Battery or alternator? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Mike Culpepper · 11-29-2004, 03:11 PM

This morning (and for the third time this month) I went to start my 72 and NOTHIN' no lights or sound or anything---dead. After last time I recharged the batt and it tested o.k. , today I had the alternator tested and it tested o.k.? Each time the truck had set for 2-3 days withought being driven. Each time after recharging, the truck started easily, and did so the rest of the week---- daily driver. I haven't added anything electrical or changed anything. The guy at NAPA, said that even though the alt. tested good it could be drawing down the battery over those two days. What do ya'll think? I CAN replace both, would prefer to replace just the culprit though. The battery is a Duralast and IS 6 yr. old. I cleaned the posts(which were not bad) this a.m. and still nothin.
Mike

sneakysnake · 11-29-2004, 03:30 PM

With a charged battery, pull the neg. cable off use a test light or bulb (not a meter it will read though the diods). place the bulb(series) between the post and wire if there is a drain the bulb will glow.Be sure to have everything off and doors closed. If it does glow pull the wires on the alt. that will eliminate it.If it doesnt glow then you may have a bad cell in your battery draining it down but a load test will usually detect this.

Super Duck · 11-29-2004, 03:36 PM

the other thing to look at while doing that test is if the light does come on pull one fuse at a time and when it goes out you have found the syst with a draw.(short)

Mike Culpepper · 11-29-2004, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sneakysnake

With a charged battery, pull the neg. cable off use a test light or bulb (not a meter it will read though the diods). place the bulb(series) between the post and wire if there is a drain the bulb will glow.Be sure to have everything off and doors closed. If it does glow pull the wires on the alt. that will eliminate it.If it doesnt glow then you may have a bad cell in your battery draining it down but a load test will usually detect this.

sneakysnake,
which wire? Should I check both wires on the alt. one at a time? Since I don't always have a firm grasp on the obvious..... I should use a test light with one end hooked to the neg. battery post and the other touching one of the two wires going into the alternator, and if the alternator is draining the battery, the test light should light, correct? THen check the other wire going into the alternator.
Mike

Mike Culpepper · 11-29-2004, 04:10 PM

Super Duck,
IF the test bulb lights as described abouve, then the draw COULD be any electrical component? And to test this is where I would pull one fuse at a time, Correct?
Mike

Super Duck · 11-29-2004, 04:16 PM

corect. if there is a draw on the system you will find it. then have fun finding the prob from there. it will mean shooting wires. if you are lucky it will be a switch for the glove box light or a cig lighter.

Mike Culpepper · 11-29-2004, 04:44 PM

Thanks to both of ya'll
Mike

Super Duck · 11-29-2004, 04:58 PM

let me know what you find

da-burb · 11-29-2004, 05:15 PM

If your horn doesn't work start there! The horn relay is stuck on and I'll tell you right now that it just happens to be a 2-3 day battery drain. It happens so often that it has become the first place I look.

Super Duck · 11-29-2004, 05:30 PM

good call. difrent vehicle types have there own querks

sneakysnake · 11-29-2004, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Culpepper

sneakysnake,
which wire? Should I check both wires on the alt. one at a time? Since I don't always have a firm grasp on the obvious..... I should use a test light with one end hooked to the neg. battery post and the other touching one of the two wires going into the alternator, and if the alternator is draining the battery, the test light should light, correct? THen check the other wire going into the alternator.
Mike

the test light goes between the battery post and the wire that goes to that post(by unhooking the neg.wire from the battery, make all the electricty go though the bulb)

Longhorn Man · 11-29-2004, 09:56 PM

There is a pic of this and detailed instructions in the FAQ section.

**kwmech** · 11-29-2004, 09:58 PM

Personally if I had a battery that was 6 years old and began to give me any kind of problem, I would replace it.

Mike Culpepper · 12-13-2004, 11:06 AM

Sorry, I didn't see these last couple posts. I will look in the FAQ section, and I did replace the batt. just coz it was so old.
Thanks again
Mike

11-29-2004, 03:11 PM	#1
Mike Culpepper Red Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Llano... Texas Hill Country Posts: 448	Battery or alternator? This morning (and for the third time this month) I went to start my 72 and NOTHIN' no lights or sound or anything---dead. After last time I recharged the batt and it tested o.k. , today I had the alternator tested and it tested o.k.? Each time the truck had set for 2-3 days withought being driven. Each time after recharging, the truck started easily, and did so the rest of the week---- daily driver. I haven't added anything electrical or changed anything. The guy at NAPA, said that even though the alt. tested good it could be drawing down the battery over those two days. What do ya'll think? I CAN replace both, would prefer to replace just the culprit though. The battery is a Duralast and IS 6 yr. old. I cleaned the posts(which were not bad) this a.m. and still nothin. Mike __________________ '72 Cheyenne LWB 350/350 "The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." - Catfish Hunter (commenting on why he was not able to pitch another perfect game). Last edited by Mike Culpepper; 11-29-2004 at 03:13 PM.

