I bought a new battery this spring and it's dead. I understand alternators charge batteries but why isn't my battery charging ? I'm tired of buying batteries !
I don't know what kind but it looks old. 8 cylinder flathead. I am going to check my nuts on the cables. Maybe I didn't make them tight enough. Just bad luck all the time when I try to start this truck until I know it better I guess. Iused to get told I overtighten things and now I'm told I don't tighten things tight enough. It's hard to know when to stop tightening.
I put the battery on trickle and it says it is fully charged so I guess I have to make the cable bolts tighter. I hope that's it.
I bought a new battery this spring and it's dead. I understand alternators charge batteries but why isn't my battery charging ? I'm tired of buying batteries !
i wouldn't buy another new battery just yet, maybe. if the charged up battery will get it running put a volt meter on the generator to see if it is putting out anything over 12 volts. it is a process of elimination with the generator stuff and you done step number 1 already with the new battery. now get it running on the charged battery and put a volt meter on the generator and go from there sort of thing. if you bought that battery this spring it should be under warranty my guess. i am not saying there is not any bad batteries from new, actually just the opposite. i keep hearing about it more and more in recent years. and you go from there. lol
You cannot trust 6V to start a vehicle. For the price of another battery and a little bit, you could convert the truck to 12V. Alternator, coil, lights, distributor and Battery. The truck will start every time. Put that into this winter's projects.
Warren
I was hoping to stop putting cash in to the truck that I want to sink into the rod but I guess I have little choice. I've learned I can't trust 6 volt to start a vehicle, as you say. I was hoping to keep it as original as possible but it just isn't working out. I'll have to save for an Alternator, coil, lights, distributor and Battery. Damn ! Thanks guys. You always steer me right.
How old was the battery when you bought it. I ordered a 6 volt battery at NAPA and it was 11 months old when I went to pick it up. After him telling me that the date of manufacture does not mean anything so I had him test while he was explaining. Should have seen the look on his face when it tested dead.
If the battery is left unattended once sulfation starts it will form larger crystals on the plates and the battery capacity will get smaller and smaller as the sulfation builds until it reaches a stage in which the battery may not work at all. The moral of the story is to checki how long the battery sat in the warehouse.
-- Edited by Smokin Joe on Wednesday 27th of September 2023 02:29:19 PM
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Yes they are all crazzzy but me and you........... and I am not sure about you!!!!
I bought a new battery this spring and it's dead. I understand alternators charge batteries but why isn't my battery charging ? I'm tired of buying batteries !
i wouldn't buy another new battery just yet, maybe. if the charged up battery will get it running put a volt meter on the generator to see if it is putting out anything over 12 volts. it is a process of elimination with the generator stuff and you done step number 1 already with the new battery. now get it running on the charged battery and put a volt meter on the generator and go from there sort of thing. if you bought that battery this spring it should be under warranty my guess. i am not saying there is not any bad batteries from new, actually just the opposite. i keep hearing about it more and more in recent years. and you go from there. lol
guess i should of said 6 volt not 12. same theory though.
I will do the multi meter test on the generator to to practice using a multi meter and I might as well do the battery while I'm at it but I will remove the starter and ATTEMPT to clean it. (Without forgetting how to put it back together) I connected a trickle charger to the battery initially but it showed fully charged right away but I will multi meter it. I watched a video on how to clean a starter. Thank you for helping.
I removed the starter and took it to Berry Starter & Alternator and he cleaned it and said it runs really well even though iot is a Wilson, made in Mexico. Then I installed it and took the battery to NAPA and their battery rep just happened to be there. He tested it and said it was faulty. He said the batteries are made in Pennsylvania by a family owned business so good quality. It must have been dropped in transit. So I have a credit for a battery so I will get a 12 volt in the spring. The upside is, now I know how to remove my starter and I can start researching for a 12 volt system. Thank you RWW.
yea, i have been hearing more of that lately d.o.a. and probably more so in the 6 volt world, i would guess. just thinking out loud bud, how about just getting another 6 volt for now, but with a better brand name, and your mobile again, sort of thing and it's already pre-paid. lol for all the driving it gets during a season it will work for a long time, they use to anyway lol, and just bring the battery into a warm spot for the winter. check the acid level and give it a 2 day trickle charge in the spring, your good for another season. you will get some years out of it and start piecing together a 12 volt system for some winter you are looking for something to do. the only unknown in the system now is the alternator and you could rebuild one of them watching you-tube for under a 100.00 bucks likely, without much of an effort.
anyway just thinking out loud is all, and to quote a famous author, "I was hoping to stop putting cash in to the truck that I want to sink into the rod but I guess I have little choice." two birds with one stone sorta thing. my guess is you won't put a good 12 volt system in it for under 1000 to 1500. so far all you got into it is some time and you learned a couple of things.
Thank you Shag766. I have a credit from NAPA for a battery anyway and I took out the generator yesterday to take in to Berry to have it switched to 12 volt so I am on my way to a 12 volt system. The truck is now out of commission until the job is complete. Wuga was a big help and saved me a gazillion bucks and time (again). I guess I am about to learn a lot more about my electrical system. It is like treading into a mine field for me but I will do my best to learn.
