Battery drain rate?

[dirtyjobs]

So I am loosing .20v in 12hrs. on my battery.
Is that bad?
How low can my battery go before it wont crank anymore?

Thanks!

 

[71FJ40]

There should be no drain on a battery in a 40 if the ignition is off
Is there an aftermarket stereo installed?
How old is the battery?

At that rate, the battery will not be able to turn the truck over after a couple days of sitting.

 

[Rockets2000]

I fought this battle for most of last year - first with a bad battery then with a bad regulator, then again with a bad battery. Got the last one replaced on warranty. You might as well change it before it leaves you stuck somewhere in need of a jump or get a jump box to keep with you.

 

[dirtyjobs]

Great! Back to square one....

No stereo or other acc. installed.
Brand new Int-state battery.

This has been an ongoing saga for quite some time now. I have just been disconnecting the alternator if I leave it for more than an couple of hours at a time.

I’ve tried to find out how everyone else had there GM/chev style alternators hooked up and have tried all the different ways I have found on the FAQ Tech links but nothing is working. The battery will be completely dead in one night if I leave it all hooked up. Beginning to think maybe it’s my ignition switch?

 

[71FJ40]

Look at the truck at night - make sure there are no light s on like a stuck brake light switch

After that, get a current meter on the +ve cable and start pulling fuses until you find the circuit that is the problem

 

[jimd4x4]

If you have a SBC in your cruiser. You are probably using an internally regulated altenator. If so is it a one wire or two wire hook up? If it is a two wire you need to add a diode or light bulb to one of the wires. I think it is the red one but not sure. This will help with the drain.

 

[Ray Sorenson]

If it drains in one night, look for heat. The source of the drain should be warm.

 

[dirtyjobs]

If you have a SBC in your cruiser. You are probably using an internally regulated altenator. If so is it a one wire or two wire hook up? If it is a two wire you need to add a diode or light bulb to one of the wires. I think it is the red one but not sure. This will help with the drain.

I do not have a SBC but could this still be a possibility with the F motor? I have the diode just not sure exactly which wire or direction it should be hooked up...

 

[antFJ]

battling this as well... dead in a week.. never did this before.. (new battery) I think it might be my alarm system (even when not armed).

 

[71FJ40]

battling this as well... dead in a week.. never did this before.. (new battery) I think it might be my alarm system (even when not armed).

This is common - only solution, apart from removing the alarm, is to put the truck on a battery tender (make sure you plug the battery tender into a good surge suppressor)

 

[inkpot]

I do not have a SBC but could this still be a possibility with the F motor? I have the diode just not sure exactly which wire or direction it should be hooked up...

I had this problem on my Piggy. Tried chasing it with a meter and played pull the fuse games, no luck. Finally found a small ground inside the Chevy alternator. It was still cranking out full power when running, but it would slowly drain of the battery in less than a week. Swapped alternator for a fresh rebuilt one and no more problems. John

 

[jimd4x4]

I do not have a SBC but could this still be a possibility with the F motor? I have the diode just not sure exactly which wire or direction it should be hooked up...

Sorry I seen GM alternator and made an assumption. Yes this could still be your issue. What type of plug do you have on your alternator?

--- --- internal regulator this one uses the diode

| | external regulator

Another alternative is a 1 wire Delco alternator.

 

[dirtyjobs]

Here is the alt

 

[71FJ40]

Wiring:

 

[71FJ40]

BTW - you may want to consider swapping that metal fan out for a plastic one
More air flow - safer

 

[scoutin cruiser]

With that kind of drain, I'd guess that you've got a bad ground somewhere in the mix.

 

[dirtyjobs]

Thanks for the input. I guess my bigger question is how do I hook up the other wires that are running to the alt/battery from the harnesses?

I have a solid white that goes into the firewall on the passenger side and a white w/blue striped wire that runs into the firewall on the driver’s side. Each one ends up connecting to the ammeter in the dash.

 

[Steamer]

Check your 1 and 2 terminals and refer to the diagram 71FJ40 supplied. It appears the white plastic plug is flipped. If it can't be flipped then it is wired wrong. The lower terminal where the red wire is now should be the one jumpered to the Bat. terminal. The upper terminal where the white wire is now should go to your ignition switch.

 

[Steamer]

Here's a pic of my not yet installed 12si for reference.

 

[dirtyjobs]

Switched the red and white wires. Now the ammeter is at least showing me that it is working, but I still have a completed circuit that is draining the battery.
What’s amazing to me is that it still runs while I’m doing all this crazy stuff. If I could at least get the thing to stop running it would actually help…
I still think that I need to make sure my white wire and white w/blue strip are connected up properly.