HJ61-Bad Battery???

[pathfinder_88]

I previously posted regarding unusually low voltage during start up on my HJ61 when cold...around 19v instead of 24ish while the intake heater does its thing.

I went out this morning and it wouldn't start, not enough juice. I had noticed it struggled the past few times when cold. I jumped it and let it run for a bit. It was cold and idled at around 19v for a couple minutes and then jumped up to 28v as per usual.

I checked both batteries with the truck turned off. Right battery was at 12.6v and left battery at 11.6v. With the truck running the right battery is around 14v and the left 12.6v however my madman indicates about 28v. Is the left battery bad??? The batteries were replaced by the previous owner last may due to a bad left battery. They are AC Delco batteries and I don't think there should be issues with them already.

Any ideas guys???

 

[plumma]

don't know much about 24 volt but it sounds as though you have some electrical problems as you don't have the same output to both batteries, i would suggest take it to a auto electrician, i had similar probs with my 12 volt system with my dual batteries and ran a direct wire from the alternator to main battery as loom was getting old and had some resistance and problem fixed

 

[Dieseler]

Your alt brushes may be worn I just did mine 186k on the motor and the brushes barely measured 1\4 inch,problem flattened one battery then lights started appearing randomly on and off in the dash.

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Drawing any 12V loads off one of those batteries?

~John

 

[pathfinder_88]

Drawing any 12V loads off one of those batteries?

~John

I was thinking the same thing. I swapped the batteries today. There are a few taps coming off the right battery positive which look factory. There is something taking power off the left battery postive, I am not sure what it is...possibly stereo or the 24v/12v converter...will check tomorrow. It was the left side that I have had issues with and it was the left side that the previous owner had issues with. Obviously this is not preferred. What should I be doing?

There is small box on the right side of the engine bay that I pull power from for my madman...I wonder if I should use this power source instead...

 

[blis]

I was thinking the same thing. I swapped the batteries today. There are a few taps coming off the right battery positive which look factory. There is something taking power off the left battery postive, I am not sure what it is...possibly stereo or the 24v/12v converter...will check tomorrow. It was the left side that I have had issues with and it was the left side that the previous owner had issues with. Obviously this is not preferred. What should I be doing?

There is small box on the right side of the engine bay that I pull power from for my madman...I wonder if I should use this power source instead...

never,i say again NEVER take 12v straight off the battery in dual battery 24v system, it is the most efficient way to ruin your battery and toast your alternator... For your 12v needs smartest way is to run thick wire from second batterys positive to voltage converter (24v->12v) and then take your 12v's from there...

Besides, the only thing that might need 12v in hj61 is your radio, everything else is 24v (atleast in JDM spec)...

 

[Dieseler]

If you have a converter it should be tapping off your right side battery were it is 24volts what ever is on the left trace it out and remove it.

 

[pathfinder_88]

I am headed out to determine where the stereo is getting power from. The converter is in behind the dash...I would think I could pull power from that provided it itself is getting power from the 24v source.

 

[pathfinder_88]

Ok, the connection on the left battery was the radio memory and this is what was undoubtedly causing the battery to go flat. It has been removed.

I can get power off my switched power converter but the issue, as has been discussed previously, is maintaining the radio memory. I've read a few posts that addressed this but I am thoroughly confused...head starts to spin when 12v panels and relays get discussed .

I may just go without the memory for the time being but it is annoying...

 

[metro]

G'day Pathfinder_88
I had the same problem of one battery going flat for over a year. I was drawing off one battery for immobiliser power, have now added a 24/12 converter and take the power from there. BUT too late as far as damage to the battery.
Dropped one cell .... if your problem persists get an hydrometer and test each cell of the battery.
OR do a load test I charged the dodgy battery over night placed a meter on it and it read 12.6volts turn on the head lights and it read 12.1 volts, crank the engine volts dropped to 5.4.

The other battery in the system only dropped to 12volts under crank load. My brother is an auto electrician and he used a technical term for it, "rooted" (may loose something in the translation)

good luck with it

regards

Metro

 

[toomanymachines]

Just buy a cheap converter off of ebay. and install to feed 12v power to your memory. You need two converters one for the radio that is switched and one that is not switched for the momory. Just mount it underthe hood and feed it to the memory got my hj61 set up this way

 

[pathfinder_88]

Just buy a cheap converter off of ebay. and install to feed 12v power to your memory. You need two converters one for the radio that is switched and one that is not switched for the momory. Just mount it underthe hood and feed it to the memory got my hj61 set up this way

Yeah, good plan...that seems the simplest option in my case

 

[Tim-HJ61]

If you have determined your low battery is no good, replace both of them preferably with a matching pair of brand new batteries in order to ensure they perform effectively as a 24v unit over time. If you don't you run the risk of still having unbalanced pairings.

The other alternative, which has served me well for several years to keep batteries balanced after drawing from the low side, is a battery equaliser. Mine is from Redarc in Australia, but others here use a solar controller more easily available overseas. Search will find references to it.

You 'may' be able to rescue your low battery by charging it in parallel with the high battery - disconnecting both first of course - to ensure both batteries are equally charged before putting them back into series. A strong charger of say 10A left overnight will cause both to bubble away which won't do them any harm as long as the water/acid does not boil off too much.

Tim