Battery know how!! Tricks for the trade!

Comparing battery life in car vs battery in truck it's like comparing congressman life vs truck driver life. Batteries on truck take much more abuse and beating from the road bumps what cause lead dioxide to fall down from the plates and sloshing in between the plates. After lead dioxide make holes in insulating pads battery get shorts between plates and self discharge.
Group 31 battery has about 100 amp*hours in other words battery can run load of 100 amp for 1 hour or load of 10 amps for 10 hours. Four batteries have four times more energy and can run load of 10 amps for 40 hours or 40 amps for 10 hours. It's simple.
Lead acid battery has a sweet charging rate which is 1/10 of battery capacity. If we have 100 amp*hours battery the best charging current is 10 amps x 10 hours. Four batteries will require current 40 amps x 10 hours.
You can charge the batteries with bigger current in short time but it will shorten battery life significantly.
Keeping all wires connections clean is a key to avoid starting problems. The weakest points are main battery switch and contact between wire and terminal. Terminals just crimped without soldering so by the time corrosion develops under shrink make some resistance even outside you buffed it to the shine.

 

Check out the Maxwell start module ,love mine ,Google it

 

Solar panels to trickle a charge into them?

 

My cheapos ( starting batteries at 960 CCA ) like $80 each lasted for 30 months. That's how long I had the truck, so not sure how long they lasted.

You'll know when they are starting to go. You'll hear the starter working hard on that initial crank.

I replaced them with cheapos as well.



Those are dual purpose deep cycle, $73.

 

Alternators are designed for charging.

They put out 150 amps give or take.

But as long as the batteries are charged. They'll only act as a trickle charger and power supply for lights and what not.

It's when the batteries are dead they'll crank out the amps.

And what a lot of you don't know.
Dirt is a conductor. Dirty batteries will drain on their own even when cables are disconnected. Clean batteries is also key to longer life.

And if you don't believe. Use a volt meter. Negative to negative. Run the positive along the top. And you'll read voltage without even touching positive terminal.

 

I was wondering at what temp do you absolutely not shut the truck down?
I just had my batteries tested and all were 80%+.
I have ran my APU in temps around 10 degrees and it kept the engine around 120.It stays around 125 engine temp when I run APU in the summer.

 

Minus 10f is about my cut off point depending on the wind and the condition of my fuel .
The apus ability to keep it comfy in here plays a role too.

 

I keep a multimeter in truck, cheap from 11$ on Amazon, and wire brush , clean connectors use 2 spays cans ,one with cleaner and 2nd corrosion protector.
Amazon.com: multimeter - Multimeters & Analyzers / Diagnostic, Test & Measurement Tools: Automotive

I like Cris fix guy explains how to check batteries and alternator.

 

Do not use deep cycle batteries. They are designed to almost fully discharge and then be charged up again. Not for what we do.
I change batteries about every 2 3 years. Carry a volt meter with you. On a day off, disconnect all your batteries. Clean up all terminals and posts. While cables are off, check voltage in each battery. This will give u some idea as to condition. You should do this at least once per year as part of ypur maintenance program.

Also, you can feel your batteries. If one feels hot, replace IMMEDIATELY. They should NEVER feel hot or warm. It means it has internal shorting and is going

 

+1 to Soonermark for asking this question.

Better to learn from a pro, than to sit on the side of the Interstate.
Dave_in_Az found the same Alliance batteries I did at the Freightliner Dealer.
Car batteries are 90 - 130 bucks, and these are 73??
Great deal.
I'v found somehow every time I had battery issues, it was my negative cable grounding to the frame.
I took it all apart, and added one of those washers with teeth on the inside of hole,
and on outside edge, to bite into bare steel, then re-tighten. (Coat to stop corrosion, of course.)