11-29-2004, 03:36 PM	#3
Super Duck Chevy Nuttttt Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Santa Maria Ca. Posts: 568	the other thing to look at while doing that test is if the light does come on pull one fuse at a time and when it goes out you have found the syst with a draw.(short) __________________ 67' Chev swb step side 69' SS elky 03' Chev ext cab 4X4 hey who lernt me to spell is there anything else?

11-29-2004, 04:10 PM	#5
Mike Culpepper Red Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Llano... Texas Hill Country Posts: 448	Super Duck, IF the test bulb lights as described abouve, then the draw COULD be any electrical component? And to test this is where I would pull one fuse at a time, Correct? Mike __________________ '72 Cheyenne LWB 350/350 "The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." - Catfish Hunter (commenting on why he was not able to pitch another perfect game).

11-29-2004, 04:16 PM	#6
Super Duck Chevy Nuttttt Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Santa Maria Ca. Posts: 568	corect. if there is a draw on the system you will find it. then have fun finding the prob from there. it will mean shooting wires. if you are lucky it will be a switch for the glove box light or a cig lighter. __________________ 67' Chev swb step side 69' SS elky 03' Chev ext cab 4X4 hey who lernt me to spell is there anything else?

11-29-2004, 04:44 PM	#7
Mike Culpepper Red Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Llano... Texas Hill Country Posts: 448	Thanks to both of ya'll Mike __________________ '72 Cheyenne LWB 350/350 "The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." - Catfish Hunter (commenting on why he was not able to pitch another perfect game).

11-29-2004, 03:30 PM	#2
sneakysnake It's a catastrophic success. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,077	With a charged battery, pull the neg. cable off use a test light or bulb (not a meter it will read though the diods). place the bulb(series) between the post and wire if there is a drain the bulb will glow.Be sure to have everything off and doors closed. If it does glow pull the wires on the alt. that will eliminate it.If it doesnt glow then you may have a bad cell in your battery draining it down but a load test will usually detect this.

11-29-2004, 04:58 PM	#8
Super Duck Chevy Nuttttt Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Santa Maria Ca. Posts: 568	let me know what you find __________________ 67' Chev swb step side 69' SS elky 03' Chev ext cab 4X4 hey who lernt me to spell is there anything else?

11-29-2004, 05:15 PM	#9
da-burb "Ochre Ogre" Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Springfield, MN Posts: 3,558	If your horn doesn't work start there! The horn relay is stuck on and I'll tell you right now that it just happens to be a 2-3 day battery drain. It happens so often that it has become the first place I look. __________________ Bowtie Truck Stop Inc. Mid-West GM Truck Restoration Parts Supplier Your Key Parts, Auto Metal Direct, Dynacorn, and Goodmark dealer. like us @ www.facebook.com/BowtieTruckStop 1971 C-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1971 K-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1972 C-10 Suburban (Ochre) 1972 K-20 Suburban (Yellow- that just aint right!) Springfield, Minnesota 56087

11-29-2004, 05:30 PM	#10
Super Duck Chevy Nuttttt Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Santa Maria Ca. Posts: 568	good call. difrent vehicle types have there own querks __________________ 67' Chev swb step side 69' SS elky 03' Chev ext cab 4X4 hey who lernt me to spell is there anything else?

11-29-2004, 09:56 PM	#12
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	There is a pic of this and detailed instructions in the FAQ section.

11-29-2004, 09:58 PM	#13
kwmech Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colfax-California Posts: 8,482	Personally if I had a battery that was 6 years old and began to give me any kind of problem, I would replace it.

12-13-2004, 11:06 AM	#14
Mike Culpepper Red Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Llano... Texas Hill Country Posts: 448	Sorry, I didn't see these last couple posts. I will look in the FAQ section, and I did replace the batt. just coz it was so old. Thanks again Mike __________________ '72 Cheyenne LWB 350/350 "The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." - Catfish Hunter (commenting on why he was not able to pitch another perfect game).



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