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| | | Forums66 Topics128,035 Posts1,055,441 Members48,422 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Jan 2020 Posts: 68 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2020 Posts: 68 | So I have a problem with my 1950 3100, the battery will be dead if I let it set up for even a week. The battery should last longer than that without running. I have a few things that are always hot even when the key is off such as the blinkers. However, I am under the assumption if the blinkers are not turned on it is not using battery life. If that is not the problem is there a way to tell what is draining my battery? Or could the problem be this is not a good battery. I have replaced the NAPA battery several times, but it is always the same model battery.
Mike
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | 6v system?
What part number NAPA battery? | | | | | Joined: Dec 2014 Posts: 678 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2014 Posts: 678 | Try disconnecting the battery ground for a week. If the battery is dead then you have a bad battery. If it's not dead then you have a current drain and will have to put a multimeter on each circuit to find out which one is drawing power.
1951 Chevy Panel Truck
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 189 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 189 | Quick way to see a battery drain is by disconnecting the neg. cable, and connect a test light to the battery post and the cable. If it lights you have a current flow draining the battery, and If the light is out it there is no current flow draining the battery.
Last edited by 4100 Fire Truck; 08/27/2020 9:46 PM.
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | Agree with 4100 fire truck but the drain can be milliamps. Best way to detect parasitic drain is install millamp reading meter between disconnected neg cable and neg post. Do you have ANY modern components? Radio, blu tooth, security alarm, CD player ........ No: the turn signal will not drain unless malfunction of them or any other item.
You need to check voltage across battery posts when parked and check again after one week. Truck not running for either check. Report voltage readings.
Doesn't NAPA test the battery before replacing?
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn | | | | | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 1,299 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 1,299 | Borrowing from another thread, are you sure the brake light switch isn't sticking? If truck is outside and you don't walk behind it, you may not notice the brake lights. Other than that, as mentioned, set up with meter to check current draw and start disconnecting suspect items one at a time until draw quits. All that being said, I have a vehicle right now with a NAPA battery that is a year old I suspect is going bad. I will get around to taking it back to NAPA to check the day after it strands me... | | | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 296 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 296 | Great suggestion. I had that happen a couple of times, couldn't figure it out. A new brake pedal spring fixed that issue.
I dont know what kind of battery I have in my truck currently, but it has been in there since 2016, and before that, went 50k miles in a Toyota Corolla. I drive my truck once or twice a week now, and it doesn't need a charge unless it sits for a month or so.
-Patrick 1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 / 4-speed / 4:11 / Commercial Red
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,439 Moderator - The Electrical Bay | | Moderator - The Electrical Bay Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,439 | I have had good and bad luck with batteries, both quality and the el cheapo's. The "One year" Autozone battery in one of my trucks was about 8-9 years old before it began to fail. It would fire the engine up even after sitting in the cold all winter, until it wouldn't. I have found that most of my batteries will be dependable up to 4 or 5 years as long as they are kept charged. I also keep a fairly new battery in my wife's car and recycle it to one of my daily's, then recycle it to a vic that sits alot (then I put a battery maintainer on it).
Another quality post. Real Trucks Rattle HELP! The Paranoids are after me!
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