Charging issues

All serp trucks were either 3g, or the crappy 2g, which is a fire starter.

Charged batteries, found positive passenger side battery terminal hAd a crack in it I didn't notice the other day. This probably was causing a lot of the issue with starting. I replaced it and now it's charging closer to 15 volts and starts a little better. Still have the rapidly dimming and brighting lights though

You have a regulator problem.

I think the wiring into the regulator is possibly a issue cause the regulator is new but the plug looks corroded on the inside, thought I found the issue yesterday with belts and new terminal but it is dead again today forgot to plug it in also was 20 degrees outside last night not helping me much as to get it jump started right now before work lol

Did the drain test as described earlier but used a volt meter and it shows 12.5 volts with everything off is that the correct way to do a draw test?

12.5 is normal with no load. The voltage will drop, depending on the amps that the load requires. More amps (load) the more it will drop. No numbers are 'standard' for this.

The two yellow wires going into the voltage regulator were very loos and were almost fallen out of the connector I think this could be causing some issue I might need to find a new connector for it.

You need an amp meter to properly test for load. Use a test light first though. If the test light does light then you are pulling enough amps to blow a standard DVOM. If the test light does not light, proceed with an amp meter.

pelky350 said:

Did the drain test as described earlier but used a volt meter and it shows 12.5 volts with everything off is that the correct way to do a draw test?

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Won't work. You are not measuring voltage, you are measuring amps with the testlight in a crude manner that works without messing around with a meter and scratching your head on what reading is good and what is not good.

When you put the testlight from the battery to the disconnected terminal you are creating a "bridge" of sorts. Any current passing from the battery to the trucks electrical system with the key off has to pass through this bridge. Radio memory always draws a little bit, along with a clock memory, the computer memory if you have a E4OD, etc. All this draws current across your testlight bridge, but it' not enough to light up the bulb in the testlight. A bad diode in the alternator, a domelight somewhere that is on, etc. does draw enough current through the testlight bridge to light up the testlight.

Very simple way to determine if you have a problem or not. If you do want to use a meter, you will have to configure your meter for amps(usually have to move some leads around) and then hook it like a bridge like the testlight. Like I mentioned, you will always get a draw on most vehicles, 70ma or .070 amps is a good number to use, you should be below that number.

No. you have to measure amperage not voltage. You put it in line like the test light described.

Another possibility is one bad battery draining the other.

Actually that is a good reason to measure voltage. A bad battery will show up as less that 12.5 volts with no load. Both amps and volts are needed for this and other reasons.

The 12.5 reading was during the no start earlier this morning with dead battery, i couldnt find my test light earlier. I jumped it drove to work and it started 8 hours later in 25 degree weather. The only thing I have messed with since yesterday was the loose connector on my regulator which is making me think it maybe the cause? It was the two yellows that go into one slot on it. It looks like it got pushed out the back of the connector when I put the connector on the new regulator. Gonna see if it starts in the morning and get a new connector or see if I can repair this one.

DaveBen said:

Actually that is a good reason to measure voltage. A bad battery will show up as less that 12.5 volts with no load.

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Not necessarily. A bad battery not under load may show appropriate voltage. That's why you have to apply a load to test a battery properly. If the battery voltage drops significantly under a load it's toast.