78 ford f150 Power issue

[78orBUST]

So I got done with work went back to my truck and it wouldn't start. I hear the solenoid clicking, and power is killed. i can wait a few minutes dissconnect the negative terminal and reattach it and my dome light works until i turn the key again. after several attempts there is no longer power no matter what. The battery, alt checked out good. I sent direct power to the starter and it turns, but still no power to the rest of the truck(sparkplugs). I changed the starter solenoid and the negative ground to the engine block. I sent power to post "b"(i think) and it fired up. on the way home i think i heard the starter running(bad) and within 15 minutes my truck died. Im assuming i burnt up the alt. i lift the hood and smoke was coming out but i can't tell what exactly burnt. I tried jumping and hotwiring it again but no luck. I get that the ignition switch is supposted to cut power to the starter in the run position but the wire going to the starter is connected to the same return power from the altenator so how is it not supposed to get power?(if that makes sense) So in the end my solenoid (side from battery) was hot as hell, but not battery. and while the truck was running the alt was charging at a much higher rate(assuming because the starter was drawing mucho energy I will get some pics up soon to help show what i mean. thanks for any input ford friends

[Franklin2]

#1. I hope you kept your old solenoid. The new solenoids you buy now are notorious for sticking and running the starter all the time. That makes sense doesn't it? You didn't have the starter running all the time problem till you changed the solenoid.

Make sure the battery is good and charged, put the old solenoid back on, and then take a small wire and jump terminal #3 to terminal #5 in the diagram below, and see what happens. Make sure the truck is in park or neutral when doing this

[rustywheel68]

argh- i had one stick on me just last week.

didn't realize it was a common problem. sure did tick me off, though- it was a pricey NAPA solenoid that was only a couple years old.

i pulled an old one out of my 'spares' box in, and kept motoring.