ticking noise and battery dummy light

[YRUSOSLO]

Wednesday I turned off my car and turned the key back to acc to listen to my radio and the car started clicking. This was a steady click like a heartbeat. It didn't sound nice at all. I noticed that my A/C button was pushed in so I turned it off and the clicking stopped. I thought to myself that I'll have to have the A/C looked at but no hurry.

Last night when I got home I just turned the car off and pulled the keys out. When I reached in to get my briefcase I notice a dummy light on. It was the one for the battery. I just gave a guy a jump 5hrs earlier and my battery isn't a year old. I started the car and it started just fine and no dummy lights at all. When I turned it off and had the key out the battery dummy light came back on.

Do you think these are separate incidents or related? I'm going to Autozone to get a free battery test.

My lights, radio and starter are doing just fine with no strain or dimming.

I went out this morning and she starts fine. There is a constant ticking noise coming from the engine compartment. Sound seems to come from the fuel rail or the fuse box depending on what position the key is in.

(KA24E '89 240sx hatch)Thank you for your help.
Modified by YRUSOSLO at 12:41 PM 8/23/2006

[nuts510]

get your alternator checked, it sounds like a bad diode which could have been damaged in the jumping