alternator fail??

Hey guys

my new alternator just went.. fortunately its covered under warranty, but the problem is it went on sat morning. mech aint open until monday, iwork until 3.. question is.

how long do you think my battery will last
i tested it and its at 11.75 volts..
waht is the smallest voltage my truck will take until it starts to die.

i have an optima red top.


btw im only assuming its my alt..
bat light on as well as brake light.
and with the voltage on the terminals so low with truck running..

 

couple of miles maybe with all accessories shut off.

 

it depends how far do you need to drive? i wouldnt risk more then 10 miles without one of those power pak things. lol. no one wants to be stranded!

unplug the negative terminal if the truck dies think alternator.

 

Sounds like your battery is already slightly drained...shouldn't they be at around 12.6 volts?

This guy: http://www.instructables.com/id/SDG93IZFT7PLXT3/ actually disconnected his alternator completely to reduce the parasitic drag to increase mileage.

So it seems doable.

I'd definitely charge the battery overnight if you had a charger.

Remember, it has to be a gel-cell charger, because they're lame and have to charge slower.