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Super_Dave · 04-24-2016, 09:14 PM

Here is the history: (I am like Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Hero's... "I know nothing, nothing!" - about electrical)

Project: BABA YAGA! (Can be viewed in my signature)
1. Newly professionally built 355 SBC.
2. New one wire alternator.
3. Electrical was fine for the past two years.
4. Four weeks ago battery was stone cold dead.
5. Checked battery and found the Hot terminal cable 3/4 of the way unbolted.
6. Tightened cable... truck fired right up. Weird. Almost like someone was trying to steal it.
7. Two weeks ago, had a new stereo professionally installed.
8. During installation, the new alternator was cranking 18 AMPs!
9. One week ago, battery was stone cold dead.
10. Checked cables and they were tight.
11. Checked date on the battery and found it to be 6 years old.
12. Replaced old battery with a new 800 AMP unit from NAPA. Truck cranked right up.
13. Yesterday, new battery was stone cold dead.
14. Jumped the battery and drove to the stereo shop and asked them to triple check their installation for any wiring that would drain my battery.
15. They disconnected the stereo to see if it would drain again over a couple days.
16. They checked the alternator and it was cranking normal AMPs. Assumed the 18 AMP reading on the old battery was because of the old battery was extremely low on water.
17. Drove the truck around on Saturday without incident.
18. Today - Sunday - had a buddy who does body work stop by. Tried to fire the engine and the new battery was stone cold dead.

So... something is draining the battery. I don't think it's the disconnected stereo, as the issue did seem to start before the stereo and with the old battery but still ran fine for a few weeks after the initial incident.

Could the alternator not be charging the battery even though it was reading around 14 AMPs on Saturday? Does it sound like the new alternator is bad?

I will hook up the battery to a trickle charger and see how it does over a few days. It might not have gotten enough of a recharge from driving around on Saturday, but it did start every time I fired it up throughout Saturday, so I don;'t think that was the issue... really confused at the moment.

I am getting a new, complete harness and hope it will solve the issue but it will be a few weeks, so I would like to try and trace down the issue.

Any thoughts, suggestions etc. are GREATLY appreciated.

04-24-2016, 09:14 PM	#1
Super_Dave Registered User Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Sherwood, Oregon Posts: 974	Electrical-Battery Dilema Here is the history: (I am like Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Hero's... "I know nothing, nothing!" - about electrical) Project: BABA YAGA! (Can be viewed in my signature) 1. Newly professionally built 355 SBC. 2. New one wire alternator. 3. Electrical was fine for the past two years. 4. Four weeks ago battery was stone cold dead. 5. Checked battery and found the Hot terminal cable 3/4 of the way unbolted. 6. Tightened cable... truck fired right up. Weird. Almost like someone was trying to steal it. 7. Two weeks ago, had a new stereo professionally installed. 8. During installation, the new alternator was cranking 18 AMPs! 9. One week ago, battery was stone cold dead. 10. Checked cables and they were tight. 11. Checked date on the battery and found it to be 6 years old. 12. Replaced old battery with a new 800 AMP unit from NAPA. Truck cranked right up. 13. Yesterday, new battery was stone cold dead. 14. Jumped the battery and drove to the stereo shop and asked them to triple check their installation for any wiring that would drain my battery. 15. They disconnected the stereo to see if it would drain again over a couple days. 16. They checked the alternator and it was cranking normal AMPs. Assumed the 18 AMP reading on the old battery was because of the old battery was extremely low on water. 17. Drove the truck around on Saturday without incident. 18. Today - Sunday - had a buddy who does body work stop by. Tried to fire the engine and the new battery was stone cold dead. So... something is draining the battery. I don't think it's the disconnected stereo, as the issue did seem to start before the stereo and with the old battery but still ran fine for a few weeks after the initial incident. Could the alternator not be charging the battery even though it was reading around 14 AMPs on Saturday? Does it sound like the new alternator is bad? I will hook up the battery to a trickle charger and see how it does over a few days. It might not have gotten enough of a recharge from driving around on Saturday, but it did start every time I fired it up throughout Saturday, so I don;'t think that was the issue... really confused at the moment. I am getting a new, complete harness and hope it will solve the issue but it will be a few weeks, so I would like to try and trace down the issue. Any thoughts, suggestions etc. are GREATLY appreciated. __________________ --Project BABA YAGA!... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=655783 --Project BABA YAGA!... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ghlight=Belair "Life is tough - wear a cup!" "Old Enough to Know Better - Too Young to Resist" "Junk is something you will need three weeks after you throw it away."