One dead duce battery - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

rfischba1 · 05-10-2009, 22:47

I tried to start the duce today and had to uce the m1008 to jump the truck, I let it run for about 40 min. and about 2 hours later would not crank.
Tested batteries , one had a full charge, the other dead.
I charged the dead battery for about 2 hours and it now has a full charge and the duce starts.
Question: the bad battery is 3yrs old Intersate LT6, will it hold a charge if I run the truck?
Will both batteries charge at the same time? Or does it take both batteries to start the Duce.
Is it time to replace the one that went dead. The other intersate is only 2yrs old.

dm22630 · 05-10-2009, 23:10

It takes both to start the truck....since they are 2 linked 12volt batts that make 24volts. The deuce will run without batts even hooked up once it is started.

I have had this happen more than once, and each time it was one of two things.

#1 - Dead batt that would not hold a charge.

#2 - Fried battery terminal that was "hollowed out" on the inside from electrical arching. Basically, the lead terminal & the bolt that hold the cable on it are not tight & it creates an arch that literally melts the lead around the bolt. You can not even tell unless you remove the bolt and look inside.

Good Luck!

ekdee1 · 05-11-2009, 00:54

I had the same problem a couple of months ago. Both Interstate batteries tested dead. Put in a fresh set of heavy duty batteries and it runs like a champ! Living in Arizona batteries last about 3 years max.

rfischba1 · 05-11-2009, 08:37

That's what I thought, the older interstate 2006 is the one that is not holding. Tobad it had to wait til I have the truck sold and being picked up tonight, now I need to replace a battery.
Can I use a standard heavy duty 12 v w 700+ CCA's with the good intersate 6LT' battery?

Ferroequinologist · 05-11-2009, 08:51

you should match the CCA and AH of the batteries if you are going to try it. IMHO, I wouldn't mix batteries unless I had to. And even then I wouldn't leave it that way long.

Lex_Ordo · 05-11-2009, 09:07

On larger boats it is necessary to water the batteries. The TL6 from interstate have 6 cells to access. When I first placed my Batts into the truck, I made sure the cells were all filled.

Does the duece charging system dry up the cells, calling for more water to be added, and could this be one of the concerns that caused the battery to die?

dm22630 · 05-11-2009, 10:14

Take the batts out of your M1008 & put them in it! Then just buy new ones for the M1008 from walmart. I can post the stock # for the ones I put in my M1009 & they work great & are only $75/each.

Ferroequinologist · 05-11-2009, 10:43

Go get some blemish batteries from you local battery warehouse.

I got to 6tl's for $35 each

ekdee1 · 05-11-2009, 12:02

I went to Batteries Plus and bought a couple of 12V HD's that matched the 6TL's AH And CCA's. They work fine. The advantage of the 6TL's and other military batteries is they are designed to sit idle for long periods of time. Now, if I can just find a new battery box!