I am assuming that to charge the batteries with an external battery charger I only need to connect to one of the batteries since they are connected in parallel. Is this correct?
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95 F350 CC XLT,bought new as 2x Dually,owner converted to 4x4,up on 38s, Baumann TCS controlled E4OD. http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/Briansshop/
Just getting broken in, 50,000 miles!
It depends on what type of charger that you have and what condition both batteries are in. If it is an automatic charger and one of the batteries is lower than the other you may overcharge the good battery or undercharge the bad battery. If it is not an automatic charger you may overcharge both of them. I would recommend that you disconnect the batteries from each other if they really need to be recharged and charged them separately.
It depends on what type of charger that you have and what condition both batteries are in. If it is an automatic charger and one of the batteries is lower than the other you may overcharge the good battery or undercharge the bad battery. If it is not an automatic charger you may overcharge both of them. I would recommend that you disconnect the batteries from each other if they really need to be recharged and charged them separately.
Jim
correct, and that way you can test them too see if one is bad. I would load test them.
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Jim Sult / Excavator (we dig it) Trying to fix it? KISS IT"KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID" Avatar- purchased off Ford lot as NON RUNNING ENGINE - I drove it off lot in 1 hour/ my everyday 1996 F250 XLT Ext Cab, Powerstroke, 4x4 Dana 60 , Bilsteins shocks, Greggs MB AutoTrans, BabySwamps,Tony Wildman Chip, AutoMeter Pyro/Trans/Boost, Tymar intake, MBRP 4 in turbo back exhaust, 209000 miles,D&B HT Starter
1996 F350 XL PowerStroke 4X4 DRW, Auto Trans, Stock Work Dump truck, DDP down pipe,Tymar intake, 113000 miles
1997 F350 XL 2x4 DRW Powerstroke , DP Tuner PCM, 5 speed,Luk Clutch Tymar intake. DPP downpipe, 185,000 miles
Ugh.... Don't they both get charged at the same time by the truck?
I always charged mine together and have never had a problem.
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95 F350 CC XLT,bought new as 2x Dually,owner converted to 4x4,up on 38s, Baumann TCS controlled E4OD. http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/Briansshop/
Just getting broken in, 50,000 miles!
You are right the truck does charge both of them together but from the information from the first post I am lead to believe that he has a charging problem or a bad battery since he wants to charge them. If you charge them both together you will never find out if one of them is bad by not taking a charge. You'll charge the good one and the bad one will just sit there. So for maintenance on the batteries I would disconnect them to charge.
There's lots of reasons why someone would want to charge the batteries in our trucks. Having one of them bad is only one reason.
The RV bunch charges their batteries like we use our trucks - pretty much every time they use their RV's. And they don't disconnect their battery banks to do it. And neither does the solar battery crowd.
Therefore, for normal charging, just hook up to one battery and call it good.
I have a Schumacher trickle charger permanently installed in my truck. It's connected to the passenger side battery. When I want to ensure the batteries are fully charged up (like when it's been sitting for a while plus its real cold), I just hook the AC line next to the engine heater and let it sit overnight. No way I'm disconnecting the batteries from each other for that.
I agree with Bug and Excavator. Disconnect the batteries and charge that way. Connect one battery, measure voltage, put headlights on for a minute, measure again. Did the voltage drop? Repeat for the other battery...the poor mans way of checking.
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2011 F350 CC Lariat 6.7 4x4 Tuxedo Black Loaded* ICON 4.5 inch Stage II with 4 link and Deaver Mini-Paks * OUO 5" Traction Blocks & Bars * 20" BMF Novakanes with 37x12.50x20 Nitto Trails * ICON Dual Steering Stabilizer * RECON Projectors, Mirror, 3rd brake, Cab,and Tailights * Pace Edwards Bedlocker * EPIC Door Seal Mods * AMP Research Steps * http://community.webshots.com/user/ammayernick
It is one thing if you left your lights on all night or your door open and just ran batts down and no start and want to jump start it or quick charge it with both hooked up. If batts keep going dead than you need to disconnect them from each other to find what the problem is
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Jim Sult / Excavator (we dig it) Trying to fix it? KISS IT"KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID" Avatar- purchased off Ford lot as NON RUNNING ENGINE - I drove it off lot in 1 hour/ my everyday 1996 F250 XLT Ext Cab, Powerstroke, 4x4 Dana 60 , Bilsteins shocks, Greggs MB AutoTrans, BabySwamps,Tony Wildman Chip, AutoMeter Pyro/Trans/Boost, Tymar intake, MBRP 4 in turbo back exhaust, 209000 miles,D&B HT Starter
1996 F350 XL PowerStroke 4X4 DRW, Auto Trans, Stock Work Dump truck, DDP down pipe,Tymar intake, 113000 miles
1997 F350 XL 2x4 DRW Powerstroke , DP Tuner PCM, 5 speed,Luk Clutch Tymar intake. DPP downpipe, 185,000 miles
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, Bilsteins shocks, Greggs MB AutoTrans, Baby 
Swamps,Tony Wildman 
Chip, AutoMeter Pyro/Trans/Boost, Tymar intake, MBRP 4 in turbo back exhaust, 209000 miles,D&B HT Starter
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