# Drawing to many amps



## Smith2287 (Dec 12, 2008)

Hi guys,

Im new here but just wanted to see you you guys can help solve my problem. I have a 06 ram 2500 with the 5.7 in it. For the past 2 seasons whenever I plow it dims all my interior lights and sets the check engine light off. So I upgraded the battery to the biggest i could fit and still no go. I been to dodge, and various alternator shops and they all are telling me I have the biggest one in there already. They tell me it has to be a problem with a ground somewhere but I have been over everything. 

Has anyone else had this type of problem, my only solution was to run a second battery but space is very limited.

Thanks,
-Corey


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## Spitz (Feb 28, 2008)

If your running a lot of functions on the plow continuously then yea, you'll have problems with one battery.. The alternator simply cant make up the difference in what the plow functions take from the battery.. My fathers dodge 1500 does the same thing if your in tight spots constantly moving the plow, at times i need to just stop and let the truck idle for a few minutes.


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## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

What is amp output of the alternator u have now? I doubt u have the biggest! U may have biggest factory alt.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

they maybe right about the ground. But if you went to these shops why didnt they fix it? few things you can do. If they are all pointing at the plow. Bring it to a plow shop. have the plow place give you a recomendation. Buy a yellow top battery instead of 2. As for space for a 2nd battery. I am sure you have at 6 feet behind the drivers seat. there are kits that allow you to mount batteries in the bed. Or just fabricate one. But I would start at a plow shop. And a yellow top is always good. I plan on putting some in this winter.


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## Smith2287 (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks guys for all the answers, I really appreciate it. As to bringing it to a plow shop I already have. The owner of the western dealer in NJ is a really close friend and looked over the whole plow and told me it is something with the truck as the plow is 100% correct. Currently my friend at napa sold me an emergency battery that he sells to towns to power all the lights on ambulances and other rescue equipment. He told me this is the best battery he has and should do the trick. I am going to play with all the grounds and battery cables this weekend and see if it does the trick.


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## brad96z28 (Aug 21, 2005)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/03-0...uck_Parts_Accessories?_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116 Do u still think u have the biggest alternator for ur truck? I doubt it.


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## Smith2287 (Dec 12, 2008)

Im sorry I should have said I have the biggest factory alt that comes with the dodge snow plow prep package from the factory. The guy at the shop told me there are a lot of bigger ones but the problem is most require major fab work to fit it since it is real tight under the hood.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

If you hemi only has 136 amp. thats your issue. Plowing usually requires Defroster to be on. Wipers and ofcourse the radio. Hemis ignitions take up alot of juice to run. That with ligfts on and maybe a strobe. your 136 will never work properly. Get that alternator above for $300 and you should be ok then, This is one of the main reasons i bought a diesel.


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## Smith2287 (Dec 12, 2008)

My other truck is a 06 cummins and it is a bear with no problems. My next truck is most definitely a diesel. I am most likely going to hang on to this one for one of my guys to drive next season. Currently I have 28 commercial accounts and next year is looking like another 10-20 more so I want to make sure this truck lasts. 

Thanks again,
-Corey


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## murphyslaw (Oct 2, 2005)

I run a custom built 250amp alternator. with 2 group 31 batteries. and after a long night I will still have to turn off the headlights to keep the plow running at speed, and I now have an LED light bars so there was more power savings and all led clearance lights. and I plow in low to keep the tranny happy and the motor at higher rpms to spin the alternator.


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH (Dec 9, 2006)

It is once again the story of supply and demand. Adding the second battery will help wonders. Also measure the area of the battery tray. Can you stuff a top post battery from a big rig in there?? Put one in both of the older w series trucks and the output is amazing. When you raise the plow the voltage guage still hovers around the 10 volt mark.

Also try to change the speed the alt will spin at idle. This can be achived by putting on a smaller pully.


