Another Aux Delete Question.

[AmosMoses]

The auxiliary battery has zip to do with the switches. The fact you are getting that message means that the voltage is low - it can be a bad MAIN battery.
My wife has been getting that in her Wrangler - "aux switches unavailable" - her Jeep has no aux battery - it's a 4xe.
So you may find you still have the issue. Don't jump to things - check your battery voltage with a volt meter. Start from there. You could have a MAIN battery going bad, OR the aux battery - but you won't know until you do some testing/checking.
Not using ESS has nothing to do with aux battery life, either. They are connected together at almost all times.

No Iam definitely weighing my options and I agree, my main could be going bad. This is a 2021 driven mostly in less than 10 mile trips twice a day. I would like to get rid of the auxiliary battery since I don't use ESS. Then I've only got one battery to check and maintain.

Sponsored

 

[Lost1wing]

No Iam definitely weighing my options and I agree, my main could be going bad. This is a 2021 driven mostly in less than 10 mile trips twice a day. I would like to get rid of the auxiliary battery since I don't use ESS. Then I've only got one battery to check and maintain.

When was the last time that you had the batteries on a charger? It wouldn't take long if you tossed on a trickle charger on just the aux early in the evening and when it finishes, toss it on the main. Have the IBS connector pulled at that time. In the morning, reconnect your battery cables. Then plug in the IBS connector.

If you have a meter you could check the battery voltage after charging them. You would want to wait 20-30 minutes after removing the charger.

If you don't short any cables ends in the process I think you would benefit doing this.

 

[AmosMoses]

When was the last time that you had the batteries on a charger? It wouldn't take long if you tossed on a trickle charger on just the aux early in the evening and when it finishes, toss it on the main. Have the IBS connector pulled at that time. In the morning, reconnect your battery cables. Then plug in the IBS connector.

If you have a meter you could check the battery voltage after charging them. You would want to wait 20-30 minutes after removing the charger.

If you don't short any cables ends in the process I think you would benefit doing this.

I've never charged the battery. What is the downside of removing the auxiliary battery in my situation?

 

[Mr._Bill]

I've never charged the battery. What is the downside of removing the auxiliary battery in my situation?

The Aux Battery is there to keep the computers from rebooting due to low voltage during ESS restarts. If you always hit the dash button for ESS, it doesn't really affect you. Since they are paralleled together, removing the Aux Battery actually lowers total capacity. It can also cause warranty issues, depending on the dealer.

 

[AmosMoses]

The Aux Battery is there to keep the computers from rebooting due to low voltage during ESS restarts. If you always hit the dash button for ESS, it doesn't really affect you. Since they are paralleled together, removing the Aux Battery actually lowers total capacity. It can also cause warranty issues, depending on the dealer.

Thanks. I have ESS "disabled" with my tazer and don't plan on using it again.

 

[Mr._Bill]

Thanks. I have ESS "disabled" with my tazer and don't plan on using it again.

Just keep in mind that ESS is never disabled. The button on the dash just prevents the engine from turning off when ESS calls for it. The Tazer just reminds the computer what position you want the button in.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

No Iam definitely weighing my options and I agree, my main could be going bad. This is a 2021 driven mostly in less than 10 mile trips twice a day. I would like to get rid of the auxiliary battery since I don't use ESS. Then I've only got one battery to check and maintain.

Those short trips over that period of time means those batteries were actually never fully charged. That kills batteries.
Even if you make such changes, those short drives will kill any battery eventually. Even driving 45 minutes doesn't fully charge a batter that has been sitting for a while (personal experience, thus, my charging setup through the trailer connector)

 

[AmosMoses]

Got rid of the auxiliary battery today. Went in through the top pulling the fuse box up and out of the way. Was not as bad as I've heard some describe it. I was very careful to cover anything potentially hot and electrical connectors with rags and ties. I bought a battery load tester from harbor freight and tested both batteries. Main battery tested fine and the auxiliary tested weak. While I had the main battery out I topped it off with an 8 amp charge rate. Battery read 12.7 volts after charging.

I went ahead and pulled fuse 42 before I took the batteries out. I taped up the auxiliary ground and tucked it out of the way and connected the auxiliary positive connector to the main positive connector. When I started the jeep I did not get any auxiliary not ready codes so Iam happy about that. Hopefully I can get another winter out of this battery but it's going on 4 years now which is pretty good IMO.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Got rid of the auxiliary battery today. Went in through the top pulling the fuse box up and out of the way. Was not as bad as I've heard some describe it. I was very careful to cover anything potentially hot and electrical connectors with rags and ties. I bought a battery load tester from harbor freight and tested both batteries. Main battery tested fine and the auxiliary tested weak. While I had the main battery out I topped it off with an 8 amp charge rate. Battery read 12.7 volts after charging.

I went ahead and pulled fuse 42 before I took the batteries out. I taped up the auxiliary ground and tucked it out of the way and connected the auxiliary positive connector to the main positive connector. When I started the jeep I did not get any auxiliary not ready codes so Iam happy about that. Hopefully I can get another winter out of this battery but it's going on 4 years now which is pretty good IMO.

If it tested even a bit weak on one of those cheapie testers - then it's weak.
I never trust anything that doesn't do a full correct test, but those can get "close enough".
I prefer the actual load test.
I took a battery back to NAPA a couple of years ago - took them some time to even get a test, then he was like "uh, well" - a true load test would have crashed that battery like a rock, but his test only showed "iffy".

Sponsored