Has your truck ever killed your Cell phone?

[Bruno]

Except maybe the one you bought a bus ticket for.

Well, you can't fix everything Dave. You have to stop the bleeding at some point. You can only help someone so much. In the past we have tried to help drivers and it cost us dearly. One truck a driver ran the truck out of fuel two times in less than six hours costing us over $1200.00 in service calls. We had another driver that said he could drive a six speed. We found out later from the Freightliner Dealership that the cause of the failure on the transmission was from the driver. We just had a rebuild transmission put in the truck before he started driving the truck that cost us $6500.00. Sometimes it's better to cut your losses before they get bigger like in cases we have in the past.

 

[Bruno]

If the batteries were totally dead, and somthing was on or pulling a draw, and it was an older cell phone, like ten years ago its posiable.

Bob Wolf

Newer Cell phone Bob. Better than mine lol

 

[mjmsprt40]

The truck has a APU also. The driver training this driver had no problem with his cell phone when he rode with this driver for two weeks during training. How can one phone go bad and ont the other?

I'm just offering a couple of possibilities based on personal experience. I've had an alternator go wild, it suddenly started sending 20+ volts through the system. I was close to home and that was a good thing, I had to disconnect the alternator and drive home on battery power that night. Another time I had a battery get an internal short. The car wouldn't start and it pegged the charger's needle-- which right away tells you that you've got trouble. A ten-amp charger connected to a CV's single battery should never show more than a couple of amps draw if the battery is any good, when it pegs at ten amps---. I had to get the van started to move it, and managed to jump from another battery. It immediately pegged a 60-amp gauge. Fortunately I only had to go a few feet like that, I'd have had major trouble trying to drive any distance.

If you have electronic toys plugged into a system that has gone wild, you can expect trouble in your toys. I suspect this isn't the case this time though. I seem to remember you saying you replaced batteries though,so if there was trouble that's where I would be looking for it.

 

[davekc]

Well, you can't fix everything Dave. You have to stop the bleeding at some point. You can only help someone so much. In the past we have tried to help drivers and it cost us dearly. One truck a driver ran the truck out of fuel two times in less than six hours costing us over $1200.00 in service calls. We had another driver that said he could drive a six speed. We found out later from the Freightliner Dealership that the cause of the failure on the transmission was from the driver. We just had a rebuild transmission put in the truck before he started driving the truck that cost us $6500.00. Sometimes it's better to cut your losses before they get bigger like in cases we have in the past.

I totally agree. Sometimes you just can't fix stupid.

 

[AMonger]

(I honestly dont know if it is possible for this to happen so maybe it can?)

Electronics & electrical systems are definitely not my bag, so I don't know how this works. But I did have a cell phone battery that would drain quickly if I plugged it into my car.

 

[mjmsprt40]

Electronics & electrical systems are definitely not my bag, so I don't know how this works. But I did have a cell phone battery that would drain quickly if I plugged it into my car.

I wonder-- could the cigarette/power socket be wired backwards? Would the cell-phone charger even work if it were plugged into a power socket that was wired backwards?

Could the cell-phone charger be wired backwards? It's possible that one slipped by quality control, I suppose.

Edit: It's worth mentioning the power socket/cigarette lighter socket. Usually these are mounted into a plastic panel and have two wires feeding it. The wire that connects the shell of the socket should be negative, the one connecting the center terminal should be positive. In some vehicles, it is possible to get them backwards if you've had it apart for cleaning or something.

 

[highway star]

Some car chargers are sold as "quick chargers". A quick charge won't be as deep and would be depleted quicker.

 

[iceroadtrucker]

The only Time I have a power problem is when people forgets to hang up the phone and I get to listen to them to them talk about ya for an hour or so. Then I Hold aloft my Magic sword for for a Recharge. They dont make things like they used to.

 

[BobWolf]

Yep, definetely sounds like a driver issue. My problem is the long batery life somtimes I dont realize howlow it is untill it dies.

Bob Wolf

 

[xmudman]

I had a voltage regulator in alternator go south was putting out 18 volts burnt out the charger for the cell phone just saying!

Same thing for me in an ambulance; no cell phone problems, just a starter fire. Philly FD sprayed the console as well as underhood. The rig sat for almost a year being repaired. I wasn't that worried; as long as I got the patient, the oxygen and the $7000 defibrillator out, in that order, my boss was pleased.

 

[BobWolf]

Seen a couple EMS rigs burn both were the Ford chasis fuel line routing. As long as you, your partner and the patient are alright and yes in that order. B.T.W. who do you ride with? I ride with Clarendon N.Y. Vol. Fire Dept.

Bob Wolf.

 

[xmudman]

Seen a couple EMS rigs burn both were the Ford chasis fuel line routing. As long as you, your partner and the patient are alright and yes in that order. B.T.W. who do you ride with? I ride with Clarendon N.Y. Vol. Fire Dept.

Bob Wolf.

This was in 1985, with a paid private squad in Philly. The truck was a '79 Chevy. I quit running EMS in 1992 after my back went south.

BTW, re: the PM you sent me, you're welcome.