Archived Dead Batts!!

[aram2nv]

Went to work this morning, like normal radio on, headlights, driving lights and heat. Normal cool down with lights off and watching gauges. Everything seems normal. Come out after work and batts. are DEAD. After getting the longest jump known to man Truck finally starts and runs normal. Drove home 8 miles in traffic. Shut off and restarted many times. Load tested batts seem to be good. Charging is fine. Hooked up to my On Board Diagnostic (OBD) computer and watched voltage. The gauge shows just over 14. 00 volts and computer shows about 13. 8-14. 0 volts. Alternator is 1 year old batts are two! Any Ideas???

Jason

 

[Steve Campbell]

First thing to check would be the connections....

after that, I can only guess some kind of relay "stuck" on and drew down the batteries, and then after beign cycled it functions properly now.



Good luck.

 

[GAmes]

Check your intake heater grid

Mine dead shorted once, cooked both batteries and the alternator. Thankfully was still under warranty.

 

[Briman]

Could you have accidentally turned on your cargo/bed light?

 

[aram2nv]

Ok so here is the latest!! It started fine before and after work, drove home and shut off, about ten minutes later started it back up and drove to Monroe. Stopped there for about three hours and then headed home. About 10 minutes from home I started to smell that lovely sulfer smell( like Burning Battery) when I pulled in to driveway I popped the hood and the batt on the Passenger side was smoking from both caps. Very strange, had the truck hooked up to computer this morning and this evening, both times the dash gauge read about 14 and a smidge more and the computer read about 13. 8-14. 00. No matter what the load. Then when leaving Monroe the gauge still read just over 14. 0 and the computer was reading about 13. 1-13. 7 volts!



Puzzled

 

[Steve Campbell]

If the connections are all good....

then one of the batteries is suspect (probably failing---one bad cell)



Hope this helps.

 

[Ron Bissett]

Battry is getting the carge but it could be low on water if the top is seald and no water could be put in to top it off ,time for new battrys ,Some take the topseald caps off and add water and some times it works for a while . When a battry smokes it could explode I would get rid of that one and use the other one for some other use and replace with two new ones for the truck . I would not use the truck at all until new battrys are installed. Before you put new battry in place clean battry ground at the motor clean and test for Ohms . A good ground gets you past a lot of problems . clean and test pos. clamp and cable Ohms . Some times the post pos will get hot when the neg ground side is not good and clean and tight . LOL Ron in Metro ? Louisville KY

 

[aram2nv]

batts

Ok so I got the smoked battery replaced for free since it had a 24 month warranty and was only 9 months old since manufacture date. Put that battery in, cleaned all terminals and fired up the truck. Starts very fast and stays about 14. 0-14. 2 volts with all accessories on. The only time the voltage drops is when the grid heaters kick on, then it only drops to 13. 6-13. 8. So the question is do I dare drive it tomorrow or should I leave it home for the maiden voyage of a shorter trip.

STILL PUZZLED!!!!!!!!

 

[Loren]

Jason,



Do not replace just one of your batteries. They must be replaced as a pair.



I agree with Ron's advice. Replace both batteries, then use the good one from the truck for something else.



I don't think it will hurt your truck to run with mis-matched batteries (one old and one new), but you can ruin the new battery this way. Someone else will probably know whether it can harm the truck or not.



Loren

 

[aram2nv]

Well I'm all smiles again!! She seems to be working flawless. Drove about three hundred miles this weekend with a few starts and stops and lots of 12v use and no problems. Spins over quick and fires almost instantly. What else to say besides it is nice to be back in the action!!