I just finished my 69 up after a three year project. Everything is pretty much new including the AAW classic update wiring that I used. So far I have not had any problems but I have been disconnecting the negative battery cable at night just because I'm afraid of a fire or draining the battery. One thing I have noticed is that when I go to connect the negative battery cable back up I have some arcing between the cable and battery. Is this normal or should there be no arcing? I have had the battery connected for as long as 12 hours with no problems.

Clint

It depends on the electrical items you have installed.

If you have modern electronics, read younger than the age of the car, then yes, a small arc will be drawn for clock memory, ECM, button memory (radio station), sound amplifier, or, could be a convenience light on, maybe the glovebox light ot trunk light?

You could take your DMM and read the current draw. Anything under 100 milliamperes would be fine.

I have the same issue and have NOTHING installed. No taillights, radio, etc. I need to track this down before I install the rest of the system. I figured to test the amp readings as I pull fuses :)

One might disconnect the V/R and remove the BAT wire on the alt while doing the test for leakage.

Typically, the alternator diodes draw microamperes, six decimal places to the right of one.

Everett,

Thanks for the reply. How do I test for the amperage draw with a DMM? How do I hook it up?

I do have a retrosound radio with a lead hooked up for the clock, a hideaway anttena, and also a sound suppressor. Do you think these items would be causing this?

Clint

The retrotek (or any other modern radio) will have some draw, but not enough to cause any problems, even for months.

Most DVM's have a separate plug for the 10 amp scale.

Disconnect the neg battery cable.
Connect the black lead on the meter to the neg battery cable
the red lead to the loose end of the cable.

The meter gets installed in series with the negative battery cable