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Wtf Battery Dieing

Stomis

Stomis

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Ok so now I'm mad. I havent been driving my truck the past 5 or 6 days. I was rebuilding the TBI. So I have an optima red top. After it sitting for 3 days I goto start it and its dead, I mean 100% dead. So I jump it and let it charge a little no big deal. I realise I probably left my blower motor/key on and thats what did it.

So I charge it all the way up (at least I thought) from my plug in charger. another 2 days go by and I just go to start it and its a hair from being completely gone. Wtf is the deal. Did I seriously kill an optima from draining it ONCE?

I'm gonna go get it tested tomorrow...
 
Have you poked around with a volt meter? Checked voltage and amperage off your alternator? Have you checked voltage at your battery with truck running? Do you suspect a parasitic draw?

Here is what I would do:

1) get batt tested

2) check and clean all wires and connections related to battery, alternator and starter

3) check alt. output

4) check volt input to battery

5) I would then shut truck down and take volt reading and I would do this every hour or so and see if there is indeed a draw.

6) Instead of #5, just do a parasitic draw test, if you dont know, I or anyone else could explain it.

There was a bad batch of Redtop a year or so ago. You may have gotten one of those. So get it tested, if it comes back fine, youve got other issues, obviously.
 
The parasitic draw test it what? Un hook the battery and put the meter on the cables. (What setting?) have someone pull fuses for you?

See I threw the meter on the alternator with the truck running and got like 12.4. I'm gonna do it again tomorrow and have the battery tested.
 
Completely draining a battery if it's not a deep cycle battery will usually kill them. Also, as i've stated in the past, an alternators job is not to charge a battery but to maintain the charge that's in the battery. By jump starting the vehicle and then relying on the alternator to "charge" the battery can easily kill the diodes in the alternator because you're now asking the alternator to do a job it was never intended to do. Basically, you're working the alternator at it's max which makes it get hot and burn itself up.
 
4X4HIGH said:
Completely draining a battery if it's not a deep cycle battery will usually kill them. Also, as i've stated in the past, an alternators job is not to charge a battery but to maintain the charge that's in the battery. By jump starting the vehicle and then relying on the alternator to "charge" the battery can easily kill the diodes in the alternator because you're now asking the alternator to do a job it was never intended to do. Basically, you're working the alternator at it's max which makes it get hot and burn itself up.
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I only ran it for maybe 20mins. Then I put it on the house charger. Shiat.
 
Hey what can I get a higher amp alternator from if mines toast? SBC with the small serp to the pump/crank/alt and v belt to ac/PS.
 
Stomis said:
I only ran it for maybe 20mins. Then I put it on the house charger. Shiat.
Click to expand...

It only takes one minute to kill an alternator doing what you did. You said it's only showing 12.4 volts so we now know the alternator/regulator is toast and isn't charging.
 
****en A. What should I switch that alt out for? I'd like to get something with a little more output.

Dont mistake that question for me thinking it will remedy charging my battery from dead. Just looking for an upgrade.
 
Im running a MEAN GREEN alt. it fits in stock location and is either 140 or 160, ive had good luck with it.

If your only putting out 12.4 volts while running, like others stated, its toast.
 
Unless you have offroad lights, big stereo, winch or other accessories that tax the charging system there is no need for a larger AMP alternator. At that point it's just bragging rights.
 
140, I think, and yes, direct bolt on. Only thing I had to do was drill a new hole in the bracket that bolts to the alt. for the long bolt.
 
Nice, have to let my buddy with the '89 know about this.
 
4X4HIGH said:
Unless you have offroad lights, big stereo, winch or other accessories that tax the charging system there is no need for a larger AMP alternator. At that point it's just bragging rights.
Click to expand...

I have a stereo, amp, sub, Spot lights, and mean ass backup lights. Plus I'm going to be installing rock lights soon.
 
Stomis said:
I have a stereo, amp, sub, Spot lights, and mean ass backup lights. Plus I'm going to be installing rock lights soon.
Click to expand...

In this case you should figure out what the amp draw from all your accessories is then buy an alternator according to that spec. Remember that not everything will be on or used at the same time so take that into consideration. Watts divided by volts gives amps. For instance, one 55 watt offroad light at 12 volts will draw 4.58 amps.
 
4X4HIGH said:
In this case you should figure out what the amp draw from all your accessories is then buy an alternator according to that spec. Remember that not everything will be on or used at the same time so take that into consideration. Watts divided by volts gives amps. For instance, one 55 watt offroad light at 12 volts will draw 4.58 amps.
Click to expand...

Alright will do. I guess I'm gonna get my battery tested and charged to make sure its still good tomorrow. Then onto changing the alt out....... I can probably do a defect swap at work so I'm gonna stick with the stocker for now.
 
Make sure the battery goes on a slow trickle charge for a couple days. If you do a standard charge on it that's not good especially since it's completely dead.
 
If the alternator is bad it will only kill the battery if you keep driving the vehicle without the alternator charging. Install the new battery, start the vehicle then hook a volt gauge to your battery and see what the voltage is, it should be anywhere between 13.5-14.5 with the engine running, with the engine off it should read about 12.5 volts.
 
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