All four batteries dead... Jump Start?

[thegreydog]

I went to get in the truck Saturday to take a cruise only to find my battery switch already flipped. The only thing I can think is my son clicked it on the way out a week ago. Of course the gauges did not even click. A friend of mine with an F250 connected cables to the battery pack, got noise and heard starter attempt, but failed. Next, I tried connecting my charger the same way, let it run overnight and nothing.

Not really sure what to do next before having to charge each of the four huge batteries individually. We were thinking we could hook up two trucks with good cables and get it to turn over... Thoughts?

 

[zout]

Click on your thread - scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see links to other answers that will guide you directly to how to do this.

 

[juanprado]

I have done the same thing more than once

Nope, you will fry the Alt/regulator &/or release the magic smoke. Hard lesson I learned and cooked one battery along the way.

PIA but charge the batteries and bring them up and load test.

 

[swbradley1]

See if you can get each battery to come back BEFORE trying to jump or start and run the truck. The alternator won't charge 4 dead batteries. You will release the magic smoke. (I have fried two alternators now doing it.)

If the switch was left on for that length of time you may be looking at new batteries but you might get lucky.

 

[thegreydog]

Oh no! These batteries look brand new. So I need to disconnect each battery and charge it individually? It is so intricately wired in there I was nervous about disconnecting. Do I need all four to turn it over or will two do it? What is the magic smoke y'all speak of?

 

[Artisan]

Yep, charge each battery individually overnight till your charger says it is at 100%.

After you do this you will be amazed at how fast it spins and your batteries will be all charged up but good.

Of corse you can use 2 chargers at once. Just pull cables.

Been there done that.

 

[swbradley1]

The magic smoke is what you will release from your alternator if you don't charge the batteries first before trying to jump it or start it.

Too many of us have made the mistake.

 

[doghead]

You do not need to disconnect anything, just charge one at a time with your 12v charger.

Read some of the similar threads and you'll find that you are not the first one to need to do this.

 

[thegreydog]

Thanks. I'll run home at lunch and hook it up.

 

[hklvette]

Keep in mind that if it has the AGM batteries, they can short their cells out easily when they get discharged too much. They'll end up overloading your battery charger, making it noisy and eventually causing it to overheat if the battery doesn't first. When I accidentally left the batt switch on, I bit the bullet and picked up two civy batteries to replace the two AGMs that got fried. I'm putting a tender on it this weekend to keep them full and warm during the winter.

 

[juanprado]

The magic smoke is either Fire, soot, &/or that wonderful smell of burnt plastic and electronics......

 

[wreckerman893]

Because I am a constant victim of Mr. Murphy I always disconnect the batteries prior to charging. Since I have two large chargers I set them up in the cab and slow charge two at a time and test them with a multi-meter. It usually takes me a couple of days to get them to full charge. I have done this twice to my truck and the batteries have came back both times. Your mileage may vary.

 

[mikey]

I highly recommend this item. Charge all four batteries at once. And it works with AGM batteries.

http://www.amazon.com/NOCO-G4-Batte...TF8&qid=1395787201&sr=8-6&keywords=genius+agm

Mikey

 

[Barfkiller]

I did the 'ol leave the battery switch on for a few days myself last year. Lesson well learned when you have a 24,000 pound paperweight in your driveway.
I charged each battery individually for 24 hours. Two were ressurrected and two were junk.
My truck now has a two battery setup, (until I can afford four new batteries) and an additional battery disconnect switch that is not so accessible.
I would charge each one and keep fingers crossed that at least two come back to life.

 

[m1010plowboy]

I'm now almost certain that the magic smoke is what keeps all the wires and electrons working inside the plastic coating. The trick is trying to keep the smoke inside the wires. Everything works just fine until two wires rub together or the wrong boosting procedure is used and the smoke leaks out. Keep the smoke in the wires.

I know folks that have blown up batteries so real good you're checking and keep the face back anyway while making contact near any battery.

 

[LiqTenEXp]

I wound going with this unit for my vehicle:

http://www.pulsetech.net/Xtreme-Charge-4Station-QuadLink-Battery-Charger-Kit-7393.aspx

I will get it tomorrow so more news to come. I liked it because it said you could leave all 4 batteries installed in any series/parallel configuration and connect it up. It was the only one out there that said you could do that in their documentation. The reason seems to be is that it only charges 1 at at time for 10 minute intervals. It does charging, maintaining, desulfating, etc.


I actually wound up getting the charger and quadlink separately without the tester for less on amazon.

 

[ChesterCounty]

I highly recommend this item. Charge all four batteries at once. And it works with AGM batteries.

http://www.amazon.com/NOCO-G4-Batte...TF8&qid=1395787201&sr=8-6&keywords=genius+agm

Mikey

Any experience using this to try and bring back heavily discharged 923 batteries? It looks like an awesome choice for maintenance and dealing with normal discharged batteries.
Just wondering if the 1.1A per bank is enough to be effective or I need to get the g26000 and do one at a time.
Ideally I guess having both on hand would be ideal but not sure I want to do that with cost and trying to figure which way to go.

 

[thegreydog]

I got it! Charged them one at a time, about 12 hours each at 2a. Fired right up. I'm glad I heard from y'all before I got the magic smoke. Thanks!

 

[BradBMI]

I have a Battery Tender DVD-40 dual 12v charger I use. Its expensive but senses and charges batteries great. Its brought a few batteries back from the grave.

The other one is a
Batttery Tender 022-0165-DL-WH 12-Volt 2-Bank Battery Management System Its 80 bucks on Amazon and charges 2 batteries at once.

If you need to charge back some drained batteries you wont be sorry with a charger from Battery Tender. Check their web site out they have everything

 

[ken326@yahoo.com]

Ok I did the same thing left battery switch on killed batteries I'm in process of charging them now but one of them doesn't seem to cooperate my battery charger starts making lots of noise. Fried?. If so where do I get these batteries or can I replace with one from local truck shop any difference ?