Older batteries in a 2013 truck

[Sculptor]

21 hours ago, Showme said:

First remove and clean all cable connections. A good slow charge will sometimes bring back weak batteries. In a parrell  connection such as four 12 volts hooked in like politary, all batteries should charge if the connections are clean. Where the problems starts is dirty terminals and increased resistance does not allow all four batteries to charge equally. 

Thanks Showme, I pulled all the nuts, 2 cables and 2 copper bars.  The bars have a coating between bolt holes.  The corrosion has gotten under the plastic coating, so they are soaking in soda water and snow.  Cable ends have been cleaned but need it again. I will be coating this all with grease before reassembly.

[Lou Schneider]

1 hour ago, Sculptor said:

I had them all out anyway so we loaded them in the OTHER Volvo and got them tested at the Volvo dealer. Only one was better than 50% the rest were about 10% life left. 

4 new batteries with hardly a second thought     

A few years back I was at Walmart getting an oil change in my toad (1994 Nissan Sentra) and the kid dragged out a new, computer controlled battery tester.  Without asking, he connected it and ran a test cycle on the toad's battery.  He then said it needed immediate replacement, in fact at 50% of the rated capacity it was the worst battery he'd ever seen.

I smiled and said that's OK, it's only starting half an engine (1.6L).   That 5 year old battery lasted another 3 years.

[HERO Maker]

Good price on the batts.  Don't forget the dilectric grease.

[chief916]

You got snow????  Oh man.....we leave first thing in the morning.  Going straight down the 85..... sure hope it's all gone by the time we get there.  Have a good weekend.  Obtw...how are things going with the hip replacement?.  Are you still on for getting it done?  Best wishes.

[noteven]

....

[Sculptor]

7 hours ago, chief916 said:

You got snow????  Oh man.....we leave first thing in the morning.  Going straight down the 85..... sure hope it's all gone by the time we get there.  Have a good weekend.  Obtw...how are things going with the hip replacement?.  Are you still on for getting it done?  Best wishes.

Hi Chief, About an inch on the ground this morning.  Low of 31 high of 46 in our area.  The wiretap (Echo Dot) my son gave me for Christmas did not predict rain today.  Around here I would guess the paved roads are clear but maybe wet.  

Thank you and I hope you have a great trip!    And yes we are on the schedule for Tuesday.  

[Sculptor]

15 hours ago, Jack Mayer said:

What model inverter do you have?  It should be easy to look up if it has a charge section in it. If it does, you can confirm it working with a meter. If it is putting out a charge and the batteries are not taking it, then you know where you stand

Hi Jack, Thanks,  how would I look that up?  I asked the service department about my year and model, they said "Yes shore power will be automatically charging the batteries."  Now I want to know more about it.

[chief916]

1 hour ago, Sculptor said:

Hi Chief, About an inch on the ground this morning.  Low of 31 high of 46 in our area.  The wiretap (Echo Dot) my son gave me for Christmas did not predict rain today.  Around here I would guess the paved roads are clear but maybe wet.  

Thank you and I hope you have a great trip!    And yes we are on the schedule for Tuesday.  

I'll say a prayer for your speedy recovery.  Thank you for the weather update.  We're leaving here at 0900... should put us through there around 1100.  Hopefully it gets dryer and warmer as we get closer to Atlanta.

Take care.

[Jack Mayer]

13 hours ago, Sculptor said:

Hi Jack, Thanks,  how would I look that up?  I asked the service department about my year and model, they said "Yes shore power will be automatically charging the batteries."  Now I want to know more about it.

Look on the inverter for a model number. The factory ones do usually have a battery charger in them.

[Showme]

Proper connection between the batteries is so important. I have used greased on terminals and recently read  not to. Have had an issue with bad connivectivy and last time decided to use a spray protestant. I think the real answer is just to remove the cables annually  and clean them as part of a preveventive maintenance.

 

[SuiteSuccess]

“Spray Protestant”

You must of had a religious epiphany!, 😂 

[Sculptor]

Nyuk Nyuk!!!  

 

[Sculptor]

13 hours ago, Jack Mayer said:

On 3/25/2018 at 6:24 AM, Sculptor said:

Hi Jack, Thanks,  how would I look that up?  I asked the service department about my year and model, they said "Yes shore power will be automatically charging the batteries."  Now I want to know more about it.

