HELP, please! Finding a battery drain. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Sooner1970_K10 · 03-05-2005, 11:56 AM

Ok, I am still trying to find what is causing my battery to drain. I replaced the battery with a brand new one and it was drained dead within 2 days. Here is what I have done so far.

1.) Used "metal blade test" to check altenator and see if it magnetizes. I didnt feel any type of pull but maybe I was doing it wrong.

2.) Then I jumped the truch, removed the jumper cables and then disconnected the truck battery leads and the truck still ran with just the altenator. I believe this tells me my altenator is good wether it passed the first test or not?

3.) Someone suggested I disconnect the negative battery lead from the battery and place a 12v light between the negetive lead and mattery terminal. If I had a draw on the battery with the key in the off position it would show up. The light came on when I did this, so this means without any doubt I have something drawing the battery down when the key is not on?

4.) Then the 2nd part to the number (3) was to remove the fuses from the fuse box one at a time untill the light went out, then I would have found my faulty area and then be able to pin point where to look to find the draw. Well the only problem is I removed the fuses one at a time (3 times) and the light never went out. I even switched in a multimeter on the last time and watched the 12vdc stay perfectly constent, never faltered.

*HELP PART* So what do I do now? Does this mean that the draw on the battery is somewhere between the battery and fuse box? Is this the only option I have? Do I follow the battery leads to the fuse box? Am I missing something obvious? Attached is a picture of my fuse box, I doubt it will help but thought It wouldnt hurt.

jhow66 · 03-05-2005, 12:23 PM

Disconnect the red wire on Alt. and check at battery for drain. Unplug voltage reg and check.

**Stocker** · 03-05-2005, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sooner1970_K10

4.) Then the 2nd part to the number (3) was to remove the fuses from the fuse box one at a time untill the light went out, then I would have found my faulty area and then be able to pin point where to look to find the draw. Well the only problem is I removed the fuses one at a time (3 times) and the light never went out. I even switched in a multimeter on the last time and watched the 12vdc stay perfectly constent, never faltered.

You may have more than one circuit in trouble. Try removing all fuses and see if the light stays on. If so, there must be something unfused, or wired directly to the battery. BTW the multimeter will read 12vdc even without a current drain; what you need to look for with it is current (i.e. amps, watts, milliwatts).

Sooner1970_K10 · 03-05-2005, 04:57 PM

Ok, when I disconnect the regulator the light goes out? The regulator shouldnt have any draw on the battery and it does, so it needs to be replaced?

**VetteVet** · 03-05-2005, 08:44 PM

It sounds like you may have found it. If the exciter coil in the regulator has stuck points, then the red wire would be feeding through it and back to the alternator field. You might try hooking the regulator back up and disconnecting the plug on the alternator to see if the light goes out.

Sooner1970_K10 · 03-05-2005, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VetteVet

It sounds like you may have found it. If the exciter coil in the regulator has stuck points, then the red wire would be feeding through it and back to the alternator field. You might try hooking the regulator back up and disconnecting the plug on the alternator to see if the light goes out.

I tried this and even with all 3 wires disconnected from the back of the altenator the light was still on.

**68350** · 03-05-2005, 10:08 PM

My battery kept going dead within a few hours also, so I replaced the voltage regulator with one from a junk yard and it seems to be working just fine now. Hope this helps. Doug

**VetteVet** · 03-05-2005, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sooner1970_K10

I tried this and even with all 3 wires disconnected from the back of the altenator the light was still on.

Then I believe you have eliminated the alternator as the drain. Read through this web page and you can see where the wires go from the regulator. The brown wire that feeds the idiot light is the only one in my schematic that could be draining juice if the regulator is good. Can you disconnect it and plug the regulator back in. If the light stays on then it must be the regulator. It might be easier to just plug in another regulator if you have one.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...reewire2.shtml

Vettevet- this is interesting

Sonny · 03-06-2005, 10:19 AM

Did you just replace your steering wheel? Check the horn relay that is at the top and right to see if it is warm/hot. I replaced my steering column and on the old column some cut the horn wire because the horn contact was hitting the side of the steering wheel adapter. The horn was disconnected too. It took me a little while to find it. Good luck.

