Battery draining overnight

SigEp418 · Aug 22, 2022

2018 1500 with 41k. Went out to start it on Sunday morning and it was dead. Verified that all the lights and electronics were turned off. Hooked the battery to a trickle charger for 8 hours and it started up just fine after charging to 100%. Truck sat overnight. Tried to start it today (Monday) and it was dead again. Trickle charger showed that the battery is at 0%. No previous problems or signs that the battery might be going bad. 41k miles seems low to need a new battery. Any thoughts?

NJMOPAR · Aug 22, 2022

New batteries die without warning now.
At almost 5 years old it's probably shot.

Jeepwalker · Aug 22, 2022

I think the first thing would be to:

1) Remove the battery, charge it overnight (or longer) outside the vehicle, then take it to a parts store and have them do a load test on it. If it fails, then get a new battery. Install the new (or existing) battery and check for charging.

2) Perform an amp-draw test and see if there is a circuit sucking juice from the battery. Go to Youtube and look up how to do an Amp draw test. Remember that it could take 30 minutes for your trucks computer to go into 'sleep' mode and the amp draw drop to super-low. If it doesn't start pulling fuses.

Do you have any USB Chargers, radios, lights, or any items you've added on? Those could drain a battery.

caulk04 · Aug 23, 2022

I've had better luck with original batteries in the past, so I expected mine to last longer but I did have to replace mine this year. Same 2018 model year. Miles means basically nothing. FYI, go with an H8 battery instead of the H7. Same price, little more capacity, fits the same (pop out a spacer in the tray).

I suspected an amp draw so I tested a few times and aside from the Motorola MA1 adapter I have which I knew was drawing power (albeit not a ton) I found very little draw once the truck went to sleep, which took a long time IMO. Something in the 30-40mA range IIRC.

Jeepwalker · Aug 23, 2022

It probably depends on the engine/drivetrain ...that might determine the battery in a guy's truck.

The original batt in mine was made by Johnson Controls Inc (with a larte Mopar sticker). The replacement Walmart battery I bought looked identical (also said Johnson Controls on the 'Walmart' sticker). JCI has over 80% of the aftermarket battery market (and is a major OEM supplier). But within the JCI battery environment, are different 'grades'. The better grades use new lead (or more of it) and new electrolyte. (and heavier/thicker plates. ...i.e. lasts longer

Battery draining overnight

SigEp418

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NJMOPAR

Older and faster

Jeepwalker

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caulk04

Senior Member

Jeepwalker

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