CCA rating question

[dpinvidic]

My Grandson uses his 2014 RAM 5.7 while at college. Mainly drives it between classes.

Took it to a Firestone dealer to have the charging system checked. They said the CCA rating of the battery was 850 CCA and the measured amps to start the truck was 1250 amps.

Is the 1250 a "Normal" number or do we have a starter problem.

I wonder if this is a sales tactic for some repair work.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[turkeybird56]

SOUNDS like the Firestone Dealer Trying to sell a Battery..............................Bunch of shovel "type" material being spread:

Just fer giggles, looked at MY 19 Bighorn with 5.7 non-E torque> Battery installed from ":build" has 730 CCA. Whenever I replace it, I will put in a higher CCA Battery and Insure AGM. But that dealer just trying to make a sale, IMHO.........

AS long as battery checks out under load, all good. If there is a "starting" problem and battery tests good, not battery. May be charger, bad cable, bad ground. But U did not say why he was at Firestone, just saying.

FROM MY BUILD SHEET: 730 Amp Maintenance Free Battery. I have Optional 180 Amp Alternator.

 

[sandawilliams]

Last time a dealer load tested my battery they said it wouldn't last through the winter. That was 4 years ago. Don't let them BS you.

 

[Loudram]

Get a second opinion from a trusted shop. My build sheet shows a 730 CCA battery too.

 

[tron67j]

Is he having a problem with starting the truck? Assuming yes since it was taken in, the next thing is to figure the age of the battery. For safety sake, if it is 4 or more years old, probably not a bad thing to replace it anyway. Also, getting a jump start can mess a vehicle up. Costco and Walmart have great deals as do other locations and maybe even some of the preferred vendors on this site, do a bit of comparison shopping. If then he still has problems starting, one variable has been taken out of the equation. Good luck

 

[Smokeybear01]

Just to clarify-is the dealer saying it draws 1250 amps at the starter, or just that you should have a 1250 CCA battery? A 1250 CCA battery is a lot of cranking power (excessive for a pickup) unless it's a diesel

 

[crash68]

Took it to a Firestone dealer to have the charging system checked. They said the CCA rating of the battery was 850 CCA and the measured amps to start the truck was 1250 amps.

They are mixing two different things, the battery can have a CCA of 850 and the 1250 amps was a peak draw reading of the starter. I'll second what someone else said, they're trying to sell a battery.
The usual tell-tale sign the battery is going bad is the static voltage reading will drop below 12.3 after sitting overnight or if it drops below 11 volts while cranking. If you decide to replace it, consider an AGM type.
As for the charging system, you want to see somewhere between 13.8-14.4V while running.

CCA is a rating used in the battery industry to define a battery's ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. Generally speaking, it is easier to start an engine in a warm environment than in a cold one. The rating refers to the number of amps a 12-volt battery can deliver at 0°F for 30 seconds while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2 volts. The higher the CCA rating, the greater the starting power of the battery.

 

[crash68]

Just to clarify-is the dealer saying it draws 1250 amps at the starter, or just that you should have a 1250 CCA battery? A 1250 CCA battery is a lot of cranking power (excessive for a pickup) unless it's a diesel

I don't even know if you could find a battery with that CCA that would fit in these truck without modifications, it going to be huge. Its probably why the Cummins has two batteries. I just put an Odyssey 49-950 in my EcoD, it has a CCA of 950 and a five second pulse rating of 1700A (PHCA). The factory spec for the EcoD is 800 CCA, I think the Hemi is 730 CCA

 

[ram1500rsm]

If you still have the factory battery its prob time to replace after all is about 6 years old. I replaced mine last month or so as my factory one started cranking slow. I have a 14 truck as well.
My replacement is a Duralast Gold, 800 CCA
2020-02-15_01-38-58 by RAM RSM, on Flickr

 

[mtofell]

If you still have the factory battery its prob time to replace after all is about 6 years old. I replaced mine last month or so as my factory one started cranking slow. I have a 14 truck as well.
My replacement is a Duralast Gold, 800 CCA
2020-02-15_01-38-58 by RAM RSM, on Flickr

Pretty much the same for me - I just replaced my 2014 last year because it sounded like it was cranking a bit slowly as the weather was getting cold. I had it tested and the shop said is was still "okay" but I figured I was already at the shop and really don't care for getting stuck. 5+ years out of a battery is good enough for me. I probably could have saved a few bucks getting one at Costco but the shop I was at sold me a good one for $120 + they install it so I didn't even have to get my hands dirty.

 

[turkeybird56]

^^^^^^^ when they test a Battery and tell U, It was Still OK, That is called in Detective work a CLUE> Replace that sucker. Though there are really only like 4 actual Battery Companies any more, and "Johnson Controls" being the big one used by Mopar. U can go like to 850 CCA, no problem, but definitely get an AGM. Duralast Gold OK, Interstate, etc, but U get as many recommendations on


Battery as U do Oil. Optima another good battery,. For me, I would just go to Autozone and get a Duralast Gold, as the store is in town.

