truck batteries

flying belgian · Mar 10, 2016

Grain truck has 3-12 volt batteries. Don't know what group but it doesn't matter. Don't know how old. I had the truck 4 yrs. and they were in there when I bought it. About a month ago I left the back up light on. When I came to it 4 days later batteries were completely dead. Slow charged them for 2 days and it started right up but they won't hold charge. Come back in 2 days and they are run down and truck won't start. Did leaving the light on cause their demise? Do I assume all 3 are shot? Do I have them load tested in the hopes that only 1 is shot? Because of their age do I just bite the bullet and buy 3 new? These are sealed maint. free batteries.

trucmech · Mar 10, 2016

Yeah did that once left lights on and killed battery. It was jumped and got running to get home but it was DEAD. I work trucks and generally replace all batts at once. you can do the bad one but remember they are only as good as the weakest battery. Basically the next one to go down will take the rest along.

dzc3 · Mar 10, 2016

I would load test them just to see if one is draining the other two. I never really had much luck replacing just one. I had a truck with 3 12 volts, replaced all three with one bus battery,( Battery Center) now just two terminals instead of 6. Worked great

DeltaRed · Mar 10, 2016

At 4 years,they are getting old.Odds are only one is bad,but it is draining the others.Replace all three. Only doing the 'bad' one wont work. the remaining old batterys will cause premature failure of the new one.I know buying 3 new ones is hard.But in the long run cheaper.

onefarmer · Mar 10, 2016

If it was me I'd load test them all individually. Keep the good ones(?) for my other tractors. And put new ones in the truck.

DeltaRed · Mar 10, 2016

That works if a core is not required.

Janicholson · Mar 10, 2016

Also check for a current drain other than the BU light. a draw of more than 75ma will draw it down. if it has a memory radio presets, pull the fuse on that before testing. Jim

Gambles · Mar 10, 2016

Making a battery go completely dead is hard on a newer battery. On an older battery, it can be a death sentence.
Try doing a slow charge on each battery with it unhooked from the electrical circuit. However, after a battery is completely charged, don't be surprised if it fails a couple of weeks or a few months later.

dpendzic · Mar 10, 2016

load test them and save the good ones to use elsewhere---can't figure why you need three batteries--why not just one 4d or 8d for the amperage you need? are you running 36 volts?

Josh-nhihguy · Mar 10, 2016

Just my 2 cents, but I've never been anywhere around here that a core was required to sell a battery. Might just lose a core charge but hey...old tractors have needs.

the tractor vet · Mar 10, 2016

More then likely you have three group 31 batterys if it is a diesel , now the big question are they STUD post or terminal posts. They use three for cranking amps and added amps for lights . On big trucks they use to use four like my 1977 4300 I H had , then they cut back to three when they started trying to shave weight off . every pound you shave off the light weight is a pound more of payload you can haul.

Bob Bancroft · Mar 11, 2016

What engine? My L10 Cummins starts with two group 31 just fine. I plug in the block heater below freezing. These are stud type batteries. I have changed several machines on this farm over to the stud type, as I like them much better than posts.

caterpillar guy · Mar 11, 2016

As said replace them all then test them individually. You can use the good ones for something else. I like the stud tops as they don't seem to require cleaning all the time and are easier to use. Also no warped clamp ends from over tightening.

big jt · Mar 11, 2016

I try to keep a few junk batteries around for just this purpose. When I was using Deere batteries they didn't require a core, at least the dealer wasn't strict about it.

Since the quality of deere batteries has tanked I am now getting Interstate and they do require a core.

jt

big jt · Mar 11, 2016

Take them out, Charge them and have them load tested with a electronic tester, not a simple load tester.

Like others have suggested if one is bad replace them all, keep the better ones (if there are any) for your old tractors, chemical pumps, etc.

I just went through this with my semi (L10 Cummins). One battery was clearly bad (frozen case), the other two had in the 500 CCA range left (group 31 is rated at 950). I replaced all three and will use the two sorta good ones as I described.

OH and BTW someone mentioned two 31 started his L10 just fine, I can back that up by saying that 1 brand new 31 will light the fire in a L10 on a nice day. Just for giggles as I was hooking them up I hit the button with only one hooked up and listened to the motor run as I finished up the work.

jt

Jon Hagen · Mar 11, 2016

The total discharge may have killed a weak battery. as another posted, remove all three, recharge and test.
One of our farm semi tractors started killing the batteries if unused for a week or more. I removed the three batteries, and noticed all were the sealed type,with no way to add water, although one was another brand. In two of them I could hear the electrolyte slosh as I rocked the batteries from side to side, one had no slosh. That one was dry. I replaced the dry one with cheap ($40)blem battery from interstate battery and reinstalled the other two. No more battery discharge trouble in 5 years since.

truck batteries

flying belgian

Well-known Member

trucmech

Member

dzc3

Member

DeltaRed

Well-known Member

onefarmer

Well-known Member

DeltaRed

Well-known Member

Janicholson

Well-known Member

Gambles

Well-known Member

dpendzic

Well-known Member

Josh-nhihguy

Member

the tractor vet

Well-known Member

Bob Bancroft

Well-known Member

caterpillar guy

Well-known Member

big jt

Well-known Member

big jt

Well-known Member

Jon Hagen

Well-known Member

Similar threads