Truckers Report Jobs

Find Trucking Jobs

Company Driver Company Driver Dry Van Dry Van Flatbed Flatbed Refrigerated Refrigerated Specialized Specialized Owner Operator Owner Operator
More Trucking Job Searches ⌄ Fewer Trucking Job Searches
⌃

Help please, Dead Batteries

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Jenn72, Sep 20, 2020.

Page 1 of 3
  1. Sep 20, 2020 #1
    Jenn72

    Jenn72 Medium Load Member

    604
    1,453
    Jun 7, 2019
    0
    Sorry it is long.

    I have a 2020 cascadia with idle management. While doing a 34, 12 hours into it my low battery alarm went off. (Truck did not start on it's own to charge them) Jumped out of bed tried to start truck manually. Nope, not enough juice.

    Luckily was at a terminal. Maintenance came and jumped it @ 0600, Friday morning. He then said at noon to go to shop and he will check batteries. Drove truck around for an hour to recharge. Did errands so truck was on and off till noon. No problems. He checked batteries said they were good.

    Truck was last on @ 5pm Friday night. Idle management working, truck turning on and off. Go to sleep, load @ 0300 to Ohio.

    2am Saturday morning low battery alarm going off. Again tried turning on truck. Nothing battery is dead. Shop is close. Breakdown sends out TA. TA jumps it again @ 0900.

    Call Freightliner, can't be seen for 2 weeks. Company says go to TA. Check alternator and batteries again. Both check out fine. 11am Saturday.

    Leave TA in Bordentown, NJ to pick up a load in Xenia, Oh to bring back to Burlington, NJ. Park @ Loves in Jeffersonville, Oh for 10. (Figured if batteries died again, easy jump)

    Ran truck till I went to sleep. Idle management set. Unplugged everything except fridge. 6 hrs in the low battery alarm again beeped. Immediately turned off inverter and got up to start truck. Lucky me it started.

    I have noticed while the truck is in idle management, interior comfort mode and it is warm outside. My truck would occasionally struggle to turn on. Maybe once or twice a month.

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
     
    Jenn72, Sep 20, 2020
    Jenn72, Sep 20, 2020
    #1
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Sep 20, 2020 #2
    AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

    27,709
    145,170
    Jul 7, 2015
    Canuckistan
    0
    Did they actually test the batteries with a load tester? Or just stick one of those stupid digital testers on it?

    Same with the alternator. Did they load it up and measure the amp output or just stick a voltmeter on it and say it was good because it put out 14 volts?

    My guess is your batteries are toast. No reason for them to die that quickly with only a fridge on.
     
    AModelCat, Sep 20, 2020
    AModelCat, Sep 20, 2020
    #2
    Bean Jr., magoo68, Dino soar and 6 others Thank this.
  4. Sep 20, 2020 #3
    201

    201 Road Train Member

    11,264
    22,838
    Apr 16, 2014
    high plains colorado
    0
    I'm not going to add my usual "Freightliner" schtick, I think all trucks today are subject to this kind of baloney. A 2020 truck, that cost 6 figures, won't start,,,anybody else see something wrong here?:dontknow: Used to be, you'd buy a new truck because the old one failed. This is unacceptable.
     
    201, Sep 20, 2020
    201, Sep 20, 2020
    #3
    Bean Jr., Rubber duck kw, Doealex and 3 others Thank this.
  5. Sep 20, 2020 #4
    Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

    9,600
    37,371
    Mar 4, 2015
    0
    Batteries are junk anymore. I got barely a year out of my last set. You should also adjust your low voltage cutoff so that it leaves you with enough juice to start the truck.
     
    Long FLD, Sep 20, 2020
    Long FLD, Sep 20, 2020
    #4
    Super-Trucker, homeskillet, D.Tibbitt and 3 others Thank this.
  6. Sep 20, 2020 #4
    Jenn72

    Jenn72 Medium Load Member

    604
    1,453
    Jun 7, 2019
    0
    Thanks, that is what I thought.

    I figured the alternator is working. Have no problem when running and it charges up my batteries.

    I had even asked them, how can you check the batteries, w/ the digital tester if I recharged the batteries. TA mechanic looked at me like I was a ignorant girl.

    Heading back to NJ, hopefully shop guy will "humor me" and change out my batteries.
     
    Jenn72, Sep 20, 2020
    Jenn72, Sep 20, 2020
    #4
    Lonesome Thanks this.
  8. Sep 20, 2020 #5
    Jenn72

    Jenn72 Medium Load Member

    604
    1,453
    Jun 7, 2019
    0
    I did, that is how I was able to start it this morning. My batteries are 11 months old.
     
    Jenn72, Sep 20, 2020
    Jenn72, Sep 20, 2020
    #5
    LoSt_AgAiN, Long FLD and rachi Thank this.
  9. Sep 20, 2020 #6
    Wasted Thyme

    Wasted Thyme Road Train Member

    7,729
    38,295
    Jan 27, 2020
    GOAT watching
    0
    No mechanic. But I wonder if it is the idle management not working right. So it's not firing up to charge them and they just drain out.
     
    Wasted Thyme, Sep 20, 2020
    Wasted Thyme, Sep 20, 2020
    #6
    Bean Jr. and Jenn72 Thank this.
  10. Sep 20, 2020 #7
    reeferwrencher

    reeferwrencher Medium Load Member

    552
    1,469
    Aug 4, 2018
    0
    As stated almost surely the batteries,you might also want to make sure the alternator isn't t allowing an amp draw when the engine is off.It,s rare but does happen and it will still charge when running.
     
    reeferwrencher, Sep 20, 2020
    reeferwrencher, Sep 20, 2020
    #7
    Jenn72, AModelCat and 062 Thank this.
  11. Sep 20, 2020 #8
    Hulld

    Hulld Road Train Member

    2,882
    6,561
    Oct 19, 2015
    Upstate NY
    0
    It could also be an intermittent parasitic drain somewhere on the electrical system of the truck.
    It would have to go to a qualified shop to have a parasitic drain test performed on it to find it.
     
    Hulld, Sep 20, 2020
    Hulld, Sep 20, 2020
    #8
    D.Tibbitt Thanks this.
  12. Sep 20, 2020 #9
    InTooDeep

    InTooDeep Donner party survivor

    4,976
    37,283
    Jan 17, 2016
    Carmichael CA
    0
    My 2020 is set to start when volts drop to 11.9 volts.Tthe only time so far that they dropped that far it started right up.
     
    InTooDeep, Sep 20, 2020
    InTooDeep, Sep 20, 2020
    #9
    Dave_in_AZ Thanks this.
  13. Sep 20, 2020 #10
    86scotty

    86scotty Road Train Member

    3,923
    10,220
    Aug 27, 2017
    Appalachia
    0
    That’s way too low. I would want startup at 12.5

    11.9 will kill a non deep cell quick.
     
    86scotty, Sep 20, 2020
    86scotty, Sep 20, 2020
    #10
    Bean Jr., Jenn72, Dave_in_AZ and 1 other person Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

    • Page 1 of 3