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## Spitz (Feb 28, 2008)

A second battery will work best rather than a mondo alternator. Talk to guys that install this major stereo systems in their car, most run a lot of capacitors to handle the power output to their 500lb speakers.. The second battery is just like adding a capacitor.. The alternators are not designed to run 100% duty cycle to keep up with your plows, you're really straining an alternator and WILL shorten its life expectancy. You need a second battery.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

Spitz;675040 said:


> A second battery will work best rather than a mondo alternator. Talk to guys that install this major stereo systems in their car, most run a lot of capacitors to handle the power output to their 500lb speakers.. The second battery is just like adding a capacitor.. The alternators are not designed to run 100% duty cycle to keep up with your plows, you're really straining an alternator and WILL shorten its life expectancy. You need a second battery.


ummm kinda right and kinda wrong here

from an engineering stand point.... first a capacitor is not anywere the same as a second battery. A capacitor is designed to dump volatge very quickly , and assit in the draw, but it also has to recharge. If you looked at it on a meter... no capacitor , if you raised the plow , it would read 185 amps, for 2 seconds.... with a capacitor , it migh tread 100 amps , for 6 seconds.... it still straighns the alt set up. the reason they are used in car steros, is becasue of the rapid change in voltage draw... due to the music. your also not suppost to constently run a capacitor down 100% , steros bearly run them 25% down

the 2nd battery is a good fix, however, you might as well take the time you can plow now , and double it. if you can plow 20 mins now, then 2 batteries might give you 40 mins..... depending on your route... alot of guys can plow a lot in 20 mins then be back on the road... this gives the battery time to charge up... however , if your plowing for hours on end... with no recharge time.... then the second battery alone is a bandaid fix

the bigger alt is a better choice, it helps keep the voltage high to begin with . I would highly recommend the smaller pully , helps alot, i personally have a good ALT shop , i can tell them the voltage i need, and that it needs to be that voltage at a low RPM and they will build what i want

run it in 4 low, if needed to keep the power level up. I would check exactly how the alt is grounded to the truck , and the battery ... you might find a difference if you run yoru own wire dirrectly to the battery


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## wildbl1500 (Jan 7, 2006)

I have the same issue with my Ram. When the wipers, lights, and mini lightbar are all on I have to give it a minute to charge up when doing intricate driveways.

I saw a write up somewhere for the last generation of Rams (94-00?) about adding a battery tray from a diesel Ram on the passenger's side. I'm not sure if on the current generation of Rams if the gas and diesel versions have batteries on different sides...

JMO: I'd be looking at a new yellow top or adding a second battery- $399 is a lot of $$$.


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## Spitz (Feb 28, 2008)

So the battery is acting "like" a capacitor as its helping with the draw, same difference to me, and was the general point, nothing more, not literal.. Anyway, the batteries themselves regernate themselves to a point as well. Having an alternator put max output 100% of the time for 5 hrs is a lot worse than adding one battery, keeping the voltage up longer and maybe only having the alt work at 50% for more time than it is at 100%.. I guess for cost efficiency a battery may be a bandaid but if it can hold enough power than that extra 100$ for it rather than 2, 3, hundred or more, it may be worth it.. I guess from what i've seen if you're pulling down two batteries to the point your having issues, either you have way too much **** on your truck or you're plowing and elfs parking lot.


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## hikeradk (Dec 17, 2007)

*Draw issues*

I have the problem to with my 04 Ram. I know it is from the V plow functions and notice it when I am using the plow functions more. Right now it is tolerable and I have thought over all the options and space limitations with the second battery being the best option in my opinion as the travel time allows it to recoup and the two batteries is long enough for stacking snow in a parking lot. I saw a nice two battery set up on here I am thinking of trying.


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## murphyslaw (Oct 2, 2005)

My problem is my lots are big but the way they are layed out its not just a matter of a few pushes. there is lots of plow pump running going on dodging around islands, light pulls, and other crap in the lots. plowing in low helped allot by being able to keep the rpms up, also helped my tranny last longer. since starting to plow in low I have had the same tranny for 4seasons, when before I was getting a season out of a tranny.


Adding a battery will help, but with out a better alt. its not a solution. think of it as a water tank. if you have a 500g tank and it empty's to fast with a 10gpm pump then adding another 500g tank is going to let it run longer but it still aint going to keep it full.


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## hikeradk (Dec 17, 2007)

Yeah the H/O Alt. and battery seem to be the best of both worlds although $$$, but considering replacing a factory alt. and a battery in a shorter period of time from the work it really is not that bad. Transmissions is a whole new issue. Although I am glad they improved from the older tranny's that had lots of issues.


