Really bad timing for dead batteries

[JayLeonard]

Had the truck loaded and was about to drive 3 tenths of a mile to pick up the TT to bug out of Milton’s path. Click click diesel wouldn’t crank over.
Oh crap. Checked voltage with a meter. 12.2 v.
Luckily my local Autozone had 2 in stock, and we only had a 2 hour delay in our departure.

I Guess thats typical life for a 2021 with 50 k miles ?

 

[turkeybird56]

Had the truck loaded and was about to drive 3 tenths of a mile to pick up the TT to bug out of Milton’s path. Click click diesel wouldn’t crank over.
Oh crap. Checked voltage with a meter. 12.2 v.
Luckily my local Autozone had 2 in stock, and we only had a 2 hour delay in our departure.

I Guess thats typical life for a 2021 with 50 k miles ?

Lucky the Autozone had what you need and themselves not bugged out yet.

 

[2003F350]

Had the truck loaded and was about to drive 3 tenths of a mile to pick up the TT to bug out of Milton’s path. Click click diesel wouldn’t crank over.
Oh crap. Checked voltage with a meter. 12.2 v.
Luckily my local Autozone had 2 in stock, and we only had a 2 hour delay in our departure.

I Guess thats typical life for a 2021 with 50 k miles ?

Ehhh depending on your build date you're looking at 3-4 years...that's about average for an aftermarket battery, a little short for a factory battery. Unless you have something drawing on your batteries that you aren't aware of.

Still, glad you were able to get a set of batteries and get out of the way. That sucker looks nasty.

 

[JayLeonard]

Ehhh depending on your build date you're looking at 3-4 years...that's about average for an aftermarket battery, a little short for a factory battery. Unless you have something drawing on your batteries that you aren't aware of.

Still, glad you were able to get a set of batteries and get out of the way. That sucker looks nasty.

What surprised me is that I had no indication they were getting weak. I’m used to hearing it turn over a little slow as a warning before batteries just die.
I will say that after i did the swap, the passengers side read 12.2 and the drivers side was 12.7 on the oem batteries. So one was still good. But i know they both needed changing

 

[turkeybird56]

What surprised me is that I had no indication they were getting weak. I’m used to hearing it turn over a little slow as a warning before batteries just die.
I will say that after i did the swap, the passengers side read 12.2 and the drivers side was 12.7 on the oem batteries. So one was still good. But i know they both needed changing

Glad you were smart enuf to know, on dual Battery setups, when one goes, it is in yer best interest to replace both.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

Glad you were smart enuf to know, on dual Battery setups, when one goes, it is in yer best interest to replace both.

^^ THIS!

 

[JayLeonard]

Glad you were smart enuf to know, on dual Battery setups, when one goes, it is in yer best interest to replace both.

30 plus years of boating taught me that a long time ago.

 

[stevenP]

On my last two diesel RAMS, I didnt notice the decline either over the years I owned them. Till I went to test drive a new truck at the dealership, and I was amazed at how fast it turned over. Went home and had the dealership install two new batteries after that. Mine lasted 5 years, but I only had 20k miles on my rig. You drove a lot more than I did.

 

[JayLeonard]

In retrospect i do recall it cranking over a half second or so longer a few times once in a while recently. Didnt notice a speed change but maybe that was tell tale.

 

[GTyankee]

My Ram did not Remote Start one Sunday Morning.

It started right up when i put the FOB into the Ignition
I quickly checked the normal culprits

I drove straight to Costco & bought the newest Interstate Battery on the shelves, they would not install it
I found a Auto Repair place that would install it, but they told me that it was going to COST me, they sell Batteries & i was not buying theirs.

They charged me a lot for Labor.
I have medical issues & i could not install it & being as it was Sunday, i needed the truck for early Monday morning business.

 

[Wild one]

WTF none of you guys own a battery load tester,but you can make payments on a $75,000+ truck.
Spend the 20 bucks at harbour freight and get one you cheap asses

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

 

[2003F350]

WTF none of you guys own a battery load tester,but you can make payments on a $75,000+ truck.
Spend the 20 bucks at harbour freight and get one you cheap asses

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

Why? When any auto parts store will do the load test for free, in the vehicle, without me having to buy anything? (Granted it's always better to check a battery out of the vehicle as it's more accurate, but it is more labor intensive).

 

[Wild one]

Why? When any auto parts store will do the load test for free, in the vehicle, without me having to buy anything? (Granted it's always better to check a battery out of the vehicle as it's more accurate, but it is more labor intensive).

