Battery Tray

[John Jensen]

Deleted

 

[John Jensen]

Read my posts a little better,point out where i said that i was gonna drill holes in the battery tray,or reconmended drilling holes. I live where it's not all that uncommon for a battery to freeze and split the case,lol.Go ahead and drill holes in your battery tray if that's what you want, personally though i wouldn't reconmend it ,but those are only my thoughts,lol

Read my posts a little better. I did not make that reference. I, in jest, only advised you not to drill holes. I apologize if it offended you.

 

[brian42]

If you have a sealed battery acid leakage and /or corrosion shouldn't be a problem. I know we sometimes think the factory design folks are not the brightest bulbs but not having drain holes would have received much more attention from owners by now. I would leave the tray as is. BTW, the tray is sized to an H8 but the OEM battery is an H7 with a spacer to hold it in place. Hope you replaced the OEM battery with an H8 AGM. I replaced my OEM battery about a year ago with an H8 AGM Interstate and have had not problems or issues since.

I stayed with the H7 size and got an X2 Power AGM.

A final thought about the battery leakage and gases draining comments. I'd be interested to know if anyone has had either situation occur in the last 20 years. The last time I had a battery leak was in 1952 when a battery case cracked. Our AGM batteries are sealed and vented, they cannot leak.

I'm in the same boat as GTyankee. Almost every battery with caps I've ever had leaked to some degree. I've spent many a time under the hood with my baking soda and water mix cleaning up the spills from the tray (or worse from older cars with marginal metal battery trays).

Some of it is self-inflicted as I off-roaded a lot so that didn't help the situation. I switched to AGM a long time ago once I stopped being a starving student/young Sailor.

My '19 Big Horn did not come with an AGM. I did my due diligence with it until it died on me after 2 1/2 years then I bought the AGM mentioned above to replace it.

I am about quality and capacity so size isn't as much an issue for me . The X2 was not cheap but have had them before (North Star) in my diesel (twin batteries) and were the best batteries I had in that truck.

 

[John Jensen]

Interesting that your '19 Big Horn did not come with an AGM.
My 2016 Big Horn came with an AGM. I replaced it this year, 7 yrs, it did not die but was not holding a charge very well.

 

[Dusty]

I drove a 1956 Chevy pickup from 1971 - 2009
In all that time that truck never left Southern California

Every regular battery that i put in it, except when batteries all became Sealed, the batteries with caps all lost liquid out of the caps, Over the years, i think that i replaced the metal tray twice.
I used a rubber mat the second time, that helped reduce the impacts that the battery was subjected to.

I think our Rams have some kind of sensor in the trays
I'm not sure, but it may have something to do with Heat

The sensor in the battery tray is to monitor the battery temperature.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88137 miles.

 

[Dusty]

If I had to guess, the battery tray design was to accomplish reduced weight and the amount of plastic used (cost). The "pockets" are the result of molded partions or small bulkheads to reduce flex and maintain structural integrity.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88137 miles.

 

[turkeybird56]

Interesting that your '19 Big Horn did not come with an AGM.
My 2016 Big Horn came with an AGM. I replaced it this year, 7 yrs, it did not die but was not holding a charge very well.

My 2019 Dt Bighorn, 5th Gen, built April 2018 and I bought when they first came out on 1 August 2018 did not have an AGM, was one of them lead acid MX free jobs. So I put in an AGM H7 Duralast Platinum from Autozone (2 months ago), and after learning about the IBS, made sure it was reset so as to not overcharge the battery.
ADDED: Not a cheap Battery, but alas, with the heat here, better to get a decent battery than go low end. I just did not do a H8 battery, since the problem here is HEAT and not Cold. SO, why did my truck built for a Texas Market still have a Felt Battery Blanket, Hmmmmmm. Now that puzzles me a lil, but I's a BOIRD.

 

[Andrei20]

I am going to ask a question and maybe answer the a question as well !
my question is how many of us remember the day's when the battery tray was made of steel ?
and when you pulled out your battery and the tray paint was peeled off and rusted and the bolts holding it down was corroded and rusted out ! ?
That is why the battery trays are made of plastic with out holes now ! Battery's make heat from charging and discharge gases from charging which gets collected to battery tray's ! so if you drill holes in them you are altimetry ! letting the gases drain to what ever is below the tray and corroding it. Ie wiring frame rail computer ! what ever is under and around it !
I personally would not modify my battery tray !
Just food for thought

Good thought. Well, just as an idea, then maybe drill a hole in the deepest pocket and fit a 3/8 hose all the way down the frame for water to drain and some holes in those baffles so the pockets communicate and all the water can run down.

