About to leave, truck batteries are dead question

[mattyj]

Hello everyone, I loaded the camper last night packed everything up had the truck running idling for a while no problem. Today I go to start truck batteries are dead and I can’t figure why the meter is saying the camper battery is OK, lights work.Can anybody help me with this? Thanks

[mattyj]

NVR2L82AV8 wrote:
Yep, it's your truck. As a 6.0 Ford PowerStroke owner I'll add some things to ponder (not from experience--sarcasm). If you rely on your Trucks alternator to "charge" your Camper batteries you should definitely think about a bigger alternator than stock or OEM. I replaced my OEM alternator five years ago and all my truck electrical issues vanished -- full stop. Since I had plenty of "amperage" available I even added a 6AWG line to charge my batteries separately---I could have never done that with an OEM Alternator. My Leece Neville 230 AMP alternator will charge at idle--you're OEM will struggle if not provide zero charging capability.

Go on-line and invest in a 230AMP alternator - Trust me, You will kick yourself for not doing it a long time ago.

I'd also offer that you need to replace your truck batteries as a pair. Since they are below 12.6V I'd charge them up. I've bought new batteries before and had one go bad - not uncommon. Take your new batteries back to the place you bought them and have them do a "Load" test. You'll know immediately if you have a bad battery and they should replace it for free if you are still in the warranty period. Another word of caution. Just because your Truck battery gets a jump to start does not mean it'll charge. An alternator requires V to excite the alternator. Generators do not. Lots of folks learn this the hard way.

If you can afford it get AGMs for the diesel. Here's a link to a 230AMP. You can search on-line for the best prices. Be advised Leece Neville's are produced in the US. So, there are Chineeesm Knockoffs (go figure). Buy from a reputable dealer.

Leece Neville 230 AMP

. 7.3 driver I will absolutellook into that alternator, I sent the truck to the shop for 2 reasons first is diagnostic the second is the serpentine belt is a major hassle for me and I don’t want to deal with it. Too old anc lazy ,I have not had an issue with the alt in the truck but we are taking a pretty long trip in August so what the hell .As for the batteries I replaced them in February so they are new I hope not shot. Thanks

[NVR2L82AV8]

Yep, it's your truck. As a 6.0 Ford PowerStroke owner I'll add some things to ponder (not from experience--sarcasm). If you rely on your Trucks alternator to "charge" your Camper batteries you should definitely think about a bigger alternator than stock or OEM. I replaced my OEM alternator five years ago and all my truck electrical issues vanished -- full stop. Since I had plenty of "amperage" available I even added a 6AWG line to charge my batteries separately---I could have never done that with an OEM Alternator. My Leece Neville 230 AMP alternator will charge at idle--you're OEM will struggle if not provide zero charging capability.

Go on-line and invest in a 230AMP alternator - Trust me, You will kick yourself for not doing it a long time ago.

I'd also offer that you need to replace your truck batteries as a pair. Since they are below 12.6V I'd charge them up. I've bought new batteries before and had one go bad - not uncommon. Take your new batteries back to the place you bought them and have them do a "Load" test. You'll know immediately if you have a bad battery and they should replace it for free if you are still in the warranty period. Another word of caution. Just because your Truck battery gets a jump to start does not mean it'll charge. An alternator requires V to excite the alternator. Generators do not. Lots of folks learn this the hard way.

If you can afford it get AGMs for the diesel. Here's a link to a 230AMP. You can search on-line for the best prices. Be advised Leece Neville's are produced in the US. So, there are Chineeesm Knockoffs (go figure). Buy from a reputable dealer.

Leece Neville 230 AMP

[mattyj]

7.3driver wrote:
This may sound like a silly question but did it rain over night when you came outside and found the truck batteries dead ?
The reason I ask is cause I have a early 1999 F350. Sometimes after a good rain what happens is water will get to the inside of the outer door handle where the electrical switch is for the inside illumination lites and cause them to come on and run the batteries down.
Ford may have corrected this on later models.

yes it did rain that night. but they were new, good as opposed to new (bad) time will tell. Good to know!

