something is draining my batteries

Discussion in 'Peterbilt Forum' started by Wespipes, Apr 10, 2020.

  1. Wespipes

    Wespipes Road Train Member

    1,037
    1,816
    Jul 14, 2019
    0
    2019 Pete 389. I have 4 batteries. If I unplug everything. Apu off. Inverter off. If it sits 24 hours the batteries are down to one volt. Had the batteries tested. They're good. How the heck do find out what draining my batteries??
     
    stillwurkin Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

  3. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

    9,551
    19,977
    Apr 19, 2011
    0
    You might check the battery kill switch.
     
  4. daf105paccar

    daf105paccar Road Train Member

    6,564
    7,293
    Apr 15, 2012
    0
    Look at this vid:

    He explains it very good.
     
  5. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

    34,017
    42,137
    Mar 5, 2016
    White County, Arkansas
    0
    Hopefully your four are individuals in a manner of speaking converging on a master power source for entire truck.
     
  6. stillwurkin

    stillwurkin Road Train Member

    1,756
    2,856
    Dec 2, 2017
    0
    Over time i have used this method. After truck has set, over night or longer. Feel the batteries and see if one is warm to the touch. Never have used, but mayby one of the laser temperature tools may work better. If one is warmer than say ambient temp then that one may be the culprit. Another experiment is to disconnect them from each other for the weekend and see if problem is still there. Also to get a good reading on volts, i think they should be disconnected from each other for a long period of time so the good batteries are not feeding the bad. You may know this, but just saying what has worked for me.
     
    Wespipes Thanks this.
  7. btbtrucker

    btbtrucker Bobtail Member

    7
    0
    Apr 11, 2020
    0
    having the same problem with my 2015 cant seem to find what it is and I have new batterys that passed load tests
     
  8. 062

    062 Road Train Member

    6,233
    33,553
    Oct 20, 2013
    0
    After the motor has completely cooled down put your hand on the alternator and see if it’s warm.
     
    stillwurkin and Wespipes Thank this.
  9. btbtrucker

    btbtrucker Bobtail Member

    7
    0
    Apr 11, 2020
    0
    on mine alt is cool cant find anything other than it will sit 10 hrs and drop to 9.5 volts
     
  10. 062

    062 Road Train Member

    6,233
    33,553
    Oct 20, 2013
    0
    Maybe @pushbroom @spsauerland @Goodysnap have some ideas. With that much draw you should have a warm fuse or relay. Use the back of your finger or a temp gun to find it.
     
    stillwurkin, spsauerland and pushbroom Thank this.
  11. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

    9,551
    19,977
    Apr 19, 2011
    0
    I have a 2016 Volvo. My symptoms were the same.

    A Volvo tech looked in behind the metal/chrome battery turn off/on switch and showed me the plastic cover holding the wiring components, had cracked on the top, exposed the wiring and as such, was arching and not allowing the batteries to be fully recharged by the alternator.

    Because these trucks are engineered with the capacity to shut everything down, saving enough voltage to turn the starter over, that's what was happening to me.
     
    stillwurkin Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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