 

[Wild one]

The sensor in the battery tray is to monitor the battery temperature.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88137 miles.

Unless the 5th Gens have changed,there's no sensor in the battery tray to monitor temps.I've had the tray in and out of my 4th gen several times,there's no sensor or wiring to the tray itself. Looking at the OP's picture,i don't see any sensor in his tray either.

 

[John Jensen]

The sensor in the battery tray is to monitor the battery temperature.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88137 miles.

My 2016 Eco had no sensor in the tray

 

[Jim BB]

There is NO SENSOR IN THE BATTERY TRAY !!!!
the sensor is at the battery post normally on Ground post (-)

 

[turkeybird56]

Unless the 5th Gens have changed,there's no sensor in the battery tray to monitor temps.I've had the tray in and out of my 4th gen several times,there's no sensor or wiring to the tray itself. Looking at the OP's picture,i don't see any sensor in his tray either.

There is NO sensor in the tray. The "sensor" is the IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor) attached through the negative cable/post of the battery.

 

[Wild one]

There is NO sensor in the tray. The "sensor" is the IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor) attached through the negative cable/post of the battery.

Check out post #17

 

[Dusty]

My fault for a rushed answer. There is a sensor in the tray on diesel versions, located on the left battery only. A defective sensor will generate a P0512.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88170 miles.

 

[turkeybird56]

My fault for a rushed answer. There is a sensor in the tray on diesel versions, located on the left battery only. A defective sensor will generate a P0512.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88170 miles.

WELL, learned sumthin. But since I have never owned a Diesel except for the baby ED, no 2 battery setups, would have no clue. BUT definitely no sensor in battery tray on gassers.

____________________________________________
FROM another forum:

BATTERY TEMPERATURE
SENSOR
DESCRIPTION
The Battery Temperature Sensor (BTS) is attached
to the battery tray located under the battery.
OPERATION
The BTS is used to determine the battery temperature
and control battery charging rate. This temperature
data, along with data from monitored line
voltage, is used by the PCM (ECM Diesel) to vary the
battery charging rate. System voltage will be higher
at colder temperatures and is gradually reduced at
warmer temperatures.
The PCM sends 5 volts to the sensor and is
grounded through the sensor return line. As temperature
increases, resistance in the sensor decreases
and the detection voltage at the PCM increases.
The BTS is also used for OBD II diagnostics. Certain
faults and OBD II monitors are either enabled
or disabled, depending upon BTS input (for example,
disable purge and enable Leak Detection Pump
(LDP) and O2 sensor heater tests). Most OBD II
monitors are disabled below 20°F.
REMOVAL
The battery temperature sensor is located under
the vehicle battery and is attached (snapped into) a
mounting hole on battery tray (Fig. 1).
(1) Remove battery. Refer to 8, Battery for procedures.
(2) Pry sensor straight up from battery tray
mounting hole to gain access to electrical connector
(Fig. 1).
(3) Disconnect sensor from engine wire harness
electrical connector.
INSTALLATION
The battery temperature sensor is located under
the vehicle battery and is attached (snapped into) a
mounting hole on battery tray.
(1) Pull electrical connector up through mounting
hole in top of battery tray.
(2) Connect sensor.
(3) Snap sensor into battery tray.
(4) Install battery. Refer to 8, Battery for procedures.

 

[Dusty]

Actually, I interpreted GTYankees question to be generic, which created a cranium glitch. However, that is an admitted excuse. I try to be as precise as possible since I'm male and have been a husband and a father and have failures in my history.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88170 miles.

 

[GTyankee]

I have been doing some reading ...

Batteries are Temperature sensitive

Battery Blankets are used for insulation from the cold

Battery blankets are used when a Turbo is located near the battery, because Turbos can get really hot

I did not read the reason for battery blankets in vehicles that live in the low deserts.
But i use to cook my meals on the intake manifolds of many vehicles. i even cooked Cambells Stew on a manifold at work, big mistake

after that, i only had canned goods when we were working with hot asphalt, just needed a paper bag, some tin foil wrapped around the can, then dig down in the asphalt & insert the can, & cover it with asphalt

 

[Wild one]

Actually, I interpreted GTYankees question to be generic, which created a cranium glitch. However, that is an admitted excuse. I try to be as precise as possible since I'm male and have been a husband and a father and have failures in my history.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 88170 miles.

Just ask every married man's wife about our failures,odds are they can reel them off from 20 years ago,lol

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Just ask every married man's wife about our failures,odds are they can reel them off from 20 years ago,lol

Yes, they have a memory Like an elephant.

 

[Wild one]

Yes, they have a memory Like an elephant.

They're never on time,but damn do they have a memory