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH (Dec 9, 2006)

Watch out on the older W series trucks. I was told by my alt guy not to exceed the amperage of the factory alt. If you boost the amps too high the alts tend to melt the brain box. I have been running the factory stuff with the super heavy duty batteries and absolutely no troubles. Although I have the altinators rebuilt ever season. Best $65.00 investment a plow operator can make.


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## Smith2287 (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks again for all the great ideas discussed in this thread. I plow mostly larger lots where it does not have time to recoup because it is constant pushing. I am going to outfit a second battery and see if this helps my problem. Man I wish I would have gotten the diesel from the start.


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## Spitz (Feb 28, 2008)

murphyslaw;675515 said:


> Adding a battery will help, but with out a better alt. its not a solution. think of it as a water tank. if you have a 500g tank and it empty's to fast with a 10gpm pump then adding another 500g tank is going to let it run longer but it still aint going to keep it full.


Close, but not quite.. Yes you have to regenerate the batteries somehow.. Keep in mind a good battery will regenerate itself.. So, saying if you remove 180amps at a time does not mean the alternator is directly putting out 180 amps to compensate.. The other point of having two batteries is to let both batteries regenerate and softening the draw. This allows the alternator to work a lot less at any given time (unless that is your pulling two batteries way down in voltage to the point where the alt has to compensate fully).. That would be tough to do, you'd have to be on the plow functions pretty continuously! Its just more cost effective, and less of a headache really..


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

Spitz;676715 said:


> Close, but not quite.. Yes you have to regenerate the batteries somehow.. Keep in mind a good battery will regenerate itself.. So, saying if you remove 180amps at a time does not mean the alternator is directly putting out 180 amps to compensate.. The other point of having two batteries is to let both batteries regenerate and softening the draw. This allows the alternator to work a lot less at any given time (unless that is your pulling two batteries way down in voltage to the point where the alt has to compensate fully).. That would be tough to do, you'd have to be on the plow functions pretty continuously! Its just more cost effective, and less of a headache really..


its not as hard as you think, if you have a spreader, or rear plow going as well

eitherway. a 2nd battery should be his firsdt choice, but higly considered as a temp fix... if it gives him enough time to finish his lot, then drive to the next and recharge alogn the way, then it solves the problem ...if not , then he will need the ALT too


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## wildbl1500 (Jan 7, 2006)

*Truck Dies, Battery Dead?*

Tonight, while plowing the in Nor'Easter, my plow was draining the battery as usual, but not too bad. After the third round of all my accounts, the truck just died doing the end of my driveway. No "Check Gages" or anything. It came back on, I turned the lights off put it in park and restarted it- everything fired back up. After doing my Aunt & Uncles house up the street, it died again. Everything just shuts off...Engine shuts off, lights go out, radio goes black, everything off...

Do you guys have any ideas? I think I'm on the original battery- knowing how the previous owner took care (or didn't take care) of things. Only 49000 miles on it though.

Thanks.


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## Spitz (Feb 28, 2008)

Sounds like you have a connection issue or the battery is failing somehow internally.. Usually when you drain the battery it will be noticeable and usually the check gauges light comes on well before it shuts off. Anything under 9.8v or so and the computer may start to have issues doing its job..


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

Yeah you have a connection issue. Think about it. Your truck died from loss of power. But then starts back up. Cant be battery. But it kinda sounds a computer problem. Your Dodge has a protection system that will shut off all power if you leave you lights on by mistake. Is it throwing any codes? cant be battery since truck starts back up. Sounds like you are tripping the protection system some how


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## wildbl1500 (Jan 7, 2006)

thanks guys. I'll check the connections.

I'm not getting any idiot lights coming on, or anything...


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## wildbl1500 (Jan 7, 2006)

Alright, I found the problem! Thank you for your help Dave & Spitz!

I had a loose battery cable. Its really nice how they have that big post clamp and the tiny little 10mm bolt holding the cable on... I'll put a split washer on it when we get a warmer day.

I did find out that my battery was replaced (with a mopar issue one) before I bought the truck in 2007.


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