Battery and Alternator Experts Please Help!

[mike.s]

Thanks for the advice guys. I decided to try the simple route and just got a new battery. I'm pretty sure the other one was toast. It just seemed like it wouldn't hold a charge at all anymore. I went to Pep Boys this morning and got a Bosch 850cca for $110. So far today the truck has started strong every time. No problems when I got off work. Tomorrow morning will be the real test.

 

[mike.s]

Hey guys, my battery problems continue. The new Bosch battery died last night. Tried to start the truck this morning, nothing. Got a jump start and took it to a local shop. They said I need a new alternator.

Two questions. Is there a better alternator I can get than the factory one? Does my Whipple have to be removed to replace the alternator?

 

[Icecobra]

STOP at this point it is not the alternator ... Do as instructed and disconnect all wire to the battery. Charge it and let it sit over night. Then connect the cables in the morning and I am betting it starts. If it does and everything seems fine do it for a couple days it is cheaper to do this than pay someone to do it for you. Now I would then try and only remove one of the positive cables each night for a few days and this will narrow your search. Once you isolate the wire follow it and see what it connects to. As you go along your going to take a couple weeks to do this and isolate the problem child wire. Then your going to know for sure, but I would bet its aftermarket stereo equipment related and if you want to take a short cut actually disconnect all the power cables and drive around with no tunes for a few day, BLASPHEMY I know.. Or drive to northern California and I can trouble shoot it for you... I get paid to do low voltage.. lol...

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

i wouldnt go with an aftermarket alternator. they never last as long as oem. however if the alternator is at fault, i would replace it with a new oem. during my years in sound off competitions, i went through several alternators. mainly because i had systems drawing 4-500 amps of current and the alternators windings were so tight, that the heat destroyed them all very quickly.

here is a check you can do. i found an online version of the manual i used to have

http://assets.fluke.com/appnotes/automotive/beatbook.pdf

also check what ice said. check for current draw. however driving the truck should charge the battery, so you may just have an alternator issue

 

[mike.s]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going to get to the bottom of this.

 

[MTF]

Wow Mike, I hope it's not the alternator because the SC compressor does need to come off.
Have you checked the wiring harness that runs down the front drivers side frame rail just to make sure nothing is crushed or pinched.

On a side note I've left my LED bed lights on for a week, I never realized it until I had two days off without running the truck, then I needed to jump start.
I wish I could tell you how much the amp draw is on those bed lights.

I hope you find the source, good luck!

 

[Wilson]

Hey guys, my battery problems continue. The new Bosch battery died last night. Tried to start the truck this morning, nothing. Got a jump start and took it to a local shop. They said I need a new alternator.

Two questions. Is there a better alternator I can get than the factory one? Does my Whipple have to be removed to replace the alternator?

I had the same problem could be a short in the altanator? All I know is with the new one all is good. Wate a second it was the starter never mind.

 

[mike.s]

Wow Mike, I hope it's not the alternator because the SC compressor does need to come off.
Have you checked the wiring harness that runs down the front drivers side frame rail just to make sure nothing is crushed or pinched.

On a side note I've left my LED bed lights on for a week, I never realized it until I had two days off without running the truck, then I needed to jump start.
I wish I could tell you how much the amp draw is on those bed lights.

I hope you find the source, good luck!

Thanks MTF, I'll check out those wires. I'm probably going to take it back to the guys that did my headers and TB install. Not saying they caused it, but it seems like that's when the problem started.

 

[Stepside]

I believe the battery wire that you disconnected that gave you the voltage drop runs directly to the 'BAT' terminal of the Alternator.
This means that one of the rectifiers is shorted causing your parasitic loss.
Sometimes when rectifiers aka diode trio are shorted, you can here a warring sound as you bring up the RPMs.
Depending on the make/style of the alternator, these parts are replaceable.
Good Luck.

 

[mike.s]

I believe the battery wire that you disconnected that gave you the voltage drop runs directly to the 'BAT' terminal of the Alternator.
This means that one of the rectifiers is shorted causing your parasitic loss.
Sometimes when rectifiers aka diode trio are shorted, you can here a warring sound as you bring up the RPMs.
Depending on the make/style of the alternator, these parts are replaceable.
Good Luck.

Thanks for the tip Stepside.