# Electrical problem
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [March 21, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919 "2010-03-21T12:31:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JEG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JEG)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/1 "2010-03-21T12:31:43Z")
The battery on my truck wont hold a charge for some reason. I had it on the charger for like 4 hours and nothing. It went dead the other day. The voltmeter just started dropping out of the blue. I’m not sure if I have a wire that’s being grounded out because of the damage from when I hit that deer, if my alternator took a shit, or if the battery is just gone. Any thoughts? I know they can do an alternator check at a lot of places, but I don’t want to have to buy a new battery if I don’t have to. Its a Die Hard Gold, which is a good battery to my understanding, and Ive never had a battery just go dead out of the blue, but not take a charge.
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### Author:  [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2010, 12:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/2 "2010-03-21T12:33:58Z")
Sounds like you need a new battery.
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### Author:  [@JEG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JEG)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/3 "2010-03-21T12:37:41Z")
That’s what I was thinking. But wasn’t sure if it was that or the alternator, and don’t want to buy a new battery only to have it die on me right away.
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### Author:  [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/4 "2010-03-21T12:45:45Z")
Well just make sure your battery charger has a clean connection to the battery terminals and try charging it again. If after several hours it still has no charge then it’s probably safe to say that the battery is shot. Maybe the alternator is too, but that wouldn’t stop the battery from charging with a battery charger
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### Author:  [@JEG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JEG)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/5 "2010-03-21T14:38:10Z")
Ok bought a new battery. Put it in. It started right up fine, but then the volts dropped 3 marks, and it kindof wavers randomly…so I dunno if its the alternator or a bad connection somewhere. So confused.
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### Author:  [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/6 "2010-03-21T14:41:59Z")
Alternator may be bad then too. If you have a multimeter you can test it, pretty basic so long as it’s not buried in the engine bay. here:
> **[How to Test Your Car Alternator for Power](https://itstillruns.com/test-car-alternator-power-2283281.html)**
>
> When a car battery isn't providing enough power to start a car, people often assume that the battery is bad. Before buying an expensive new battery you may not need, check the alternator first to see whether it is providing proper power. The...
if that works fine then you probably have a wiring issue
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### Author:  [@JEG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JEG)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/7 "2010-03-21T14:59:19Z")
ok just checked it. The alternator is shot. It was puting out 0 volts and when I disconected the posative cable from the battery it died immediately.
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### Author:  [@burnt\_toast](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnt_toast)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/8 "2010-03-21T19:59:53Z")
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### Author:  [@JEG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JEG)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/electrical-problem/151919/9 "2010-03-22T14:15:31Z")
ROFL