Electrical issue with 1969 c10

[kiles_2001]

Hello everyone, I have a very persistent issue, I have a 1969 c10 and the wiring has been hacked to shreds, but I am starting with my engine compartment wiring first, I cannot get something straight for the life of me, I upgraded my alternator from external voltage regulator to an internal type, I purchased one from the auto zone for a 1975 c10 Chevy truck, I wired it with the #2 wire jumpered to the main power wire and the jumpered the blue wire to the brown one from the voltage regulator as shown in most drawings/schematics found on this forum and the web, when I turn the truck on it stays on and seems as if it is charging well, when it is on I meter a crossed the battery terminals with the cables connected to it and it measures a healthy 14VDC I pull the positive cable off while the truck is running and it continues to run which tells me it is running off of the alternator but when I turn off the ignition switch and I put the meter between a disconnected cable and a battery terminal I get 12 volts, I checked all of the wiring all the way back to the firewall connector, I cut all the tape open and verified that the wiring was good and not shorted, I even disconnected the terminal block to verify that it wasn’t anything on the other side of the firewall, I exchanged the alternator from auto zone to make sure it wasn’t that but I still get the 12vdc, I get the 12vdc even when I have the firewall block disconnected, can someone for the love of god help me, I will attach some pictures of it as soon as I get a chance.

[ls1nova71]

So is there a problem? Is your battery going dead on you or something? 14v with the engine running sounds right and so does 12 with it not running, that's what a 12v battery should have.
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[BadaSs_Cal]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

So is there a problem? Is your battery going dead on you or something? 14v with the engine running sounds right and so does 12 with it not running, that's what a 12v battery should have.
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I was thinking the same thing , but didnt wanna give false information.... Maybe try checking with your meter ( with positive post connected and truck off) Negative cable unplugged to negative post voltage.. that should be zero for sure when the trucks off and key is off...

[BadaSs_Cal]

Havent done it myself yet.. but..
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=119379

[Roadmarks]

Any time the battery "IS IN THE LOOP" you should read voltage. The ignition switch only feeds power back to whatever is attached to it. Coil, starter, electric choke, etc. Does your truck stay running after you turn the switch off? Which instrument cluster do you have, gauges or lights? You will have 1 main hot wire, about 12GA red that has a fusable kink direct to the battery. it runs across the rad support and has the main charge wire from the alt attached. If your alt conversion is correct, and I think it probably is, check to make sure the #1 terminal on the alt goes to the brown wire and the #2 goes to the main output wire. If you have the gauge dash, add the Radio Shack 1N4001 diode. Get a good wiring diagram and take a look.

Best wishes,

Les

[kiles_2001]

I disconnected the + battery cable and put my meter in between the the cable and the battery post and got the 12vdc while the ignition switch was off, I even got the 12vdc when I disconnected the harness from the firewall, I get the voltage between the DISCONNECTED wire and the battery post, I was under the impression there should be no voltage in between the wire and the post while the ignition switch is OFF, if there is a reading, is it not draining the battery? I did not check it between the - post and cable, I can do that today, and no it did not kill my battery I did not give it a chance to, I have the terminal disconnected right now until I get to the bottom of this.

[72lb4x4]

Originally Posted by kiles_2001

I disconnected the + battery cable and put my meter in between the the cable and the battery post...

A voltmeter isn't intended to be used this way. Never. At all. Ever.

A voltmeter is always connected across whatever you're checking, such as the battery, or a load.

An ammeter is connected like this and should read nothing or very little. The very little is some mA for a radio memory for example if there is one.

[kiles_2001]

I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear, I used a fluke multimeter (volt meter), I used it in place of a light bulb current tester.

[72lb4x4]

It makes no difference what meter you use. You don't measure voltage as you say you are doing it.

[kiles_2001]

OK, so can you tell me how to test it? is it ok that it is getting 12vdc across the cable and the post? please advise me...

[72lb4x4]

You seem determined not to listen. Measuring voltage by putting the volmeter in the circuit is like putting a pancake on your head. You can do it, but why? It serves no purpose. Whether you read voltage or not is meaningless.

You can measure current as I posted earlier, or not worry about it.

[68 IRON]

Rather than checkin' voltage, set your meter to measure current or amps. This will give the draw on the battery, it should read very,very low. And your gage in the truck might show a charge but should settle down shortly after you start your engine. Other than that, if you just want to make sure everthing is hooked up proper....it seems right to me.

By the way, we just bought a 69 c10 for our son....and ya he loves his too!

to the board

[kiles_2001]

thank you Iron I will give that a shot, I just got home and will do that before I leave, I just found some six lug corvette rally's for the truck and am going to pick them up, I really appreciate your help.