Help me please I am having electrical issues!!!

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Flat black

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2019
Posts
45
Reaction score
11
Location
No where
Ram Year
1990
Engine
Cummins 5.9
I have a first gen Cummins and I have replaced the alternator, external regulator, grid heater selinoids, battery, starter, battery cable from starter to battery, fuses. It pulls down in no pattern and sucks juice in a pattern of on off on off every few seconds and then it will quit. It also charges eleven to fifteen volts and sometimes charges one or the other for a long period of time and then when it is steady for a while the battery guage bounces very slitely constantly when the truck pulls down. I have unhooked the grid heater and it still does it. Any help would be appreciated thankyou. Battery does not go dead just boils if I rir it at 18 volts
 
Last edited:

RoadRamblerNJ

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2017
Posts
2,256
Reaction score
2,390
Location
Knoxville, TN
Ram Year
2017
Engine
392 Hemi
I have a first gen Cummins and I have replaced the alternator, external regulator, grid heater selinoids, battery, starter, battery cable from starter to battery, fuses. It pulls down in no pattern and sucks juice in a pattern of on off on off every few seconds and then it will quit. It also charges eleven to fifteen volts and sometimes charges one or the other for a long period of time and then when it is steady for a while the battery guage bounces very slitely constantly when the truck pulls down. I have unhooked the grid heater and it still does it. Any help would be appreciated thankyou
Electricity is like water. Flows along the path of least resistance.
Energy cannot be consumed, it can only be made into something else, like heat.
You know where it starts out (battery) so follow a path looking for heat or light(caused by heat)
Something has to be getting hot some place for the battery to go dead.
Good luck my friend, you got the wicked one.
 

JohnnyMac

There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.
Military
Joined
Mar 31, 2018
Posts
2,558
Reaction score
2,920
Location
SouthWest Washington
Ram Year
2018 1500 Laramie
Engine
3.0 EcoBurner
In addition to what @RoadRamblerNJ suggested, a bad ground will cause all kinds of sketchy issues as well. I'd confirm that the ground has a nice clean connection. Also, you mentioned fuses. Not sure if you tried this, but if you have volt/amp meter you can either monitor the current draw or the charge voltage (since both seem to be issues) while you pull individual fuses out. If one particular fuse seems to fix it, then you found the bad circuit and just need to figure out what part of that circuit is the culprit. I'm a 30 year Electronics Technician and intermittent electrical issues are the absolute worst problem to troubleshoot so I too wish you luck.
 

PaulTGarrett

Grumpy old man
Joined
Jul 17, 2017
Posts
506
Reaction score
458
Location
Tampa Bay, Florida
Ram Year
2012
Engine
408 Cummins Turbo Diesel
Bad grounds, bad grounds, whatcha gonna do??

Among the audio power amplifier group there is a kit called a "Big 3"... Basically adding monster ground cables to the electrical system. You can buy the kit or make one yourself if you're so inclined. First off, add a big ground cable from the battery to the engine block. I've heard suggestions of running it to an alternator mounting bolt. Second, add a big ground cable from the battery to the chassis. Grind a little bit of crud and paint off of a spot on the frame and use a star washer between the cable lug and the frame. Tighten it down good and then paint over it with some paint to keep it clean and corrosion free. Last, add a big ground cable from the engine block down to the chassis. I guess I should have said this first so you could use the same connection from the battery.

I have a lot of radio equipment in my truck and was having noise and other minor issues with the radios. Like coax getting warm when it wasn't supposed to be getting warm! I added the Big 3 kit and eliminated all of the radio power problems. I haven't noticed any other problems as being solved but having a good ground system sure hasn't hurt anything!
 
OP
OP
Flat black

Flat black

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2019
Posts
45
Reaction score
11
Location
No where
Ram Year
1990
Engine
Cummins 5.9
Thanks guys for your help so far if any others have sujestions I would appreciate it thanks
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,422
Reaction score
3,183
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
so is the battery randomly draining when the truck is off? also did you make sure the voltage regulator has a clean good ground? they ground through the body so they need a good clean connection to work properly. there is also the chance you may have got a bad new voltage regulator. it is a lot more common than you would think.
 
OP
OP
Flat black

Flat black

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2019
Posts
45
Reaction score
11
Location
No where
Ram Year
1990
Engine
Cummins 5.9
Nock on wood I got it fixed guys she is up and running now and is actually on YouTube
 
Top