# Is this 25mA or 250mA?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** f-150, ford\
**Created:** [February 2, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921 "2023-02-02T19:08:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tscislaw\_183990](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@tscislaw\_183990](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tscislaw_183990)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921/1 "2023-02-02T19:08:41Z")

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![IMG_1579](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/2/f2e6855fa005b6e3262d42f13f544dd50686d2d1.jpeg)

Is this 250mA or 25mA?  
I’m tracking down a parasitic draw and was watching a YouTube video and the guy had the same reading as I do. He said it was 25mA which is fine. People in the comments say it’s 250mA. I think it’s 250mA but now I’m not sure.  
BTW, I set the meter to 200m and tried it but just got a blank screen.  
Who is right? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 7:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921/2 "2023-02-02T19:13:33Z")

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Looks like 0.25 amps = 250 mA to me.

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921/3 "2023-02-02T19:41:12Z")

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250mA to me, too. That is why it won’t read on the 200 mA scale.

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**Author:** ![tscislaw\_183990](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@tscislaw\_183990](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tscislaw_183990)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921/4 "2023-02-02T19:42:16Z")

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Yeah, that’s what I figured. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![TheWonderful90s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thewonderful90s/32/29584_2.png) [@TheWonderful90s](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheWonderful90s)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 8:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921/5 "2023-02-02T20:22:04Z")

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Maximum 10 seconds of measuring with a 15 minute break in between is quite an extreme limitation of the 10 Amp unufused connection!

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**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 9:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921/6 "2023-02-02T21:16:18Z")

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The center socket for the lead is for milliamps, the fuse may be already blown.  
When you make the initial connection with the meter, the amp draw usually starts at 2 to 3 amps, then drops below 1 amp in a few seconds. You need to connect the meter to both negative connections before disconnecting the battery to prevent the initial connection surge.

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**Author:** ![tscislaw\_183990](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@tscislaw\_183990](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tscislaw_183990)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-this-25ma-or-250ma/188921/7 "2023-02-02T21:38:26Z")

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Good to know. Thanks!