Look on the inverter for a model number. The factory ones do usually have a battery charger in them.

Another question: is there a Volvo website where I can plug in my VIN and get details about my truck build?

[Jack Mayer]

4 minutes ago, Sculptor said:

Another question: is there a Volvo website where I can plug in my VIN and get details about my truck build?

Yes, but you have to be a dealer as far as I know   Or have deep pockets for a subscription. 

[SuiteSuccess]

Kevin,

I got my build sheet from Volvo.  Try ryan.sweetser@Volvo.com.  Give him your VIN and request.  Hope he's still there as I got mine 7 years ago.

[Sculptor]

1 hour ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Kevin,

I got my build sheet from Volvo.  Try ryan.sweetser@Volvo.com.  Give him your VIN and request.  Hope he's still there as I got mine 7 years ago.

Great Idea, Thank you.  I contacted the salesman and he sent it right over.  My truck has the BATTERY LIFEGUARD.  All I have found so far.

[Showme]

Spell check is not my friend. Spent a lot of time pulling wrenches and not much time typing on a screen. Lol

[SuiteSuccess]

4 hours ago, Showme said:

Spell check is not my friend. Spent a lot of time pulling wrenches and not much time typing on a screen. Lol

Just funnin’ you, no offense intended.

[Av8r3400]

Kevin - Do you have a master cut-off switch?  (Large rotary switch just above the bank of batteries)

My truck has one (spec'ed by the same company as yours).  By shutting off this switch I have never had trouble with batteries going flat and needing charge, even when sitting of long periods of cold weather in Wisconsin.  This past weekend I just turned on the switch and she fired right up, at 40 degrees F.

What kind of inverter did you install?  Again my truck has "shore power" but no inverter/charger in the original spec.  I hope to put one in eventually.

[Sculptor]

On 3/27/2018 at 9:17 AM, Av8r3400 said:

Kevin - Do you have a master cut-off switch?  (Large rotary switch just above the bank of batteries)

My truck has one (spec'ed by the same company as yours).  By shutting off this switch I have never had trouble with batteries going flat and needing charge, even when sitting of long periods of cold weather in Wisconsin.  This past weekend I just turned on the switch and she fired right up, at 40 degrees F.

What kind of inverter did you install?  Again my truck has "shore power" but no inverter/charger in the original spec.  I hope to put one in eventually.

Hi Larry, I'm going over old posts and searching for definitive info.  I think all I have is shore power with no inverter/charger.  Limited mobility right now so I can't just crawl under and look any old time I want.   It bugs me they would have this system available to spec for the truck but not spec it.  Final results will be tomorrow when I put the grease on the nuts and bolts and hook up the tester to see if shore power is charging.

[HERO Maker]

Kevin, you don't have anything in your luggage compartments?

[Darryl&Rita]

This:

isn't always a shore power connection. It's usually for a block heater connection.

[Sculptor]

I have 2 inlets, one is the block heater, one is the shore power.

under the driver side bunk, there is a Webasto cab heater, and a grey box wired to the outlets.  There is a red switch.  The grey box doesn't have a model number.  

I have searched thru the inverter manual and the VN owners manual, they both describe a toggle switch with an icon of a plug but this truck doesn't have one.  

The Xantrex manual describes the inverter pretty well but I think this from a much older VNL than I have.  I don't see one mounted to the frame.

 

[Av8r3400]

From inside the truck, open up the drivers side seat of the work station.

You should see the Webasto heater and (if you have one) the inverter.  If I were a betting man, I'd say there is not one there.  Our trucks came from the same company, mine is very similar to yours and it only has shore power with no inverter (yet).

[HERO Maker]

31 minutes ago, Sculptor said:

I have 2 inlets, one is the block heater, one is the shore power.    Have you followed the shore power wiring to see where it goes?

 

under the driver side bunk, there is a Webasto cab heater, and a grey box wired to the outlets.  Sounds like the grey box may just be a junction box.   There is a red switch.  The grey box doesn't have a model number.  

I have searched thru the inverter manual and the VN owners manual, they both describe a toggle switch with an icon of a plug but this truck doesn't have one.  It doesn't have an inverter, or it doesn't have the toggle switch?

The Xantrex manual describes the inverter pretty well but I think this from a much older VNL than I have.  I don't see one mounted to the frame. So, you have the Xantrex manual, but no inverter?

Av8r has posted while I was typing, and I think his advise is right.