My 1970 Chevelle has a battery drain. A good, fully charged battery will go dead over night. Here's what I've done......

1) Disconnected & reconnected the neg battery cable. When doing this, I can hear (and feel) the voltage regulator 'energize'.
2) Confirmed that there is a drain by using a test light between the batt neg post and the cable.
3) Removed all fuses from block.
4) Removed connector from regulator.
5) Drain is now gone (light out).
6) Reinserted the fuses one by one and got a drain with clock circuit fuse in place.
7) Removed the clock circuit fuse (drain gone) & reconnected the voltage regulator & got a drain again.

Therefore, it appears as though both the clock AND the regulator are causing a drain. My question, of course...which is it? Should I hear the voltage regulator 'energize' when I disconnect/reconnect the battery cable? I guess I can leave it sit tonight with the clock circuit 'de-energized' to see what happens...or is it more probable that the voltage reg circuit is to blame?

Thanks!!!

Bob

Don't know about being a guru but, if you actually have a clock connected to the clock circuit then you would expect some drain throught this circuit, it should be minimal though. No you shouldn't here the voltage reg energize when connecting the battery, that would definately casue a constant drain that would drain the battery.

Thanks Hank....

Would hearing the voltage regulator energize point to it (the regulator) as being bad or could it be the alternator?

Bob

I don't think the alt could do it. It is possible that's it's not the regulator but it's the most likely suspect. There is a very good test procedure posted by Peter F for checking out the reg. if you have a test meter. Search this forum for voltage regulator posted by Peter F. If you don't have a meter a new electronic replacement regulator from Autozone is around $11, Wells VR715.

EDIT: Here is a link to a post with the test procedure.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56421&page=2&pp=15

I did a little more experimenting....

I disconnected the battery negative cable & disconnected the red wire from the alternator. When I reconnected the battery negative cable, the regulator 'energized' (could hear & feel it). I noticed at this pont that the alternator was HOT to the touch (car has not been running). I disconnected the battery negative cable again & removed the connector from the regulator. I left the clock circuit fuse in place (clock running).

Am I getting close to isolating the problem to the regulator? BTW...the regulator looks new...like it's been replaced already, but cant be sure since the car went through a frame-off 2-3 years ago.

Thanks!

Still sounds like reg. Alt could get hot if reg is always energized and feeding current to the field windings of the alt. The brown wire to the reg comes from the ign switch through the alt light on the dash. This is what turns on the reg when the ign switch is on and lights the alt light prior to starting the engine. Does your alt light work? Is it on all the time? If it works and it's not on all the time, key off, then sounds like reg. Can you use a test light or meter to see if there is voltage on the brown wire with key off and all connectors and bat hooked up? I don't think there is, stll sounds like reg is bad. Oh, smack the reg with the handle of a scewdriver or something similar. Sounds like the points may be stuck closed.

I'm getting more confused.....

I disconnected the battery & all the wires from the alternator. When I reconnect the battery cable, the regulator 'energizes'. I then have 12 volts at #4, # 3 and the F terminals at the regulator...it's the same with the key OFF or ON. From previous posts, I gather that I should not have power at #4 with the key off?

This car does not have an alternator light...has the gauge package.

From previous posts, I gather that I should not have power at #4 with the key off?

Correct, only slight voltage. With a meter or test light, the regulator plug unpluged and the key off, see if the brown wire has 12 volts, it should not, the test the #4 terminal at reg, it should not. Reconnect regulator plug and disconnect plug at alt, test the blue wire for 12 volts, it should not.

I had a similar problem recently in a 69 Camaro. The battery would drain if the fuse powering the Cig lighter and interior lights wasn't removed. Turned out to be that the resistence wire to the voltage regulator had been spliced into the wrong wire and was hot all the time. Moved it to the right wire and all worked well.

Well...with the original regulator installed I had 12 volts on the brown wire at all times (key on or off). I bought a new regulator this afternoon & installed it. Now I dont have 12 volts on the brown wire & I can remove & reconnect the battery cable without energizing the regulator. It's really strange, but when I look at the bottom side of the original regulator, the #2 position on the regulator does not have a 'lug' to connect to...so the wire coming into the #2 position on regulator went nowhere. The new regulator does have a 'lug' at the #2 position.

I'm going to let it sit overnight & see what happens.

Thanks to all for the input & I'll report back as to the outcome!

Bob

I guess it's fixed...fired right up this morning! I'm now thinking that the original regulator was not the correct one for this system. Apparantly, when the regulator was hooked up, battery voltage was being supplied to the brown wire (terminal #4) and the 'F' terminal internally through the regulator . That (along with the missing 'lug' at terminal #2) makes me think it was the wrong regulator.

Thanks again to all for the help!