[Grit_dog]

mattyj wrote:
Thanks everyone I jumped the truck and the voltage did not increase at first I thought it had something to do with the tc but I think that the tc was on truck and this happened was just a Coincidence. So when I had the truck running last night quite a while I might have killed the batteries due to the alternator being no good. I am waiting for AAA to pick up my truck and bring it to the shop, no trip this weekend, I really lucked out this happened in my drivewayAnd not on interstate 81

Replacing the alternator on a 6.0no is literally one of the easiest engines to replace on.
If you’re not able to replace it yourself and having it towed/paying retail, at least make sure you get a real quality alternator from an alternator rebuild shop or a fully rebuilt / new one if you can get new. As there is not a quality off the shelf reman out there and the 20 minute replacement job will cost you $100s in labor and towing each time.
Every vehicle that’s needed an alternator in recent years for me has required multiple replacements in short order due to being junk pieces of **** still. Remans don’t get rebuilt. They get whatever part is broke, new brushes and back in a box.
Last one I took to a shop and had it completely rebuilt.
All the pos remans from every parts store are just that, junk.

[rhagfo]

7.3driver wrote:
This may sound like a silly question but did it rain over night when you came outside and found the truck batteries dead ?
The reason I ask is cause I have a early 1999 F350. Sometimes after a good rain what happens is water will get to the inside of the outer door handle where the electrical switch is for the inside illumination lites and cause them to come on and run the batteries down.
Ford may have corrected this on later models.

If interior lights run down the dual batteries in a diesel overnight, time to replace the batteries.

[7_3driver]

This may sound like a silly question but did it rain over night when you came outside and found the truck batteries dead ?
The reason I ask is cause I have a early 1999 F350. Sometimes after a good rain what happens is water will get to the inside of the outer door handle where the electrical switch is for the inside illumination lites and cause them to come on and run the batteries down.
Ford may have corrected this on later models.

[phillyg]

I've replaced three alternators in my 2005 F350 in the past three years. The last time, I erroneously concluded my batteries were bad, after which the new batteries ran down. Sure enough, it was another bad alternator.

[mattyj]

Thanks everyone I jumped the truck and the voltage did not increase at first I thought it had something to do with the tc but I think that the tc was on truck and this happened was just a Coincidence. So when I had the truck running last night quite a while I might have killed the batteries due to the alternator being no good. I am waiting for AAA to pick up my truck and bring it to the shop, no trip this weekend, I really lucked out this happened in my drivewayAnd not on interstate 81

[towpro]

sounds like the alternator on truck failed. Failures always happens at worse time.

as others said, charge truck batteries, start truck and recheck the voltage running. did it go up into the 13v or higher range?

[Grit_dog]

Chuck and Di wrote:
If I read this correctly the truck batteries are 11.38 and camper batteries are 12.56. This means the camper has nothing to do with it. Problem is contained to the truck.

Thank you!
That was lost on the last 15 shade tree diagnoses responses.
OP, disconnect trailer plug , although it must be a Ford with a disconnect or I’d expect the camper battery to have suffered as well.
Jump start truck, see if alternator is working. If yes, you drainded the batteries...somehow. If not, you probably lost the alternator.
That’s where I’d start.

Edit presume you have a diesel since you said truck batteries plural. It may take a little charging to light off the diesel. If you don’t have a booster or good charger, and don’t want to spend the time/try/risk charging with the jump vehicle, if you can hook up your good camper battery to the primary side of the truck, it should start it. (So you can diagnose the alternator)

[Chuck_and_Di]

If I read this correctly the truck batteries are 11.38 and camper batteries are 12.56. This means the camper has nothing to do with it. Problem is contained to the truck.

[joerg68]

No charge from the alternator might be a reason. You could have run them down the night before while you were running the truck, thinking they would be charged.
I wish you luck!

[Lwiddis]

Running batteries down to "dead" harms them. Your new batteries may never perform as well as expected. Sorry

[time2roll]

Charge or jump start the truck. Once running check the voltage after the jump cables/charger is removed. If you see 13.5+ volts from the alternator I would roll.