While driving today, the radio went out, and charge gauge went to nothing. When I tried the horn, the speedometer and tach would go to 0, everytime I hit it. I was able to make it home and now it won't start, just clicks. A little history, the battery went dead last weekend. I thought because it sat for 4 days up North during deer hunting with minus zero temps. A friend was able to charge it overnight and said it was charged to 12.7 volts. It started up and have been driving around now for 3 days. Also I had something similar to this last year with shorts occurring while driving, but it was corroded whiles from the starter, which I replaced with the solenoid. Because it doesn't start now, I can't get it to autozone to get the alternater tested. So where do I start? I don't think it's as simple as a new battery, doesn't explain the radio and the shorting. On a cable going from the battery to something on the firewall, there is a little bit of green. I'll clean that up, is that another starter solenoid? Let me know what to do, figures gets cold out and I have no garage.
UPDATE- Now I went out there and it starts. Radio too, only briefly, then went out and with charge gauge. I put meter on battery, showed 11.7, had my son start it, then showed 10.8. Cables are clean and tight. Alternator right?

 

Alternator, maybe the battery too. Charge the battery overnight, jump it if necessary, and get it over to Autozone for battery and alternator load tests. Either that or pull the battery and alternator and take them in to Autozone for bench tests.

 

Id go with what GLC said test both. on or off the truck.

 

My truck did the same thing two weeks ago. ABS light came on, radio quit then instrument panel quit (all Gages). Wasn't charging and no battery light. took alternator in to auto zone and had it tested. tested good. put the alternator back on and it charged for a short time and quit again with same same symptoms. No codes and no battery light worried it might be my PCM. Read on the internet that fuse 19 the air bag fuse effects the charging system checked it was dirty and corroded replaced it and the battery light came on and codes indicating that the digital wave frequency was not reading indicating that the alternator is bad. Checked the voltage regulator connector #1 outside wire indicated battery voltage. Tested #3 wire in the connector on the other outside of the connector had voltage with the ignition in run showed voltage, checked large terminal on the alternator had voltage, indicating a bad alternator. Took the alternator off and took it to O-Riley's. Alternator tested good. Trusted the truck and replace the alternator and fixed my truck. just saying that if your alternator passes a bench test at the parts store it still could be bad.