Sonny

lngbed71 · 03-06-2005, 01:04 PM

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=144338

03-05-2005, 11:56 AM	#1
Sooner1970_K10 1970 K10, 350, 4spd! Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Shawnee, Ok Posts: 128	HELP, please! Finding a battery drain. Ok, I am still trying to find what is causing my battery to drain. I replaced the battery with a brand new one and it was drained dead within 2 days. Here is what I have done so far. 1.) Used "metal blade test" to check altenator and see if it magnetizes. I didnt feel any type of pull but maybe I was doing it wrong. 2.) Then I jumped the truch, removed the jumper cables and then disconnected the truck battery leads and the truck still ran with just the altenator. I believe this tells me my altenator is good wether it passed the first test or not? 3.) Someone suggested I disconnect the negative battery lead from the battery and place a 12v light between the negetive lead and mattery terminal. If I had a draw on the battery with the key in the off position it would show up. The light came on when I did this, so this means without any doubt I have something drawing the battery down when the key is not on? 4.) Then the 2nd part to the number (3) was to remove the fuses from the fuse box one at a time untill the light went out, then I would have found my faulty area and then be able to pin point where to look to find the draw. Well the only problem is I removed the fuses one at a time (3 times) and the light never went out. I even switched in a multimeter on the last time and watched the 12vdc stay perfectly constent, never faltered. HELP PART So what do I do now? Does this mean that the draw on the battery is somewhere between the battery and fuse box? Is this the only option I have? Do I follow the battery leads to the fuse box? Am I missing something obvious? Attached is a picture of my fuse box, I doubt it will help but thought It wouldnt hurt. Attached Images

03-05-2005, 12:23 PM	#2
jhow66 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Knoxville Tenn. Posts: 3,058	Disconnect the red wire on Alt. and check at battery for drain. Unplug voltage reg and check. __________________ 56 Chevy Bel-Air 2dr. HT (purchased new) 71 Chevy Cheyenne SWB PU (502HO) 65 GMC short bed step--work in progress and my gofer

03-05-2005, 08:44 PM	#5
VetteVet Msgt USAF Ret Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 8,709	It sounds like you may have found it. If the exciter coil in the regulator has stuck points, then the red wire would be feeding through it and back to the alternator field. You might try hooking the regulator back up and disconnecting the plug on the alternator to see if the light goes out. __________________ VetteVet metallic green 67 stepside 74 corvette convertible 1965 Harley sportster 1995 Harley wide glide Growing old is hell, but it beats the alternative.

03-05-2005, 10:08 PM	#7
68350 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Williston, ND Posts: 2,999	voltage regulator My battery kept going dead within a few hours also, so I replaced the voltage regulator with one from a junk yard and it seems to be working just fine now. Hope this helps. Doug

03-06-2005, 01:04 PM	#10
lngbed71 Nothing fits but the oil Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Gaston, Indiana Posts: 424	http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=144338 __________________ Land of the free Because of the brave

03-05-2005, 04:57 PM	#4
Sooner1970_K10 1970 K10, 350, 4spd! Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Shawnee, Ok Posts: 128	Ok, when I disconnect the regulator the light goes out? The regulator shouldnt have any draw on the battery and it does, so it needs to be replaced?

03-06-2005, 10:19 AM	#9
Sonny Active Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Centerville, GA Posts: 240	Did you just replace your steering wheel? Check the horn relay that is at the top and right to see if it is warm/hot. I replaced my steering column and on the old column some cut the horn wire because the horn contact was hitting the side of the steering wheel adapter. The horn was disconnected too. It took me a little while to find it. Good luck. Sonny



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