Well, it took us 4 hours after leaving the main road (if that is what you want to call it) to get to the lake. A beautiful place! Gonna have some great fishing in the morning! Looking forward to a few days of peace and quiet - as my phone quit working several hours ago because we got out of range!Got up in the morning and had a wonderful day fishing. Fried up a mess of them for dinner. Then I went to get something out of the cab of the truck, but the fob thingy wont open the doors. Oh well. Stupid thing doesnt work half the time anyway. Whip out the keys and do it the old fashioned way. Hmmmmm....seems kinda dark in here....wait! WHERE ARE THE INTERIOR LIGHTS!??!?!? (insert ominous music here) THE TRUCK BATTERY IS DEAD!Why oh why did I not just go ahead and replace the batteries?!?! I knew they were past their prime!! I go and tell her majesty what happened. Needless to say that did not go over well. I get told how she has to get back in time for her job and she was planning on having lunch with her mother and if we dont get back....blah blah blah blah...I get my bag and drop a couple of bottles of water into it along with my compass and a map. All I have to do is follow the trail out that we drove in on to the road and walk until I get a cell signal.I leave the truck to escape from her majesty's eyes that are about to burn a hole straight through me. It is a nice evening for a hike anyway. Plenty of moon light and a nice breeze. Beautiful country out here!An hour later, not to far from me, I hear wolves howling.......

Cant you use the house batts to start the truck? Jumper cables?

And now...for the rest of the story.Then I woke up. The wolves howling was the dog laying across me and baying while it slept.But seriously..I did get up this morning to a dead battery in the truck (while it was still in the driveway). No, nothing was left turned on, however I found out that the factory batteries are only 36 month batteries. And I have had the truck for 5 years and 4 months.Could I swap the camper batteries for the truck batteries? I think it is possible (if I dont injure myself in the process). More important - how do you tell if a battery is going to take a dump shortly? I though about a battery hydrometer but the current batteries I have are marked on the top with "Dont remove vents under penalty of death" or something like that. So how do you test them? Is there an appropriate tool? Or should you immediately replace them the day after the rated period is up?

After reading your second post I deleted what I wrote here the first time. I shouldn't have took the time to read the first one. And to reply to it much less. :R

The camper batteries are deep cycle and will have lower starting performance.Couple things to try instead... put a small battery charger on the chassis batteries for a few hours or boost start the batteries with cables or a jump box.For superior performance I recommend an AGM such as Sears Platinum for a new start battery.wolves howling as you walk into the dark was a great hook. ;)

Ive used the hauler batterys to jump start the truck and vice versa. Buy a lithium jump start battery pack for those times ya need it, we have one.

Busted with a bad battery out in the boonies | Good Sam Community

RoyB
Explorer II
Apr 26, 2016
My PLANB is I carry my 2KW HOnda Generator secured in the tailgate corner of my covered nd locked FOLD-A-COVER bed. I also caryy a 20AMPS small portable SMART MODE 120VAC Battery Charger under the back-seat of my truck...

As long as I have some gasoline I am pretty much covered for those bad battery days....

Always try to have PLAN B haha....

Roy Ken
Strabo
Explorer
Apr 26, 2016
Ive used the hauler batterys to jump start the truck and vice versa. Buy a lithium jump start battery pack for those times ya need it, we have one.
time2roll
Nomad
Apr 26, 2016
The camper batteries are deep cycle and will have lower starting performance.
Couple things to try instead... put a small battery charger on the chassis batteries for a few hours or boost start the batteries with cables or a jump box.

For superior performance I recommend an AGM such as Sears Platinum for a new start battery.

wolves howling as you walk into the dark was a great hook. ;)
3oaks
Explorer
Apr 26, 2016
After reading your second post I deleted what I wrote here the first time.

I shouldn't have took the time to read the first one. And to reply to it much less. :R
portscanner
Explorer
Apr 26, 2016
And now...for the rest of the story.

Then I woke up. The wolves howling was the dog laying across me and baying while it slept.

But seriously..I did get up this morning to a dead battery in the truck (while it was still in the driveway). No, nothing was left turned on, however I found out that the factory batteries are only 36 month batteries. And I have had the truck for 5 years and 4 months.

Could I swap the camper batteries for the truck batteries? I think it is possible (if I dont injure myself in the process).

More important - how do you tell if a battery is going to take a dump shortly? I though about a battery hydrometer but the current batteries I have are marked on the top with "Dont remove vents under penalty of death" or something like that. So how do you test them? Is there an appropriate tool? Or should you immediately replace them the day after the rated period is up?
lawrosa
Explorer
Apr 26, 2016
Cant you use the house batts to start the truck? Jumper cables?

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Busted with a bad battery out in the boonies

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