Battery not charging

[minimun]

The battery in my landcruiser isn't charging since i took my tow bar off which im guessing maybe is draining the battery as i cut the wires for the trailer light connection and is maybe shorting. Have to jump start each time and is dead flat even after a 15 minute drive

Anyone have a clue whats going on?

[cornfarmer]

Check the wires to make sure they are all insulated. If it keeps discharging chuck a multimeter on the battery and see what voltage comes up. When your truck is running what is the voltmeter on the dash showing?

[Sadam_Husain]

If it keeps discharging chuck a multimeter on the battery and see what voltage comes up. When your truck is running what is the voltmeter on the dash showing?

Quick way to see if the batterys charging or not is to stick a volt meter accross the battery with the engine running, if it comes up around 12v or less it wont be charging and if it comes up 13v or more it'll be charging. That'll tell you if you've got a fawked alternator or charging circuit or if something is discharging your battery while the trucks sitting

[minimun]

Dont have a multimeter (i know noob) but way be able to borrow one off a mate if he would be so kind

Just jumped it then and the factory volt meter for those who know is showing the point of the needle just above the little picture of the battery on the guages face. Normally the voltmeter needle is close if not right at the top..
Since i've had the truck i would put on my indicator and the voltmeter needle would go up and down to the rhythm of the indicator going on and off which i thought might just be old circuits running as one. But just taking it for a drive then even putting the brakes on is making the needle jump

[Steve_t647]

Right insulate those wires then do the following

Charge the battery off the truck and test the voltage, with the truck battery connected test the voltage again and then check the voltage after an hour not running.
If all those voltages stay consistent it is not a short.

Next start and run the truck in the driveway and check the voltage, check again in 5 minutes now both these voltages should be higher than the original test if the alternator was charging if not there could be an alternator problem or a regulator problem.

Post back results and we can help you test regulator or Alternator (you don't need a multimeter for any of these tests a couple of wires and your toungue 9v 12v not a lot of difference LOL (i WAS KIDDING btw))