batery keeps dying while driving?? WTF, ANY1?

[1985GN]

steve if i remember right the end going into the alternator does not have power when the key is on and it is not plugged in? waht does that mean? do i have the wrong resistor? thanks again for all this help i hope to figure it out soo nenoguh. oh yeah i got a volt tester now so i hvae some more tools to figure this out. thanks

 

[Steve Wood]

If that is the case, then it would appear you have a bad connection on the resistor. Take your volt tester and test both sides of the resistor.

You did buy a 1000 ohm resistor didn't you?

When the key is in the run position you should have battery voltage on the ign side of the resistor and something a bit less on the other side of the resistor. If it is zero, then there must be a connection problem to the resistor...unless the resistor is bad....you should be able to take the ohm scale on the meter you have and read the resistance of the resistor.

The 1000 ohm value came from TurboBob. I have just used a bulb in the ones I did.

 

[1985GN]

hmmm i went around looking for the resistor and not even auto parts stores carreid them. it looks likeplastic and a metal rod and stuff. i went to an audio store and he didnt have any so he "made" me a 1000 ohm one. if i cna get rid of that and use a bulb setup can i get a bulb setup at hte parts store? what will i need to change it over and get the resistor out of there then. ill check out the voltage on both sided in the morning. thanks again.

 

[Steve Wood]

Radio Shack is the best place for a resistor. Not sure what he made you. You can measure it with your meter. Sounds like the resistance is way high.

yes, you should be able to go to AutoZone, or Pep Boys or whatever is close and fine a bulb and socket...small bulb...

 

[1985GN]

ok for the time being can i run a straight wire wiht no bulb or reistor just to see if the damn thing stays charged?? just curious i owuld keep it like that too long though.

 

[Steve Wood]

I understand that will damage the regulator in the alternator. Your can run a straight line for a moment to see if the alternator starts charging. You will hear the engine slow down for a moment, or you can connect your meter to it and watch the voltage jump...but, like I said, it will reportedly harm the regulator and I would not like to be responsible for that.

 

[1985GN]

ok im gonna see if i can find somekind of bulb and socket at a parts store. the socket would have 2 wires im guessing coming from it? just attaceh them to each end and throw a bulb in and be done? what should the volt reading be on both ends? i see one end should have less the nthe other? thanks again for all you patience.

 

[1985GN]

one question my freind brought up. what would happen if the resistor is more hten 1000?? waht would happen if it was less? does it sound like the resistor is more hten 1000? thanks again ill probably go to the bulb setup though but i am just curious if i can make this work.

 

[Steve Wood]

The higher the resistance, the more the voltage will drop.

As I am said, I am going off what Bob posted on the subject. Either get one of that value from Radio Shack for aobut 40 cents or try the bulb.

 

[1985GN]

ok here is some new info. i went and piucked up the 1000 ohm resistor from radio shack this morning. before i hooked it up i tested the volts of the old setup. with battery cable hooked up to another cars battery and mine i had about 12volts befroe the resistor and a litle over 4 after it. then i put in the new resistor from radio shack and had about 12 volts before it and about 4 1/2 after the resistor. is this too low or something? what am i doing wrong the resistors did the same readings. thanks for the continued help.

 

[1985GN]

ok here is a little bit more info as well. i jumped the car it then took the jumper cables off the battery and hooked up my volt tester to it. i had a shade over 12 volts at the battery. i revved it a dew times turn the headlights on for a sec and the votls dropped to about a shade under 12. i tested the resistor and before it was the same as the battery and after it was around 5 volts. as the car idled some more and me giving it some gas and stuff, i put the headlights back on for a sex and hten turned them off. after a little more idling i watched the volt meter start to drop it went down to about 10 votls and started stuttering so i shut it off. after i shut it off the volt meter shot up to 12 volts at the battery. what the hell is driving me nuts here?

 

[Steve Wood]

two possible problems, one the resistor is too large or the alternator you bought does not work. You should be reading well over 13 volts if it is charging...probably close to 14.

Okay, instead of using the resistor that the guy gave you, just go straight to the alternator with battery voltage momentarily instead of dropping it with the resistor. If it does not charge then, you have a bad alternator.

If it does charge then, try the light bulb in the wire instead. I think the resistance has to be much lower than 1000 ohms as a light bulb is probably no more than about 3 ohms but Bob is an electronics man and I am not...

I just went out and measured the voltage coming out of mine with the key on...was about 12...that tells me the resistance cannot be that high.

 

[1985GN]

ok here goes. i jumpoed the car and it had 12 volts idling. i took a wire directly from the ign fuse to the back of the alternator. started the car up and at 12 volts idling i hooked the wires together to get a direct connect to the alternator with no resistor. the car volts started to die and dropped past 11 so i shut it off. is the alternator bad??? its brand new, thanks

 

[Steve Wood]

you connected the wire to where the brown wire goes? Not to the battery terminal?

That is very strange. It's hard to tell you what to do, not being there.

Maybe it is time to have the alternator tested?

 

[1985GN]

yes i have a wire that has power with the key on going directly to the pigtail on the back of the alternator no resistor. then i have the regualr wire going from the back of the alteraator going to the battery. so i dont know whyt the battery would not charge?? should i just bring the alternator back it has a life time warranty. should i check the battery ground and all that?? i figure ill get another alternator, rewire all the connections and check the ground wire on the battery? hmmmm im getting fed up quicklyy.......=)

 

[Steve Wood]

I am not sure how adding the wire would make it die unless the battery is really low. Perhaps the regulator is bad inside. I think I would have the alternator tested at this point. Obviously don't tell them that you have been trying to make it work. LOL

Make them test the new one if this one fails.

 

[Steve Wood]

One comment....John Spina showed some pictures once of the charge bulb in the dash. Apparently some of the bulbs have a resistor built into the base of the bulb holder in case that the bulb burned out.

I guess we should have started by putting a meter on the connector to see if it had voltage on it when the key was on. One lead to the connector terminal and the other to ground (alternator case)

 

[Joe 1320]

IMHO, start with the basics. Unless the battery is a deep cycle battery, if it gets drained more than a few times it is toast. Have the battery AND the alternator tested. You may find that one or both are toast regardless of their age.

 

[BLACK6PACK]

When I was having alternator problems, I would get a new battery about every 3 months. Each time it died, I wouldn't bother trying to recharge it, because I knew it wouldn't last. 2 year, free exchange was a wonderful thing. Plus it took one variable out of the equation when trying to fix.

My alternator tested fine, but when it would get warm it would stop charging. Ended up that the regulator was bad.

 

[1985GN]

ok here is the newest update. took the alternator to get tested. alternator tested out perdect, battery has been tested by 2 different places in past 2 days and both tested it to be fine. rewired the alternator to battery wire and put in a new ground to the battery. started the car up got 12 volts and idling started to go down till it died out. no resistor in the line either again tried it straigh thorugh. im at a lost and ready to give up on this im so frustrated. thanks guys any more ideas??