Won't charge??
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2008
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Won't charge??
Problem.... A week ago I took my 79 F-100 to have the tranny rebuilt, I go to get it today and when I try to start it it clicks like a dead battery although it's less than a year old. I go back in the shop and they jump it with a battery pack. Once home I turn it off then try to restart it... nothing not even a click. I get out the battery charger and run it for about 45 minutes, I go to start it... nothing. Then I put the battery charger on 250A fast charge and starts up. I bring it in the garage and notice the the interior lights are dim and once I turn on the headlights it basically has nothing, barely lighting up. When the charger was on I checked the amps while it was running and only read 30A. The alternator is new from Napa and is a 55A but could it be bad?? Or possible a voltage regulator? But here's something else, right before I took it to the tranny shop I was modifying my gauge cluster so it was out of the vehicle but noticed the plug that goes into the back of the cluster was leaning against the metal dash possibly draining the battery. I did move the plug off the dash and once running if the alternator was working correctly wouldn't it charge ?? Sorry so long....
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 10,410
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From: Plankinton, SD
Possibly if your battery was being drained it got ruined. 30 amps is fairly high on the charger. I think the battery is shot already. You should go to a parts store and they will put a load test on it to see if it is shot
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Elder User
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I did my check tonight and had to put the charger on it to get it to start but at first while it was running it was 12.29 V then rapaidly started to drop and within a few minutes it was in the 10V range. I shut it off and checked it again and now it was back up to 11.25V. This is with a new 65Anp alternator that I just put on before I started it. What is your ideas on this?
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: MD
Something ain't charging the battery.
Is the alternator new or rebuilt? Get it tested anyway. Also, diagnose the voltage regulator.
Is the alternator new or rebuilt? Get it tested anyway. Also, diagnose the voltage regulator.
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It's a reman from Napa. I'm thinking it could be the voltage regulator. How could I test it??
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Elder User
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I just bought a new voltage regulator and had the alternator tested. Everything is ok but still won't charge??? What the heck am I looking over?? Before this happened I added floor lights and ash tray light, I checked to make sure nothing was grounding out. I also added delay wipers but all seems well?? It just won't charge??
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Mountville PA
is your fusible link bad check continuity from the alternator power stud to the battery cable with the battery unhooked, also do you have the cluster in now and is it a light or ammeter gauge.
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Elder User
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Elder User
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Is that in the alt. harness or the body harness? I have a shunt in the alt. harness where two wires come out of it but it's good.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: brooks a.b.
this may be a shot in the dark, i had a customer come in with a no charge problem on a 1982 f-150 after a alt change. what had happened was on the back of the alt the reman alt had all insulators black and he had put the field wire from the reg to the stator output post instead of the field post on the alt. may be something to double check