Your call,but your nuts if you think the digital testers they use actually do a decent job of testing a battery Show me an autoparts store that disconnects at least 1 neg battery cable to do a load test on a dual battery set-up,sure it can be done with both batteries hooked up,but it's not the right way to check each battery.
$h!t dude you don't need to pull a battery to test it,you don't even need to disconnect the battery on a single battery set-up,and on a dual battery set-up disconnect a negative cable and test them right where they sit,you're making it out to be alot of work to test a battery,which is about as far from the truth as you can get.
All i'm hearing is excuses
I'm guessing you've never load tested a battery before by the way you're talking

 

[nlambert182]

Happened to me on my 3500 while at a campground. Luckily I jumped it and ran over to Autozone and they tested and found one bad battery. I went ahead and bought 2 new batteries and installed them in the parking lot. I had no symptoms before either. One of those things.

 

[JayLeonard]

I dont trust load testers Here’s why.
When i had my 91 Dodge CTD , i thought it was turning over a little slow that normal. My son had one of those testers at his hop and the battery tested GOOD.
But i went and bought a new battery( single battery setup on that truck) and NOW it turned over like it should.
That was an Optima red top, and it lasted 6 years ( Ct weather) until i sold the truck.
But in this case my voltmeter told me the story.
YES Im a cheap ass but I always buy a special tool when i need one ( or think i might need one). ( And nsert smiley face here)

 

[stevenP]

Dont trust load testing batteries either. I cant tell you the times they load tested my "good" battery, only to have it leave me stranded someplace.

 

[2003F350]

Your call,but your nuts if you think the digital testers they use actually do a decent job of testing a battery Show me an autoparts store that disconnects at least 1 neg battery cable to do a load test on a dual battery set-up,sure it can be done with both batteries hooked up,but it's not the right way to check each battery.
$h!t dude you don't need to pull a battery to test it,you don't even need to disconnect the battery on a single battery set-up,and on a dual battery set-up disconnect a negative cable and test them right where they sit,you're making it out to be alot of work to test a battery,which is about as far from the truth as you can get.
All i'm hearing is excuses
I'm guessing you've never load tested a battery before by the way you're talking

I've never needed to test one myself. If I DID need a battery load tested, I took it somewhere. Usually I pull said battery and have it bench tested if I have questions about its health, IF I don't just straight-up replace it for peace of mind because batteries are, in the grand scheme of things, cheap compared to other things. For instance, a pair of batteries on a 6.0 PSD are cheaper than the FICM that goes out if the batteries get too weak.

Could I spend the money and get a tester and do it myself? Sure. I just have no reason to, so I don't bother.

 

[turkeybird56]

To have or not to have. Since I just have a lowly Bighorn, well you know. But yes, I do have an old style toaster tester, also a multi-meter and even a newer Holmes meter. But U can go out there and test them bad boys all U want: Moral of the story: Them dang batteries go belly up at the most inopportune time, lmao.

Heck, I even have a 7 pin tester just to have, just in case. But that is me.

TBH, WHEN my battery went bad, my Duralast AGM Battery again, tested it showed good till I got out the old toaster, showed under load, like 11.2 volts and away I went with Receipt in hand to get another battery. Luckily, my lithium battery pack, keeping it hooked up for a lot longer than 30 seconds, I was able to get truck started, JUST had to ignore the 18 codes, sub codes, warning lights, chimes, U would have thought the truck was the "Titanic". As with a lot of folks, I got ZERO warning. Truck was fine prior evening, next morning hit remote, NO JOY, so of course the 1st thing we all think is: WTF, over lmao.

 

[Wild one]

I've never needed to test one myself. If I DID need a battery load tested, I took it somewhere. Usually I pull said battery and have it bench tested if I have questions about its health, IF I don't just straight-up replace it for peace of mind because batteries are, in the grand scheme of things, cheap compared to other things. For instance, a pair of batteries on a 6.0 PSD are cheaper than the FICM that goes out if the batteries get too weak.

Could I spend the money and get a tester and do it myself? Sure. I just have no reason to, so I don't bother.

So let me get this straight,a guy who's never load tested a battery,and sounds like he's scared to do his own battery testing,is telling other guys they don't need a load tester for their own toolbox,okay what ever dude

 

[Wild one]

I dont trust load testers Here’s why.
When i had my 91 Dodge CTD , i thought it was turning over a little slow that normal. My son had one of those testers at his hop and the battery tested GOOD.
But i went and bought a new battery( single battery setup on that truck) and NOW it turned over like it should.
That was an Optima red top, and it lasted 6 years ( Ct weather) until i sold the truck.
But in this case my voltmeter told me the story.
YES Im a cheap ass but I always buy a special tool when i need one ( or think i might need one). ( And nsert smiley face here)

Your son didn't use one of the old school toaster testers,he used a digital load tester,if it didn't pick up on a bad battery.
The old school toaster testers put as big if not bigger load on the battery as your starter does. If it was cranking slow,trust me an old school tester would of picked up on it,while a digital tester will still pass it,saying it's a good battery