ok - don't laugh

How do you tell a battery really requires changing and won't hold a charge anymore.

To be honest - I don't know

Along with my stalling issue - my starting seems to be harder - and it seems like a battery. I added 2 stroke (for general reasons) and drove for like 20 miles to let the alternator charge her up. Got back ..... and turned engine off with lights still on. Saw the voltage needle drop pretty quick from 14V to around 10V.

The battery says 10/07 .......... no other indicators

If I need a battery - how to tell if 1 or 2 ? - and any recommendations on where what to buy ?

--- Update to the previous post...

Found this

http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/001227.html

There is actually 3 different ways to test the battery.

One would be a voltmeter to check voltage. This requires a some what reliable voltmeter or multimeter. I think the full charge voltage is 12.7 to 12.9 volts. If the voltage is only 10 volts or so, that is an easy indication of a bad cell in the battery. That checks voltage but it really doesn't mean that the battery can handle a heavy load. It may handle electronics(Radio, GPS or VHF radio) but may fail to start an outboard or run a trolling motor for very long.

The second method is with the load tester. The load tester can be used even if it still installed in the boat or vehicle. It is as simple as connecting the clamps to the positive and negative posts. A spring loaded toggle switch is actuated for 5 seconds and a reading is displayed on the meter. It places a dummy load of close to 100 amps on the battery. You do this while watching the meter on the load tester. It is calibrated in voltage and if voltage readings scare you, it has a scale which reads BAD, WEAK or OK. 5 seconds is long enough time to be engaging the starter motor on an outboard or vehicle. If you boat motor takes longer or if it takes multiple tries to start the motor, that can be simulated with the tester also. Just actuate the switch on the tester to mimic what your starting procedure is on your boat. I like this test. It comes as close to what your battery actually needs to do, to produce the CURRENT(not voltage) to turn the starter.

The third way is by measuring the specific gravity of the electrolyte. This is the most accurate way to test a battery, but most people don't want the extra work involved to accomplish accurate results.

You need a temperature compensating hydrometer to do this. They are available at some auto parts stores for $20-40.

Guessing then its not something I can do at home to well without some load tester

Basically if you charge the batteries up separately overnight and then let them sit all day it should be 12.6 Volts at a full charge and holding. But as a battery ages the lead turns to sulfate lead and piles up in the bottom of the cells and starts to short out the plates and bleed the battery down. But yes load testing is the best way to test a battery. Like with my house batteries when they started to fall I would charge them up and disconnect the solar and hydro generators and then watch the voltage fall... Also was noticing the 1 failed battery would be hotter in temp compared to the others (internally shorted).

I would go to a local parts store or a place that deals with automotive batteries, They should have a tester that puts load test. As far as buying batteries we have a place that sells batteries only (voltex) and the sell lots of blems about half price. hope that helps.

We had a guy here that sold blems. After buying from him for the last 30 yrs, he retired. Bummer. The mercedes battery was $20 & lasted 3 years. Its replacement was $150.I bought a couple of 3 yr free replacements from AZone for the Ram. It wasn't a deal but they're installed & working without a problem. Don't make batteries more complicated than necessary. Too bad the rest of the truck isn't as easy.

For my truck my batteries were in the truck since 2002. That is eight years, they still worked good but I bought new ones this summer just to feel safer. More cranks the quiker they go. End of story. My truck was lucky to get started once a month. and they did well. Carbon Pile Load is the only real way to test. http://www.harborfreight.com/500-amp-carbon-pile-load-tester-91129.html Harbour freight to the rescue!

For my truck my batteries were in the truck since 2002. That is eight years, they still worked good but I bought new ones this summer just to feel safer.

Still have the original Oem batts in my 02 yet also, 115k and still ticking.

Specific gravity testing isn't practical on most new batteries anymore because of the simple fact that most are sealed batteries.

Load testing with a load tester is the best way. For the normal automotive battery the digital load testers work excellent, but for large batteries like 2D and 4D batteries like I work with daily Pile load testers are the best and only way.

My primary is 650 cranking Amps and the secondary is 550 cranking amps. I can get new ones from midas for around $120 each - rated with 750 cranking amps Should I just replace the right one (550 cranking amps) .......... ??

My primary is 650 cranking Amps and the secondary is 550 cranking amps. I can get new ones from midas for around $120 each - rated with 750 cranking amps Should I just replace the right one (550 cranking amps) .......... ??

Never replace one battery at a time, Always replace them both as a matched set. The system with 2 mismatched batteries is only as good as the week one. as it will drain the good one down to its level. Also keep in mind that High CA or CCA is not always the best battery, The higher the CCA the less reserve the battery has. meaning it may have more power but will only crank for a minute before being dead whereas with a lower CCA battery it may have a few less amps for cranking but will crank for as an example a couple minutes before going dead.

