Meters can be confusing depending on their design.

I would stay away from the 10 amp scale - you are only wanting to read milliamps and the 10 amp scale "often" requires that you insert the test leads into a different connector on the meter (a special fused circuit)

Normally a MA meter will have selection settings for 2 or 3 ranges (ie 200 and 2000) MA's. And possibly another few settings for Micro amps (μA).

You want one of the MA scales, and a reading between .030 and .040.
(30 milliamps is 30/1000)

Actually that may be what you are getting now - but since you way it is on a 2Amp scale I am nor sure what you are really getting.

For doing your readings it is "easier" to remove the negative cable where it is attached to the car body - as opposed to at the battery. Then read between the cable end and the body connection point.
This also allows you to put a temporary jumper between the negative connector at the battery and another body ground point. That way you do not interrupt power flow to the car while hooking up the meter and then simply remove the temporary jumper to take a meter readings.

Cheers
Jim Cash

• BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - yoshisbmw 2007-12-23 14:11:33 (198 views)
  • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - jimcash 2007-12-23 16:35:30 (169 views)
    • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - yoshisbmw 2007-12-23 17:09:10 (116 views)
      • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - jimcash 2007-12-23 23:49:04 (150 views)
        • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - yoshisbmw 2007-12-24 01:26:24 (123 views)
          • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - jimcash 2007-12-24 17:19:58 (124 views)
            • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - yoshisbmw 2007-12-26 10:40:03 (111 views)
              • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - yoshisbmw 2008-01-16 02:11:03 (92 views)
                • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - jimcash 2008-01-16 22:15:39 (81 views)
                  • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - yoshisbmw 2008-01-23 02:24:12 (68 views)
                    • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - jimcash 2008-01-23 12:59:11 (63 views)
                      • Re: BMW 530i 2001 key-off electrical spec? - yoshisbmw 2008-03-08 03:25:52 (48 views)