New truck battery question

[Little Dutch]

My 1990 f150 failed to start while deer hunting. It was 6 AM and cold as sin. I was attempting to start the truck to get some heat so I didn't die. I turned the key and all the lights went out, indicating a dead battery.

I had left the headlights on for 2 hours the afternoon before. This is not uncommon for me, it doesn't ding when I exit the vehicle if they are on.

After the morning hunt, around 10 AM, the day had warmed up some and I tried the truck again. It fired up just fine, I would have never guessed it looked dead 4 hours earlier.

Battery terminals look great, no corrosion. Current battery is an American Batteries cheapie.

Bottom line is that's a dangerous situation for me. I need my truck to turn over at 2AM when I'm leaving the ice fishing lake and it's zero outside. I leave for Craig for my elk hunt Friday too.

I'm thinking a Duracell Gold or a Duracell AGM battery. Thoughts?

[Ah Pook]

I only use Interstate batteries. Some auto stores will do a stress test on the battery but it sounds like it's time for a new one.

[Grant H.]

Optima Yellow Top.

Two hours of headlights, not running, is a great way to kill a standard SLI (Starting, Lighting, Ignition) battery. Standard SLI batteries (99.99999% of all automotive batteries) begin to degrade if they are discharged beyond 3-5% of their capacity. They are designed to have high CCA (cold cranking amps) for very short periods of time. Starting a healthy vehicle.

The yellow tops are designed to support deeper discharge without the physical damage that occurs in an SLI battery that is drained more than 10%.

[UncleDave]

Interstate batteries are the best, IMHO. That's 25+ years of professional experience with them.

[Tim K]

The above is correct. Adding to it, every time you flatten a lead acid battery by leaving the lights on till it goes to zero volts you permanently lose 1% of its capacity. Way back when I was building batteries and chargers for airplanes, we did a bunch of testing on commercially available lead acid batteries. Optima was so far ahead of everything else it was just silly.

[BushMasterBoy]

Possible parasitic draw. Can you measure the current flow using an ammeter with the truck not running? Make sure cab light is off. There should be zero flow with truck not running. Also make sure battery posts and and clamps are shiny clean. Vapors from battery acid can form thin film of corrosion. I usually put a thin film of grease on battery posts


https://www.dewitzdiagnosticsolutions.com/parasitic-battery-draw-1990-ford-f150/

[Grant H.]

Possible parasitic draw. Can you measure the current flow using an ammeter with the truck not running? Make sure cab light is off. There should be zero flow with truck not running. Also make sure battery posts and and clamps are shiny clean. Vapors from battery acid can form thin film of corrosion. I usually put a thin film of grease on battery posts


https://www.dewitzdiagnosticsolutions.com/parasitic-battery-draw-1990-ford-f150/

Most current era vehicles will have small draws even when off. The continual increase of electronics, computers, etc requires it.

Putting a thin layer of grease over the connected posts and terminals is a good idea, to help delay oxidation. But putting it between the post and terminal can cause issues too, unless you are using specific dielectric grease that is conductive.

[O2HeN2]

Check the battery and if it checks out OK, here's my two year odyssey in a couple sentences:

Everything looked fine on my F150 but still, after replacing the alternator, battery and starter, it sometimes would be [almost] dead as a doornail [clicking] when I'd try to start it, then 15 minutes later it'd start right up.

Finally one day when it wouldn't start I climbed under the truck with one side of a jumper cable connected to the + on the battery, hit the starter directly and it fired right up, which is a really exciting thing to do while laying under the truck...

Turns out I had severe corrosion in the cable between the battery and starter, about an inch after the insulating jacket started up by the battery. Because the cable was long enough I cut it off where good copper was, attached a terminal clamp to it and it has been good to go since then.

I get my batteries from WalMart. Johnson Controls makes them, and they're at a great price-performance point. You don't need anything fancy.

O2

[sbgixxer]

If you want a long lasting powerful battery, check out X2Power from batteries plus. You'll pay for it but they're great. I put one in my FJ Cruiser since the Panasonic that lasted 10 years isn't available in America. I'm on year four now and would absolutely do it again.

