Why are there 2 batteries?

[koolex11]

you should they are great vehicles. "I have yet to have a bad chevy"

I have had 4 chevys and I must agree. They are the cheapest trucks to fix when something does go wrong. Never really gave ford a chance, but I'm sure they're OK too. Had to please the Ford guys out there

 

[Roger.Olson]

USAFSS-ColdWarrior , Somebody once said that they learn more by listening than by talking. I don't have much to contribute, but I sure have learned a lot by questions like this that have been posted and the generous and accurate replys that are offered by the members. I have waited long and read much, and now am actively looking for a 1009 to "save" from rust and demise. I have not found"the one" yet. Some day soon, thanks to this site, I will and now I think I know what I am looking for.

 

[Stan Leschert]

24 V is such a superior system for heavy loads... starting would be the primary concern. It takes a while to kill 2 huge batteries, no matter how stubborn your truck is!

When buying batteries, I have found a very usefull shopping tool.
All major cities have distrubutors for commercial truck batteries.
Pop in and see if they have any "Factory Seconds" for sale.
This usally involves casing or labelling flaws, and they normally have the usual brand new warranty. Quite often the also offer a mechanic's discount, so...

We just bought a case of batteries for our ongoing motorbike projects, of said factory seconds. The price of the whole case was the same as 1 brand new shelf ready battery! 8 bikes and spares left over!

 

[Rustygears]

I have the civvy version of the cucv - '82 k10 with 6.2 diesel + manual tranny. The electrical system on that truck is its Achilles heel. In the 20 years I've owned that truck, this is the only area where I've had problems - glow plug controllers, glow plugs, starters. I've been through 4 starters and only a few weeks ago figured out why. The primary cables and the crap modular conectors used for the civvy batteries are severely undersized and can't get the necessary amps to the starter so it and the solenoid eventually burn up. I got mad and rewired with 2/0 welding cable and military battery terminals - wow does it ever crank now! The 24v starter system on the cucv will surely avoid that serious design defect.

I see lots of posts about the glow plug controller on the cucv and I conclude it is similar to the crap used on the civvy version. Chevy really blew it and designed in 6 volt glow plugs on the 12v truck! They cycle the plugs on and off every few seconds to keep them from frying. If they are on for more than 20 seconds continuously, they fry. That is what the chevy factory manual fo the 6.2 diesel says and I can tell you it is true. Replacements are about $40 each (8 needed = $320). I disconnected the whole mess and just give big stinky a little shot of Mr. Ether right into the air cleaner intake on my first start of the day after th truck has sat all night. It spins about 2 revolutions and fires right up every time. No need to do that any time the rest of the day, no matter how long it has been parked after being started that same day. Do not use ether if the glow plugs are connected because you'll blow the engine up, but one connector on the glow plug relay is all you have to pull off to disable th glow plugs. I highly recommend doing that first and using the ether at GL because that will save your battery (glow plugs pull 125 amps), guarantee a quick start, and will start the motor even if the fuel system lost prime from sitting for a long time (another chevy 6.2 'feature').

Have fun, they can be temperamental, but through Cali brushfires, Colorado blizzards and Arizona record heat, big stinky has always come through!

 

[DIESELGREEN]

Still 12v either 1 large battery with more CCA or two smaller batteries with the same CCA.
I would think working at the Kenworth place he had access to used truck batteries. Wayne

Hey, you wouldn't happen to work for KW would you?

 

[Jump Start]

I would leave it two batteries. I had to replace a fly wheel in my 6.2 it had a weak battery and it was not engaging the starter into the fly wheel far enough chewed off some teeth.