Battery relocation problem, Battery is going dead

davec73

SCCoA Member
I relocated my battery not all that long ago but I seem to be having an issue with the way I have it wired, even if the switch is off the battery is getting drained? Here is how its wired
1. 2 awg wire from the battery to the switch
2. 2 awg wire from the battery side of the switch directly to the alt
3. 2 awg ground wire to the frame under the trunk connected to a 1 awg ground wire that goes all the way to the block of the car. Other ground strap comes from the other motor mount up to the firewall on the drivers side.
4. 1 awg wire runs from the other side of the switch to the starter relay solenoid on the drivers side fenderwell.
5. fuel pump 12+ also wired to this side of the switch.

The only thing I can come up with is that the wire going to the alt off of the battery side of the switch is draining the battery and through some reading on here and the web I may have wired it incorrectly. I think I was supposed to go to the battery side of the fenderwell solenoid and then run a large wire from there to the alt possibly. Please let me know your thoughts so I can get this thing lined out.
 
Anyone lol I don't want to start messing with it until I get some insight from somone whho has done this but on the same note I need to drive th car to the body shop tomorrow
 
Until a new alternator my car for YEARS would drain the battery if it sat more than 3 days you'd have to jump-start it bad diode from what i understand just a thought but it could be it...
 
When you did your wiring you made it too complicated.

Don't connect directly to the alt. as you found, you'll have a parasitic load.

note, i cut power to the motor via the power supply for the coil pack/ignition module rather than the alternator excite cut out bat that has nothing to do with your primary cable.

Here is how mine was connected




 
When you did your wiring you made it too complicated.

Don't connect directly to the alt. as you found, you'll have a parasitic load.

note, i cut power to the motor via the power supply for the coil pack/ignition module rather than the alternator excite cut out bat that has nothing to do with your primary cable.

Here is how mine was connected





Sent you a pm
 
Dave, do a quick parasitic drain test to narrow it down first. If unhooking the cable running between the switch and the alternator drops the drain to acceptable levels, then I'd move to the alternator.
 
I never really thought it was pulling any voltage at all because I didn't get any spark when I connected the battery cable with the switch in the off position. I am going to disconnect it and run the stock alt wire from the sulenoid for now until I figure it out. The alt is freshly rebuilt so I really doubt that is the issue, I had the 2 gauge wire running directly to the alt from the posotive side of the switch with everything off. The reason I wanted it resolved is so I can leave the switch on this weekend so none of the memory resets on the car - will just have to keep a close eye on it but I also think it was causing me other problems with my voltage levels at start up they have always been low so its time to buck up and buy a new battery.
 
Without any pictures or diagrams it's hard to know what you did.

If you just hooked the trunk battery to the 12v lug on the back of the alt you could damage the alt. The wire going to the relay on the fender is too small unless you upgraded it. That will cause heating of the connection at the alt, and possible damage.

If you don't have a Volt/Ohm meter, you should get one. No one working on cars today (or really since 1940's) should work on one without a Volt/Ohm meter and knowing how to use it. Checking voltage, resistance, or current are standard diagnostic checks for most electrical related issues.

Here is a good video on the tube that shows how to test for current drain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdIKNnwEjIs
 
Without any pictures or diagrams it's hard to know what you did.

If you just hooked the trunk battery to the 12v lug on the back of the alt you could damage the alt. The wire going to the relay on the fender is too small unless you upgraded it. That will cause heating of the connection at the alt, and possible damage.

If you don't have a Volt/Ohm meter, you should get one. No one working on cars today (or really since 1940's) should work on one without a Volt/Ohm meter and knowing how to use it. Checking voltage, resistance, or current are standard diagnostic checks for most electrical related issues.

Here is a good video on the tube that shows how to test for current drain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdIKNnwEjIs

Of course I have a voltmeter lol. I ran a 2 gauge wire from the battery side of the switch (hot side). All the way to the bolt on the back of the alt like a couple of members told me too and I ran a 1 guage wire all the way up to the fender relay just like you did. I left the 6 guage wire that goes from the relay to the alt on because it also gets power to the ircm. I cit the lug off the factory harness that goes to the alt and that's pretty much it other than wiring my fuel pump to the other pole (off side) with the 1guage wire that goes to the fenderwell relay. I unhooked the 2 /uage wire from the battery side last night and re ran the factory wiring to drive it today.
 
bad diode maybe as jacob mentions - i have one in my car that does that right now

charges just fine, will hold the charge if the alt is unpluged, just have to remember to plug it in before starting

cheers
 
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