Not much of a scientific number, but the battery in my 2010 at work died once in the winter, so I jumped it and let it idle for an hour.

It barely started the next day, but after an couple hours on the highway itbstared fine afterwards.

So it can take a while.

 

Jump starting is really an emergency procedure in my book. If at all possible charge to 100% or, swap out with a charged battery, tow it, etc. A dead battery can roast alternator stator or diodes, they are not designed to charge dead or defective batteries. Charge battery to 100% asap. Note too, a defective alternator can ruin a good battery. Neglecting the electrical system can get pretty spendy. A consumer grade auto start battery charger of 2 to 10 amperes is usually under $50, everyone should have one.

I use a tender on everything with a battery, and every few months give them an equalizing charge. Short trips will not keep them fully charged. A battery can have enough charge to start the vehicle but will still take several hours to reach 100%. Trucks that sit for weeks at a time especially will have batteries that sulfate up and this will kill them long before their time.

Periodically clean battery case and cables and connections from corrosion. For whatever reason, a clean charged battery doesn't seem to corrode much however.

It pays to keep them clean and charged. Check owners manual for any warnings or cautions before disconnecting a battery.

 

Just picked up my 2012 SCrew 5.0 from the dealer that I bought "Certified Used" in Jan of this year. This was the third time that I experience No Crank condition since June! Dealer keeps telling me it's a bad battery, charging system is fine and I should use a battery tender if I let the truck sit. The truck is driven every couple of days on 30 mile round trips. NO VEHICLE SHOULD NEED A BATTERY TENDER UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS!
I am not too pleased with dealers response as there numerous postings with similar experiences where the problem was diagnosed down to a bad BCM, Gauge Cluster or a wiring harness. This is the newest vehicle in my fleet and the least dependable. My 17yr old 278,000 mile vehicle gives me less worries!

 

M1greg, I agree, something else is wrong, either weak battery, or something in the charging system, or a parasitic draw. Testing the battery is extremely easy for most parts stores, and usually free, that's where I'd start, just because it's easy to rule out.

 

I would agree no vehicle should "need" a battery tender, but if you are experiencing problems it would be an excellent idea to use one until things get sorted out.

Batteries can be a little spendy for many folks too, and so can alternators and other electrical goodies to say nothing of shop labor rates. Everyone should have a battery charger if they operate a truck. A two to ten ampere basic auto 12 volt charger is probably less than $40, a permanent type tender about the same.

Anyway you will have to do some sleuthing to determine the fault. A basic DMM that can measure volts and milliamperes will do fine. Innova makes an inexpensive voltmeter too, that plugs into the cigar lighter receptacle or accessory port. For trucks without a volt gauge they work great for monitoring the exact battery/alternator voltage during cranking, idling, cruise RPM etc.

 

After my own experience, I am a firm believer in battery tenders.

With frequent use of a battery tender, I'm still on the original battery in my 07 Mustang.

Though a relatively new battery shouldn't NEED a battery tender, I can't help but think that the use of one will do no harm and in the long run will probably extend the life of a battery.....as long as the battery was well and correctly manufactured in the first place.

At the very least, it helps with cold starts....and this time of year for some of us, the starts can be VERY cold.

 

I've doubled the life span on batteries by keeping them on a tender. In fact, I can't remember the last time I had to replace one I had kept on a tender ....

Though, I can think of a couple I've replaced because I forgot to hook one up ....

 

The problem today with modern trucks seems to be parasitic drain. All batteries self-discharge over time, but the added load of computer controls and security systems presents a constant electrical "leak" even when everything is functioning correctly. It's slight but it's always there. In hot weather especially the battery starts to sulfate and lose capacity, and it just kills them before their time. Years ago I think it probably wouldn't be unusual to leave a truck parked and it would start fine, even after several months. Not anymore.

 

Out with the old!

In with the new!

After my truck sat for 5 days in the long term parking lot at the airport this week, it struggled to start this afternoon once I returned. Given the past winter's struggle to start on frigid mornings I figured i'd have the battery tested. I went to pep boys and they said that they thought there was a dead cell. it was only showing 445 CCA's on my battery that was rated for 650 CCA's. With that said, the technician said that the machine said to charge the battery and test again. I'm not sure what that means but he suggested to change it either way.

Given all of yall's advice as well as his I decided to swing by the ford dealership for a new one. A stock 650 cca battery was $119, as was the 750 cca battery as well. But for $10 more I ended up with a 850 cca battery with a 36 mo. free replacement, and 100 mo. pro rated warranty.

I didn't bother to have them install it due to time, so I swapped it out and will be bringing the old one if for the core charge later. With that said, my truck seemed to start funny after replacing it. It turned over faster than I've ever recalled, but it kept turning over quickly for about 5 seconds before it lit off. is this normal after replacing the battery?

Thanks,

Q.

 

The battery is strictly for starting, technically. It sort of acts like a surge suppressor or filter, but it's main duty is start up. Then the alternator takes over.

If the engine takes a long time to start something else is going on, all things being equal.

I always put a new battery on the charger for at least several hours, btw. Start 'em out on the right foot.

 

It wouldn't be a bad idea if your wife drove your truck at least once a week. It's better for your truck and will help ensure it's running should she need it in an emergency.

The other thing that can go wrong in cold weather and long periods of sitting is bad gas, especially gas with ethanol. Ethanol will break down if left in there too long. Switch to 91 octane with no ethanol and keep the fuel tanks topped up so there's no room for condensation. In winter I don't let the tank go below 1/2 full.

If it gets really cold you can add a little bottle of gas line antifreeze. In Ohio you probably don't need it but the stuff is also good for eliminating water.

For trickle charging I have a little solar panel that plugs in through the cigarette lighter so it doesn't need a 110 volt outlet and you don't have to open the hood just get in and drive.

 

I agree that corn-gas doesn't store well and breaks down, sooner rather than later. But, "HEET" or gas line antifreeze is basically alcohol, too. A couple gallons of 10 percent corn-gas will mop up condensation or water in the fuel and do the same thing.

 

With what little research I did and this thread confirming my results, the Motorcraft Max is the least expensive with the best overall warranty and replacement period. 36 months free and the remainder of the 100 months prorated is a pretty strong deal for $129.00.

 

She plans on driving it every 2 weeks at the minimum, at least that's what she tells me. I'm not sure if there is anywhere local that sells ethanol free gas, but i'll do some research. With that said, I was going to use sta-bil gas stabilizer with a full tank of gas. any issues with that? I've used it on all of my small engines that sit over winter and have had good luck with them starting right up in the spring.

Thanks for the solar trickle charger inside the vehicle idea, I might have to look into that.
That's what I found as well. The only battery that was comparable was a wal mart brand battery. it had an 850 CCA rating with a 3 year free replacement for $109.00. I'm not sure if people have had luck with those batteries or not, but I didn't' want to experiment given my circumstances.
would the fuel stabilizer do the same thing in regards to ice in the fuel lines?

 

No, fuel stabilizer keeps it from souring or turning to varnish at least for a while.