Battery Constantly Running Down - Where To Begin Troubleshooting?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 355
Likes: 202
From: TEXAS
Battery Constantly Running Down - Where To Begin Troubleshooting?
I am looking at an 80 to purchase that has had the motor replaced.
Seller, to his credit, disclosed that he has to keep the battery hooked up to a battery-trickle charger. If not, battery is dead in a few days.
Replaced battery several times. Not a battery problem.
If it is not a bad alternator....how would I begin to diagnose the problem and start troubleshooting??
Seller, to his credit, disclosed that he has to keep the battery hooked up to a battery-trickle charger. If not, battery is dead in a few days.
Replaced battery several times. Not a battery problem.
If it is not a bad alternator....how would I begin to diagnose the problem and start troubleshooting??
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Start by hooking up an ammeter gauge between the battery terminal and the battery cable. You will most likely see a current reading on the gauge. Then you have to pull 1 fuse at a time from the fuse block until you see the reading change. After you have identified the basic circuit you can then trace each component on a wiring diagram and unhook each component until the drain is identified.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 355
Likes: 202
From: TEXAS
Start by hooking up an ammeter gauge between the battery terminal and the battery cable. You will most likely see a current reading on the gauge. Then you have to pull 1 fuse at a time from the fuse block until you see the reading change. After you have identified the basic circuit you can then trace each component on a wiring diagram and unhook each component until the drain is identified.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Ahh. Good plan. Thank you!
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
I had this problem with my '72 for the first 2.5 years I owned it. I went through the fuse pulling method to no avail. I used a test light between the battery cable and the battery and after all fuses had been pulled and put back in, none of them shut the light off.
Then this spring I decided to have the alternator tested and it tested fine. I took it to be restored and upgraded to 100 amps to support the 1400 watt stereo I installed and low and behold, no more battery drain.
Even though it tested fine, it was bad. I no longer have to use the battery tender to keep the battery up.
cc
Then this spring I decided to have the alternator tested and it tested fine. I took it to be restored and upgraded to 100 amps to support the 1400 watt stereo I installed and low and behold, no more battery drain.
Even though it tested fine, it was bad. I no longer have to use the battery tender to keep the battery up.
cc
