Can't keep a charge on battery.

crpakkal · Post by **crpakkal** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:42 pm

I have a 1984 Bronco II 2.8L with a small snow plow on it and I only use it for plowing. I was having problems getting the battery to hold a charge so I bought a new alternator and external voltage regular. It worked for a few times plowing and then I started having the same problem again. I noticed one wire going to the external voltage regular was split in half. I re-wired this wire back together once already. It is the yellow wire that hooks into the e.v.r. and then runs into a black connector and turns into a black wire with an orange stripe. I had the vehicle running and touched the wires back together and they instantly got red hot and melted the wires. Any ideas on whats going on here or how to fix it so I can get this wire not to get so hot? Once I touched them together, it started charging the battery, but got so hot it actually melted the copper. Any ideas is greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 7:26 pm

You are drawing to many amps. You may need to get a bigger battery or another battery to go with the one that is there. The reason you are melting the wire is that you have drained the battery and now you are relying on the charging system to do the work. That wire might be good for 40 amps at the most. It is there to maintain the 12 volts in the battery not be the source. Do your headlights dim when you activate the pump on the plow? That is where I would start.

crpakkal · Post by **crpakkal** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:21 pm

Yes my headlights do dim when I raise or angle the plow. The battery I have is only two months old...i beleive I drained it, so maybe I might just need to recharge it on a battery charger? or do u suggest getting a separate battery.

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:06 pm

Try adding a extra battery

crpakkal · Post by **crpakkal** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 6:45 pm

Ok, thanks for the help, but i'm kind of questioning that because I tested the battery and it was fully charged. I had the truck running at an idle without moving the plow, and when i touched the wires together, they still got red hot and melted the copper...so the plow wasnt drawing anything and it still got red hot and melted./

ranger5.0 · Post by **ranger5.0** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 7:10 pm

Then there is a direct short somewhere. Possibly in that wire itself. I believe that wire is the 12 volt supply to the battery. I have melted one before but that is when I was running KC lights for extended periods of time. I think I had the heater going full bore at the same time. Since i was in the snow and didn't have a top.

crpakkal · Post by **crpakkal** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 7:16 pm

Yeah i believe you're right that it is the 12 volt supply to the battery. So probably wouldnt be a bad idea just to run a whole new wire from the e.v.r. to the battery? HAHA....what you doing cruising around out in the snow with no top on?? I've done it in the rain, but didnt have a choice cuz i was on my way home..haha