Battery draw...

[Alvin in AZ]

Each cell can be tested to see if there is a bad one. Use a volt meter with
negative to ground post and positive to the acid in each cell. Should read
in increments of 2, up to 12 minimum.

Cool idea.

I've heard of that but never tried it.

At work all the cells were separate even the lead acid "truck" batteries had
lead connectors on top going from one cell to the next so never had a need
to test individual cells like you suggest. I'm going to try it today but I'll clip
a short piece of wire in the meter-lead and dip that in the acid. LOL

Alvin in AZ
ps- Ben, you gonna -know- or are you gonna -guess-?
In other words, you gonna use a friggin' meter or not?
pps- Trailer brakes and radio memory and all those suggestions are cool ones.
Just use a meter while checking those things out. But first determine if there
is even a draw to start with then go from there, might just be like Dennis said
just not enough use and/or an old battery.
ppps- No need to take it anywhere to test a battery, the load needed for the
test is already hooked up to it all you'll need extra is an analog meter on the
volt scale and maybe a helper. I've done it by myself so it ain't impossible.

 

[LEB Ben]

Also, do you have a trailer brake on your truck?

Yes I do...

 

[SuperCab]

pretty much do like they said buddy... ohm meter is your friend. the fact that it eats alternators makes me think a short somewhere or a bad voltage regulator. trailer brakes and radios dont eat alternators...

had the same problem on my 87 last year... went through 2 alernators in as many months.... it was the regulator... but thats a gmc...

 

[fatherdoug]

Yes I do...

I was just wondering if it had an indicator light that stays on all the time, like mine. I've gone a couple months without starting the engine, and with an older battery the, the truck would be dead. After installing a new battery, that is no longer a poblem.

My experience with voltage regulators is that the the gauges will "wander" from a low position to a high position with a faulty regulator. I'm sure there are more symptons than that though.

 

[LEB Ben]

Doug...my trailer brake light only comes on whe n brakes are applied.

I think I'll do a bit of testing first, but I'm leaning towards the regulator being the culprit...seing as it's never been changed for as long as I've had it (10years), plus however long it's gone before that.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

-x2 the snipped part too-
...went through 2 alernators in as many months....
it was the regulator... but thats a gmc...

GM, sounds right, I got the original alternator in my '75 F150. LOL

Changed out the front bearing (6203) and brushes a few times
but it's still going. Repack the rear needle bearing with red
wheel bearing grease.

Right now the original starter is on the shelf ready to go again.
It's got a new starter drive and new brushes in it, didn't really
-need- 'em yet, as in, it didn't quit working. I pulled it during
a clutch job is all. I'll put it back with the next clutch job.

Alvin in AZ

 

[SuperCab]

the regulators are mildly notorious on those things...

 

[Alvin in AZ]

I think I'll do a bit of testing first, but I'm leaning towards the regulator...

Don't be leaning, danggit! LOL

Test it with a volt/ohmmeter, let it lead you to the trouble.

And don't be messing around with the wiring etc ahead of time either.
BTDT and seen others do it too and clear the dangged trouble-up on
us, just to have it fail again later.

Alvin in AZ

 

[Alvin in AZ]

My son sez:
"tell 'im to be sure and close your driver's side door! LOL "

He asked if you got it fiNgured out yet.

Butthead in AZ

 

[LEB Ben]

Tell him thanks for the words of wisdom...and tell him I'm currently an hour away from the truck. So no...it isn't fingured out yet.

 

[73F100Shortbed]

This happened to me when my truck sat for a month during winter and buried under snow. The radio memory puts a draw on the battery for me.

 

[LEB Ben]

^^^It would be fine if it were months...then I wouldn't worry about it...but this is the matter of days.

 

[m78]

I had a new reman alternater that had a dead short draining a battery on that green CJ I had.

 

[Mil1ion]

3 a simple proceedure to see if its charging,[if you dont have a volt meter} start the truck & remove the negative cable off the battery,if the truck continues to run the alternator is working correctly.if it stalls replace the regulator first,then if it still stalls the alternator..

This is great way to kill alternator diodes aka :Alternator

There are other genuine ways to test the charging system

Never remove a battery cable with the engine running

What you speak of is a trick for OLD generator systems...

 

[73F100Shortbed]

^^^It would be fine if it were months...then I wouldn't worry about it...but this is the matter of days.

Oh sorry. I think I missed that in your post.

 

[kiwi f150]

In the meantime if you haven't got the time to deal with it just leave a batt terminal off when you're not using it ...... i had an old wolseley for a paddock racer that i used to do that to.

 

[BuzzGun79]

Each cell can be tested to see if there is a bad one. Use a volt meter with negitive to ground post and positive to the acid in each cell. Should read in increments of 2, up to 12 minimum.


good suggestion Mark i learned something today.. & a lot safer to..Bob

 

[Mil1ion]

Get a battery hydrometer and test the specific gravity or take it to Autozone for a machine test.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Well? :/

Butthead in AZ

 

[LEB Ben]

Welll...considering it's not a primary driver and I'm out of the house at 5am every morning and not back home until about midnight...I still haven't gotten to it.