# Hoping its just a battery



## tasbm5

Hi all, looking for some more help again . Have some snow coming tomorrow so today I went out
and started the jeep to let it run and do my go through the process that I do . the jeep started fine
and after letting it run for a bit I turned on the plow to go through the motions and it wouldn't move the
relay motor was clicking but no movement. I turned the jeep off because I had to go get gas for my car and get some gas for the snow blower when I came home I sprayed the battery terminals and all my contacts with contact cleaner and went to start the jeep and it was dead . boosted it and it started turned on the plow pressed it to go up the jeep died and the battery was dead again . I know the battery is toast but my question is can there be enough juice in the battery to crank over the jeep but not enough juice to power the plow ? sorry for the long winded post but this is the first year I'm plowing for profit and I really don't want to let my customers down .
Thanks Terry


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## SnoFarmer

Take a look at the plow solenoid, then the power wires going to your plow.

What dot the volt gauge say when you started it and when driving it to the station?


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## tasbm5

I cant start it without a boost


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## dieselss

Start with the battery, check the alt output then go from there


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## tasbm5

figures only day Costco is closed . going to buy a new battery in the morning
and then ill go from there .


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## areoseek

tasbm5 said:


> figures only day Costco is closed . going to buy a new battery in the morning
> and then ill go from there .


don't spend money that you don't have to. Check the alternator and battery first. Don't throw parts at it.


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## tasbm5

I certainly wont but taking the positive cable off I near pulled the battery post out of the battery first for me . this is the first battery I replaced in years I'm going to Costco co in the morning to buy a new one do they have to charge it or is it already to go off the shelf ?
Thanks


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## seville009

Should be good off the shelf; if it's down a little, it'll charge up. Check the dates in the battery though to get the newest one.


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## tasbm5

ok will do . last battery I bought was almost 30 years ago bought it and had to be charged at Canadian tire store so I wasn't really in the know .
Thanks


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## Randall Ave

When I started way back, we had to put the acid in the batteries, then charge them to sell them. If the battery is old your not wasting money. But you may have other problems. Use a volt meter and check the alternator voltage output.


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## leolkfrm

if the battery is more than 4 yrs old change it, if there is any side bulging, change it

i usually use napa batteries, have had the best luck with them

get a battery with high cca, cost more but worth it, expect to pay more


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## tasbm5

The battery was definitely older than 4 years I'm thinking maybe 6 years old . Bought a new one from Costco and everything works again . Next question when I check the output on the alt should I assume anything over 12 volts its ok ?
Thanks again everyone
Terry


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## kimber750

Should be closer to 14v


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## dieselss

Also check it with a load....lights, heater, wipers etc


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## tasbm5

13.89 volts with heater full ,wipers going , rear defogger on and headlights.


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## kimber750

tasbm5 said:


> 13.89 volts with heater full ,wipers going , rear defogger on and headlights.


What is voltage with engine off?


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## tasbm5

12.47 volts


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## dieselss

If you were testing this at idle, that's not that bad. Ideally you'd like to be 14.4_14.8


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## 906Yooper

seville009 said:


> Should be good off the shelf; if it's down a little, it'll charge up. Check the dates in the battery though to get the newest one.


 New batteries generally come charged around 80%. This I know, because I've measured them with a good load tester and hydrometer. Best to buy batteries from a high turnover active store. I've seen batteries at a mom and pop service stations 4 years old. Not good, always check the "fresh" date.

edit to say when batteries are sitting in the truck at zero or below, efficiency drops like a rock.


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## tasbm5

tested at idle every thing off 14.30 volts


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## tasbm5

Hey Guys , tonight I went to start up the jeep to let it run for a bit were I don't
drive it daily anymore and when I turned on the plow to raise and angle the blade
the headlights seemed to dim more than usual .Tomorrow I'm going to replace the
battery terminals clean all my contacts and grounds with contact cleaner then dielectric
grease same to my 4port module. Is there anything else I should do or be looking for ?
Thanks Terry


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## SnoFarmer

A parasidic draw.

Ie you had enough of a charge to start it.
Now the starter drew X, lights draw Z and the cold plow drew Y, and the alt at idel doesn't put
Out mulch.
So your lights dimed.

Jmo.

Cleaning and installing better grounds and power cables is a place to start.

Ps go light on the dielectric grease, it's a insulator,


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## tasbm5

I took it for a drive for about 15 minutes and when I came home moving the plow around the lights were still going dim .


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## kimber750

What type of fluid are you running? How cold is it there?


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## tasbm5

western blue fluid and its only minus 1


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## kimber750

tasbm5 said:


> western blue fluid and its only minus 1


At that temp your battery performance will be much lower and plow fluid will be harder for the pump to move causing a higher amp draw. Now figure in all the amps you are most likely using on the vehicle itself the lights are going to dim.


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## tasbm5

OK that makes sense.im probley just being paranoid we had three storms this year
and when I was plowing at night I had my windshield led lights on so I wouldn't
have noticed if they were dimming. 
Again Thank you for all the helpful advice 
Terry


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## leolkfrm

even if you put a new battery in it, since you dont drive it much, put a trickle charger on it, your asking a lot from a battery that does not get warmed up much


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## tasbm5

Maybe I made a mistake as retiring it as my daily driver ?


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## leolkfrm

tasbm5 said:


> Maybe I made a mistake as retiring it as my daily driver ?


no just need to change how you take care of it...lol


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## tasbm5

Other than a battery tender any other ideas ?
Thanks


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