So, I'm having some electrical 'issues' with my truck.

I had to take the battery in to have it checked/charged after I fixed my f*ed up starter. Well, the battery checked out fine, so I put it back in my truck. I also had to replace the battery cables (the positive was 'rust welded' to the starter... and don't get me started on getting the right cables for this truck! the parts guys told me the positive was for a side post battery, but when we looked up the negatives, it was for a top post battery).

So, I noticed that after the battery was in, the wipers had stopped working, and the window washer did not spray. Eh, I thought it could be a bad fuse, and I'll get to that later.

I had been driving it around for a couple of weeks, with no issue (except the wipers not working). I turned the vent fan on, and it failed to operate, and my charge light came on and never turned off. Hmm... weird...

This weekend I went and replaced the alternator and voltage regulator. The charge light had not gone off with the replacement, and my voltage regulator started smoking after I put it in. However, the wipers and window washer works! When I went and turned the fan on, the charge light got brighter, and no fan operation. When I turn off the fan, charge light is on, but not so bright.

Anyway, I'm thinking that there is a wiring fault under my dashboard, but I'm wondering why the charge light would be on? Any thoughts?

 

the charge light is the all in one "OH $hit!" meter for the electrical system.


sounds like you have a short or a draw somewhere.


do you still have the fuseable links? (they connect to the + terminal of the batt)


you should have a top post batt in there, and any generic wire will do (4ga) if they sold you a specific part, you jus got snowed and paid too much.


i would check for a draw (short) first.
then double check all fuses and fuseable links
then triple check that the wires at the back of the alt are not cracked, corroded, or shorting.

then i go stem to stern with a test light then follow up with a multi meter to be sure.

good news is there isnt a lot of wires to check on the older trucks.

 

Hmm... I'll check this... the PO has a bit of a hack-job up near the battery, but I had not noticed any wiring that looked suspect. There are a couple after-market wires there that I have not traced down.

That's what I thought. That's what I told them. And, I did not let them sell me the wrong cable. I got me a proper lentgh of top-post cable.

Anyway, thanks for the info! I was not sure if the charge light on these things were specific to the alternator, or if it was for other purposes!

Thanks!

 

This is a pretty old thread but, did you ever figure out your problem?? I'm having a very similar problem and was wondering what it was if you fixed it.