Battery Problems/Alternator?

[dabtl]

A bit of background.

After a parade a friend parked the deuce without turning off the lights. They drained the batteries and remained in the 'on' position for a couple of weeks.

The batteries are fairly new, two years old, 6TL batteries. I have the charger on them for most of the day. At one point they had enough power to start the buzzer and click the starter. I put on the slave cables started it up and let it run awhile.

The batter/generator guage showed in the red. I turned the engine off. Not enough power to start or even start the low air buzzer.

Putting the slave cables back on brought the battery/generator back to the yellow.

I am wondering if I may now have alternator problems for some reason?

 

[Heavysteven]

Have you tried adjusting the output on the alternator?

 

[dabtl]

I am waiting to see if the batteries take a charge. They were completely drained for a couple of weeks. I have no idea what if anything that does to a battery.

After I figure out the battery problem, I will look at the alternator.

 

[Crazyguyla]

if the batteries dont have enough juice, the alternator will not operate. Low voltage can damage the alt. charge the batteries until they are fully charged, then see how the alt operates. since the batteries were dead for that long, they need to be slow charged also.

 

[dabtl]

if the batteries dont have enough juice, the alternator will not operate. Low voltage can damage the alt. charge the batteries until they are fully charged, then see how the alt operates. since the batteries were dead for that long, they need to be slow charged also.

I will keep that in mind.

 

[renovate7]

What Crazyguyla said. You can bring back a battery that has 0.0 voltage. You need to start with a 2 amp charger for 10 hours. Many automatic chargers today will not turn on unless they detect a minmum voltage in a battery. The worse thing you can do is put the charger on 50 volts or starting setting... Most automotive batteries are not designed to be drained way down. Industrial batteries such as for electric forklifts and batteries for trolling motors are. There is an internal difference between the 2 types. I drained a set of heavy dutty truck batteries from Walmart to 0.0 (left switrch on) and brought them back successfully.

 

[dabtl]

After 20 hours of charging they could not bring enough power up to turn the engine more than a couple of revs.

O'Reilly has 6TL batteries available for same day delivery. $183.00 each.

I looked up what others here have done and bought two class 31 batteries for $180.00 Fired up immediately. The battery/generator gauge shows yellow. That may be because the batteries are not fully charged.

 

[scopionf89]

How important is it to replace your dueces battries with 6T battries. On my first duece that I got way back when I thought it would be worth restoring I used to run it off of randum battries that I got frome a junk yard for free. I kept frying off the battrie termanals because I did not know better. Any way my question is if I buy 2 battries that have the same amp rating as the stock battries will they work or will the 24 volt system destroy them over time?

 

[dabtl]

I put two Group 31 batteries in this morning. Took off nicely. I checked this thread http://www.steelsoldiers.com/electrical/58231-battery-size-type.html for other's experiences.

The Group 31 fit just barely lengthwise across the battery box at a 90 degree angle with the engine. I used a 19 inch dual end cable and the regular battery connections to join them together. I will probably cut some 2x4 spacers shortly.

At first the battery/generator gauge stayed in the yellow but after a short time it moved into the green.

This much cheaper than the 6TL!

 

[panshark]

I got my truck with a couple of small 12v batts, i had one of my posts melt through as well.

 

[jatonka]

In my experience, the 6TL batteries are not worth much. Group 31D batteries with the screw top post are available in at least 2 different CCA varieties and allow you to dispense with the clamp on bat terminale and bolt the bat cables directly to the batteries. They tend to corrode less than clamp on terminals too, in my part of the country. I have also used a lot of 550 CCA small batteries, and if you run the truck often enough they are fine, until it gets really cold out and then you're done. JT out

 

[dabtl]

I went with the Group 31 batteries, regular old fashioned type, because of the cranking power.

I also treated the battery connectors with Vaseline on assembly to cut down on corrosion.