The following is taken from a factory Technical Bulletin from February, 1989.
It was designated "For All Alfa Romeo Models":------------------------------------------------------
Both Spider and Milano models have a normal draw on the battery of less than 20 milliamps (.020 amps) with all electrical systems off. This draw (usually .010 - .020 amps) is caused by the electric clock, radio memory, etc. Aftermarket radios and burglar alarms may increase the draw above the average of .010 to .020 amps. As a rule of thumb, a 40 milliamps (.040 amps) draw will substantially discharge one of our batteries, if the car is not driven in 3 to 4 weeks. To test the vehicle’s current draw: - Remove the key and turn off all accessories, radio, etc.
- Close all of the doors and wait until the interior lamps turn off.
- Disconnect the negative battery cable at the battery.
- Using a volt, ohm meter (V.O.M.), set the VOM to the highest amperage range.
- Connect the V.O.M. in series with the negative battery cable and the negative post of the battery (black lead to the battery post and the red lead to the negative battery cable). (See illustration.)
- If current draw is above the 10 to 20 milliamps draw, then remove one fuse at a time until the draw decreases to the 10-20 milliamps spec. Not all components are fused, so if the current draw is not reduced by pulling fuses, disconnect the leads, one at a time, to the non-fused components.
- When the current draw is reduced by removing a fuse, then a component(s) on that fused circuit is causing the draw.
- To diagnose which component(s), simply replace the fuse and disconnect the leads to each component in that circuit, one at a time, while observing the V.O.M. for a current reduction.
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