 

[turkeybird56]

They are mixing two different things, the battery can have a CCA of 850 and the 1250 amps was a peak draw reading of the starter. I'll second what someone else said, they're trying to sell a battery.
The usual tell-tale sign the battery is going bad is the static voltage reading will drop below 12.3 after sitting overnight or if it drops below 11 volts while cranking. If you decide to replace it, consider an AGM type.
As for the charging system, you want to see somewhere between 13.8-14.4V while running.

CCA is a rating used in the battery industry to define a battery's ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. Generally speaking, it is easier to start an engine in a warm environment than in a cold one. The rating refers to the number of amps a 12-volt battery can deliver at 0°F for 30 seconds while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2 volts. The higher the CCA rating, the greater the starting power of the battery.

CRASH, U R spot on. The MY 19's were cranked a lil, they R all running 14.6/14.7V now, they amped up the regulator a lil. I checked MY 19 (non-E torque), and it stays consistently in 14.7/8 when started, then down to 14.6/7.... SO much more electronics every year, and I would be scared at an E-Torque,. BUT then them things got a "generator" system as opposed to an Alternator, to charge that 48V battery pack and a step down for the battery, another reason I stayed non E Torque besides the fact I bought an early 19 and E Torque was not out yet, LOL..

 

[CVX20]

My Grandson uses his 2014 RAM 5.7 while at college. Mainly drives it between classes.

Took it to a Firestone dealer to have the charging system checked. They said the CCA rating of the battery was 850 CCA and the measured amps to start the truck was 1250 amps.

Is the 1250 a "Normal" number or do we have a starter problem.

I wonder if this is a sales tactic for some repair work.

Thanks,

Dan

I wrenched for a living for 35+ years and I've never ever seen a starter draw that much.Pretty much a dead short at that point and doubtful it would turn the motor over.And if it did it would need the starter before the battery although possibly both at that point.<250 Amps draw is the general rule of thumb for the old style starters.The new ones should be considerably lower.

 

[crash68]

CRASH, U R spot on. The MY 19's were cranked a lil, they R all running 14.6/14.7V now, they amped up the regulator a lil. I checked MY 19 (non-E torque), and it stays consistently in 14.7/8 when started, then down to 14.6/7

I should have noted that in cold/cooler weather you can see the voltage spike upwards of 15 volts on initial start up but as you noted will drop down closer to 14.4

 

[turkeybird56]

I should have noted that in cold/cooler weather you can see the voltage spike upwards of 15 volts on initial start up but as you noted will drop down closer to 14.4

YUP, EXCEPT: Regardless temp, the MY 19's are running around 14.6/7 volts. All good, cannot complain,., NOW, I saw that SW dealers have a new Southwestern edition Laramie/Longhorn coming out second 1/4. Looks like MSRP around 44K. Should be interesting to see, LOL.....

 

[Tumbleweed]

Another thing to consider is the OP's grandson's usage. Start, run to class, shut off. rinse & repeat. Is it getting enough run time between starts to fully charge the battery?

 

[2bikemike]

If the truck is only being used on short runs between classes at college and around a small town, then what's happening is every time the truck is started a huge amount of storage current is used and not enough is being put back in with the amount of driving being done. Doing this continually will eventually kill the battery outright. The truck needs to be run on a good drive at a constant speed I'm at least 60 miles per hour for at least 30 minutes to an hour to top it up completely and make it fully charged again.

 

[scott lass 18]

Is he having a problem with starting the truck? Assuming yes since it was taken in, the next thing is to figure the age of the battery. For safety sake, if it is 4 or more years old, probably not a bad thing to replace it anyway. Also, getting a jump start can mess a vehicle up. Costco and Walmart have great deals as do other locations and maybe even some of the preferred vendors on this site, do a bit of comparison shopping. If then he still has problems starting, one variable has been taken out of the equation. Good luck

got mine walmart 5 yr warranty a must cuse on car and 2010 truck went out like almost three year s but was replaced no charge that's great and I went with a best truck 1000cca s works great I slow charge once a year feel it helps them a lot !

 

[rsdata]

If the truck is only being used on short runs between classes at college and around a small town, then what's happening is every time the truck is started a huge amount of storage current is used and not enough is being put back in with the amount of driving being done. Doing this continually will eventually kill the battery outright. The truck needs to be run on a good drive at a constant speed I'm at least 60 miles per hour for at least 30 minutes to an hour to top it up completely and make it fully charged again.

WHAT HE SAID ^^^

 

[joesstripclub]

Another thing to consider is the OP's grandson's usage. Start, run to class, shut off. rinse & repeat. Is it getting enough run time between starts to fully charge the battery?

I drive my truck pretty regularly and still hook it up to the trickle charger every month or so to make sure the battery is charged. Buy him a battery tender and hook it up on the weekends or overnights when he isnt in class and the battery should last a long time.