[Linkless]

The new jump start boxes with the lithium batteries are very compact and reasonably priced. I put one in both of my cars, bonus that it can power my electric clay launcher when needed as well.

[Frac]

I have a NoCo boost 1000A jumper that I keep in the truck. I live in the truck a couple days a week through upland season, so I wanted the safety net so I dont get stranded in BFE.

The AGM battery in my 2016 finally got weak and would not start the truck in the recent morning cold. No problem, I will use the NoCo. Bzzzt NoGo! I tried to power on the NoCo and it went straight to a red error light.

Later in the day, the sun warmed things up and the truck started on its own and the NoCo came back to life. A lot of good that NoCo was?

Dont bet your life on a NoCo jump starter.

[BushMasterBoy]

I have one of these voltmeters. Low battery killed a computer on my truck. It was a $800 day to fix it all. Cheap voltmeter.


https://www.amazon.com/LIHAN-Charger-Display-Voltage-Current/dp/B01M9IKYVH?th=1

[Brass]

While your battery is indeed degraded from leaving the lights on, I don't think it's your only problem. A dead battery will not spontaneously recharge from dead to starting the vehicle as if nothing was wrong with it to begin with.

[O2HeN2]

While your battery is indeed degraded from leaving the lights on, I don't think it's your only problem. A dead battery will not spontaneously recharge from dead to starting the vehicle as if nothing was wrong with it to begin with.
...which is why I told my tale of woe, above. As I mentioned it took me two years to figure it out.

O2

[hollohas]

I keep a 4000A lithium jump pack in my truck (it's not as big as is sounds, fits in the glove box, not sure how they actually rate these things). But I need a powerful one for the dual battery Cummins.

Any how, I was convinced it wouldn't actually start my truck (because it's small) but there really isn't any way to test it until you need it. Scary thought. But I got the chance not long after I got it.

I left my truck at DIA and forgot to unplug my motion sensing dash cams. Got back after 9 days at 1am and it was DEAD DEAD, not even a dash light.

Hooked up the jump pack, bam, started immediately. I've used it to start other stranded motorists since then too.

I won't ever be without one from now on. Especially deep in the woods.

[UncleDave]

Check the battery and if it checks out OK, here's my two year odyssey in a couple sentences:

Everything looked fine on my F150 but still, after replacing the alternator, battery and starter, it sometimes would be [almost] dead as a doornail [clicking] when I'd try to start it, then 15 minutes later it'd start right up.

Finally one day when it wouldn't start I climbed under the truck with one side of a jumper cable connected to the + on the battery, hit the starter directly and it fired right up, which is a really exciting thing to do while laying under the truck...

Turns out I had severe corrosion in the cable between the battery and starter, about an inch after the insulating jacket started up by the battery. Because the cable was long enough I cut it off where good copper was, attached a terminal clamp to it and it has been good to go since then.

I get my batteries from WalMart. Johnson Controls makes them, and they're at a great price-performance point. You don't need anything fancy.

O2

Along with that, check the ground wire that goes from the battery to the frame of the truck. That is one of the most overlooked maintenance items. With a cold no start issue I would look for resistance in main power and ground wires.

[newracer]

I have had good luck with the Duracell AGM batteries, Sam's Club has them at a good price.

As others have said, look into a good jump pack as a back up.

[00tec]

I have a few of those 4000A jumper packs. They work great. They however do not like to be stupid cold, so I try to remember to take em inside when it gets real low. Even in a frozen state, you can keep trying to use it and the pack will warm itself up and start working better.

I haven't had great luck with AGM batteries on vehicles that sit. In my experience if they go completely flat once they never recover.

[crashdown]

I ice fish and have come back to my truck at -30 here in the land of the free.
Duracell from batteries plus because of good warranty, and a NOCO pack as backup for truck and snow machines.

[Little Dutch]

I've checked the wiring as best I can, everything looks clean and tight. Truck has, naturally, been starting up strong since then but it also hasn't been stupid cold. I really suspect it's just a cold cranking issue with the current battery, combined with a lower-than-optimal charge at the time.

