short somewhere? battery keeps dieing!

[coxie1996]

so in my 1973 charger, 318 auto.. my battery wont stay charged! ill explain whats going on..

when i hop in it & the battery's dead, ill go throw the charger on it for 2 sometimes 10 amps over night.. next morning it might start.. if i'm lucky..
I've heard check your:

1. battery?
2. alternator?
3. a short somewhere?
ive gone through 2 brand new battery's sadly..(850's) and it has a newer duralast alternator.

if i would have a short where should i look? i do have an aftermarket stereo hooked up except the amp.. it was my dads and he wanted it back.. im at a dead end not being able to even start her to move her!
thanks guys

[oldcarnut]

How far apart did you buy the batteries?  Until you locate the issue though you could add a battery post disconnect switch so you could at least have power to start in the morning by turning the switch off at night.

[W4ATL]

You need to check with a short with an ammeter. An ammeter will let you know if there is something drawing from the battery when you think everything is off. You shouldn't have any current draw when the switch is off on our old cars but newer cars do draw current from the battery and your new aftermarket radio will draw some to keep memories, clock, etc. The radio should only draw a tiny amount off (definitely less than 0.1 amps.) If the radio is the only new thing you have installed it should be easy to find the culprit by pulling fuses from the fuse box.

Here is a Web site that shows how to use an ammeter.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair/how-to-stop-car-battery-drains

[oldcarnut]

That was a good article.  Thanks for the post

[nvrbdn]

you can check for a drain by disconnecting the positive battery terminal and then touching the terminal back to the positive post. if it sparks you are drawing current. (works best in the dark)

[b5blue]

www.madelectrical.com  This can help too.

[coxie1996]

How far apart did you buy the batteries?  Until you locate the issue though you could add a battery post disconnect switch so you could at least have power to start in the morning by turning the switch off at night.

its been a few months.. ill check all the fuses and my dad has that meter thing he knows how to use it  ill give it a shot today! thanks guys!

[XS29L]

Take your alternator to a reputable shop and have them check it out , sounds like a bad diode.   

[Cooter]

Again, remember when buying new batteries, that today's batteries are NOT what yesterdays batteries were. The plate count is down and acid/electrolite in it's palce so the weight is the same...Wally World, Sama club, AutoZone,Advance Auto parts, etc. are JUNK...Have had pretty good luck with Interstate.

[billschroeder5842]

When you do get your car started what is the dash guage doing? Is it showing charge?

[nvrbdn]

Take your alternator to a reputable shop and have them check it out , sounds like a bad diode.   

im leaning toward the diod also.

[coxie1996]

honestly i dont know ill bring the alternator by the shop soon.. i already took the engine out of my car the other day to start prepping for the big block.. ill see how it goes from there thanks alot guys!! 

[68neverlate]

Hmm...     don't think that would be the alternator, unless there's an internal short between the windings and ground.  Were you driving the car regularly when the battery was dying on you, or just starting it for a few minutes here and there (was the battery draining when the car was running regularly or sitting)?

If it was basically sitting when you were having the issue, then it's probably a drain and nothing to do with your alternator.  To isolate the drain, the link in the post that W4ATL put up is an excellent start.  Good tip in that article about putting the ammeter between the battery post and cable on the NEGATIVE side rather than the positive side of the battery... that's definitely a lot safer.  It also warns about making sure to use an ammeter that can take up to 20 amps, so you don't blow a fuse if you happen to have a large draw...     

If you were driving it regularly and losing the battery, then it's more than likely a charging issue and the answer to billschroeder5842's question would help in diagnosing that issue.

Keep us posted...   
 

[coxie1996]

mainly from just sitting never when im driving.. and i did keep blowing fuses from my tail light.. idk if that would have anything to do with it

[68neverlate]

mainly from just sitting never when im driving.. and i did keep blowing fuses from my tail light.. idk if that would have anything to do with it

It might... what did you do to stop the tail lights from blowing fuses?

[XS29L]

My money is on the bad diode .     

[b5blue]

If you had a short in the brake lights and the brake switch was hanging up leaving them on....that would do it.