More Battery Woes & A Happy Ending

[kitesurf_phil]

Went to take the truck to the Pit today. Turned the starter.......zilch!! The batteries wouldn't spin it over fast enough to start.
I got a jump start from my neighbour and went for a 35 mile round trip. When I got back I took some electrical measurements.

Engine off 12.6V
Engine running 13.85V
Individual batteries disconnected 12.6V and 12.58V
Current drain with no accessories connected 200mA
Current drain with mobile charger/handsfree unit 208mA
Current drain with Auto Antenna Tuner (Ham radio) 652mA
Current drain with all the above and a door open (interior lights on) 1.2A

It says something for the capacity of the batteries that the offending item has been connected in the truck since September. The inline fuse has been removed for now. It is going to be wired so that it is only powered when the ignition switch is in the first position.

[Sparky]

battery wowes

have you tried voltage test under load?
try each battery in turn conected,with volt meter and try to turn over.one of them will probably drop bellow 9/10 volts.
this is the nakt one.

[Phil H]

It is also worth trying a voltage check with the engine running and everything switched on. i.e. Heated rear window, lights, radio, fog lights and ciggy lighter. Make sure the voltage has not dropped too far..

At this time of year we all tend to run with more things on so if the charge level from the alternator has become low then the batteries will not get a good charge and it only takes a good cold night to make it show.

After starting the engine it would normally take the best part of 20 mins running for the batteries to fully recover (without appliances.). How many short trips do we all make with lights, fans, window heater. It all adds up and gets the battery in the end..


Phil.

[kitesurf_phil]

I do a 70 mile round trip each day. At this time of the year it's lights on both ways. Also, when I am using my radio gear, I am dragging 22 - 25 Amps on speech peaks every time I transmit. I sometimes natter to someone for the entire journey home. I think I need a leasure battery!!