Now also remember the batteries are wiried in parallel so the amperage doubles so a 550 CCA becomes 1100 CCA batteries! Typically the design is to double the amount of CCA on the batteries over the load of the starter. So if the starter requires roughly 300-600 amps to start cold then you'll need at least 600-1,200 CCA worth of batteries. The only time the batteries really get beat is cold winter mornings with thick oil and grid heaters pulling huge amount of amps.

ok - thanks guys So - if one is 550 and the other is 650 - then thats 1200 CA across the board right ? So do our starters require 600 - then seems should be enough ?? Just seems to be starting harder than before ......... but does start

ok - thanks guys So - if one is 550 and the other is 650 - then thats 1200 CA across the board right ? So do our starters require 600 - then seems should be enough ?? Just seems to be starting harder than before ......... but does start

According to this page it is 450-700A while cranking. http://mopar.mopar1973man.com/cummins/2ndgen24v/starter/starter.htm You are right about the cranking amps adding up. Like I have 4 all around 1000CA so I have 4000CA

According the Dodge FSM the starters require 400-750 Amps...

So 400 on a warm summer day with cold engine... Or 750 on a super cold winter morning... Brrr!

--- Update to the previous post...

According to this page it is 450-700A while cranking. http://mopar.mopar1973man.com/cummins/2ndgen24v/starter/starter.htm

You are right about the cranking amps adding up. Like I have 4 all around 1000CA so I have 4000CA

Good Gawd! 4,000 CCA??? Can you say arc welder???

Man - well that all makes sense except the part if I need to replace or not

Well rang the wife - and she decided to replace them - so I guess thats that - hope its not the starter and just wasted $250. When will this crap end ......

thanks guys

--- Update to the previous post...

Good Gawd! 4,000 CCA??? Can you say arc welder???

At least you could jump start a freighliner if they were stuck ........ or run some floodlights for football practice

Got mine from atwoods for around $75 each, and now they are a matched set so they will both feed equal, and charge equal.

Well rang the wife - and she decided to replace them - so I guess thats that - hope its not the starter and just wasted $250. When will this crap end ......

i replaced my oem batteries for the big ones from wallmart when my starter contacts were going out last year. i was a little irritated but starter contacts were ~$24+shipping. the wallmart batteries are 1000CCA and at $75 bucks a pop. i get slow starts now. when i took the clutch hydraulics out to bleed them, i guess the clutch switch isn't in the same spot. i almost have to put the clutch thru the floor pan. but people are more likely to put the clutch to the floor, since it took them 5mins to realize the reason they couldn't start my truck is cause they didn't put the clutch in enough!

My brother has 3 batteries that are all good sitting out here. Can you say, 7000CA? I was actually telling Mike last night about how it would be nice to have a really crappy alternator (that somehow still works) and then a deep cycle battery and run just the grids off of it. So then it is killing an alternator that you don't care about and a battery that is meant to be "deeply cycled". But you would have to find a way to rig up the crappy alternator. Maybe that's what I should do today.

if a second alternator could be mounted, i would be vary interested! could one remove/swap the bridge rectifier to run AC tools/power?

I am still on my original OEM batteries. They started getting real tired and slow cranking last year so I tried charging them up with my CTEK MULTI US 7002 or 7000: http://www.ctek.com/EN-US/consumer/mus-7002.aspx Around the farm here I have a ton of batteries so replacing them when they get weak is my last resort. I bought the CTEK charger conditioner based on some reviews and recommendations I watched on Horsepower TV. They don't cost that much so I figured I would give it a try. When I first hooked the charger up to the batteries while mounted in the truck, it took almost 5 days for the CTEK charger to run its charge/restore program but the batteries worked like new and have been going strong for another year. They are getting slow again and I will try the CTEK again. I use it on my ATV, zero turn mower, tractor, and car batteries. Works like a champ. If it makes you batteries last an extra year or 2, in my opinion, it has paid for itself. http://www.buckeyetoolsupply.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/SFV/32842/vpid/7263898/vpcsid/0/rid/135733 http://www.summitracing.com/search/Brand/CTEK/Product-Line/CTEK-Power-Multi-US-7002-Battery-Chargers/?autoview=SKU Worth every penny in my opinion.

My brother has 3 batteries that are all good sitting out here. Can you say, 7000CA? I was actually telling Mike last night about how it would be nice to have a really crappy alternator (that somehow still works) and then a deep cycle battery and run just the grids off of it. So then it is killing an alternator that you don't care about and a battery that is meant to be "deeply cycled". But you would have to find a way to rig up the crappy alternator. Maybe that's what I should do today.

kinda off subject but dude how did you get the smiliey to work on truck?

kinda off subject but dude how did you get the smiliey to work on truck?

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