Returning batteries for warranty claim

[Anakist]

It is putting out high 13.4 and more volts. with engine running.I don’t consider that a sign of alternator failure.

13.4v at how many revs? Float charging for most batteries is 13.8v. You're not getting that. Cycle charging should be 14.2v or so.

If it's 13.4v at idle and gets higher with revs it's probably fine. If it idles at 12.x volts and gets up to 13.4v it's not charging enough.

I had a Renault (piece of **** car but for other reasons) that had a smart alternator and start / stop. I installed a voltmeter in the cab and it would get up to 16v charging on overrun to pump energy back into the battery and charge at 14.4v. After a while it would get back down to 13.2 or so as the state of charge got higher, then after a long drive it would just hold at 12.8v. Very interesting behaviour and I didn't have any trouble on the battery in the 4 years I had the car. Granted I live in the tropics and it was a small engine.

TLR get your alternator tested.

 

[TN8Man]

I would check the cables for high resistance. I've run across bad cables before.

 

[Hay Dude]

13.4v at how many revs? Float charging for most batteries is 13.8v. You're not getting that. Cycle charging should be 14.2v or so.

If it's 13.4v at idle and gets higher with revs it's probably fine.

yes at idle

If it idles at 12.x volts and gets up to 13.4v it's not charging enough.

I had a Renault (piece of **** car but for other reasons) that had a smart alternator and start / stop. I installed a voltmeter in the cab and it would get up to 16v charging on overrun to pump energy back into the battery and charge at 14.4v. After a while it would get back down to 13.2 or so as the state of charge got higher, then after a long drive it would just hold at 12.8v. Very interesting behaviour and I didn't have any trouble on the battery in the 4 years I had the car. Granted I live in the tropics and it was a small engine.

TLR get your alternator tested.

 

[BleedingOrange]

Remove the batteries from the tractor. Charge them to 100%. Then use a load tester to properly check the battery state. That helps determine if there is a problem on the tractor side, or the battery side.

 

[Hay Dude]

Remove the batteries from the tractor. Charge them to 100%. Then use a load tester to properly check the battery state. That helps determine if there is a problem on the tractor side, or the battery side.

Thats what Napa is doing. I will find out today.

I had (3) new Napa batteries installed in my IH dumptruck last year and they went dead. Turns out one was bad and took the other 2 down to the point where they wouldnt turn the truck over. The dead one was replaced and the other 2 made a come back.

 

[Cycledude]

Sure sounds like bad battery , I think NAPA should replace one or both of them under warranty.

I also recommend buying a charger equipped with a desulfurization mode and hook it up to every battery you own a couple times per year

 

[Hay Dude]

IMO, one battery is bad and took the other one out.
I need more info.
They couldn’t give me an answer today because they could only charge one of the 2 batteries (probably to tell me everything is fine)

Good thing I don’t need the tractor right now.

 

[oldballs]

May I jump in here and ask..............My truck (a 1999 F-250 5.4 SuperDuty) battery suddenly failed. It was wet on top when I removed it. I put a good battery in that read 12.8 volts. But when I started the engine I still got a "Battery" code on the dash and the dash volt meter was high against the peg. Then I checked the new battery while the truck was running and got 18.7 on my volt meter.

So I shut 'er down and quit for the day....yesterday. Do I need a new alternator.......or is there something else wrong?

Cheers,
Mike

 

[murphy1244]

May I jump in here and ask..............My truck (a 1999 F-250 5.4 SuperDuty) battery suddenly failed. It was wet on top when I removed it. I put a good battery in that read 12.8 volts. But when I started the engine I still got a "Battery" code on the dash and the dash volt meter was high against the peg. Then I checked the new battery while the truck was running and got 18.7 on my volt meter.

So I shut 'er down and quit for the day....yesterday. Do I need a new alternator.......or is there something else wrong?

Cheers,
Mike

Your voltage regulator is bad. Not shutting off

 

[grsthegreat]

You also need to check for any transient draw against battery when system is turned off. I use a dc clamp on tester for this myself. If something is drawing power, even slight power, from battery when tractor is off you will see a drop in cca registered from the tester. I use a midtronics battery tester myself. It tests cca and also can detect a bad cell.