoping that it was an item that I could go without. - I pulled the air bag fuse -No. I pulled the cigarette lighter fuse -No. I pulled the 25amp auxiliary fuse -No. I pulled the power window fuse -No. -Anyway I had too many fuses out cause I The starter did not turn over. -And I put the rest of the fuses back in and started the van and it immediately shut itself down. So then I was up to 1am last night reading all my All Data . Com pages. This morning I got out to the van early, emptied stuff out of the van bed and pulled the mat up from the rear toward the front. I already had a hatch door that I cut in the floor above the fuel tank/pump. I unplugged the connector, pinned my LED test light into the lower right 5v supply gray wire and diagonal mate upper right fuel pump ground. (which I believe is open and closed at the VCM) {ground side switched}. It did not light the LED test light. I did some more reading about Passlock System Status Modes, "Fuel Continue", Fuel Disable", "Fuel Lock-Out Mode" -10 minutes, also a short 4 second tamper mode, Fuel Enable mode, Start, Successful Key cycle. Except I said to myself: It can't be a passlock key relearn issue! So I walked up to the front of the van and pulled the fuel pump relay like I did so many times 2 years ago. One of the pins was purple(discoloured) - Look like it took some heat. I exchanged it with the identical Air Conditioner relay, pulled the test leads with pins out of the fuel pump connector, plugged the connector back into the electric fuel pump went up to the ignition and was deciding whether to just turn it to on or do a full crank and release. I decided just to turn on and listen for the pump. I heard the pump and cranked, it started and stayed running with the radio and clock working. I don't know how I got by this long without that GM Tech II, but I still want one ! I'm not gonna test for current draw at the battery cable. I'm leaving the battery connect overnight tonight. Thanks Everyone ! Talks to ya's later in the electronics projects forum ! Bye ! : ) P.S. It was the transmission circuit. So I'm also keeping an eye on the Vehicle Speed Sensor and other sensors and wiring to the transmission. I did unplug and re-plug the VSS sensor connector plug with the 2 thin twisted purple and green wires. I think I probably toasted that relay last night during that fuse escapade.

 

Uh, okay??? I am glad you are up and running but not sure how you got from the fuel pump relay to the transmission circuit? Can you tell me what circuit it was and how you came to that conclusion? Also, do you know if the current draw is gone? Are you saying the relay contacts were staying closed and keeping a circuit energized? What circuit?

 

The Transmission Fluid Pressure switch is actually 3 sensors mounted on the valve body.
https://www.2carpros.com/questions/chevrolet-express-1998-chevy-express-speedometer--2

 

-To answer your question Bill, - I had to work on the relay to get the van in running condition again. -And the Transmission fuse is the Host of the parasitic draw. - Remember when you told me to pull fuses one at a time and put them back again until there was minimal draw between the bat and bat cable? The parasitic draw continues. I'm looking for some high quality chev express wiring diagrams. - And I believe the relay with the purple discoloured/burnt terminal is probably in the open circuit state. I have not thrown it away yet. I have not tested it yet. I test them while they're out of the fuse block. I took a ride in the van with my craftsman scanner on MPH and I believe my speedometer could be 5 mph fast like my Dad's Ford Ranger was. I put a VSS sensor in his rear differential and that got rid of the ABS warning light off his dash. And made his speedometer accurate. I have not changed the VSS in the Chevy Express. I just had a suspected bad one at the counter of the I.H. dealer and compared ohm readings right there at the parts counter between my old one and the new one that I almost purchased. Those International trucks have bad tachometer/ instrument clusters. There's not much that can go wrong with them. They consist of a permanent magnet and generate they're own 2.5 volts to "talk" back to the computer (analog to digital). I'll measure it's resistance value. But I'm looking for a very small short/leak/drain in the transmission circuit that doesn't even blow the red 10 amp fuse. The TFT is the Transmission Fluid Temp Sensor, which is just a thermistor (variable resistor). I'd probably be better off changing the two shift solenoids in the oil pan. You would think that all this stuff would turn off when you took your key out of the ignition switch ! jeesh!
How To Replace Shift Solenoids Chevrolet 4L60E Transmission I Homestead Kids
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhVDrLIXmeQ

 

If you can tell me the circuit number or take a picture of the fuse box, I can probably get you a diagram. Year, make, model and what fuse you are pulling. What kind of current draw is it pulling?

 

I Have the fuse block diagram on hard-copy paper printed from All Data.Com from 10 years ago in my book-bag. I can photograph the document and import it from my phone to my laptop if you want. I told you that I had ~290mA draw until the red 10A Trans fuse was removed inside the cab. Theoretically I could use the van without this fuse plugged in but my transmission might act up. Were gonna cover the battery because now I need ANOTHER brand new one. I just put this stone dead one on trickle charge for the night.

 

It's a 2000 Chevrolet Express 2500 series,4L80E Automatic trans, 2wd, 5.7L, 350cu. in. Vortec, throttle-body fuel injection, the last eight of the VIN are: Y1191210 -and my Fuse Block Diagram .jpg file attachment is below.

 

well it's Sunday at noon the trickle charge has been on all night. While I was re-reading this thread I came up with a temporary plan of action.
It felt good to get soldering and doing something about this issue. Action conquers fear. The only draw back with this cob-job is my transmission circuit(s) are not going to be protect by a fuse, unless I strip-back the harness and install an in-line fuse very near the fuse block area. I made a home-made toggle switch and taped it there. I got to buy some more duct-tape. This is going to way better than opening and closing the hood, connect/disconnecting the battery twice a day. I just have remember to turn the toggle on before I start the van. Or the VCM is going to be pissed. The transmission probably wouldn't work at all with the toggle in the off position.

 

The current is still flowing through the fuse.Switch is supposed to go in series.

 

Do it over. They make clips to go around the fuse pins so people can install other accessories.

For you, you should blow the current fuse unless it's blown already and insert a in-line fuseholder in SERIES with your switch.