I'll take a look tomorrow, day off for Columbus day. Had one large gauge wire going to the solenoid and took it off, test light still lit.

 

No luck on the short, only have one wire on the solenoid with a fusible link, it's not the short. I did, however get my indicator lights working with the scotchbrite trick, also cleaned and bent up the little tabs on the bulb holders. So,all good there. Think I'll just have to disconnect the battery when I park it.

 

Hmmm....

I'd pull it apart by the system (charging, etc)...

Check all the wires (The radio comes to mind).....

Just tryin' to throw ideas out there....

 

This might help a little;





Good luck.

 

Good info there, thanks. Somebody suggested a short in the starter, starter seems to work but looks original.

 

I added a bit to the thread title in hopes of attracting others who are good at this electrical stuff.

I then skimmed through the thread, seems you've got multiple things you're talking about here; you can change the topic back if you want, I didn't know this thread was covering all sorts of different problems....

 

Well, didn't want to clutter up the Forum with abunch of different threads...
With all the help I've received almost everything is functional, just have the short to figure out, but can work around it for now. Need to borrow a meter, too.
On a side note, I haven't driven a 300 in several years, forgot how good they really are.

 

A Equus test meter at O'Relly's....$20.....

 

Update: new voltage regulator didn't fix the short, today I pulled the fuses again, but no joy. Mysteriously (test light procedure on the ground cable) I can take all the wires off of the solenoid,including the battery cable, and the light will dim, but stay lit. Take the positive cable off of the battery, it goes out. Take the starter cable off of the solenoid, no change. I have 4 gauge cable to power my CB radio (draws about 30 amps) but removing them makes no difference either.

 

Let's see, 30 amps at 14.4 volts is 432 watts. Assuming, generously, that the receiver draws 32 watts that leaves 400 for the xmitter, most of which will go to the final. And I thought those were 5 watt units. Silly me.

As for the current draw, you are saying you can take the battery cable off of the solenoid and the test light on the ground side stays on, albeit dimly? Only the battery cable is hooked to the battery and nothing else? There's not another wire connected to the positive?

If that's the case I'm lost. Surely I don't understand.

 

Pull the battery and slide a piece of rubber under it or a blck of dry wood. The battery may be leaking electrically through the case. Not common but not unheard of.

 

That is the case. Also, tried a different battery. Radio is a Galaxy 98VHP, amp draw was a guess. I do have the 70 amp alternator, brand new.

 

Photographic evidence, pic 1, test light on, all positive side cables connected, pic 2, test light on, all positive cables removed from the solenoid.

 

Yes, but there is another wire showing connected to the battery cable. Where does it go? Is it your CB cable? Is that the one you said you can disconnect as well and the light stays on?

 

CB cable, makes no difference. Maybe a stupid mistake, but alternator has a lug marked "grnd" so I ran a ground wire to it.