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Bulbs Burning/Blowing

92'M998

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Hi

Recently I noticed that my volt meter would red line for seconds. During my PMCS light check and inspection, taillights and front parking bulbs were burnt or blown, I replaced all the bulbs and am wondering what this could be. Thanks. J
 

Coug

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When I first got my truck I tossed in an old pair of batteries just to move the thing around. 650CCA each I believe. During startup it would go up into the red for a little bit before settling back down where it is supposed to be. It stopped doing that when I put in new, higher capacity batteries.
Not sure if it's related to your issue, but failing batteries can cause voltage issues sometimes.
 

92'M998

Member
60
4
8
Location
Bullard, TX
When I first got my truck I tossed in an old pair of batteries just to move the thing around. 650CCA each I believe. During startup it would go up into the red for a little bit before settling back down where it is supposed to be. It stopped doing that when I put in new, higher capacity batteries.
Not sure if it's related to your issue, but failing batteries can cause voltage issues sometimes.
Thanks for the quick response. I'll get the batteries tested. I am not sure how old they are. Starts up with no problem stays yellow for awhile then to green. I i noticed in the last couple of days it would peg to red for a few seconds when driving and back to green. J
 

Bulldogger

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+1 on the regulator. Simple enough to check. Mine needed adjusting, but as NDT notes, it usually is a signal to purchase a new regulator as you're likely to need one soon. If yours is the 60A, it is an easy to get part, common to M35A2, HMMWV and more. My replacement was about $20.
BDGR
 

frank8003

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Oh, don't be foolish.
Go get the prescribed batteries and install after cleaning every connection all the way back including the grounds. Gottahh work on it to enjoy Her.
You do not have a motor pool of experienced people with all the books and expertise and gubermint supply chain money to send it to.
Start at the connections and for goodness sake put in proper batteries.
Batteries are waster pieces.
 

92'M998

Member
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Location
Bullard, TX
Oh, don't be foolish.
Go get the prescribed batteries and install after cleaning every connection all the way back including the grounds. Gottahh work on it to enjoy Her.
You do not have a motor pool of experienced people with all the books and expertise and gubermint supply chain money to send it to.
Start at the connections and for goodness sake put in proper batteries.
Batteries are waster pieces.
so not the regulator, new batteries? suggestions?
 

Mogman

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Get RID of that 60A alternator! I had some of the same issues and decided not to put makeup on that pig, DAMN glad I did...
 

Coug

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so not the regulator, new batteries? suggestions?
Most people say go with the 6T from NAPA if being cheap, or spend the big bucks on the 6TAGM.
Reality is, as long as the CCA is above what the 6T is designated at, and has a decently large reserve capacity, you can use pretty much anything that will fit in the truck.
Military likes huge reserve capacities because that way you can run radios and other equipment for longer periods of time and still start the truck, but unless you're a radio junkie or have a bunch of stuff hooked up like large stereos or inverters or stuff like that you want to use with the truck turned off, then the reserve capacity isn't as important.

Some things to consider though, NAPA sell the 6T battery for about $240, plus a $36 core charge, so about $275. Total cost about $500 with cores, $550 without (rounded numbers, add tax and stuff).
They are a decent battery, and meet the military specs. Only issue is they are a specialty battery, so only have a 6 month warranty. That's stupidly short for a battery these days.

The 6TAGM go for around $600. So $1200 for the pair. They come with a 3 year full replacement warranty (the ones I looked up do at least). That is a lot of money for a couple of batteries that you aren't really going to fully utilize unless you are running all sorts of additional stuff in the truck. Nice thing though is unlike traditional lead acid starting batteries, you can drain them down to 20% capacity (80% Depth Of Discharge it's called) hundreds of times without harming the battery. the flooded lead acids don't really like going below about 80% charge (20% DOD) or you'll shorten their expected lifespan.


Personally I went with Group 24 batteries. Batteries Plus sells some AGM batteries by NorthStar (one of the top battery manufacturers in the U.S.) that have about 2/3 of the reserve capacity of the 6T series, rated Cold Cranking Amps that are higher than the 6T but lower than the 6TAGM, cost half as much as the 6TAGM but have a 5 year full replacement warranty. The 24 series fits into the battery tray with no modification and held down by the battery holder without needing to use anything to space it up like the group 65s. You can put blocks around it to keep them from sliding if you want, but I haven't had any issues with them at all.

This page has some good info about batteries.



If you haven't seen it yet, there is a lot of good info at the site other than just the batteries.
 

juanprado

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I have come to a different conclusion on the aftermarket 6TL batteries sold by NAPA and O'reilly's. I had thought they were the same and a different label applied. I recall trying a few years ago to get some from a local exide distributor/warehouse ( I was in parts for 20 years) who told me flat out no they are gov't resticted but I thought you can get one retail with a different label so I thought they were the same.

