Codes 2605, 2505, 2503

[mfurrh55]

Hi all, coming back home tonight I did a cut across from one hiway over to a major hiway, the road was pretty rough and just about made it when check gauges light came on, alternator was pegged on negative side, one of my aux gauges was dark too...light was out, made it home and opened hood and passenger side battery was spewing , so I ran diag., and the above codes came up, I removed pass. Battery and it's still spewing, I cleared codes and everything went back to normal readings, I guess I'll replace with new battery tomorrow and see what happens, Any ideas?Tell me what you think, could it be just a shorted battery?, Thanks in advance...Monte

 

[petersonj]

If you have to replace one battery - replace both. One faulty battery can and probably will shorten the life of the other. Be sure to check the positive crossover cable between the two batteries for good electrical connections and good wire condition. Performing a voltage drop test would prove the condition of the cable and connections - it is a more reliable method than just visual inspection.

- John

 

[mfurrh55]

If you have to replace one battery - replace both. One faulty battery can and probably will shorten the life of the other. Be sure to check the positive crossover cable between the two batteries for good electrical connections and good wire condition. Performing a voltage drop test would prove the condition of the cable and connections - it is a more reliable method than just visual inspection.

- John

Batteries are only 1 year old, I'll have the other one checked, Thanks for reply and suggestions

 

[HPSimpson]

Normally if one battery goes out you replace both in Cummins diesel truck.

 

[bcbender]

Normally if one battery goes out you replace both in Cummins diesel truck.

Agreed.. internal resistance increases with age and charge / discharge cycles. If you put an old battery in parallel with a new battery one will slowly discharge the other and shorten its life as I've been told...... I always replace both when one dies or a cell shorts, or they just get tired (which seems to run every 5y or so)... I get the same brand, same everything and even try to check the date code to get as close as possible to the same month of manufacture. Pass side battery seems to be common issue when overcharging occurs, since it is "first in line", could also be a defective DS battery or cable.

When my buddies 05 blew the pass battery (grid heater sol stuck on), I took his DS battery for a project car and he bought two new ones.. If you have anyone or need for a battery maybe you can get some $$ back.

 

[mfurrh55]

Batteries are only 1 year old, I'll have the other one checked, Thanks for reply and suggestions

Ok, replaced battery, everything went to working normal, shut truck off and restarted, new battery started getting hot, disconnected it and everything g back to normal, hooked it back up and then alternator only putting out 13 volts and battery gets hot on pass side, unhook battery again, then tighten up cables really tight and alternator started putting out 15 volts, battery gets hot again, redid everything again, drivers side battery still cold, restart...13 volts , disconnect passenger side battery, hook it up again 14.6 volts, seemed normal when I turned it off few minutes ago, guess I'll go out and check it in a while... X fingers

 

[mfurrh55]

How do you know if grid heater is sticking in on position and not kicking out

 

[sag2]

You need to do a voltage drop on the crossover cable. It has to have some excessive resistance.

 

[mfurrh55]

You need to do a voltage drop on the crossover cable. It has to have some excessive resistance.

Ok, will give it a shot, Thanks

 

[EDankievitch]

What year is your truck? A few years back there was a recall on our alternators. I had one burn up 4 years ago. Shortened the life of my battery’s.

 

[mfurrh55]

What year is your truck? A few years back there was a recall on our alternators. I had one burn up 4 years ago. Shortened the life of my battery’s.

It's an 07...5.9. 6speed

 

[petersonj]

How do you know if grid heater is sticking in on position and not kicking out

Think back to when your truck was operating normally. When you first start the engine, the grid heaters will go into post cycling operation. When they cycle on you will see the voltmeter in the dash slowly start dropping. When they cycle off, the voltmeter will rise again to approximately 14 volts. This post cycling will continue until the engine coolant temperature rises to a preset value or the truck is driven over approximately 20 mph.

There is information about your environment and how you are testing that you know about, but the rest of us don't really know. For example: what is the ambient temperature?, when you are checking voltage - where exactly are the test leads touching?, is the battery getting hot after 1 minute, 10 minutes, are you starting a cold engine?, etc.

If the ambient temperature is below 60°, then the grid heaters will post cycle. They will make your voltmeter read differently each time you perform a test which could have you thinking that you have a problem that you don't really have.

Do you know how to perform a voltage drop test? Most people don't, so that is why I am asking. If you don't, we can step you through it.

- John

 

[bcbender]

How do you know if grid heater is sticking in on position and not kicking out

In his case, the solenoid was intermittently sticking in the "on" position. He just happened to find it when it was stuck (checked for open / closed circuit, and replaced both. As far as I know he has not had any battery issues since but replaced two of them in just a few years.. One time it was smoking....

 

[mfurrh55]

Last batteries lasted 6 years, replaced In Feb 2020, none of this started happening until I hit some rough road , I've been chasing down wires trying to see if I had one grounding out, I think the battery temp sensor on pass side is not working either, think that could be the culprit

 

[mfurrh55]

Update... well went out started truck, grid heater cycles normally for few minutes then alternator set on about 14.8 volts and stayed steady, checked batteries, no heat, didnt get hot at all, I think problem is fixed, for the moment anyway, could've just been just like bcbender said....solenoid sticking open, anyway I'll keep updated and Thank you all for your input, Monte

 

[bcbender]

keep an eye open, my buddies truck did it a few times randomly before he nailed down the solenoid and has had no problems since. Not saying thats it but intermittent electrical issues are not outside FCA's wheel house...

 

[cerberusiam]

There is no battery temp sensor on the passenger battery, only the drivers side battery. If it is bad and the driver side battery won't show charging by heating up it will just keep charging the passenger side battery. If passenger side battery gets hot and the other does not the cross over cable is bad. At the age of the truck you likely need a gorund and power cable and the cross over cable replaced.

 

[mfurrh55]

There is no battery temp sensor on the passenger battery, only the drivers side battery. If it is bad and the driver side battery won't show charging by heating up it will just keep charging the passenger side battery. If passenger side battery gets hot and the other does not the cross over cable is bad. At the age of the truck you likely need a gorund and power cable and the cross over cable replaced.

Cerb how come I can pull battery out of passenger side and truck starts up and shows charging with drivers side battery

 

[mfurrh55]

Guess I'll be investing in some cables just to be safe, Thanks

 

[cerberusiam]

Cerb how come I can pull battery out of passenger side and truck starts up and shows charging with drivers side battery

Charge wire is hooked to the hot cable same as the cross over cable, it will attempt to charge even if passenger battery is gone. The gauge on the dash is really a fake, it juts shows you what it thinks you want to see. Only time it is close to reliable is if everything is working OK and the grid heaters off.

I would just replace the cross over cable and passenger side ground cable as a start and see what happens, those two generally go bad first. Then check the battery cable and you will have to cut insulation back to see inside. Now is a good time to add marine lugs and new terminals to all cables. When cut the clamps off and add terminals you will see if you have corrosion inside the cable.

I have seen battery clamps look and work fine, terminals too, but when we cut them off the whole inside of the cable was corroded a long way back in the covering.