Dead Dual Batteries...AGAIN
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 238
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From: Eastern PA
Dead Dual Batteries...AGAIN
Hey fellow FTE's. I have an '04 6.0 with 43k miles on it. Recently been letting truck sit and driving a little econo box due to fuel prices. For the 4th time since April this year I have two almost dead batteries. I pulled them out, charged them and then had them tested under load to see if they were still good. They test OK. I turned off my rear view mirror thermometer/compass, pulled the fuse on the remote start. What else could it be? They go dead in approximately 3 weeks of sitting. And YES I know I need to run it more and will to avoid this problem but I do want to know what the drain is that's causing this...THANKS !
Larry
Larry
Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 27,931
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I had this happen on a car. The only way I found the short (turned out to be in some interior marker lights) was to put an ammeter between the battery wire and terminal to verify a parasitic current draw. Then started pulling fuses to see which one stopped the current. Then researched all that was in that circuit and started the trial and error searching again. They are a pain! I wish you luck.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,862
Likes: 44
From: Tooele, UT
yeah it sounds like you have a short somewhere. they are a real PITA to locate and takes a lot of time. if you do what bismic said to do you should be able to locate the short. more than likely a wire chaffed and is shorting out to ground somewhere.
and again GOOD LUCK!!
and again GOOD LUCK!!
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 124
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From: Home
I had this happen to my truck shortly after I got it. Turned out to be my glovebox's light was on even after the glovebox was shut. I realized the cause when I discovered the light was in. Somebody had put her feet on the glovebox and hadn't realized she pushed the latch in so it wouldn't push the lightswitch next to the latch.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 27,931
Likes: 3,653
I had this happen to my truck shortly after I got it. Turned out to be my glovebox's light was on even after the glovebox was shut. I realized the cause when I discovered the light was in. Somebody had put her feet on the glovebox and hadn't realized she pushed the latch in so it wouldn't push the lightswitch next to the latch.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2006
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Parasitic loads, they are built into the truck, ECM, radio etc. Fresh batteries may last longer, but IMO, if your only issue is that your batteries are dead after sitting for three weeks you either need to drive it more often or disconnect the batteries if its going to sit that long.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 124
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From: Home
2004 F-250 crewcab. Ford DOES give us glove box lights!
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 27,931
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Amazing - according to years of posts (and the tech folder), you can get the parts to add on, but a glove box light is not included with any of our trucks (along with wheel well liners, hood liners, etc). Yours is the first I have heard of. Are you the original owner?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ml#post2660701
(This was a source of many, many unhappy posts years back).
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ml#post2660701
(This was a source of many, many unhappy posts years back).
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 124
Likes: 2
From: Home
Amazing - according to years of posts (and the tech folder), you can get the parts to add on, but a glove box light is not included with any of our trucks (along with wheel well liners, hood liners, etc). Yours is the first I have heard of. Are you the original owner?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ml#post2660701
(This was a source of many, many unhappy posts years back).
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ml#post2660701
(This was a source of many, many unhappy posts years back).
I'm the second owner. My Brother-in-law was the first. I know he ordered the truck, not bought it off the lot.
The links that were supposed to show pictures of before and after were not showing. The link sent me to a page that said "ERROR! The file you have requested cannot be found.".
I wish they had the pictures so I could compare. My truck code says it's a XLT, but there's no sticker or emblem that states it on the truck. It's got more options than a Lincoln, to the point I feel like I'm not driving a truck anymore! Maybe he ordered it with all the bells and whistles and got the light and wheel well covers? The lights even turn themselves off! I mean the courtesy lights in the cab will turn off if I forget to turn them off after reading my mail when I pick it up. Even the headlights turn themselves on and off by themselves. When I first got it, I felt a draft blowing the seat of my pants, and my daughter complained that her butt was getting hot. Turned out the seats are air conditioned and heated! The pedal goes up and down electrically, ditto with the seats. They, the seats also tilt and go forwards and back with a push of a button. I bought it to haul my tractor, not go to a prom! Seems this truck is well suited to do both and do them well!
