RAM truck is a battery eater

[Turbo Terry]

Sorry got off topic a bit

 

[JR]

Walks around the barn are fun sometimes.

 

[Cummins12V98]

It happens, topic starts to drift when it's thoroughly been beaten to death!

 

[MRFost]

It's called a rabbit hole around here when you lose track of the topic during a discussion. We go off topic fairly regularly in Sunday School...and then have to pull the leader back out of his rabbit hole. He is the one that gets off track most often.

 

[Ozymandias]

He'd never have learned that today's asphalt isn't dangerous anymore like it was in the past.
Maybe others too.

So, that walk around the barn wasn't a wasted time.

 

[Signal73]

Man I love the smell of passing by a paving job

 

[Turbo Terry]

Smells like fine French perfume sorry I couldn’t help it.

 

[KHargarten]

My 16 came with 2013 date batteries. I bought Sam's Duracell AGM batteries but have to keep a charger/maintainer on them or they drop to 24% after 2 weeks. I thought my alternator was dying on me.

 

[MRFost]

I'm thinking of adding a charge controller and a PV panel to the roof to keep mine charged. I have a tonneau cover though, and don't know if one of the flexible panels can be attached to the roof or not. I have a cell booster antenna dead center of the roof already, so there is a coax for the antenna already toward the CHMSL and toward the box around the window. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[flyrod40]

I just replaced the batteries on our '97. They were Interstate AGMs. Lasted 6.5 years. We don't drive the truck too much so I keep it on a solar trickle charger.

Also, my '07 FJ has an Optima Red Top that is 8 years old. No trickle charger, but drive it more frequently. Supposedly, the Red Tops are no longer very good. When it goes, I will replace it with the Interstate AGM. I installed an alternator "trickster" in the fuse for my alternator on the FJ about three years ago. It fools the alternator into thinking it is putting out fewer volts, so it puts out more volts because AGM batteries can handle volts in the 14.5 range instead of around 13.5. That is supposed to make AGM batteries last longer. Apparently it works. Some of the electrically inclined members of this forum may be able to explain the benefits of more volts for AGM batteries.

 

[Mark31]

I read about all the drama some of you are having with batteries, and I'm glad I've never experienced it! It is about time to put batteries in my sig truck. I change them out for Johnson Controls batteries every 7 years, so this will be the third (bought) set, if I don't sell it first. (I, not the truck, am getting old and worn out!) Batteries never die at a convenient time, and I tend to huff and puff when something won't start! Another reason----I always felt like weak batteries kill starters, and I don't want to have to replace one because I was trying to get another month out of batteries. I clean the cables good and dob 'em up good with Vaseline every couple of years. That covers 21 years!

 

[Troubleshooter]

Replaced the OEM batteries in my 2018 Ram last month. As I recall, the old ones were dated from October 2017 and April 2018, so not quite 7 years of service. No battery maintainer / battery minder, and depending on my schedule the truck might be driven daily or might sit for three weeks at a time.
Hope that I can get similar performance from the new ones. Also hope that I didn't just jinx myself!

 

[Topzide]

Hope that I can get similar performance from the new ones.

What brand did you go with?

 

[AH64ID]

Replaced the OEM batteries in my 2018 Ram last month. As I recall, the old ones were dated from October 2017 and April 2018, so not quite 7 years of service. No battery maintainer / battery minder, and depending on my schedule the truck might be driven daily or might sit for three weeks at a time.
Hope that I can get similar performance from the new ones. Also hope that I didn't just jinx myself!

What trim level is your truck and what options does it have?

 

[Troubleshooter]

What brand did you go with?

Continental.

What trim level is your truck and what options does it have?

Tradesman. Options? 4x4; Tradesman Package 2FA (Uconnect 3 radio; power tow mirrors w/ manual foldaway; power remote entry group; snowplow prep group that will never be used; 68RFE trans). Also spray-in bedliner and L/S diff but I doubt that will affect the battery function.

 

[AH64ID]

Continental.



Tradesman. Options? 4x4; Tradesman Package 2FA (Uconnect 3 radio; power tow mirrors w/ manual foldaway; power remote entry group; snowplow prep group that will never be used; 68RFE trans). Also spray-in bedliner and L/S diff but I doubt that will affect the battery function.

No Keyless Go?… I often wondered if that was my main parasitic drain or if it was something else.

 

[JR]

My Tradesman is about as bare bones as you can get including no key fob. If I don't keep a maintainer on it after about 2 -3 weeks I'll start getting various voltage related issues.

The truck has always started, but I'll get things like service 4wheel drive system light, radio won't work, etc. Always corrects itself after the truck has run for a while and restarted.

 

[Troubleshooter]

No Keyless Go?… I often wondered if that was my main parasitic drain or if it was something else.

I have a fob which has to be inserted into the ignition. I leave that fancy stuff for you rich folks.

The truck has always started, but I'll get things like service 4wheel drive system light, radio won't work, etc. Always corrects itself after the truck has run for a while and restarted.

I sometimes get odd little things like the outside temperature reading being way off. Happened the other day; mid 60's when I parked and an hour or so later when I started back up it read -40*F. Within a mile, the temperature came back up to 0*F, then to freezing, and within 2-3 miles it was reading normally again. Seems to happen about once a year with no rhyme nor reason.

 

[Grumpy8811]

I have a fob which has to be inserted into the ignition. I leave that fancy stuff for you rich folks.



I sometimes get odd little things like the outside temperature reading being way off. Happened the other day; mid 60's when I parked and an hour or so later when I started back up it read -40*F. Within a mile, the temperature came back up to 0*F, then to freezing, and within 2-3 miles it was reading normally again. Seems to happen about once a year with no rhyme nor reason.

my Tradesman has the same thing.. what amounts to being an electronic key that has to be turned.. its still higher tech than a regular old key.

as far as the temp reading goes, that input comes out of the sensor in the DR Mirror, so its possible the connection or the sensor in the mirror is acting up... but as long as it works who cares..

 

[Topzide]

Another thing to be aware of, if you have a power convertor for USB plugged in a "hot" all the time socket, that'll sure pull a lot of power with truck not on. Found this on a buddies truck that was not starting due to low battery. It's the little things that get over looked.

To find out what is happening, make a fuse list of items that are known to need power with the truck off. Put meter on + cables to check amp draw (or inline if you don't have a clamp style), check the starting draw, and start pulling fuses noting the draw change. Don't forget to unhook the altenator, as this could be a draw with regulator failing. And of course, double check anything that you have added!