69 Coronet Charging System Blues
#1496360
09/04/13 09:34 PM
09/04/13 09:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,288 Stroudsburg, PA
Erik
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Stroudsburg, PA
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Took my new Coronet out for the first cruise and it didn't go so well. When I got it, the battery was dead, so I charged it up and everything looked fine. When I drove it, the ammeter needle stayed slightly below the middle, and dropped when I braked or signaled. Typical for an old car. Yet when it sits for a day or two the battery drains again. I got it jumped for the trip home, but it is definitely running off the battery and not the alternator. Any ideas as to why it would drain when it is not being used? Someone told me the ammeter connections could be loose and that is draining it. I think it's a bit more complicated since the system won't recharge the battery when it's running. Someone already replaced the ballast resistor with another incorrect one that gets very hot. I'm thinking I need to replace it again and maybe the voltage regulator. What tests can I do to isolate the problem before I go spending lots of $$? Thanks!
1970 Challenger Convertible soon to be T/A convertible
Contrary to the opinions of some, I am not dumber than I look.
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Re: 69 Coronet Charging System Blues
[Re: Cab_Burge]
#1496363
09/05/13 10:55 AM
09/05/13 10:55 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,288 Stroudsburg, PA
Erik
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Thanks for the replies. I have spare ballast resistors and voltage regulators, so I know what I'll be doing this weekend!
1970 Challenger Convertible soon to be T/A convertible
Contrary to the opinions of some, I am not dumber than I look.
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Re: 69 Coronet Charging System Blues
[Re: Erik]
#1496364
09/05/13 11:40 AM
09/05/13 11:40 AM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,686
Andrewh
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can't see how the balast or vr would cause a sitting drain.
if you aren't charging at all, then I agree, the vr needs to be looked at.
but back up and run a few tests first.
as said above, find out what voltage you see when it is running, and reved up to say 2k, at the battery.
if it is as simple as that, then good.
but if you are charging, you might start taking a look at what possible drains you have going. a light on you don't see or power bleeding through some switch, or something wired incorrectly.
I know many people leave their older stocker type cars sitting for months without having to charge up the battery to run.
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Re: 69 Coronet Charging System Blues
[Re: Andrewh]
#1496366
09/05/13 01:05 PM
09/05/13 01:05 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,288 Stroudsburg, PA
Erik
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I have a few ideas as to what the drain is as the car has a lot of aftermarket gauges, radio etc that I know are not wired correctly. I will also check the ammeter nuts as suggested.
It is not charging at all, so I'm confident the VR needs to be checked and possibly replaced. I will also check the alternator to make sure it's not the problem as well. I have extras of all of this stuff so I will be able to identify the problem without going and spending lots of time and $$.
It has an incorrect ballast wired in bypassing the correct one which is still on the firewall.
1970 Challenger Convertible soon to be T/A convertible
Contrary to the opinions of some, I am not dumber than I look.
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Re: 69 Coronet Charging System Blues
[Re: Cab_Burge]
#1496369
09/05/13 03:45 PM
09/05/13 03:45 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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2 potential problems (1) what Cab said see what your charging voltage is at the batt (2) With everything off at midnight take off a batt cable from either the neg or the positive batt post & if you see a spark there is something on that shouldn't be on that is draining the system. I think it's related to #1 but do check.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: 69 Coronet Charging System Blues
[Re: Erik]
#1496371
09/05/13 08:21 PM
09/05/13 08:21 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,262 Groveland, MA
SteveS
top fuel
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Groveland, MA
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A bad diode in the alternator can cause current drain when off, and interfere with charging.
Steve
Someday I'll have another C-body.
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Re: 69 Coronet Charging System Blues
[Re: SteveS]
#1496372
09/07/13 02:49 PM
09/07/13 02:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,288 Stroudsburg, PA
Erik
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Alternator was shot. Hopefully that was it!
1970 Challenger Convertible soon to be T/A convertible
Contrary to the opinions of some, I am not dumber than I look.
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Re: 69 Coronet Charging System Blues
[Re: Alaskan_TA]
#1496376
09/10/13 09:28 AM
09/10/13 09:28 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,288 Stroudsburg, PA
Erik
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New alternator and the charging system is back to normal. Now to figure out why the reverse lights keep blowing the fuse!
1970 Challenger Convertible soon to be T/A convertible
Contrary to the opinions of some, I am not dumber than I look.
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