CHARGING QUESTION ON MY 88

[ctrover]

my battery is not taking a charge .i know my starter and generator are good and the rover runs fine once I jump it.The battery is less than a year old.I cleaned all the contacts everywhere(solenoid and various connectors)Would this have some thing to do with the voltage regulator?can i run a hot wire straight from the generator to the positive battery terminal and charge it that way,and bypass it?

[rovertek]

if you have to jump it to start it you should charge the battery fully to begin, with charge SLOW overnight and check with a volt meter it will be fully charged when it reads 15.40 volts, now you are ready to go if the battery is not fully charged to start with the generator is working overtime to try and charge it fully but never will , now remove neg. battery terminal and connect a test lite between the terminal and the post if it lights(even dimly) you have a draw which is draining your battery when it sits, no matter how long the battery sits it should still have at least 12.50 volts if not i would replace the battery i have seen cheap batterys that were junk when new.....

[ctrover]

I wired my fuel guage directly to the battery so its always giving a reading-do you think that would drain it?

[scott]

if your fuel gage is always reading then yes it's draining. not sure how much though but it's draining.

[Momo]

Yeah, but dont worry about it. It's not going to kill your battery unless you leave it for months at a time and that's just bad for the battery in any event.
My fuel gauge has been jacked for a couple years, I leave the truck for weeks at a time and it never drains.

Mo