Went to start the truck...and Click...

abe568 · 10-15-2010, 12:42 PM

Well I went to start my truck this morning and all i got was a click. I hooked up to the jump pack and after about 5 minutes of letting it sit hooked up it started right up. I think maybe one of my batteries is going or gone, Im going to check it out but if its not the batteries what do you guys think it is? It seems that my grid heater sucks a ton of juice. I know that they do because the require a ton of amperage to work, but could they be stickin on or is it starter related?

abe568 · 10-15-2010, 02:05 PM

Well I just unhooked both batteries and checked the voltage output of each. One is 12.9v and the other is 12.86v. Sounds about right to me. a 12v batter has 6 cells each creating about 2.1v. I don't have a load tester here at home so Im just going to clean up the posts and cables and see if it happens again at any point.

honestcharlie56 · 10-15-2010, 02:51 PM

voltage on a battery means absolutely nothing. I've load tested a completely dead battery and its made 13v and 0 amps

abe568 · 10-15-2010, 03:21 PM

Well Im going to see if it does it again, otherwise I will take a hydrometer to it and see what we got, then load test em.

honestcharlie56 · 10-15-2010, 03:24 PM

any oreillys or auto will load test em for free. the dumbasss at the counter however will tell you that you should have 24v, tell him to shut the fugg up, then disconnect the two batts and test independently, wouldnt hurt to test the alternator while your there.

Dual K20s · 10-15-2010, 03:51 PM

It could be your starter contacts. That's what mine would do when they were going out. Try it a few times before resorting to jump starting, usually mine would start after a few tries.

And you should check the battery voltage before you hook up the charger to see if that was even the issue.

12VFan · 10-15-2010, 06:39 PM

put a test light between you positive battery post and the positive terminal,if you have a good test light it should be on but very dim if its on bright start looking for a short.A cheap test light may not come on if there's no short.If you do have a short leave the test light between the post and terminal and start pulling relays and fuses to narrow it down to a circuit.my short is on the runner light relay but we have not found the short it's self yet,waiting for wiring diagrams.Good luck.

fury9 · 10-15-2010, 06:52 PM

If you do have bad starter contacts, you can burn up the fss and the relay for it. not to mention the fire hazard of having the relay on all night. larry b has them. I have some but I aint put them in yet.

honestcharlie56 · 10-15-2010, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12VFan

put a test light between you positive battery post and the positive terminal,if you have a good test light it should be on but very dim if its on bright start looking for a short.A cheap test light may not come on if there's no short.If you do have a short leave the test light between the post and terminal and start pulling relays and fuses to narrow it down to a circuit.my short is on the runner light relay but we have not found the short it's self yet,waiting for wiring diagrams.Good luck.

just to be clear on that....if you have any light at all that means that there is some form of ground coming through the positive side. AKA a short

abe568 · 10-16-2010, 12:23 AM

well its been fine all day today, we'll see what she does in the morning.

fury9 · 10-16-2010, 05:55 PM

maybe you didn't close your door all the way and the dome light drained the batteries idk.

abe568 · 10-16-2010, 11:11 PM

that could be... we'll see if it happens again, it it does I will look into it more.