Silver

My truck is not a daily driver and sometimes sets for a couple months between trips. The only problem I have encountered has been the battery draining down. Today, while contemplating the idea of putting a big switch in the battery cable, I discovered a black wire (about the size of a spark plug cable) coming directly out of the positive battery terminal. It has a real nice connector built right into it. The connector itself resembles a spark plug connector and it is very easy to disconnect. I unplugged it and found that the entire electrical system was dead. A quick check with a current meter verified there was absolutely no current drain. This is exacly what I was hoping to accomplish with a switch... a whole lot cheaper and a lot less work.

Now that I have done this... can anyone make me aware of any reason that this may NOT be a good idea?

ThanX!

P.J

Can't recommend for or against that particular wire.
But, have you ever considered a battery minder or other tiny "trickle" charger?
The process of batteries slowly dieing is what eventually kills them for good. (or so I have heard). They are supposed to greatly increase normal battery life.

There are several types of these small chargers out there, mainly used for boats and motorcycles (hence the long stints on non-use).

fschiola

What about using a solar battery charger and leaving everything hooked up?
Something like this. Click

loch

Id be more interested in why its going dead, our hay truck sits all winter with no worries. that black wire is the accessory wire, only disadvantage i see is you lose your clock and radio settings.

G1625S

yeah, sounds like there's a short somewhere in that rats nest under the dash. I'd say pull the pos. terminal since it's not a driver. No truck can really call itself a first gen unless something electrical-related has been on fire, or at least had the smoke let out of it!

Silver

I appreciate the replies. Today I asked my neighbor, who runs a garage and is a darned good mechanic, the same question I posted here. He told me the same as you folks regarding the black wire. He said it wouldn't hurt a thing.

The truck has a super sound system that the previous owner had installed. Right now I am thinking that is what is pulling the current. I really don't believe it to be a short. I think it is just a small constant drain over a period of a couple months that pulls the battery down to where it just won't spin the "beast". The battery has never gone completely dead. If I don't leave it set more than a month at a time, it does fine.

I think disconnecting the black wire will do it. Thanks again for the responses!