I have a 2005 2500 diesel, the batteries are close to being shot, I was wanting to run a 1 battery setup mostly due to cost. it is fairly warm here with weather very seldom gets below 30 degrees. What do I need to do or be watching for when going to a 1 battery setup, I have read some where someone had a charging problem when going to a 1 battery setup as i read the alternator tries to charge the drivers side battery first, should there be anything I would mess up by going to a 1 battery setup.
Like I said earlier times are hard and wanted to save some money with battery prices going out the roof.
Thanks for the advice ahead of time

 

i might think, youd have to spend a lot on a good battery that will crank over the mighty Cummins, but at 30 degrees you will need a freaking outstanding ONE battery to do it.

buy two cheep ones and roll on. you may end up spending the same amount of money and not risk being out somewhere and getting stranded.

the alternator see's a Bus, it does not see the first or second battery.

 

in the 2 but I no the 1991 dodge diesel only had 1 battery and it cranked fine cold or hot.

 

theres something about a group size in there. i think it would be hard to find a bad butt enough battery in our group size than in a larger group. its something i herd that was hard to do in our trucks, step up to the next group size.

 

Buy 2 Costco batteries and be on your way...

 

Thanks for the replies but not what I was wanting here. I no i can go buy 2 batteries but even at walmart they are 170 plus tax, and that is alot ot shell out at one time.

 

Ok! Then I recommend you try a wrecking yard that may have 2 batteries from a late model Ram CTD.

Where are you located?

 

These trucks have 2 batteries for a couple reasons.

First is the draw on a single battery when starting and running the heater grids. It just kills the battery too fast and then the lectronics suffer.

Second is the amount of voltage needed to run the injectors cannot adequately be supplied by a single battery AND adequately run the rest of the electronics in the truck. The draw down will throw noise into other parts of the system and cause errors and driveability issues.

The advice for a single battery setup is simnply do NOT do it. It will cause more issues than buying 1 more battery.

 

Thanks that is a reply i can understand, although it still means buying 2 batteries. Mine is 7 years old and still cranking but on the coldest mornings after sitting for a few days it is starting to turnover a little slower, so It won't be long.

 

It is one of those things about owning a heavy duty truck. They come with extra expenses compared to the half tons. If you know it's coming start setting back a few dollars here and there to help offset the big blow.

 

Then put a charger on them! How meny miles do you drive each day? Is it longe enought to full charge them?

 

You drive a $45,000 truck that takes $110 in fuel at each fill-up and you say $170 is a lot for two batteries?

 

For the win!

 

In the amount of time it has taken this thread to reach 14 posts (helpful posts I will add)... You could have bought two batteries and been done with it.

 

beat me to it..