The jump boxes sound neat, but I have no where to put them when I'm in the high country or on the ice that would keep them any warmer than anything else. I'll ask for one for Christmas though, it gets awfully cold at night when ice fishing around Victor and SouthPark. A working vehicle is always going to be a winner.

I did go ahead and order one of those cigarette/accessory port voltmeters.

Batteries plus is offering 10% off if you order online and pick up in store. I think I'm going to drop the stupid money and just buy the X2.

ETA - gambling on the existing battery being the problem I bought an X2 online @ 10% off. I'll pick it up later today. I very much appreciate all the input.

[crashdown]

I use electric augers now and have to keep batteries from getting too cold.
I keep batteries and NOCO in one of my daughters soft sided insulated school lunchboxes with a couple hot hands hand warmers…. Never had a problem and I regularly go out well into the negatives.

[hollohas]

The hand warmers can warm up a cold jump pack but aren't very fast. For quicker heat, first aid instant heat packs work wonders. I always have them in my truck 1st aid kit. Pop them and you have heat in seconds.

[UncleDave]

I've checked the wiring as best I can, everything looks clean and tight. Truck has, naturally, been starting up strong since then but it also hasn't been stupid cold. I really suspect it's just a cold cranking issue with the current battery, combined with a lower-than-optimal charge at the time.

The jump boxes sound neat, but I have no where to put them when I'm in the high country or on the ice that would keep them any warmer than anything else. I'll ask for one for Christmas though, it gets awfully cold at night when ice fishing around Victor and SouthPark. A working vehicle is always going to be a winner.

I did go ahead and order one of those cigarette/accessory port voltmeters.

Batteries plus is offering 10% off if you order online and pick up in store. I think I'm going to drop the stupid money and just buy the X2.

ETA - gambling on the existing battery being the problem I bought an X2 online @ 10% off. I'll pick it up later today. I very much appreciate all the input.

For the jumper packs, in the cold find a little ice chest at a garage sale and put your jump pack in there when hunting or fishing it will keep it from freezing.

[Little Dutch]

For the jumper packs, in the cold find a little ice chest at a garage sale and put your jump pack in there when hunting or fishing it will keep it from freezing.

I'm 100% sure that would take up valuable beer space.

I've had this discussion with people who don't winter camp a few times; that the cooler isn't there to keep my food cold, it's to keep it from freezing solid. You can see it in their face, that instant when they suddenly and solidly realize they now have zero interest in winter camping is a wonder to behold.



Looking at the thread, it looks like 4k amps is the favorite. Is that what you'd recommend purchasing?

[hollohas]

I have the GOOLOO GP4000 (Amazon) and have used it many times over the last year and a half. Worked every time. They really are handy to have. I even had a forklift at work that wouldn't start due to a dead battery...jump pack to the rescue.

[lpgasman]

One thing I noticed at my shop is alot of people using temporary terminals, the kind that clamp the exposed wires to it, i don't know if you have them on your truck but they might look good but in extreme Temps they could lose connection.

[00tec]

I have the GOOLOO GP4000 (Amazon) and have used it many times over the last year and a half. Worked every time. They really are handy to have. I even had a forklift at work that wouldn't start due to a dead battery...jump pack to the rescue.


That's what I have (a few of them). I had 1 defective, they manufacturer replaced it immediately.

Project Farm on YouTube told me to do it

[thedave1164]

I use WalMart batteries, like mentioned they are made by Johnson Controls. Just replaced the pair in my 2007 DuraMax, they were 8 years old and still working but tested at 58% capacity when fully charged, so they were likely to fail this winter.

I have 2 jump packs, a NOCO one for the smaller stuff, it hates the cold and the heat. I also have the Hulkman Alpha100s, it will start a 10L diesel, and it will preheat itself in temps as low as -40, it doesn't like the heat much either. (don't leave jump packs where the sun can shine on them through the windows)

Optima batteries have really fallen since moving manufacturing to Mexico.

Had mixed results with Interstates over the years, not that they are bad, but they are not worth the premium over the walmart batteries for sure

IIRC there are only like 4 battery manufacturers, pretty much all batteries are rebranded from those 4