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Grass Valley, CA
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NorCal 50+
8/31/2018 2:08pm
8/31/2018 2:08pm
My truck runs fine, but for some reason recently the battery goes dead if I have it on ACC for more than a few minutes. I've been stranded twice so far when I had it on ACC doing some work on my computer in my car.
The battery is about two years old, but I'm afraid if I replace the battery that won't be the problem. And I guess it's not the alternator since it charges the battery easily when it's running.
So buy a new battery?
It's a 2011 Nissan Frontier V6 4x4 (Please don't say buy a Toyota to fix the problem).
The battery is about two years old, but I'm afraid if I replace the battery that won't be the problem. And I guess it's not the alternator since it charges the battery easily when it's running.
So buy a new battery?
It's a 2011 Nissan Frontier V6 4x4 (Please don't say buy a Toyota to fix the problem).
A good usable battery should be 12.5-12.6 volts without the engine running.
With engine running you should see 13-14 volts (alternator).
Anything less than 12 volts may not power up the ECM.
Might be the radio. Anything else electrical been acting weird or simply not working?
All this checks out replace battery.
The Shop
And just because your battery has 12 volts doesn't mean it has any amps .
I'd look toward a failing alternator if the battery is good. Any parts place can do a load test on the battery to eliminate that.
Like I say,draining in minutes is making something hot,the hot lead to the alternator would be a good first place to check. They fail a lot going directly to ground.
All our rigs are 100 AMP min, and my truck is 150 AMP. I cant get batteries to last more than 2 -3 years, no matter what.
They are like this since they need the power to run all the crap now, GPS, DVDs, Big Screen TVs in the dash etc.
Those same batteries in the boat, they will last 8-10 years no problem.. And most of the charging they get is with a digital charger at 10 Amps and trickles down to full charge. I could charge them faster on the 20, 40, or any setting up to even 100 AMP to start, but unless I need them up right away, I never go above 20. Even at 20, it will usually only charge at 20 for a few mins and starts dropping down as it gets charge.
Also, that much amperage puts a lot of heat into a battery. Which kills the battery.
The pamphlet with most batteries even says you can charge with up to 100 AMPs, as long as the battery temp stays below 125F. Good luck with that, and especially if its summer. They get too hot to touch.
Batteries today are junk to,you can pick up a old battery from my tractor from 20 years ago and feel the weight difference.
Another thing that happens on these trucks is the battery leads will get covered in acid and melt the fuse box, which sits right on the battery. I had to deal with that on this truck a couple of years back. Easy fix but the truck died on me, luckily in the driveway. I have had really good reliability with the Nissan Frontiers since '94 for the most part, though.
No corrosion, no mess, no anything. That said, I've head great luck with Optimas, but like Hillbilly said about picking them up today, other batteries are lighter, and Junkier. whereas Optimas are the same they ever have been.
However, Optimas are NO where near as good as they were in the 90s. Again, I dont blame the batteries, I blame this on the High draw vehicles, and the high Amperage alternators of todays vehicles burning them up.
Each time you fire it up, you're shooting in 100 plus amps and then it goes down. Heat is hard on batteries.
Ive checked my truck. At fire up, the Volts are right at 14.6, and the Amps are at 156. Then slowly trickles down.
The ones in my Boat are both 10 years old this year and going good, but the one for the stereo is going bad(Lots of draw). The one for the starting only is fine. Doesn't take much to fire the boat.
In our trucks and cars, 2-3 years tops. Luckily they have a 3 year warranty.
On top of that, both Engines only have 16 AMP Alternators They are designed for maintainance, not charging really as I charge them on the charger(especially the stereo battery.
The easiest way to check your alternator, is turn everything on. High beams, electric seat heaters, rear window defoggers, hazards, blower on high etc, radio interior lights etc etc . At idle, if its still showing 13.2 or more, chances are the alternator is good.
Also, if you dont have an AMP meter, or just a Volt meter, the Red battery light is the AMPs idiot light. Most come on if you're not generating about 20 AMPS or so. For example, if the thing is making 14 volts, but putting out 10 AMPs, the volts will be good on the gauge, but the red light would be on or flickering.
If it has no volt gauge or AMPs gauge, the battery light does both functions.
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