Truck no start when heading out to work yesterday morning. Last night when I got home I did some trouble shooting (even bought a Haynes). 1st read voltage off batteries 12.3. Then isolated the batteries 12.4 on drivers side and 11.7 Passenger side.

Pulled passenger side and charged it last night, 2A charge. This morning it was fully charged. Today the Drivers side is charging on 2A charge. Had to top them both off with about 12 oz of water in each. Batteries came from Walmart dated March last year.

Checked fuses and all were good for charging system. However I stumbled on the two 7.5A fuses blown for trailer lights. Something else to check into.

Still no clue as to why the batteries went dead except my wife drove the truck Saturday and it sat all day Sunday. She don't "think" she left the door ajar.

 

When you charge your batteries, leave them connected, and charge at 2 amps. If you can find more batteries, hook them in series and charge all of them at 2 amps. YOu could possibly save the batteries by doing this.

While waitng for the batteries to charge, pull your alternator and have it tested.

Good Luck!!

 

If I charge the 12V batteries in Series wouldn't I need to charge at 24V ???
I an electrical engineer but I do sit next to one. He kinda keeps me from killing my self.

We are both sort of like hmmm how are these batteries wired.

He was also talking about installing load islolator diodes like used in Boats. This way one battery won't drain or act as a load to the other one.

 

im with Pat. get your alternator checked. more times then not when it comes times to replace the batts its also time to replace the stock alternator. alot of the guys like the shiny one like BDRUMMONDS has i think its a DB or something or you can find a local starter and alternator shop to have it rebuilt. either way im willing to bet the alternator is the culprit of your failing new batts......

 

Interesting on the Alt theory. But wouldn't the idiot light come on ? (you know for guys like me)..

I have a good local shop that I trust so I will do that as well. They fixed my alt on the 928 and a starter for another car.

 

DO NOT charge 12v batteries with 24V, i repeat, do not!!

 

Yea I suppose it's a good thing I only have red neck automotive skillz. I took each of the batteries out and am charging them separately on my work bench.

Sort of glad there is two batteries. Lifting one big battery strong enough for Super duty use would not be fun to lift over the fender.

 

by the way our batteries are hooked up in parallel, not series

 

Also do not charge them in series. Makes funny things happen that you don't want.

 

Our batteries are wired in parallel Not series. If they were in series you would have 24v.

Ken and Mark beat me two it, I have to learn to type faster!

 

My batts were low, just under 12v each, and wasn't enough to turn engine over. Two bad alternators were the culprit.

 

batteries are usually good for 5-6 years, i have heard of some lasting longer, but 5-6 is the average

 

I apologize, not in series!! But the more batteries you can hook up, the better.. Hopefully someone with more knowledge then I can fill in the rest, but this is the same process used to recondition batteries. WHen doen on that level they are putting several on, but I Have been able to do it with as little as 3 batteries on a trickle charge for a couple of days..( over the weekend)

 

If you have a voltage gauge in your truck... what does it say ?????? Mine is always at just under 14 when running ! I would think this means the alt is charging fine ???

 

I do have a gauge and it "was" showing a charge las time I looked at it. But now I don't know the last time I looked at it with any thing more than a glance.