That Does It! Battery Maintenance

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NETim

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It seems like you can't swing a cat here or on just about any car related forum w/o hitting a "battery issues" post of some kind.

Therefore, I've taken to keeping a maintenance charger on my truck 365 days a year now. (A NOCO, which I think is a good charger/maintainer.)

There are times I won't drive the truck for 2-3 weeks, particularly in the winter, so keeping the battery topped off won't hurt anything to begin with IMHO.

I haven't had any issues with my rig to spur this decision. I just think I see an all too common not at all unusual issue with these new vehicles and their multiple power hungry modules that don't always behave. (Software developers can't foresee all circumstances and situations.)

If nothing else, keeping the battery on a charger should extend the life of the battery a little anyway.
 

turkeybird56

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It seems like you can't swing a cat here or on just about any car related forum w/o hitting a "battery issues" post of some kind.

Therefore, I've taken to keeping a maintenance charger on my truck 365 days a year now. (A NOCO, which I think is a good charger/maintainer.)

There are times I won't drive the truck for 2-3 weeks, particularly in the winter, so keeping the battery topped off won't hurt anything to begin with IMHO.

I haven't had any issues with my rig to spur this decision. I just think I see an all too common not at all unusual issue with these new vehicles and their multiple power hungry modules that don't always behave. (Software developers can't foresee all circumstances and situations.)

If nothing else, keeping the battery on a charger should extend the life of the battery a little anyway.
Agree, watching my multi meter do weird tricks reading battery when systems shut down is amusing. My truck may sit a week at a time in summer when running motorcycle for stuff. If I lived in a place where it got real cold, I would run a maintainer. I have my HD 800 mA charger hanging from a bungi cord in garage which I put on MC when I know gonna sit and use to perk up mower battery also. Heck, even used it to perk up battery in breakaway box on trailer. In winter, I always at least start truck every 3-4 days with remote start and let it run till times out. Plenty to maintain battery. But I do not live in a tundra permafrost area either.

ADDED: In areas where stupid cold, having a NOCO maintainer set up perm and available under hood IMHO smart idea.
 

JW2 Innovations

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I've added a plug in wiring harness to all my vehicles (with matching size to vehicle fuse close to pos terminal) for several years now for same reason. Moved to Noco too and have a few 5amp and one 10amp chargers around to keep my batteries topped off. Even my Kobota has one (battery tender older style) with a many years old battery in it that I can't believe still works! On a two battery setup in a diesel truck, make sure you run + side to one battery and - to the other to charge both at same time. I've even been wrapping the wires up in some split wire loom for added protection and it looks factory. Found nice place to wire the lead to on my Ram 2500. Right up in same place in bumper as the block heater plug in. I just made cable I little longer and I put the Noco charger inside lower bumper opening on the little "shelf" inside that lower opening so there aren't any lights to be easily seen at night when plugged in. Have some night crawlers come in driveway once in a while looking for free handouts and don't want to lose my charger! :) Oh, just don't forget to unplug it before you back out!
 

rule18

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I got 5 years out of my OEM battery. About three years in, I used my Noco Genius5 to repair and charge the battery. Whether that lengthened the battery life or not, the world may never know LOL. It certainly didn't hurt anything and I use it on my other vehicles every six months (cars, JD Gator).
 

Bigskyroadglide

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My battery in my 11, lasted until 2021. It was on a battery tender for the last 3 years before going out. It worked until it didn't. Sold truck, it's still going strong.

My 14, 3rd battery, since new. Daily driver

My 15, 2nd battery. Daily driver

My 16, oem battery, no issues. Long trips only.

I believe some are better than others. Also believe longer trips are better than stop and go for battery life.

Tender will only makes a difference if there is non use
 

Hemi395

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I have a Noco Genius GEN5X1 mounted in the engine bay of my truck. I plug it in whenever the truck is going to sit for any length of time to keep the battery topped off. I routed the plug to one of these I mounted in the wheel well along with a second one for the block heater. When its really cold out I plug both in, it helps a lot for cold starts.

I recently replaced a 5 year old Duralast H7 AGM battery with an Interstate H8 AGM battery because it wasn't holding a charge. I removed the GEN5X1 and performed a repair function on the H7 just for kicks, didn't really expect it do anything. After 3 repair cycles it went from 400CCA to 650CCA or so. Not fully back to the 850CCA its rated at but impressive nonetheless. I was going to return it for the core but I might just keep it as a spare lol
 

White six four

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It seems like you can't swing a cat here or on just about any car related forum w/o hitting a "battery issues" post of some kind.
It's that time of year. Happens every year once it gets cold. I guarantee this time next year it will be the same exact way.

My truck sits in the pole shed and is not used daily so I bought a 4' hard wire or whatever it's called extension for my battery tender which is just long enough to reach the grill in the front bumper. When I know the truck is going to sit for more then a day it gets plugged in.
 

BuschLatte420

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When the snow and salts out my new truck sits until the roads are salt free (would love to daily in the winter but want to keep for 20 years and not be a rust bucket) will be a test for battery life this year.
 

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joelmic

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Isn't there an ALPHAOBD reading that gives a clue on battery life or current performance??
 

GTyankee

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I may have to try one of the NOCO chargers with the repair function

My Harley Yuasa battery was brand new about a year ago & i have not used it much, i would guess the battery is dead & likely will not take a charge. Possibly it can take whatever it is that NOCO calls a repair.
 

gofishn

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Firm Believer in Battery Tenders for any battery that will sit.
Do not use them on our Daily Drivers but Sons Hyundai and Dakota both have one.
The Fishing Boat & Camper, too, of course.
I also agree, batteries last longer, with a tender, as well as Multiple start, stops hurt them, unless a tender is attached, when parked for the night.
 

