Battery will not stay charged

2004 DODGE STRATUS
175,000 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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RBURRELL
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  • 1 POST
New battery, new alternator. still cannot keep battery charged it is only charging twelve volts, car still shuts off. cannot figure out the problem.
Jan 10, 2018 at 3:21 PM
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CARADIODOC
  • ✓ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 34,321 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Locate the two smaller terminals plugged in or bolted to the back of the alternator. Measure the voltages on those two wires, but that has to be done with the engine running. Read these to a minimum of one place after the decimal point on the meter. One should read 0 volts. The other one is what we need to know.

Next, with the engine off, measure the resistance from each of those terminals to ground.

Measure the voltage on the large output wire bolted to the back of the alternator. Read that first with the engine off, then with it running. Tell me what you find.
Jan 10, 2018 at 3:49 PM
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DR.PHILL1999
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  • 12 POSTS
Friend of mine has the same issue. the jump post comes loose and shorts out some times.
Apr 2, 2018 at 8:38 AM
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CARADIODOC
  • ✓ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 34,321 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
That would show up in the voltage measurements I asked for. Unfortunately there has been no follow-up reply.

That you for posting your solution.
Apr 2, 2018 at 11:50 AM
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