Truck Died Last Night on a Main Thoroughfare, replacing batteries in 2 hrs or so, what may be needed? (Details in thread)

[tjk]

I have a better idea on your situation and the inconvenience to test and charge.

To get it back home, reinstall the fuse array and the cables. Be sure to put the n3 cable on the n4 terminal with the other cable that was already on n4. You can remove the aux ground from the main battery neg top plate and tape it up. Pull f42 fuse. This will keep the pcr from opening and seeing that your Aux is not connected. Reinstall the main battery. Reconnect the fender ground or the other end at the main battery, which ever you had disconnected. Reinstall the ibs connector, as it should have been disconnected. You should be able to start and drive home without issue. Once home, disconnect the fender ground, connect your battery charger positive to the main battery positive and connect the charger negative to that cable you have taped up and isolated. No need to pull the aux battery when it is isolated like this. You will only be charging the Aux. Now since you did drive the vehicle home, before putting the charger away and connecting the aux cable to the main neg, charge the main battery again. It shouldn't take too long. While it is charging, disconnect the ibs connector again. Once the charging is complete, reconnect the aux negative to the main neg top plate, reinstall f42, reinstall the fender ground and reconnect the ibs connector.

Removing the fender ground and covering it reduces the chance of shorts to ground. It also removes the ground for both batteries at the same time.

Once your new fuse array comes in, disconnect the fender negative and cover it. Remove the old fuse array and install the new fuse array just remember to put the n3 cable back on the N3 terminal . Reinstall the fender ground. You will see some sparks so don't worry. You shouldn't need to do anything else.

Gonna try this after swim class. You keep referring to fender ground, where is that located in relation to the negative battery cable location? Normally I just pull that and hang it on the washer fluid filler neck. For charging the aux, I may zip tie it there to be sure.

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[tjk]

Follow up: the Truck is home! The reverse camera isn’t working, and the check engine light is on. Shuttling back to get my dad’s truck, then I’ll update with new voltages from the N posts.

 

[Lost1wing]

Gonna try this after swim class. You keep referring to fender ground, where is that located in relation to the negative battery cable location? Normally I just pull that and hang it on the washer fluid filler neck. For charging the aux, I may zip tie it there to be sure.

 

[Lost1wing]

Yours may be less crowded than mine. It will kill power for both batteries. The top plate above the IBS has the other end along with the Aux battery negative cable.

 

[tjk]

Yours may be less crowded than mine. It will kill power for both batteries. The top plate above the IBS has the other end along with the Aux battery negative cable.

yeah, once I went to trace each negative lead I saw what you meant by the fender ground. I cleared the check engine codes, after bedtime I’ll start looking into the reverse camera. The UConnect is acting like it’s not even there.

 

[Lost1wing]

yeah, once I went to trace each negative lead I saw what you meant by the fender ground. I cleared the check engine codes, after bedtime I’ll start looking into the reverse camera. The UConnect is acting like it’s not even there.

Drive it a few days. Some of the functionality will come back. Everytime you disconnect the batteries, it kind of goes through a relearn of what it has. I always lose xm radio and offroad pages. I have never looked to see if I lost my cameras, but I see others have after disconnecting the batteries.

 

[tjk]

Yours may be less crowded than mine. It will kill power for both batteries. The top plate above the IBS has the other end along with the Aux battery negative cable.

I plugged into the main battery and the isolated negative you mentioned, but the charger has barely moved in the over an hour it’s been on. Would it make more sense to remove N1 and connect directly to that since it’s goes to Aux?

 

[Lost1wing]

I plugged into the main battery and the isolated negative you mentioned, but the charger has barely moved in the over an hour it’s been on. Would it make more sense to remove N1 and connect directly to that since it’s goes to Aux?

Taking the fender ground off removes the ground for both batteries. The ground for the aux must be isolated from the top plate on the IBS. You either separate the grounds or separate the positives. The reason for removing the fender ground is so when restore power, you are restoring power from both batteries at the same time.

 

[bill61]

Man, if (when) I ever have a battery failure I’m going to have to reread this thread a couple times to make sure I understand what is what.

 

[tjk]

Man, if (when) I ever have a battery failure I’m going to have to reread this thread a couple times to make sure I understand what is what.

Lots of good help in here to be sure, big thanks to those who have pitched in.

 

[tjk]

Taking the fender ground off removes the ground for both batteries. The ground for the aux must be isolated from the top plate on the IBS. You either separate the grounds or separate the positives. The reason for removing the fender ground is so when restore power, you are restoring power from both batteries at the same time.

currently charging the main battery via the positive lead and the negative post, will reconnect everything per instruction later on this afternoon once it’s completely charged.

 

[Lost1wing]

Man, if (when) I ever have a battery failure I’m going to have to reread this thread a couple times to make sure I understand what is what.

Me too! I catch myself trying to explain how to do something but forget that not everyone knows where each cable goes, what an IBS is or in some cases, just basic electrical.

 

[bill61]

Me too! I catch myself trying to explain how to do something but forget that not everyone knows where each cable goes, what an IBS is or in some cases, just basic electrical.

Yes. I’m fairly literate with electronics but not with the dual battery setup. It seems quite intricate.

 

[tjk]

Well yesterday the on board reading held around 14.3 And 14.4, but today that was down to 12.6. Will take more Nx Post readings in a few.

 

[tjk]

Ok, new test just now:


Main (engine on) 12.75v

N1 12.65v

N2 12.75v

N4 12.75v

N7 12.75v

Main (Engine Off, leads disconnected) 12.9v

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