Battery Information - Raw Test Procedure - Honda Odyssey Service Manual

Battery Information - raw Test Procedure
The following procedure should be used to test the current draw from any battery used in our vans.
1) Insure the battery is fully charged.
2) Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3) Close all the doors including the sliding doors and the rear tailgate.
4) Close all the windows including the rear vent windows.
5) Remove the negative (Black) cable from the battery and move it to a safe location away from both the
positive (Red) and negative terminals of the battery.
6) Acquire a igital Multimeter with a 20 Amp current range function. NOTE: A standard van can draw
between 15 and 17 amps of current when it is first powered up (When the battery is reconnected). You
must use a multimeter with a 20 Amp range. Using a Multimeter with a lower current range function will
damage the meter if it does not have an internal fuse. If it has an internal fuse, it will be blown.
NOTE: O NOT RUN THE ROLLX VANS OTC OR TRY TO START THE VAN WHEN YOU HAVE THE METER
CONNECTE! YOU WILL AMAGE THE METER!
7) Place the function switch of the Multimeter in the 20 Amp Current Measurement position.
8) Connect the negative (Black) probe (wire lead) to the black jack on the multimeter.
9) Most multimeters have more than one red jack for the positive (Red) probe. They usually have one jack
for measuring AC & C voltage and resistance, along with a second Jack for measuring AC & C Current.
Some multimeters have more than one red jack for measuring current (three red jacks total). As an
example a meter might have two red jacks, one rated for 200 Milliamps and a second for 20 Amps. You
should use the 20 Amp plug (or the one with the largest rating).
10) Acquire two test jumpers with alligator clips (Radio Shack # 278-002). Attach one jumper to the positive
(Red) probe and the other to the negative( Black) probe.
11) Turn the multimeter on.
12) Attach the other end of the jumper clipped on the positive (Red) meter probe to the disconnected battery
cable.
NOTE: Polarity does not matter much when measuring current. A positive current is the same as
negative current. isregard the polarity indicator on the multimeter during these tests.
13) Attach the jumper on the negative (Black) meter probe to the negative terminal of the battery.
NOTE: YOU MAY GET A SPARK WHEN YOU ATTACH THE JUMPER. THIS IS NORMAL. ALL THE
CURRENT BEING USE BY THE VAN IS NOW RUNNING THROUGH THE METER. AS MUCH AS 15-17
AMPS).
14) The Multimeter should now show a reading. Keep you eye on the meter and watch the draw. A typical
van can have from 18 to 28 computer modules in it. They are all woke up when power was applied to the
van by attaching your meter probes. As you watch the current reading you will note that it will start to
fall. This happens as the computers in the van decide they are not needed and put themselves to sleep.
Chrysler says it can take up to thirty minutes for everything to go into sleep mode.
The current should drop in stages similar to the sequence below:
a. The reading will start as high as 15-17 amps for a short period of time.
b. It then fall to 6-8 amps for a short time.
c. Then 1 to 1.5 amps for a period of time.
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