I have bought many from O'reilly's as my son works there and can not get more than a few years out of them. I don't think the aftermarket batteries are made to the same specs. The OE military exides weigh substantially more than the replacements. I have military excides in my 5 ton last 6-8 years. Just got 4 more from a fellow member who graciously donated/allowed me to try to bring them back. At least 2 so far have returned from the dead and are in service. One in my 5 ton and just had an oreilly crap out in my hmmwv that is less than 2 years old. None of the 3 aftermaket O'reillys I experienced would come back even using a pulse tech desulfating unit along with a "smart" battery charger. So that is why I am changing my opinion on aftermarket.

Agreed to load test each battery after making sure they have at least 12.3 volts. If not replace and recheck. If 2 good bats, then NDT is spot on that the reg is biting the dust. They also do not like to last if you have dead batteries and will not forgive you for running them under load with such. Lost one in my 5 ton because I did not bring back the 4 dead batts before trying to slave/run.
 
Last edited:

Coug

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I have come to a different conclusion on the aftermarket 6TL batteries sold by NAPA and O'reilly's. I had thought they were the same and a different label applied. I recall trying a few years ago to get some from a local exide distributor/warehouse ( I was in parts for 20 years) who told me flat out no they are gov't resticted but I thought you can get one retail with a different label so I thought they were the same.

I have bought many from O'reilly's as my son works there and can not get more than a few years out of them. I don't think the aftermarket batteries are made to the same specs. The OE military exides weigh substantially more than the replacements. I have military excides in my 5 ton last 6-8 years. Just got 4 more from a fellow member who graciously donated/allowed me to try to bring them back. At least 2 so far have returned from the dead and are in service. One in my 5 ton and just had an oreilly crap out in my hmmwv that is less than 2 years old. None of the 3 aftermaket O'reillys I experienced would come back even using a pulse tech desulfating unit along with a "smart" battery charger. SO that is why I am changing my opinion on aftermarket.

Agreed to load test each battery after making sure they have at least 12.3 volts. If not replace and recheck. If 2 good bats, then NDT is spot on that the reg is biting the dust. They also do not like to last if you have dead batteries and will not forgive you for running them under load with such. Lost one in my 5 ton because I did not bring back the 4 dead batts before trying to slave/run.
I would say you should charge them up above 12.6 before doing a load test, as 12.3 is nearly a dead battery, but other than that I agree. 6 month warranty on the 6T is stupidly short, and if the manufacturer actually believed in their quality it would be at least a year or two full coverage and prorated for another couple years after that like any other automotive flooded lead acid battery.


Just found this page which compares the Hawker military 6T battery types, makes me feel a lot better about my Northstar Group 24 AGM batteries compared to the military 6T flooded lead acid.

 

92'M998

Member
60
4
8
Location
Bullard, TX
Most people say go with the 6T from NAPA if being cheap, or spend the big bucks on the 6TAGM.
Reality is, as long as the CCA is above what the 6T is designated at, and has a decently large reserve capacity, you can use pretty much anything that will fit in the truck.
Military likes huge reserve capacities because that way you can run radios and other equipment for longer periods of time and still start the truck, but unless you're a radio junkie or have a bunch of stuff hooked up like large stereos or inverters or stuff like that you want to use with the truck turned off, then the reserve capacity isn't as important.

Some things to consider though, NAPA sell the 6T battery for about $240, plus a $36 core charge, so about $275. Total cost about $500 with cores, $550 without (rounded numbers, add tax and stuff).
They are a decent battery, and meet the military specs. Only issue is they are a specialty battery, so only have a 6 month warranty. That's stupidly short for a battery these days.

The 6TAGM go for around $600. So $1200 for the pair. They come with a 3 year full replacement warranty (the ones I looked up do at least). That is a lot of money for a couple of batteries that you aren't really going to fully utilize unless you are running all sorts of additional stuff in the truck. Nice thing though is unlike traditional lead acid starting batteries, you can drain them down to 20% capacity (80% Depth Of Discharge it's called) hundreds of times without harming the battery. the flooded lead acids don't really like going below about 80% charge (20% DOD) or you'll shorten their expected lifespan.


Personally I went with Group 24 batteries. Batteries Plus sells some AGM batteries by NorthStar (one of the top battery manufacturers in the U.S.) that have about 2/3 of the reserve capacity of the 6T series, rated Cold Cranking Amps that are higher than the 6T but lower than the 6TAGM, cost half as much as the 6TAGM but have a 5 year full replacement warranty. The 24 series fits into the battery tray with no modification and held down by the battery holder without needing to use anything to space it up like the group 65s. You can put blocks around it to keep them from sliding if you want, but I haven't had any issues with them at all.

This page has some good info about batteries.



If you haven't seen it yet, there is a lot of good info at the site other than just the batteries.
Great references. Thanks for sharing!! J
 

Mogman

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I would not recommend a standard lead acid battery for the HMMWV unless you relocate the batteries, that box is not well ventilated like an engine compartment and standard lead acid batteries off gas Hydrogen, remember the Hindenburg?
as stated just about any matched AGM (starting) batteries will work fine as long as you can secure them.
I used the Odyssey PC-2250s on #1, they have a 4 year warranty and will last about a decade if taken care of, they were about $1100 delivered.
AGM batteries can give off Hydrogen but only under extremely abnormal conditions, like when the 60A alternator cooks them..
 
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