The battery in the Burb is an ACDelco Professional 6YR battery that was manufactured in November 2009 but is already in need of replacement. I have only had the vehicle for about one year and shortly after purchase added an aftermarket amp. Could the amp be drawing too much juice from the battery/charging system and thereby shortening the battery's life? If so, how can I test the charging system to see if it is up to the task or if I need to add a better alternator?
Testing charging system
- Thread starter NMBurb02
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JHZR2
Staff member
It definitely could. A wake up circuit or parasitic draw could be sapping the battery and sulfating it.
If do a few things.
Put an ammeter in series with the positive lead of the battery, and let the truck go to sleep and shut down all systems (10 min wait with doors closed or something will do that most likely), and see what the parasitic draw drops to. Repeat with the fuses pulled on the amp.
Turn on EVERYTHING in the truck, includig stereo, and see how the charging system does with the engine at idle and at 1500RPM
Use a carbon pile to load the system and see how the system reacts.
Put a charger on the battery and top it off.
If do a few things.
Put an ammeter in series with the positive lead of the battery, and let the truck go to sleep and shut down all systems (10 min wait with doors closed or something will do that most likely), and see what the parasitic draw drops to. Repeat with the fuses pulled on the amp.
Turn on EVERYTHING in the truck, includig stereo, and see how the charging system does with the engine at idle and at 1500RPM
Use a carbon pile to load the system and see how the system reacts.
Put a charger on the battery and top it off.
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