How to disconnect batteries

[Aleph]

Electrical noob here. I’m leaving the truck in the garage for 2 months and want to disconnect the batteries for this time on the off chance the power steering pump catches fire due to the recall. I don’t have a place to park the vehicle outside.

I disconnected the main and supplemental battery cables but the truck still has power. Should I disconnect the IBS cable as well?
Pictured is the main and supplemental battery cables taped off with electrical tape. The IBS cable is still on there but the manual says not to disconnect it otherwise the IBS will go into learning mode for 24 hours. Not sure why the manual says to not disconnect the IBS if truck electricals are still functioning and draining the battery.

I’m guessing I just need to disconnect the main negative terminal completely?

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[Mr._Bill]

The easiest way is to leave everything connected and just disconnect the negative cable attached to the frame.

The batteries are paralleled together. The negative from the Aux Battery connects to the negative on the Main Battery, which then connects to the frame.

 

[Aleph]

Figured it out. I had the aux and main battery cables taped up together and that was my mistake. So the vehicle was basically being powered by just the aux battery. I isolated them both and now the vehicle has no power. Yay thanks.

In other related news I dropped the 10 mm nut (that holds the jumper connecting the two negative battery cables) into the engine bay. So it’s lost forever. Would any 10 mm nut work to replace this?

 

[JLPeekaboo]

Electrical noob here. I’m leaving the truck in the garage for 2 months and want to disconnect the batteries for this time on the off chance the power steering pump catches fire due to the recall. I don’t have a place to park the vehicle outside.

I disconnected the main and supplemental battery cables but the truck still has power. Should I disconnect the IBS cable as well?
Pictured is the main and supplemental battery cables taped off with electrical tape. The IBS cable is still on there but the manual says not to disconnect it otherwise the IBS will go into learning mode for 24 hours. Not sure why the manual says to not disconnect the IBS if truck electricals are still functioning and draining the battery.

I’m guessing I just need to disconnect the main negative terminal completely?

To totally cut power and kill all electrical drains on your Gladiator, you must disconnect the main negative battery cable. Disconnecting this single cable removes the ground connection. This prevents power from flowing and completely shuts down the truck.

 

[GuzziMoto]

Figured it out. I had the aux and main battery cables taped up together and that was my mistake. So the vehicle was basically being powered by just the aux battery. I isolated them both and now the vehicle has no power. Yay thanks.

In other related news I dropped the 10 mm nut (that holds the jumper connecting the two negative battery cables) into the engine bay. So it’s lost forever. Would any 10 mm nut work to replace this?

There are various thread pitches, typically two main options, so it is possible to find a 10mm nut that does not fit. If the thread pitch is wrong the nut will appear to start threading on and then stop within maybe a quarter turn.

As mentioned, the best way to disconnect a battery to stop battery drain or the risk of electrical fire is to pull the ground. In fact, it is smart to always disconnect the ground first when removing a battery. It is safer that way.

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