Battery draw?????

[kenny_strong]

I got my 66 shipped in fron CA a few weeks ago and had to put a new alternator on it. It now puts out about 14 volts but the battery is dead after sitting all night.

I charged it up, and let it run for about 2 hours and shut it off. I pulled EVERY fuse and hooked a test light from the neg post to neg cable and its still lit up. I let it sit all night and its dead again.



What do I do next?
What could it be?

[protrash64]

I've had my '64 for 8 years and it still kills batteries after a week. 1/3rd of a volt draw that I havent found. I'm going to fix it with a new harness....sad thing is I'm an electrician and never tracked it down.

[Fred T]

Try disconnecting the alternator.

[mike73]

Parasitic load............... check for voltage @ your switches and the voltage regulator with the ignition in the off position. On my ignition switch my key comes out when its at the acc position.

[Corts60]

My Nova stumped me on this for awhile. It turned out I put the horn button in wrong and it was constantly grounding. Of course I had the actual horn out of the car so I couldn't hear it. That alone ended up killing the battery in about a weeks time of sitting.

I fixed the horn button, and the problem was solved! Little stuff like that is enough to make you....

[mike73]

open circuits even if they are grounding will still consume power no matter how small.... it could be anything its just a matter of probing around when the power is off.......

[kenny_strong]

I unplugged the plastic plug on the alternator and that fixes it. I have a wiring nightmare from the PO. The main positive cable from the battery goes to the starter and the hot wire from the alt. (10 gauge)goes to the starter. 1 wire goes to the electric choke and they have a few more wires spliced into that. I need to find the right way to wire everything and start over.

[mike73]

Is your truck stock? or has it had ''some work''? If its stock you should be able to get ahold of a wiring diagram fairly easy. If not......... it may be time for a wiring kit and just redo it all right..... I transplanted a harness from an 84 Suburban into my junk just for the age difference and blade fuses but it took a couple days to get it how I needed deleted alot too though

[fixit-p]

Originally Posted by kenny_strong

I unplugged the plastic plug on the alternator and that fixes it. I have a wiring nightmare from the PO. The main positive cable from the battery goes to the starter and the hot wire from the alt. (10 gauge)goes to the starter. 1 wire goes to the electric choke and they have a few more wires spliced into that. I need to find the right way to wire everything and start over.

There's the problem. Is this a three wire internal reg alt? If yes check that the plug is wired correctly the #1 terminal should be hot with key on and the #2 (voltage sense) terminal should be hot all the time.