Thread: always dead
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Old Nov 21, 2005 | 04:08 PM
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bobs
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From: Richmond, VA
Default Re: always dead

Originally Posted by jdub27ok
i don't leave the key in the ignition and i have had the stereo in the car for over a year now. i just started having these problems. that is why i thought maybe it was my alternator.
Hmmm... That's cause for concern. Normally when one troubleshoots a problem like this it is just a matter of finding out what has changed between when it was working and when it was not. In this case the cause may be more insidious. I hope for your sake that it is just the alternator or voltage regulator because phantom current draw can be a real pain in the @$$ to try and troubleshoot. It goes something like this:

  • Disconnect negative battery cable and pull all the fuses. Place a voltmeter (or ammeter of sufficient sensitivity) between the battery and the cable. Make sure there is no reading.
  • Re-install fuses one at a time until the meter registers voltage.
  • Break out schematic diagram and start tracing it back.
  • Lather, rinse, repeat...
Any halfway-knowledgeable shop should be able to test the alternator output for you in about 30 minutes.
 

Last edited by bobs; Nov 24, 2005 at 06:57 AM.
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