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 125
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I would put an automatic battery charger on it. Like the battery tender. You can get these chargers at Wal-Mart and any Auto Parts, Farm supply store.
Make sure it is not the "trickle" type that is always on.
You want it to have Float Mode Monitoring.
Make sure it is not the "trickle" type that is always on.
You want it to have Float Mode Monitoring.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Remember that the 6.0 needs every bit of battery it has to start. Even more so on cold starts.
Not driving or getting the truck to operating temps for 3 weeks at a time is probably more your problem than anything. The demand at first is much greater than if the truck is already warm.
Never the less, there's a lot of good suggestions already - I'd try starting the truck and letting it reach operating temps at least once a week and see if that solves your problem.
If not, then you may want to start searching for the draw as was suggested. Also, poor quality batteries will show their true colors under high demand starts. IF you do replace the batteries, be sure to go with a good quality, high CCA product. You'll thank yourself in the long run. I've seen on many occasions that a customer has complaints about cold starts or dead batteries only to lift the hood and find a wally world special. After replacing the less than desirable culprit, there's not been any problems.
IMO, of course.
Not driving or getting the truck to operating temps for 3 weeks at a time is probably more your problem than anything. The demand at first is much greater than if the truck is already warm.
Never the less, there's a lot of good suggestions already - I'd try starting the truck and letting it reach operating temps at least once a week and see if that solves your problem.
If not, then you may want to start searching for the draw as was suggested. Also, poor quality batteries will show their true colors under high demand starts. IF you do replace the batteries, be sure to go with a good quality, high CCA product. You'll thank yourself in the long run. I've seen on many occasions that a customer has complaints about cold starts or dead batteries only to lift the hood and find a wally world special. After replacing the less than desirable culprit, there's not been any problems.
IMO, of course.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,612
Likes: 2
From: Dunwoody, GA
I'm the second owner. My Brother-in-law was the first. I know he ordered the truck, not bought it off the lot.
The links that were supposed to show pictures of before and after were not showing. The link sent me to a page that said "ERROR! The file you have requested cannot be found.".
I wish they had the pictures so I could compare. My truck code says it's a XLT, but there's no sticker or emblem that states it on the truck. It's got more options than a Lincoln, to the point I feel like I'm not driving a truck anymore! Maybe he ordered it with all the bells and whistles and got the light and wheel well covers? The lights even turn themselves off! I mean the courtesy lights in the cab will turn off if I forget to turn them off after reading my mail when I pick it up. Even the headlights turn themselves on and off by themselves. When I first got it, I felt a draft blowing the seat of my pants, and my daughter complained that her butt was getting hot. Turned out the seats are air conditioned and heated! The pedal goes up and down electrically, ditto with the seats. They, the seats also tilt and go forwards and back with a push of a button. I bought it to haul my tractor, not go to a prom! Seems this truck is well suited to do both and do them well!
The links that were supposed to show pictures of before and after were not showing. The link sent me to a page that said "ERROR! The file you have requested cannot be found.".
I wish they had the pictures so I could compare. My truck code says it's a XLT, but there's no sticker or emblem that states it on the truck. It's got more options than a Lincoln, to the point I feel like I'm not driving a truck anymore! Maybe he ordered it with all the bells and whistles and got the light and wheel well covers? The lights even turn themselves off! I mean the courtesy lights in the cab will turn off if I forget to turn them off after reading my mail when I pick it up. Even the headlights turn themselves on and off by themselves. When I first got it, I felt a draft blowing the seat of my pants, and my daughter complained that her butt was getting hot. Turned out the seats are air conditioned and heated! The pedal goes up and down electrically, ditto with the seats. They, the seats also tilt and go forwards and back with a push of a button. I bought it to haul my tractor, not go to a prom! Seems this truck is well suited to do both and do them well!
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
From: Eastern PA
So here I am AGAIN...must have recharged those old motorcraft batteries for 1 1/2 years and finally gave in to Advanced Auto being wrong on the "batteries are ok under load test"...so I replaced them both, and 2 weeks later BOTH NEW BATTERIES ARE DEAD..... I'm going to buy a battery tender and keep it plugged in to get rid of this issue for good !