Car/Truck battery

[The Heretic]

I have two trucks - small Toyota and large Dodge - that sit 99% of the time.

The Dodge has a parasitic drain somewhere in its system, and it has more than once completely drawn the batteries (it is a diesel) down flat (as in less than 3 volts).

I have Battery Tenders for both trucks and one for my motorcycle.

The battery tender for the diesel truck has brought it back from the grave at least three times after I have forgotten to connect it up. I have to get the batteries back up a bit before the tender will take over, but once it does then it keeps them charged without harming them.

 

[mkwerx]

How old is the dodge? If it has a computer it is probably sucking 0.25-0.5 amps at rest. When we test cars anything from 0.79A or under is considered a "pass" on our drain tests. You should be able to let the vehicle sit for some time without use with a drain like that. Buuuut vehicles with computers or antitheft need battery tenders or to be used once in a while to avoid draw down. On new cars AAA is recommending no more than 1.5 to 2 weeks sitting because of push button starts typically requiring 11.5V or higher to *try* starting. Damned "safety" feature Older vehicles / those withput computerized push button starts can go longer, obviously.

Get asked every day "how can my battery be dead, i get radio and lights" - simple, your new car needs more power to start than your radio does Lots of folks hear clickclickclick and think their starter is shot because they still have tunes. Getting people to learn not to sit with "my heater" or "my ac" on with the engine off, or not yakking on the car bluetooth for an hour without the engine on is difficult. Yes I make $ from it, but a little knowledge would save a lot of folk a lot of headache.

90% of folks I run into don't even know what a trickle charger is. Seems only car guys or guys with RVs and boats know of them or have them.

Will caution - if you have a newer vehicle and have batt issues - esp if its a eurotrash car - before replacing it check to see if the veh requires an AGM battery. Dumping a flooded lead acid into a car made for AGM will only lead to headaches. Mercedes and BMW are going to AGM as OE spec. Seen some new Chrysler stuff that way as well. AGM and flooded batts charge differently. Have seen far too many cases where someone was sold or bought the wrong battery and had numerous dead batts because of wrong batt for the car.

And a lot of cars have "calibrated" charging systems and require a computer reset performed with new battery - and may need a trip to a dealer or mechanic for such service. Some just require a few minutes with they key "on" before cranking to self reset. Newer Chryslers and Fords, almost all eurocars, some of the new Korean cars need this. Some new GM stuff too. If the reset is not done your chg system won't work properly.

 

[Ramjet12]

Interstate batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
Walmart batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
Les Schwab batteries are made by Johnson Controls.

In my trucks I buy Les Schwab XHD batteries because they have a 6 year warranty and there's a Les Schwab's in just about every town in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
My cars all get Walmart batteries. They're cheap and they last 3-4 years. It's not worth the extra cash to get a longer warranty.

I use Walmart deep cycle batteries power my shed and gate. 3 years of being solar charged and still at 95% capacity.

 

[The Heretic]

It is a '97 with a 6BT and manual trans - so no computer.

I think it might be something in the ABS system (I have noticed the ABS light comes on all the time now). It has been that way since I bought it.

For now, I am just keeping it on the tender. When I retire I need to tear into it (I will be converting it to an RV). Fifth gear has slipped off the shaft and I need to figure out where the electrical drain is among other things.

 

[clearconscience]

I've been buying costco batteries too.

If your's only lasted 2 years, either you're not treating the battery correctly or you have something wrong.

 

[HenryJ]

Check the diodes on the alternator.

 

[mkwerx]

It is a '97 with a 6BT and manual trans - so no computer.

I think it might be something in the ABS system (I have noticed the ABS light comes on all the time now). It has been that way since I bought it.

For now, I am just keeping it on the tender. When I retire I need to tear into it (I will be converting it to an RV). Fifth gear has slipped off the shaft and I need to figure out where the electrical drain is among other things.

A 97 should have a computer. Every passenger veh in the US since 96 has had the OBD II interface. It should not draw much but there will be a small draw from it.

Have you had the truck tested or tested it yourself to see how much the draw is? The amount of current pulled may give you a clue as to what may be doing it.

