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
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
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! 
GAINMOB
Full Access Members
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.
panda24619
Full Access Members
make sure you have a lifetime warrenty one. that way when it goes out again you get a new one no questions asked. haha
Captain Morgan
Full Access Members
Just to be clear, is the alternator bad, or do you need to replace the voltage regulator? Big difference there. You can replace the VR and put in new brushes cheaper than a new alternator.
Who tested your alternator? Autozone? I think they would love to sell you a new one.
I would only consider buying a new of If someone could prove that mine was permanently fried, and\or I wanted one with a higher output for additional current draw.
Then, if I bought one, I would get a heavy duty one with a lifetime warranty from a company that backs it up, no questions asked. Take it from someone with lessons learned.
Also, this is your golden opportunity to clean all of the connections, your battery terminals, the ground lug, the alternator cable lug, everything gets a good once-over with some fine sandpaper etc so you have good solid connections when the part is replaced.
.
Last edited:
panda24619
Full Access Members
orielys, or then kragen. lifetime warrenty. new. and it was pretty cheap at the time. napa was almost twice as much. and when i did change mine, i all ready had new battery terminals on, and i just cleaned the alternator terminal.
Similar threads
