Battery dying out

[Kaptain Karl]

I have a 1929 model a and every time that I connect the battery the altemeter reads discharge. If the battery is charged enough, the car will start and the altimeter will read charge while the car is running. As soon as I shut the car down the meter reads discharge and after about 1 hour, the battery is dead. Something is drawing off the battery while the car is off. Any ideas? I will be putting in a quick disconnect to the battery for a quick solve but I'm looking for the anwer. thanks Kaptain

[ba49]

Check your brake light switch. Mine used to stick sometimes and kill the battery.

[P.S.]

You didn't mention if you have an alternator or an original style generator.

If the generator, check the cutout. It's not releasing.

If an alternator, it has an internal short. Replace or repair (as your skills can handle)

[Patrick L.]

Print yourself out a wiring diagram and go to getting your hands dirty. Start disconnecting things until the discharge stops, that'll be your problem. The best to try this to disconnect the battery and use a volt meter or test light between the battery post and cable. One of the first places to look is the brake light switch, but, if that isn't it then you need to look for other draws. Also, hold the generator pulley and see if it is trying to spin, that'll let you know if the cut-out is stuck and feeding the generator.

[msmaron]

do you run accessories,. I ran a set of Cig lighters once that had a little light on them to tell you they were active..that ran my battery down after 8 hours

How old is the battery, water or sealed...bad cel maybe and over charging by the gen...??

[Jim Brierley]

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Do as Patrick L. says and you will find the problem.

[Kaptain Karl]

I un hooked the generator and the discharged stopped and the car still started. When I reconnected the generator with the car running the altimeter said charge. Does that mean that the generatoer is bad or needs to be rebuilt?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Kaptain Karl

I un hooked the generator and the discharged stopped and the car still started. When I reconnected the generator with the car running the altimeter said charge. Does that mean that the generatoer is bad or needs to be rebuilt?

It sounds like the cutout isn't disconnecting the battery from the generator when the generator output falls below battery voltage.

Do you have a picture of the cutout? They can be adjusted to fix this problem, but some repro cutouts just aren't worth messing with.

[Bob C]

Originally Posted by Kaptain Karl

I un hooked the generator and the discharged stopped and the car still started. When I reconnected the generator with the car running the altimeter said charge. Does that mean that the generatoer is bad or needs to be rebuilt?

Maybe your at the wrong altitude.

[Patrick L.]

LOL with Bob !

[ctlikon0712]

I see that you are a junior member and some of your terminology isn’t quite spot on. No worries there, if you are a novice to Model A’s just say so and we’ll all drop back to the basics. We all started there at one point.
This is the cutout on the Generator.

Below is a digram of the original points type, also is a catalogue capture of how much the new diode style ones are.

The gauge on the dash reads Amps so it is an Ammeter.
The original cutouts had contact points that sometimes stick and can cause the generator to try and motor or run when the car is shut off, this will drain your battery. To fix you need to correct the points problem or order a new design diode cut-out (maintenance free). If you go the diode route you need to know if your battery and system is positive or negative ground. Just check to see which cable goes to the frame.
If all this was below your experience level I apologize, no offense intended. Perhaps it will help a viewer in the future. If anything I’ve said is incorrect, guys jump on in!

[Kaptain Karl]

Thanks for every ones help. I am a novice @ model As. I just finished a full body off restoration on a 1931Chevy Sport coupe and picked up this '29 ford in Dec. and I'm still learning. I looked at the generator and it doesn't even have a cut out attached to it so I figure that is the reason. I also enjoy the chuckels that the old timers give me, it shows that they are OLD and have more experience which I am willing to learn from

[Tom Wesenberg]

Do you have a picture of the generator? I've never seen someone try to get by without a cutout, but it actually could be done if the battery was disconnected every time the engine was stopped.

[Kaptain Karl]

Thats what I would do every time I would turn the car off. Gas off and unhook the battery. I would rehook it when I wanted to start the car and the battery would have charge. The battery would only discharge if I left the battery hooked up with the car off. Thanks foe your help and understanding