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Battery Issue?


Alie&Jim's Carrilite

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Short version-

Truck has been getting harder to start- engine makes 1 revolution, pauses for a split second, spins and fires when cold.

Alternator with all wires and cables disconnected generates 13.9-14.1v going from the positive post to ground with a meter.

3 truck battery all show 11.6, 11.7, 11.7

House batteries show 13.6

Parallel house with the truck batteries and truck starts fine

Starting the truck when hot- truck batteries will not turn the engine over, have to parallel with house batteries to start

 

2 owners before us purchased the batteries in 8-14-12........ 31 months ago

Batteries are Ray Pro group 31 from Batteries Plus

Warranty was for 18 months...

 

Anyone agree that the batteries lasted past their lifetime?

 

Napa is the nearest store that will carry truck batteries, any suggestions as to which are going to be better than others?

Alie & Jim + 8 paws

2017 DRV Memphis 

BART- 1998 Volvo 610

Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins

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Short version-

Truck has been getting harder to start- engine makes 1 revolution, pauses for a split second, spins and fires when cold.

Alternator with all wires and cables disconnected generates 13.9-14.1v going from the positive post to ground with a meter.

3 truck battery all show 11.6, 11.7, 11.7

House batteries show 13.6

Parallel house with the truck batteries and truck starts fine

Starting the truck when hot- truck batteries will not turn the engine over, have to parallel with house batteries to start

 

2 owners before us purchased the batteries in 8-14-12........ 31 months ago

Batteries are Ray Pro group 31 from Batteries Plus

Warranty was for 18 months...

 

Anyone agree that the batteries lasted past their lifetime?

 

Napa is the nearest store that will carry truck batteries, any suggestions as to which are going to be better than others?

I heard two years is pretty average on the batteries.. I think I need to replace mine this spring/summer too.

2006 Volvo 670 singled long

2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK

2006 Smart passion

2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB

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Wow! Only two years. That sounds terribly short! Mine lasted right to the 5 year mark, and I wasn't the original purchaser of them, so I don't know how they were cared for. I did keep them on Battery Minder whenever I was parked.

 

I believe Jack got over 9 years on his batteries.

 

How say y'all?

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
'01 Volvo 770
2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
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I put off the battery change out so long, I had to start the APU in order to start the truck......it was time. When I tested them with my Harbor Freight load tester, only one would put out any current at all.....it was time.

With 4 new batteries and everything all cleaned up, it cranks good.

 

I considered a super cap starting cell but I couldn't make the $ work even with the wow factor

 

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2009 Volvo 780 D16 535hp 1850 ft-lbs I shift 3.36

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If those readings are fully charged it's time for them to go. Basically 12.7 volts = 100% charge; 12.4 = 75%; 12.2 = 50%;

12 = 25%; 11.9 = discharged.

 

I shopped for batteries for the Volvo in Nov 2013, found this:

 

Group 31

 

@ Volvo dealer: 960 CC Amps $161; 750 CC Amps $145

 

@ NAPA 650 CC Amps $104

 

@ Batteries Plus 950 CC Amps $ $116

 

I went with the Batteries Plus and they are still doing fine, but it's only been 16 months. My last set, from the Volvo dealer, lasted 8 years. They will last if you avoid fully discharging, that will kill them fast.

 

When parked in the summer I keep them on a Battery Tender - one BT on four batts, works fine. In the winter I use the truck for the trip from IL to AZ and then once a month or so until spring. Last week I checked them after the truck had sat for about a month and they showed 12.7

Dennis & Nancy
Tucson, AZ in winter, on the road in summer.

1999 Volvo 610 "Bud" 425 HP Volvo, Super 10 spd.
2005 Mountain Aire 35 BLKS
2013 smart fortwo CityFlame riding on Bud
(Replaced '05 smart first loaded in '06

and '11 smart that gave it's life to save me!)
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The previous owner of my truck said he got about 2 years per set of batteries, he said he replaced them 2 years ago and that its likely time soon. But he had inverter, etc running

2006 Volvo 670 singled long

2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK

2006 Smart passion

2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB

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I should add that the set that lasted 8 years were babied. I was storing the truck in the winter so I brought the four of them home and, using two Battery Tenders, I kept each one individually charged, switching pairs on the Battery Tenders every two weeks and recording the voltage readings. They only were in the truck when we were activity traveling.

Dennis & Nancy
Tucson, AZ in winter, on the road in summer.

1999 Volvo 610 "Bud" 425 HP Volvo, Super 10 spd.
2005 Mountain Aire 35 BLKS
2013 smart fortwo CityFlame riding on Bud
(Replaced '05 smart first loaded in '06

and '11 smart that gave it's life to save me!)
Our Travel Blog

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Just to make sure, what is the voltage on the batteries with the engine running and the lights on?

If better than 13.5, and the connections are not all corroded , then time to replace the batteries.

These low voltage systems are super sensitive to bad connections.

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short trips-88 Allegro on Astro

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On the 7th year with this set. Never removed or disconnected in winter (when we stayed in North, 2 winters) Always had a Battery Minder on when not using truck. Water topped up every year when I do my PM on batts. I did replace the Alt 5 yrs ago.

 

Check all cables. They can look good but can be corroded inside. Good clean connections. Use di-electric grease. Get the batts load tested to be sure they are done.

Bill and Joan and 3 Collie pups

2001 Volvo VNL 770 "The Doghouse" Singled short, "ET" hItch VED12 465HP Gen 1 Autoshift 3.58 ratio  2005 Mobile Suite 38RL3  2011 Smart Passion loaded piggybacK

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The whole battery life thing is a mystery to me. Yes, batteries that are well cared for, on a smart charger for any times where they aren't used, tend to last longer. But sometimes a set of batteries will just go outside the box.

