We can start a thread and maybe Scott can "sticky" it to the top for the winter season???

 

Your Welcome James. I guess that I posted it just in time for you!

 

I'm working on one now for the glow plugs and the GPR. It may take me a bit longer than this one did. Stay tuned.........

 

Thanks for the wright up Jim. Nice job! Lots of guys and girls, don't know how much of a drain on the batt. it is to start a diesel motor! At the turn of the key, you got glow plugs, if you left the heater fan on, thats running, radio, CB if you have one, fuel pump, ect. After all that, than you have the starter trying to turn over a cold, high compression engine! This all takes a toll on the batt. Lots of draw on a cold batt's..........

 

Great job. We'll be waiting.

 

The cable is an electrical short and the starter will see both batteries and pull more from whichever one has a higher reserve (more voltage) regardless of location until the load balances out between the two batteries. Unless you suspect a cable or connection issue (i.e. all that green stuff growing around your battery terminal connections, there is no need to swap the batteries back and forth.

Because of the hard cycling of the batteries that megawatt00 described, it is a good idea to replace the batteries in pairs for that very reason. You may save some $$$ up front by only replacing one, but your batteries will not last as long.

On a separate note, if you want to clean that green mung off of your battery terminals use a mixture of baking soda and water and scrub with an old toothbrush. When you're done rinse with some fresh water and, viola, clean terminals with strong electrical connections.

EDIT: A good way to check if your cabling is good is to take a voltage reading across each battery at idle. If they are the same then your cables are good, if they are substantially different then they are not. Not an all inclusive check, but a good indicator none-the-less. If you do find that your cabling is not in the best shape and there is a voltage disparity, then swapping battery locations occassionally would be a good idea to help extend battery life.

 

had some time last night so I thought I would clean the bat cables and check the water levels and voltage. All water levels were full. With a ball float I checked the 'charge'. Pass. side batt. one cell 'dead', one cell 50% charge, 4cells 75% charged.... drivers side, one cell 50%, 5-cells 75% charged. With one batt 'off' the in-line, I checked with volt meter. Truck off, Pass. side 12.21 volts, drivers side 12.40. Reconnected batts to systemand started the truck, voltsge 14.45.

What say you guys? The 'dead' cell bothers me, so I think it time for a couple of new batts. Is the running volt from the alt, where it should be?

Thanks
Brother Les

 

Brother Les, Your Alt is right around where it should be. I would seriously consider some new batteries. Where you have on dead cell, good job using a hydrometer btw, and quite a few weak ones, it is only a matter of time before they die out on you. The batteries in my truck are rated at 1000 CA, 850 CCA @ 32* F. If the temp drops lower than that then the drain on the batteries goes up considerably.

 

That would bother me too. Your alternator is putting out 14.4VDC which is it's nominal rated voltage so it is tip top. Your batteries are running 12VDC (nominal) but with the deteriorating cells you don't have the reserve that you used to. The start is the most abusive cycle the battery gets, and with these big blocks it's even more so (which is why there are 2 batteries). It's only a matter of time before your R..R..R..vroom goes to RR....RR....RR....RR....RR....vroom to RRR........RRR........RRR........(nothing). I agree with megawatt00, a pre-emptive strike of a new set of batteries before you're stranded would be a good investment.

Mine died quite suddenly. I noticed it starting a little slower for about 2 days and the 3rd morning I went out to start it and it tried to roll over about 3 times and then nothing. Luckily I was home so I grabbed my wife's keys and jump started my PSD with my wife's Hyundai. Not the manliest moment in my life but I got to work on time. Went out and bought 2 Optima red tops (1000ca and 800cca) and never have to check levels (or fill) ever again!

Just my .02

 

Thanks guys. I told the lovely lady of the house that I needed new batts for the truck.... (she knows I play with it) she asked about the 'volts' and I gave the story.... she said it should be 'OK'... I said ..'Nope', my buddy "megawatt00" says (paraphrase) the weakest link is the difference between walking and riding in the snow... (she likes plowing through the snow...not walking... the first winter we had this 2001 F-250 Crew Cab... the fuel filter iced up, the truck gently slowed and 'died'... we did not know what happen, AND SHE DID NOT want to walk in the snow...lesson learned... spare filter and anti-gell in the tank.)


Thanks Guys
Brother Les

 

I do like your paraphrase Brother Les!!

The bad cells in your battery will "act up" when the weather gets colder and you need the extra power from your batteries.

 

Just to add my two cents worth;
On an annual basis, especially in cold climate,
I strongly recommend that the truck battery terminal removed, cleaned to shiny metal and reconnected with a small amount of grease on the inside of the connections. the grease will make the connection air and water tight. This is the practice used on all the standby diesels used for the Telecom industry nation wide.

 

I would appriciate a bit more on the voltage difference between 2 batterys. My 7.3 gets 2-3 starts between jumps. wile running its a champ. just checked the DS Battery and alt are around 14.4 v the PS Battery is 12.4 ish. If i put the vom between the + and an engine ground i get 14.4v how can i check the other connector to verify it is proper? resistance to ground wo battery attached?

 

Welcome to FTE!
If you can only get 2-3 starts then you have to jump it. I would start by load testing each battery seperatly. If you put your meter on the output of the alt to ground and get 14 volts then it is safe to assume that the alt is working correctly. With the readings being different between the 2 batteries I would suspect that they are gone and need replacing. Also check the condition of the cables and clamps. The cables can sometimes corrode on the inside and you don't even know it.

How old are your batteries?

 

Very good post Jim.