82 F-250 supercab w/6.6L

For the second time this week I have tried to start my F-250 with no luck. When I test the battery there is no voltage. The first time I jumped the battery and got it started. Lasted a few days. The second time I just replaced the battery and got it home. Checked the voltage at the terminals while it was running and it was only 11.9. Replaced the voltage regulator, started the truck and registered 14.5V across the terminals. Thought the problem was fixed. It say overnight and started fine in the morning. Drove it about 10 miles and parked it overnight. The next day it doesn't start and the battery reads 0 volts.

I had the alternator tested and it tests good. Checked for current drain with the key off several times and nothing, not even a milliamp.

Is it possible that driving the truck on battery power alone for 10 miles would totally discharge the battery? Anything else that could cause this?

 

I would rig up some sort of wiring from the fuse box to a meter laying in the seat so you can monitor the voltage at the battery at all times. If you want this to be more permanent, you could get a under dash voltmeter and wire it up. Just hook it to something in the fuse box that only has power with the key on, like the blower motor or the radio.

If it is always charging, I would suspect some sort of drain. What has me suspicious is even a dead battery will read some sort of voltage. Reading 0 volts is telling me something is pulling the battery completely down to nothing, and is holding it there.

 

Sounds like a short to ground somewhere.

 

When you say "Replaced the battery", was it brand new or a used one you had laying around?

It sounds like you solved your problem, which was the voltage regulator. But the battery could be junk now. When you were driving with a bad regulator there is no telling how much voltage was going to the battery. You could have shorted out a cell and the battery discharged on it's own over night.

If the battery was new, take it back and have it checked. If its junk already they'll replace it, don't tell them bout the regulator though.

If the battery is not new personally I'd buy a new battery from Walmart. Toss it in and see what happens. If it goes dead right away charge it back up and take it back, they'll take anything back at Walmart. Main point is that you need to rule out the battery before you move on to other parts of the electrical system.

 

This shouldnt be the case. I dont know about your truck and motor, but runnin a 1000 cca walmart battery in my 81 150 w/ 300 cid engine, it ran 2500 miles with no alternator before it died. even then it still had 4 volts in it.

 

The battery I put in was brand new. I charged the one I took out overnight and it seems to be holding the charge, I haven't tried it back in the truck though.

I noticed that the voltage regulator connector was fairly corroded, would it help to replace the connector?

I don't if this is related but several months ago I put in a used steering column, supposed to be from an 86. After the battery died the first time, 2 - 3 weeks ago, I replaced the ignition switch, it was acting a little funny but starting the truck. It turns out the switch on there is for an 88 truck. If the column is actually from an 88 would there be any wiring issues with plugging it into the wiring in my 82? The plugs for the ignition switch and turn signals matched up just fine.

I also noticed once that the tail lights were on everything turned off. Tapped the brake pedal and they went out. Could the brake light switch be an issue? The lights were not on when I parked the car before the new battery died.

I don't know how reliable the stock gauges are but the ammeter was not showing a discharge the last time I drove it. It was always on the 'C' side of center.