But it's only the radio!!

[cvbox1990]

I would like to chime in and get yor alls opinion on this,should two aftermarket gauges,oil pressure,temprature(actual block temp not just intake like the stock sending unit)which I put blue less in be draining a new battery(ever start plus)over night? Or do u all think I have another drain somewhere,such as a minor short to ground or something,as always any input would be appreciated.

[sly]

I have a clamp meter (Maker link - got it on sale locally for a steal) specifically for chasing battery drain issues. If you turn your car off and the + cable from the battery has more than about 150mA draw on it, something is screwed. I check the charge cable to the alternator first. On a stock 80s panther, you shouldn't see more than 150mA at MOST and typically less than 100mA. Newer cars can draw as much as 350mA for up to 30 minutes after you shut off the car. All the damn electronics and stuff. If the gauges you installed are on all the time, they could drain the battery. If you wired them into a hot in run circuit like one should do for gauges, that shouldn't be the problem.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Don't think gauges will drain a good big battery overnight, but who knows.

Also there's no such thing as a minor short to ground, if it's shorted out it either blows a fuse or melts a fusible link or catches on fire and burns your car to the ground - either way the battery drain stops quite quick.

[sly]

kinda why I'm thinking it's probably a alternator rectifier died. They like to draw current like 1+ amps when one goes. And unless you check current flow on the charge cable with the car off, you don't see that draw and everything seems to work dandy with the car running.

[cvbox1990]

Thanks for the help,I just meant like a bad ground if it where loose somewhere loosing connection I may have said that wrong.lol and that Las supposed to say leds,not less,damn auto correct.i really appreciate the input never really thought about the alternator.

[BigMikeIT]

But it's only the radio!!

Don't think gauges will drain a good big battery overnight, but who knows.

Also there's no such thing as a minor short to ground, if it's shorted out it either blows a fuse or melts a fusible link or catches on fire and burns your car to the ground - either way the battery drain stops quite quick.

True story (college days). Battery died. Allstate road service guy (3rd party dude) comes to jump the battery. Hooks directly to the terminals reversed, and turns the key while I looked away for a moment. BIG POOF of white smoke! Alt and fusible link destroyed. After doing a pretty good KHANNN impersonation. The dude said the positive cable wire is black (which it was). Lost cause chasing down a claim.
Which is when I started to educate myself on maintenance.

True story #2 (around same time). Battery would die often. Found out the rear defroster switch would enable itself. Out of fear, I keep an eye on that small orange light. I used to press down on the lever after that, until it got old checking it. It has behaved for over 10 years now.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Yeah I once jumped a tractor that had a red ground and a black positive cable. Two big fresh batteries and a high-idled 130-amp 3G vs. a small half-dead battery and whatever GM alt was on hand to install when the factory tractor alt died, yeah I won that one. Still had to fix the thing tho cause I was the one who didn't trace the cables just to be sure... Said cables got spray-painted in their proper colors in the process.