Do I need a new battery or something else??

**Toneloc71sr** · 07-22-2007, 08:44 AM

Maybe something else, but let me run this by you guys incase you have had a similiar experience.

I was blasting my radio, suddenly my bass amp went out and I smelled a lil burning ( like it got too hot ). I noticed my battery charging gauage started going down low. So I turned my radio off.

The battery charging gauage would go down if I was stopped at a light. When I sped up it would go back up. So I was on the fwy the gauage went to normal and the car felt good. Parked the car. Disconnected the power to the amp.

In the morning I turned my car on, everything seemed normal. I was driving and all of a sudden the gauage started dropping again. Then my whole instrument cluster lost power. No rpms, no speed, no mileage etc. But I can still drive around. When I parked I tried to turn the car back on, got the usual "grrrrrr, grrrrrrrr" when theres a dead battery.

Im thinking of replacing the battery. What do you guys suggest? Can I still check my alternator the old fashion way by disconnecting the battery and see if the car still runs without it? Thanks.

**Anthracis** · 07-22-2007, 08:50 AM

Make sure it is properly grounded. If the ground wire is not connected or is loose, it will do things like what you are describing. If the battery was bad, the car would not necesarily start. Its either that or you have the wiring incorrect. If this setup was installed by a shop, take it back to them and have them double-check everything.

**Toneloc71sr** · 07-22-2007, 09:01 AM

Ive had the same setup for 5yrs

I'll check the ground on the amps but since they are not getting power now does it really matter? What would make the cluster go out but the car still runs?

**Anthracis** · 07-22-2007, 09:05 AM

I meant on the alternator. My car did that because the ground wire from the alternator was loose.

Other than that I would be guessing. I say get it checked out by a pro and know for sure what it is...then, do the repairs yourself and save some dough.

**Toneloc71sr** · 07-22-2007, 09:21 AM

Oh ok, I'll check the alternator and see if the connections are loose.

**Anthracis** · 07-22-2007, 10:26 AM

Hope that's all it was. Cause electrical shit can get expensive. Takes time to track shit down.

**Toneloc71sr** · 07-22-2007, 07:06 PM

Well, I cant find a loose wire anywhere. I got a new battery but the amperage on the guage still reads low. Maybe its not charging? When I remove the cable to the battery the motor shuts off. In my old school way of thinking this is the alternator. Am I wrong?