 

[clearconscience]

You'd be better off leaving it on the tender

 

[Gunwheeler]

I run Odyssey Batteries in my vehicles. My truck has 2 (diesel) batteries that are over 15 years old. Yes you pay in the beginning but my batteries have worked out to be dirt cheap. Look them up. ODYSSEY battery - Official Manufacturer's Site

 

[The Heretic]

A 97 should have a computer. Every passenger veh in the US since 96 has had the OBD II interface. It should not draw much but there will be a small draw from it.

Have you had the truck tested or tested it yourself to see how much the draw is? The amount of current pulled may give you a clue as to what may be doing it.

It has an OBDII - but it is passive. There is no computer control of the engine, just some recording of sensors. Most of the electronics are in the charging system, which itself may be at fault; I have noticed that it won't charge initially (it has a voltmeter in the dash and it shows 12 volts) and then it will tick over and charge normally (14+ volts).

I have not looked to see what the draw is. I know that when I disconnected the batteries they stay charged. I am going to install a master switch, but that doesn't fix the problem, it just prevents it from happening.

 

[Ramjet12]

I run Odyssey Batteries in my vehicles. My truck has 2 (diesel) batteries that are over 15 years old. Yes you pay in the beginning but my batteries have worked out to be dirt cheap. Look them up. ODYSSEY battery - Official Manufacturer's Site

I just went to the website. Very interesting design. I can't swallow the price. $272 and $312 a battery for my F350. $544 and $624 for the pair. That's double what Schwab's wants for a pair of group 65.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Save your self a bunch of headaches and get your batteries from Binary. They sell Interstate batteries which are rotated and maintained by the vendor on a monthly bases so you always get the freshest battery with a full charg! I have one in my Jeep that I got 5 years ago and it is still going strong!

 

[that guy]

I bought an Optima yellow top at 4wheelparts.com and it shipped to the Portland store for free. $150. Much nicer than the generic walmart options.

 

[HenryJ]

Optima used to be good before Johnson Control bought them. I have had five go bad within a year. Same cell failure. All started when they closed the Denver plant. Had the rep. deliver a new one from the "new mexico plant" same problems. Multiple fleet vehicles.
I still have two originals over a dozen years old going strong. Gave up on Optima completely.
Next choice for AGM was Diehard Platinum (enersys) , those are now gone. The Odyssey batteries and now the only good AGM left also made by Enersys

 

[Kruel J]

Interstate or Exide. Both will serve you well. Call the Interstate distributor and ask them if they have any "Blems" in a Group 78. Will cost you like $25. No warranty, but I've had one in my 4Runner for 5+ years now and still going strong. Not bad for $25.

 

[Gunwheeler]

I just went to the website. Very interesting design. I can't swallow the price. $272 and $312 a battery for my F350. $544 and $624 for the pair. That's double what Schwab's wants for a pair of group 65.

Cheap when you consider I have 2 that are over 15 years old. 1 that is over 10 years old and numerous others 4 plus years old.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Yea, had a lot of problems with the Optima batteries of late. I still have an old one in my Alfa from about 2000 and it's still holding a charge, others I got later don' last more then 2 years at most!
No warranty on them after 2 years!

 

[rick benjamin]

A foolproof battery tester.
When the relative air temperature drops, capacity falls off.
Yesterday, my Chev C1500 was a little bit slow to start. Time to replace the battery.

 

[hatchj]

Costco batteries are only 42 moth warranty (free replacement for the full 42 months though)

Ive noticed less of the interstate batteries coming back for warranty issues. Partially due to less than half the warranty period. (The old Kirkland batteries seem to come back between 5-7 years commonly)

Only real problem with costco is lack of fitment codes. Can't get one for my 96 cherokee (and most euros)

 

[CoastRange57]

I picked up two batteries for my son last year at the local Ford dealer for his rebuilt 6 liter, they were cheaper than either of the local auto parts stores, I think around $ 279 for the two of them with a good warranty. This had got me thinking to look at the ones in my 97 Powerstroke.

I was in Sisters this morning and went out and plugged it in, since it was 21 degrees, left it for about 40 minutes and it rolled over real good. The Powerstroke runs much better at a higher altitude than here in the Tualatin Valley. It did not really care for that 21 degree air at 65 mph, and the way the engine changes in sound and performance as you come down from the Santiam summit is pretty interesting.