Have a 350 installed in a street rod. The alternator, water pump, a/c compressor and such are ‘bling’ aftermarket stuff. The alternator is a small single wire unit like PowerMaster sells, but is not a Power Master.
Some time ago my battery started to discharge when car sat for awhile. I chased the current path and found that the alternator had 1/2 amp going from the main buss, where the #6 wire from the alternator is tied to starter and battery, to ground. My thinking was leaking diode in alternator. Install a very high current switch in battery circuit to isolate battery from system with car off. The reason, at the time my local old time generator, starter, etc. shop could not fix this new small alternator.
Well, finally decided to fix it. Removed alternator and took to same shop where they now have experience with these small high current alternators. They looked and tested and tell me nothing is wrong.
Before to took it to them I used a analog ohm meter to check the reverse bias of the diode pack. It measured about 100k ohms. That surprised me so to took a 12 volt battery charger and hooked it up to the alternator with an analog amp meter in series. The amp meter read 2-1/2amps. Ok then, this diode pack is leaking. The alternator shop says it ain’t. What the heck am I missing.
Am in process of checking for a ground path in system without alternator installed. Got sidetracked Saturday, a local guy gave me a 1957 two door hardtop sport coupe, all orginial. Couldn’t turn it down.
