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Batteries or what?

kerley
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kerley

kerley

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Just some background:I don't drive my 24v much anymore. 200,534 miles on the clock. In the last seven years I've only put 5200 miles on it. I last drove it three weeks ago and all was fine. This morning I turned the switch to on position and all the bells and such worked just fine. When I bumped the starter it would not turn over, just kind of drug but not fast enough to start. I cleaned the battrey cables and battrey posts, connected the battrey charger and It read "FULL CHARGE" so I tried to start it again but she would not go.I desided to drive my 97 GMC Sonoma which has not been started for a year, It was dead. I connected the battrey charger and It read "FULL CHARGE" but it was dead. I got my battrey jumper cables, connected them to my tractor and It started right up. I then connected the cables to the Dodge and It still would not crank or even turn over.My conclusion is that the battrey charger is worn out, probly from setting on the shelf in the garage. Tomorrow morning I will remove both batteries from the dodge and go have them tested. They are seven years old and if they are dead then that may be the fix, eather way I will install "HOT" batteries. If that does not solve the problem then I will start looking at the Starter and Solenoid. Is there anything else that would attribute to this current problem? All helpfull information will be apreciated.

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CSM

CSM

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I think you are on the right track. Starter solenoid may just be a bit "stuck." Or small furry demons have chewed through some magical electrical component.I aspire to laziness, and in that interest I would probably tap the solenoid with a hammer handle a few times before I went to the trouble of pulling the batteries.

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flagmanruss

flagmanruss

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Most vehicles have a "parasitic draw" small loads that will eventually drain your batteries. Unless you use it fairly often, keep a battery maintainer on it or a small solar maintainer. I learned my lesson, although at 7 years the batteries have outlasted every one I've owned.

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Haggar

Haggar

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Kerley,Just recently I have run into this with my battery charger. (is your a Schumacher?) If my battery is really drained the stupid thing will show "full charge", but on one of them which had a dead cell, only would charge to 10.7 volts. I no longer trust the charge gauge on the charger and check with a volt meter.The parasitic draw will absolutely kill the battery. I have gotten to disconnecting most if they are not used on a regular basis. Adding a battery minder might help (trickle charger). Some of my trucks just don't hang out conveniently near plug ins. Have been considering a photocell type one that plugs in the cigarette lighter. (won't work on the Honda, the lighter is not in the charging circuit with key off.....) HTHHag

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kerley

kerley

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Kerley, Just recently I have run into this with my battery charger. (is your a Schumacher?) If my battery is really drained the stupid thing will show "full charge", but on one of them which had a dead cell, only would charge to 10.7 volts. I no longer trust the charge gauge on the charger and check with a volt meter. The parasitic draw will absolutely kill the battery. I have gotten to disconnecting most if they are not used on a regular basis. Adding a battery minder might help (trickle charger). Some of my trucks just don't hang out conveniently near plug ins. Have been considering a photocell type one that plugs in the cigarette lighter. (won't work on the Honda, the lighter is not in the charging circuit with key off.....) HTH Hag

Yes we have the same charger. I took the batteries to town today. One was totally DEAD, the other was not dead but would not hold a charge. I replaced both batteries and she fired right up, all is good. Thank you, Kerley
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kerley

kerley

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Glad you got it all fixed and running... :wink:

Thank you. I am too, every time some thing sounds like trouble I start to worry. Everything connected to this Dodge/Cummins is very costly, and not many reputable repair shops, seams like the repair shops are all outlaws around here. Maybe It's just me, I feel older than dirt, Haha. I thank everyone that chimed in to help me. Kerley.
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  • 1 month later...
kerley

kerley

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Like I said, I don't drive the Dodge very much these days. Fuel is four dollars a gallon and we live ten miles from town so we try to plan out trips to do all town business together. I drove the truck yesterday and the dash guage showed a total discharge, even the fuel and oil pressure guages showed zero pressure. I shut her down for ten minutes and fired her back up and all was normal. This morning there was hardly enough juice to turn her over and guages shower zero or discharge. I knew the batterys were new so I installed a new Alternator and all is well again. With 200K on the clock I don't think the Alternator owed me anything and all is well now.

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