GsRAM

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I dont make a practice of swinging cats, Haha Lol...however I've used battery tenders/maintainers (not trickle chargers which I do not reccomend) for over 20 yrs now at least on things that sit and dont get used often. All 3 of my tractors have them on currently (during the mowing season the lawn tractor does not but it's used weekly). My foxbody mustang has one on it most of the year and my 17 ram has one on it often as I dont drive it much since the pandemic and especially this time of year once the road salt starts for the winter.

My 17 ram which will be 6 yrs old the 30th of this month is still on its original battery and it still seems fine. They work. I like Battery Tender Jrs.
 

BossHogg

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On a two battery setup in a diesel truck, make sure you run + side to one battery and - to the other to charge both at same time.
That isn't necessary for low amp recharging since the batteries are wired in parallel. It is however suggested to wire positive on one battery and negative on the other battery for high current loads, for example, a winch.

Battery Tender has interesting reading in their FAQ
 

stevenP

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I totally agree, I keep my vehicles ( tractor, UTV, etc) on tenders when not in use, including my CTD 2500. I run a charging plug on the truck to an outside location on the front fender for connection.

One side note to this is, several years ago we had a near hit with lightning during a pop up t-storm. That near hit electrical pulse came through the house smoked the tender, and did $3k worth of damage to my C6 corvette which was plugged in to a tender at the time. So whenever there is a storm coming.....UNPLUG YOUR VEHICLES!
 

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PoconoJoe

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It seems like you can't swing a cat here or on just about any car related forum w/o hitting a "battery issues" post of some kind.

Therefore, I've taken to keeping a maintenance charger on my truck 365 days a year now. (A NOCO, which I think is a good charger/maintainer.)

There are times I won't drive the truck for 2-3 weeks, particularly in the winter, so keeping the battery topped off won't hurt anything to begin with IMHO.

I haven't had any issues with my rig to spur this decision. I just think I see an all too common not at all unusual issue with these new vehicles and their multiple power hungry modules that don't always behave. (Software developers can't foresee all circumstances and situations.)

If nothing else, keeping the battery on a charger should extend the life of the battery a little anyway.
Not a bad idea.

I love my Noco maintainers! They are great.
I have (5) Noco .75 amp maintainers for winter storeage of all the batteries from my "toys".

I really believe those maintainers have extended the life of all those batteries.
I just replaced one of the batteries in my boat after 9 years of ownership. And... I bought the boat used, so that group 24 marine starting battery was over 9 years old. Not bad!
 

turkeybird56

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When the snow and salts out my new truck sits until the roads are salt free (would love to daily in the winter but want to keep for 20 years and not be a rust bucket) will be a test for battery life this year.
When my wife died, I sold "her" 2010 F 150 4 X 4 CC with the Triton 5.4L to her son in Wisconsin. It only had 46K on Odometer. He leaves it parked in a garage all winter, will not take it out and "salt" it down. 1st Winter up there, the tranny pan seals died and dumped all the trans. What happens when U have a TX truck that has only been in big heat and everything expanded and heat soaked. the -20F in Wisconsin and the tranny pan seals did not hold, LOL. I did not even think about that. I also told him, he best think another Battery as that Battery been working in 110 F, not -20 F, LOL.
 

PoconoJoe

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I totally agree, I keep my vehicles ( tractor, UTV, etc) on tenders when not in use, including my CTD 2500. I run a charging plug on the truck to an outside location on the front fender for connection.

One side note to this is, several years ago we had a near hit with lightning during a pop up t-storm. That near hit electrical pulse came through the house smoked the tender, and did $3k worth of damage to my C6 corvette which was plugged in to a tender at the time. So whenever there is a storm coming.....UNPLUG YOUR VEHICLES!
Wow!
I can relate to that.
We had a lightning strike that blew out all kinds of electronics in our home. Garage door opener, oil burner control box, ups power supply, the list goes on and on. A couple of thousand dollars in damage.

I added a whole house surge suppressor onto the mains of my circuit breaker panel. It is made by Square D and cost $130. Simple hookup if you're comfortable working in you home's panel. You have to screw the leads onto the main buss bars. Shut the main breaker and mount the leads after the main breaker. You replace the existing screws from the buss bar with those ones that have a built in lock washer. I forget what they are called.

Definitely worth the $130 considering the damage that occurred from the lightning.
Wish I had that thing installed before the lightning strike.
 

turkeybird56

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Not a bad idea.

I love my Noco maintainers! They are great.
I have (5) Noco .75 amp maintainers for winter storeage of all the batteries from my "toys".

I really believe those maintainers have extended the life of all those batteries.
I just replaced one of the batteries in my boat after 9 years of ownership. And... I bought the boat used, so that group 24 marine starting battery was over 9 years old. Not bad!
When it starts to get cold, I keep my MC on a HD 800 mA tender, keeps it good. But here, it is the heat that trashes batteries, not cold. I end up putting a new battery on Mower every 2 years. I buy a Good AGM for MC and usually get 3 years out of them, especially if kept on tender. But with 100-110 F in summer, plus engine heat off of a 6 cylinder motor, the battery takes a beating, LOL. Me too, cooked "turkey" in summer.

ADDED: Just put new battery in the RAM, 4 1/2 years old, and battery was only showing 11.9 V to 12.02 V when cold, it was time.
 
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