Accidentally killed the battery on my truck the other day letting the radio run too long. I got a jump start and it died again a mile later. Continued on this way all the way home. Took the battery to the parts store and had the trickle charge it over night. The guy said the clamps got real hot at one point. Truck drove fine the rest of the afternoon. Now this morning the battery light came on and the voltmeter is down. Did I just fry my battery, out did I kill the alternator too?
Battery or alternator?
- Thread starter tepponogu
- Start date
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I would replace the battery and go from there....
Lane24
technical advisor
Hopefully not your alternator, but If it was your alternator, you'd lose power as you drive. Everytime you step on the brakes, or turn your signal lights on, etc, your low battery light would light up. And your truck will slowly die...Hopefully just your battery. But....... if your losing volts as you drive.... sounds like alternator.
Shadowless127
Full Access Members
I'd try a battery first, but sounds like alternator.
panda24619
Full Access Members
whats weird is i didnt lose power when mine went out. it read a constant 12.1V on my volt meter. then it died over night. got it jumped by AAA and then still read 12.1. drove it just fine with out it going down got home. turn the truck off. and it wouldnt go back on. i charged the battery, but i knew it wasnt that since it was 2 months old. so i took the alternator in. the guy put it on the tester and an error came up. something he has never seen before. haha so he gave me a new one. lifetime warrenty! 
They shop be able to tell you if your alternator is bad without pulling it...
tonydiv
technical advisor
If you're not seeing 13.8 to 14.2 volts at the battery when the truck is running, then it's the alt.
