Battery problem
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Southern Oregon
Battery problem
brand new red top, new 90 amp alternator,
Fired it up checked voltage 14.5 volts so its charging .
Came back out the next day to finish tuning , went to start and click click click on starter relay ( which is new) checked voltage on battery 8.6 volts.
Placed on charger last night now reading 12.5 volts , truck fired right up. Still showing 14.5 volts charging.
So way the low voltage the next morning?
Fired it up checked voltage 14.5 volts so its charging .
Came back out the next day to finish tuning , went to start and click click click on starter relay ( which is new) checked voltage on battery 8.6 volts.
Placed on charger last night now reading 12.5 volts , truck fired right up. Still showing 14.5 volts charging.
So way the low voltage the next morning?
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,698
Likes: 7
From: Taxachusetts
Obviously, something is draining the battery.
Pull the negative (-) battery cable and watch for any kind of spark that might occur. Touch the cable to the negative (-) battery post....any spark?
My first thought would be the starter solenoid might have the contacts welded together..... smack it with a screwdriver handle a coulpa times....check for spark again......? But, more troubleshooting could be the case here.
Have a spark? Leave the battery disconnected overnight and check it in the morning.
Pull the negative (-) battery cable and watch for any kind of spark that might occur. Touch the cable to the negative (-) battery post....any spark?
My first thought would be the starter solenoid might have the contacts welded together..... smack it with a screwdriver handle a coulpa times....check for spark again......? But, more troubleshooting could be the case here.
Have a spark? Leave the battery disconnected overnight and check it in the morning.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,915
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
Obviously, something is draining the battery.
Pull the negative (-) battery cable and watch for any kind of spark that might occur. Touch the cable to the negative (-) battery post....any spark?
My first thought would be the starter solenoid might have the contacts welded together..... smack it with a screwdriver handle a coulpa times....check for spark again......? But, more troubleshooting could be the case here.
Have a spark? Leave the battery disconnected overnight and check it in the morning.
Pull the negative (-) battery cable and watch for any kind of spark that might occur. Touch the cable to the negative (-) battery post....any spark?
My first thought would be the starter solenoid might have the contacts welded together..... smack it with a screwdriver handle a coulpa times....check for spark again......? But, more troubleshooting could be the case here.
Have a spark? Leave the battery disconnected overnight and check it in the morning.
If the starter solenoid had welded contacts then the starter would also be turning over or spinning with the motor running.
So I would say it is not the solenoid.
I am for removing the neg batt cable but better then looking for sparks, this can cause the batt to blow up so not a good thing to do.
Is to use a test light between batt & cable. Bright light and you have a lot of draw, dim light little draw.
With the light on start pulling 1 fuse at a time till the light goes out and that is the area you need to look for the draw.
Now if pulling fuses does not do the trick remove the wires 1 at a time from the ALT and see if the test light goes out. If so bad ALT and yes even new they could be bad and still put out volts.
Dave ----
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,915
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From: Angier, NC
And again if fuses don't pan out look at the ALT for bad diodes.
Dave ----
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Senior User
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From: Southern Oregon
Will I went out to check and battery is back down to 9.45 from the 12.4 from this morning. So right now I have it back on charger.
But before I placed the charger back on I unhooked the neg and saw no spark when taking it off. I then connect neg on light to neg on cable while still disconnected and touch the other end of the light to pos on battery light seemed bright for the amount of voltage left in battery.
I will do it again when battery is fully charged.
But before I placed the charger back on I unhooked the neg and saw no spark when taking it off. I then connect neg on light to neg on cable while still disconnected and touch the other end of the light to pos on battery light seemed bright for the amount of voltage left in battery.
I will do it again when battery is fully charged.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,915
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
Will I went out to check and battery is back down to 9.45 from the 12.4 from this morning. So right now I have it back on charger.
But before I placed the charger back on I unhooked the neg and saw no spark when taking it off. I then connect neg on light to neg on cable while still disconnected and touch the other end of the light to pos on battery light seemed bright for the amount of voltage left in battery.
I will do it again when battery is fully charged.
But before I placed the charger back on I unhooked the neg and saw no spark when taking it off. I then connect neg on light to neg on cable while still disconnected and touch the other end of the light to pos on battery light seemed bright for the amount of voltage left in battery.
I will do it again when battery is fully charged.
When testing with the light make sure everything is off and doors closed.
Dave ----
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Senior User
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From: Southern Oregon
Ok I did that first and had no light so I had thought i did it wrong , being why I did it the other way also
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Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
From: Ontario Canada
A place to check for draw if it's not the alt is your radio. This is if it's been upgraded to a digital one. If installed wrong it might be drawing full power all the time instead of just enough to store presets.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Southern Oregon
ok will do.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Southern Oregon
lol I wish right now I dont have a radio in it.
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
From: Ontario Canada
Is the dome light in? If so check id check it.
From memory these are all the full time power functions.
Dome/Cargo light
Hazard lights
Altenator
Starter solenoid
Horn and horn relay
Brake lights
Mack
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Senior User
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From: Southern Oregon
brake light are not hooked up because bed is off , but maybe connection wire is laying on frame , um I'll check that when I go out to unplung charger.
Alternator is new and starter relay .
Crap I just thought of something, the person I got this truck from has another starter relay on the driver side for extra battery and the cable might be toughing something because its not hooked up to a battery.
The wires are just laying around. I have not got to that yet.
Oh man your making really think tonight lol , also my whole dash is out because Im replacing it all maybe a wire in there touching.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Originally Posted by Bulldog187th
Crap I just thought of something, the person I got this truck from has another starter relay on the driver side for extra battery and the cable might be touching something because its not hooked up to a battery.
The wires are just laying around. I have not got to that yet. Oh man your making really think tonight lol, also my whole dash is out because I'm replacing it all maybe a wire in there touching.
The wires are just laying around. I have not got to that yet. Oh man your making really think tonight lol, also my whole dash is out because I'm replacing it all maybe a wire in there touching.
Another thing to keep in mind is that an automotive starting battery will only handle being heavily discharged like that a handful of times before it's junk, they don't like that at all.
