Parasitic battery draw from radio?

[DSamson]

First guess was bad batteries. Two year old batteries were replaced with new. New batteries died after sitting idle for 2 weeks. Dealership thinks that the dead batteries on my 2015 3500 are caused by a parasitic draw from the radio. They checked another Ram that had the same radio and it also showed a parasitic draw. Currently the Ram repair facility says to put a battery tender on every time the truck is parked. This not a satisfactory solution to the dead batteries. Has anyone else encountered this issue?

 

[AH64ID]

Did the new batteries get a good charge before sitting for 2 weeks?

These newer trucks are hard on batteries when just sitting. Both my 18 and 22 live on a tender when parked for more than a few days. 2 weeks is a bit extreme for dead batteries, but the certainly draw more when off than older trucks.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I let my 15 set from first of May thru October without a tender. I did not start the truck for several months. It started just fine. Never used a tender on any autos.
I do this every Summer letting it set several months without starting.

 

[Topzide]

Whenever replacing batteries, they need to be charged for a solid 24 hours before being placed into service. All batteries have a charge in them to accept a new charge to them but it's not good and deep enough to help the system. If not charged properly before being placed into service, their lifespan would be severely diminished! I remember when the batteries arrived "dry charged" and needed to be filled with acid. Whenever we sold one, it would need to be placed on charge for several hours before putting to use. Those things seemed to be a better unit then what we deal with today! A lot of factors have changed since then, like more draw on the systems! JM2C.

 

[Timd32]

Yes some radios are known for this, there is a procedure in the manual to diagnose this and provides a bunch of tests and checks.

We chased it down on @firefighter_2000 's rig, pretty sure we isolated it to the Radio.

From what I recall he did a work around, and was having issues. Isolated it to the radio, did the work around and was not having issues.

But these are odd at times and maybe he made it further then that and figured out a more direct root cause to his issues.

While the currents and draws noted are small somehow its enough on some trucks to cause issues.

Plus the currents you can catch on a typical DVMM might also miss the pulsing effect some of these draws have.

I'm surprised they have not made DVMM that read watts by using an additional lead, probably just due to the more complex hook up and do it wrong will clear a fuse internal to the meter. So with that you have to use the mA draw.

And I fully get when you look at the mA draw and the entire capacity of the batteries, and it should take months to drain down using conventional math. It appeared to me it was a pulsing effect so that while the meter said, say 60mA it could be much higher pulsing effect.

I forget but I feel you could watch the mA switch on and off, and it was like taking a switch and just going ON/OFF/ON/OFF.......

There are versions of the radio updates we had access too that listed problems, unfortunately the information is outdated and his radio was already on a newer version then what the sheet called out.

 

[wyosteve]

I had the same problem on my 2018. Never was able to eliminate it b/c it had the da@# radio that you couldn't turn off completely. I ultimately resorted to driving it every week to 10 days to keep the batteries charged.

 

[AH64ID]

I had the same problem on my 2018. Never was able to eliminate it b/c it had the da@# radio that you couldn't turn off completely. I ultimately resorted to driving it every week to 10 days to keep the batteries charged.

My 2018 was much worse at draining the batteries than my 2022 is.

 

[Cummins2014]

I let my 15 set from first of May thru October without a tender. I did not start the truck for several months. It started just fine. Never used a tender on any autos.
I do this every Summer letting it set several months without starting.

Although mine doesn’t sit that long , there is periods , especially in the winter it’s sit a lot . I’ve got a 2014 that’s now 10 years old with 72k on it , not a lot of use averaging 7k per year . I’m only on my second set of batteries in the 10 years , apparently mine also is pretty kind on the batteries . Never been on a tender , and has never failed to start.

Sure seems to be a difference in these trucks on how the batteries perform. I’m in a pretty cold climate in the winter , and hot in the summer here in Utah . I have as said two sets of batteries, the OE’s , and now a pair of Everstarts from Walmart . IMO as good a battery there is for the price , and warranty.

 

[sag2]

I was in Costco the other day and noticed they went to three year pro-rated from three year free replacement. That would make the Wal-Mart batteries a better value.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I was in Costco the other day and noticed they went to three year pro-rated from three year free replacement. That would make the Wal-Mart batteries a better value.

Did you confirm this on the batteries that fit our trucks?

 

[p-Bar]

My 18 has no issues sits for month at a time. I'm thinking its the upgraded radios 8.4,12" screens. I have the cheapy radio in my truck. So the are you finding the parasitic draw on the hot all the time fuse ? The radio fuse should be switched so no power when key is off.

 

[Cummins2014]

I was in Costco the other day and noticed they went to three year pro-rated from three year free replacement. That would make the Wal-Mart batteries a better value.

I wasn’t aware Costco was any better warranty, or were they just equal to Walmart ? I believe when I bought my pair from Walmart they were 3 year warranty, with two more prorated.

 

[Topzide]

Here's the Walmart Platinum; https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...lt-800-CCA/40685088?athbdg=L1200&from=/search

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...Ob6cv&athancid=40685088&athposb=0&athena=true

Seems that it's a 4yr warranty.

 

[Cummins2014]

Here's the Walmart Platinum; https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...lt-800-CCA/40685088?athbdg=L1200&from=/search

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...Ob6cv&athancid=40685088&athposb=0&athena=true

Seems that it's a 4yr warranty.

Mine are the Everstart Maxx H7 lead acid . When purchased as said , 3 year free replacement, with additional 2 years prorated. Thats no longer the case , just the 3 year free replacement. As you referenced , the Everstart Platinum H7 AGM 4 year free replacement. I will stick to the Walmart Everstart, but I’ll give the Platinum AGM a shot next time . They are $20 per battery more , not a big deal . Plus the additional 1 year warranty. My present Everstarts are going to be 5 years old in a few months , and still going strong.

It appears the Costco warranty now is 3 years prorated only .

 

[p-Bar]

Interstate batteries from Costco are junk. I would never buy them.

 

[Cummins2014]

Interstate batteries from Costco are junk. I would never buy them.

Been years since I’ve bought an Interstate battery , if I remember got pretty good service out of them . Never bought an Interstate battery from Costco , but did buy a pair of Kirklands for my fifth wheel years ago , they were great , I had several years on them when I sold the fifth wheel.

 

[AH64ID]

Interstate batteries from Costco are junk. I would never buy them.

With their warranty change recently I’ll probably go elsewhere on my next set, but the Costco Interstates have given me the best performance out of anything I’ve ran the last 15 years to include some expensive AGM’s.

 

[p-Bar]

Used to have great luck with Johnson control batteries.

 

[Cummins2014]

Used to have great luck with Johnson control batteries.

Although I’ve only run the present set of Everstart , I see no reason to change .

 

[Cummins12V98]

Interstate batteries from Costco are junk. I would never buy them.

They sure are not the quality they once were.