Truck Battery Question

[jjoerger]

Our 2006 Columbia has 4-1010 CCA batteries that are 19 months old.
I had them tested a few weeks ago and one was not as strong as the other three, but I was told it would be OK.
Yesterday they were fully charged. This morning after the truck sat for 22 hours with just the fridge running it would not start.
I am replacing the one known weak battery tomorrow.
Will one bad battery draw the other three down?

 

[layoutshooter]

Our 2006 Columbia has 4-1010 CCA batteries that are 19 months old.
I had them tested a few weeks ago and one was not as strong as the other three, but I was told it would be OK.
Yesterday they were fully charged. This morning after the truck sat for 22 hours with just the fridge running it would not start.
I am replacing the one known weak battery tomorrow.
Will one bad battery draw the other three down?

Replace all four.

 

[jjoerger]

Replace all four.

Good advice, but hard to find the 1010 CCA Interstates. Petro and T/A no longer carry them. My local shop had one on the rack when I went in there last week.
I pulled out the known defective one and tried starting the truck on three after charging them with a 10 amp charger for 15 minutes and it cranked right up.
We have to leave for orientation in Illinois on Saturday morning so I only have tomorrow to get one and be ready to roll.

 

[layoutshooter]

Maybe call a shop near where your orientation is going to take place. They can have them for you when you get into the area. I got mine at Scott's commercial truck service in Toledo. I don't know if he had them in stock or had to order them. The trucks was in the shop for several days.

 

[usafk9]

That was 19 months ago?

I know it's probably overkill, but I replace mine annually. I have to replace mine sooner, as The body shop did not disconnect them when the work was being done last month, and they are weak. Going to try and get them warranteed. I bought mine at NAPA, ans believe they are Exides.

 

[jjoerger]

Thanks AJ. I forgot about NAPA.

 

[layoutshooter]

That was 19 months ago?

I know it's probably overkill, but I replace mine annually. I have to replace mine sooner, as The body shop did not disconnect them when the work was being done last month, and they are weak. Going to try and get them warranteed. I bought mine at NAPA, ans believe they are Exides.

Mine lasted 28 months. My "house batteries" have not yet been changed. They are isolated from my starters. I will likely change them soon. I have noticed that they don't run things as long as they once did.

 

[usafk9]

No problem.

Oh, and I got your PM.

Good luck at orientation.

 

[Turtle]

"Overkill" is running things like a fridge (and/or microwave) off your starting batteries. You're killing the batteries slowly over and over when you do that. After a year the cranking and amp hour capacity will be down to near 50% anyway, so replacing them annually would be the way to go. At 18 months they'll likely be below 50% capacity, and that's when problems start cropping up, especially if it's colder where the capacity is lower already.

Use the truck batteries for the truck, and a separate house bank for everything else, and you're truck batteries should last 3 years, maybe more. Otherwise, be prepared to replace them often. They key is to not discharge them too deeply, don't draw really high amp draws, and to make sure they always get fully recharged when you recharge them.

 

[jjoerger]

Back to my original question: Will one bad battery draw the other three down?
When the batteries were tested three showed over 900 CCA. They were 13.6 volts without a load and went down to @ 12.6 volts with a load.
One tested at 650 CCA. It was at 12.6 volts and dropped to 10 volts with a load.

 

[Turtle]

Yes, one battery will draw down and kill the others. The broken battery will be constantly drawing power from the good batteries, wearing them out (creating advanced sulfation) and dramatically reducing their ability to hold a charge. That's why the advice of "replace all four" was given. The bad battery has severely weakened (for lack of a better term) the 3 good ones, and when you stick a new on in there the 3 weakened ones will end up killing the new one for the same reasons.

 

[jjoerger]

So, would I be better off isolating 2 for starting and 2 for the fridge and inverter (TV, DVD, etc.)? Maybe use a marine type switch so I can use all four as starting if necessary.
Would 2 be enough for a Mercedes MBE 4000.

 

[chefdennis]

There is a dfference in the type of batteries needed to run the frig and stuff vs the starting batteries...starting batteries are nt decided for the constant draw of the frig and stuff, you will kill them in short order and be replacing them often...

I have no idea how many batteries you need for that motor, but id replace all of them with the required size and #...then Id setup a total seperate house bank with a isolater...that is the best way to prolong all of the batteries life...

Starting batteries just are not designed to be use for house power...

While the post that Turtle as posted on batteries are in the sprinter/CV section, its good info for any unit, read them, look at the setup and go in that direction...it ain't cheap, but the batteries will do there job over the LONG haul and be cheaper in the long run.....DON'T use starting batteries for anything other then what they are designed for, starting the truck...

And yes as was said, that bad one will kill the good ones, replace them all....

 

[Turtle]

What he said.

Starting batteries for trucks are a little different than starting batteries for cars, in that car batteries are truly cranking batteries, and truck batteries are a hybrid. Internally, truck batteries and marine "deep cycle" batteries are identical. The only difference is the terminals. (You can really see that when comparing Optima batteries, comparing the yellow top Group 31 truck batteries and the blue top Group 31 marine batteries - identical everything, except for the terminals and the color of the case. It's all in the marketing). Marine and truck batteries are a hybrid between starting and true deep cycle batteries, in that they are made for cranking the motor and they are deeper cycle than a regular car starting battery (but not deep cycle). They are designed for the low amp draw of a few lights and a trolling motor, or on a truck, the same type of draws - a few lights, fan, laptop computer. Low amps draws.

It's best to use the truck batteries for whatever the truck needs them for, and use a separate, isolated house bank for your crap. If you only need to run low amp draws like lights, computer, a TV, then a battery bank of truck or marine batteries 2, probably 3 or 4 12-volt) is fine. If you want to run a fridge and/or microwave, then you want true deep cycle batteries with thicker and taller lead plates like high dollar gel or AGMs, or semi-high dollar wet cells like Trojan golf cart (or the more robust floor scrubber batteries). Otherwise, be prepared to replace the entire set of truck batteries on an annual basis.

 

[usafk9]

....and I knew he'd chime in. Thanks, Turtle.

I have three batteries; none isolated. I should get myself a separate one for my toys. Probably last a lot longer. Aside from my setup, I always err on the side of caution. Like to replace all of the accessories with bearings annually, as well. Dread the thought of breaking down in The western provinces.

 

[jjoerger]

Yep, Turtle is the man when it comes to batteries.

 

[Turtle]

Aside from my setup, I always err on the side of caution. Like to replace all of the accessories with bearings annually, as well.

You replace your accessories with bearings? You mean, like, replacing a fashionable scarf and cuff links with a set of ball bearings? LOL

Oh, I get it, you replace the accessories which have bearings, on an annual basis. Got it.

Sometimes I crack myself up.

 

[Ragman]

Sometimes I crack myself up.

 

[usafk9]

You replace your accessories with bearings? You mean, like, replacing a fashionable scarf and cuff links with a set of ball bearings? LOL

Oh, I get it, you replace the accessories which have bearings, on an annual basis. Got it.

Sometimes I crack myself up.

Do I need to 'magnetize' your van again?

 

[redytrk]

It`s important to buy your batteries where they sell a lot of them. Age kills batteries. Many dealers will have them setting around for a year or more. Half the life is gone.