 

I have a farm tractor with 3 batteries like we have in our trucks. I installed them in 2/2002. They have NEVER been on any sort of charger, and crank that motor like they're new. Granted, it's just a little 10 liter motor, but still....... And this tractor gets started about 3-4 times per year, often with 6 months or more sitting in the shed, waiting for it's master. Oh, and said tractor has zero parasitic load.

 

The farm semi, on the other hand, gets used a lot more, and seems to like it's batteries changed every 3 or 4 years.

 

As to the issue of cranking amps. it was explained to me that a battery of the same physical size, with mor CCA, will have more plates per cell. This means less distance between plates, which means it will take less time to sulfate between them. A smart battery charger will mostly negate that scenario. But, in rough service, the higher amp battery is more prone to failure because the plates might touch internally, causing a short in that cell. Any battery gurus out there who can confirm this logic?

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I did get 9 years out of the batteries in my 610. But they were ALWAYS on a battery minder when the truck was not in use. If you take good care of them you should get more than 3-4 years out of them.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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The whole battery life thing is a mystery to me. Yes, batteries that are well cared for, on a smart charger for any times where they aren't used, tend to last longer. But sometimes a set of batteries will just go outside the box.

 

I have a farm tractor with 3 batteries like we have in our trucks. I installed them in 2/2002. They have NEVER been on any sort of charger, and crank that motor like they're new. Granted, it's just a little 10 liter motor, but still....... And this tractor gets started about 3-4 times per year, often with 6 months or more sitting in the shed, waiting for it's master. Oh, and said tractor has zero parasitic load.

 

The farm semi, on the other hand, gets used a lot more, and seems to like it's batteries changed every 3 or 4 years.

 

As to the issue of cranking amps. it was explained to me that a battery of the same physical size, with mor CCA, will have more plates per cell. This means less distance between plates, which means it will take less time to sulfate between them. A smart battery charger will mostly negate that scenario. But, in rough service, the higher amp battery is more prone to failure because the plates might touch internally, causing a short in that cell. Any battery gurus out there who can confirm this logic?

 

I have heard the same information through training in the truck industry - higher CCA requires more / thinner plates installed in the same size case making the batteries more prone to vibration and sulphation failure. The Battery Teacher said only spec as much CCA as necessary - the lower the CCA the more rugged the battery is.

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I purchased 4 reman batteries for my truck when I bought it 3 years ago. It sits all winter, and I don't usually start it very often since I don't need it. Last year the batteries must have had a low charge, because when the temps dropped to -30, 2 of them froze. I have installed a battery minder and disconnect for them now, but I guess I can't complain too much for $45 batteries. Just replaced them all last week.

Chris & Tonya

'99 Freightliner FLD120, '01 Wabash Toyhauler (32' garage, 20' LQ)

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Update

Pulled the batteries and had them load tested.

Battery 1- 11.7v 234cca

Battery 2- 11.6v 268cca

Battery 3- 11.8v 290cca

 

These were supposed to be 950cca batteries. So after 30+ months, 2 winters with unknown care, they died.

With the install of the new batteries, I added a small Battery Tender for anytime we're not going anywhere for awhile. The truck is used as a daily driver, but may sit for 5-6 days at a time with all the parasitic loads running.

 

Next question is-

I need a small battery charger/desulfator that I can use on the truck house batteries. I'll try to bring them back to life before swapping to some AGM's.

Alie & Jim + 8 paws

2017 DRV Memphis 

BART- 1998 Volvo 610

Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins

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Jim the first thing i noticed at every rally is that the trucks are plugged in before the adult beverages are opened .

Every truck every time.

Parasitic loads will get you every time ,the truck will 'shed loads' as the batteries run down but why let them?

Mine will in about 10 days loose the ability to start the engine ,and mine has 4.

2005 volvo 670 freedomline singled
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Didn't have great luck with Battery Ternder on truck. It failed. Switched to a Battery Minder rated for multi batts works great. Was recommended by Jack M. Good unit.

Bill and Joan and 3 Collie pups

2001 Volvo VNL 770 "The Doghouse" Singled short, "ET" hItch VED12 465HP Gen 1 Autoshift 3.58 ratio  2005 Mobile Suite 38RL3  2011 Smart Passion loaded piggybacK

Weigh-It Portable RV Scales http://www.weighitrv.com/

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Ditto what Bill said.

Yep X2 and 5 years on batteries the previous owner installed. When traveling i don't normally connect the battery minder but do use the battery disconnect.

2019 Thor Chateau 28E on a Ford E450 chassis. Maybe awhile but will get a new picture forgive one up there it is my old rig.

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I've had great luck with the Battery Minder over the years....even before HDTs. I think the product works well and is worth the expense over more "frugal" examples of chargers.

 

Usually, the first thing I do when setting up "camp" (after unhooking and positioning the truck) is to plug the truck into the trailer....that is why I have an outlet in the nose of the trailer. I carry a 50' and two 25' 12 gauge extension cords in the drivers compartment of the truck for this purpose.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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What jack said about plugging in. Unless we are just a couple nights. No issue. When we are on the road the fridge is always on so if we stop for 3 days plus its plugged in. I have the Minder hooked up all the time and I just have to plug in the truck.

Bill and Joan and 3 Collie pups

2001 Volvo VNL 770 "The Doghouse" Singled short, "ET" hItch VED12 465HP Gen 1 Autoshift 3.58 ratio  2005 Mobile Suite 38RL3  2011 Smart Passion loaded piggybacK

Weigh-It Portable RV Scales http://www.weighitrv.com/

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