Dead Battery

[Wild one]

I’ll run by Autozone tomorrow morning and have it tested.

Their tester is basically garbage,you want to load test it with an old style toaster tester,that actually puts a load on the battery.The digital testers all the shops use now,don't actually load test the battery.
Spend 20 bucks and get yourself one of these old style testers,it shouldn't break the bank,and odds are you'll use it more often then you think.They're simplicity onto themselves to use,hook up the battery leads, flip and hold the switch for 10 seconds and watch the needle,if it drops into the red zone,the battery is basically done,and needs to be replaced.

100 Amp, 6/12V Battery Load Tester

Amazing deals on this 100 Amp 6/12V Battery Load Tester at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[bluecheese]

If all it read was 12 volts,you basically have a dead battery,a good battery should read between 12.6 to 13.2 volts. There's 6 cells in a 12 volt battery and each cell when fully charged should be between 2.1 and 2.2 volts.
I'm to lazy tonight to dig up a battery chart for you,but at 12 volts you're battery is pretty well dead

I just checked the charger, and it doesn’t appear to have a decimal value. So I couldn’t say for certain if it’s reading the current voltage or not. Though I couldn’t imagine what else it could be telling me.

 

[RamDiver]

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[Wild one]

I just checked the charger, and it doesn’t appear to have a decimal value. So I couldn’t say for certain if it’s reading the current voltage or not. Though I couldn’t imagine what else it could be telling me.

View attachment 584638

I'm guessing if the battery was fully charged,your charger would probably show 13 volts.Do you have a cheap multi-meter,you can use it to check your batteries voltage.

 

[RamDiver]

I’ll run by Autozone tomorrow morning and have it tested.

The digital load testers used at auto parts stores do not apply any significant load.

The results are calculated based on an algorithm of like batteries with a similar internal resistance.

They are prone to false positive results. A best guess likely has a similar level of accuracy.

Most toaster style load testers apply at least a 100 Amp load.

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[Dean2]

 

[Dean2]

 

[bluecheese]

I went to Autozone and the battery passed the test. While the truck was off, the battery was at 12.7 volts. The guy did mention that the “alternator” was only putting out 13 volts. I know the etorque doesn’t have a traditional alternator, so I’m not sure if 13 volts is the norm.

I had the voltage displayed on the dash while I was driving there, and it showed 13.5 volts while I was driving there. On the way back home it was at 13.1 volts.

Check engine light is still on.

 

[TradesmanGuy]

I went to Autozone and the battery passed the test. While the truck was off, the battery was at 12.7 volts. The guy did mention that the “alternator” was only putting out 13 volts. I know the etorque doesn’t have a traditional alternator, so I’m not sure if 13 volts is the norm.

I had the voltage displayed on the dash while I was driving there, and it showed 13.5 volts while I was driving there. On the way back home it was at 13.1 volts.

Check engine light is still on.

14.4V is what mine puts out while running.

 

[bluecheese]

According to Google:

**A voltage reading of around 13 volts is typical for the eTorque system in Dodge Ram trucks**, as it primarily charges the 48-volt battery and indirectly supports the 12-volt system. Fluctuations in voltage are common and generally considered normal for this hybrid system.

 

[TradesmanGuy]

According to Google:

**A voltage reading of around 13 volts is typical for the eTorque system in Dodge Ram trucks**, as it primarily charges the 48-volt battery and indirectly supports the 12-volt system. Fluctuations in voltage are common and generally considered normal for this hybrid system.

For a fully charged healthy battery. It varies...

 

[turkeybird56]

I’ll run by Autozone tomorrow morning and have it tested.

I hate to tell U: But if yer battery was down to 17%, charge all U want that battery is known as the breakfast item "toast". I would not rely on any battery that was drawn down that far, basically dead. But U do as U see fit.

 

[TradesmanGuy]

I put my Noco Genius 5 on battery repair today. I checked it after 10 hours and it was done. Interesting it pulsed 15.3 volts into the battery. As i understand this pulsing and higher volts breaks down sulfication (?). Will i see an improvement?

 

[bluecheese]

I let the truck sit all day. It fired up fine this morning. Maybe it was just a fluke?

 

[bm02tj]

A carbon pile tester is the best but only a few shops will have one

 

[Dean2]

I hate to tell U: But if yer battery was down to 17%, charge all U want that battery is known as the breakfast item "toast". I would not rely on any battery that was drawn down that far, basically dead. But U do as U see fit.

Running repair a couple of times on a heavily discharged battery will often bring them back to life. Not always, but often enough to try it.

 

[Marshall]

Drive around for a little bit will not put much charge in these batteries,
Drive for 10 miles or more.
you need a good charger and charge it over night. E t. stuff I don't know much about, but you have 2 batteries to worry about. Charging you need more then 13 v, should be a bit over 14V from the alt. if it is good.
I think you need to load test your battery
I have a small battery maintainer mounted under the hood for times that the truck sits for a while, more for when I still had the old battery, It is 2amp I think.
Also have a larger battery charger, booster, with repair, if I need it.

PS I also carry a " jump starter and Power Bank" from when The car was running on a poor battery.

Handy little thing , you can charge phones and such with it.
I have no idea how it would work on your system- E torque .

The check eng $$$ light would need a code reader to check, could just be from low volts, or something wrong still.

 

[dpinvidic]

Letting a battery go to practically dead is like kicking it in the groin...it will never be as good as new after a recharge. Hot summers will also shorten the battery life. And being 5 years old, it is on borrowed time.

Here is my story, I drive my ram about 20-30 miles a month, normally it sits in the garage with a battery maintainer on it (NOCO). The battery was about 6 years old. I started to notice that after the NOCO showed full charge, the next day it showed an error light. Tested the battery with a digital tester and it show about 25% capacity. Repalced the battery, and all is good. Point of the story, is that even under a maint. charge, a battery will still deteriorate

 

[DaveFBls]

21 Ram 1500 etorque

My truck sat for 5 days while I was out of town. This evening the battery was completely dead.

I tried jumping it with my wife’s car, but the engine wouldn’t crank

I let her car charge my battery for 10 minutes and the truck finally turned over.

But I now have a Check Engine Light. The voltage is showing as 13 volts. I drove the truck around a little, turned it off and let it sit for 30 minutes.

The truck fired up again, but I still have the CEL. The voltage starts somewhere in the mid 12s, it increases to 13.6, then drops to 13.

The 12v battery was replaced less than 6 months ago.

Any ideas?

View attachment 584568

I have 2023 Ram 1500 etorque with the same problem. 3batteries in 3 years, 2 mopar and 1 Interstate. Been to the dealer twice and was told everything is good. They told me no draw when not running and the CEL being on is normal after a dead battery.

 

[MadChetnik]

I have a 2026 2500 diesel that is having starting issues, dealership this past Friday said there was no parasitic draw but the main battery tested bad, they replaced the battery, then on Saturday same issue again no start just a click, I jumped the truck to get to the dealer, the dealer had to jump it again to get it out of the service lane. Hopefully will have an answer tomorrow.