Batteries pooched?

[steelydan]

Had a problem with the lights on my flatdeck trailer last week, and had the dome light on for an hour or so while I re-wired it. Subs have about 18 dome lights, and when I tried to start it would not crank. Had to jump it.
I checked both batteries connections and tightened, and added water to both batteries as they were low. Truck is charging at about 14.6v checked with my fluke meter...a day or so later I had a small water pool in my garage beneath each battery tray. I checked the battery fluid with my refractor-meter and it reads fair on some cells and poor on others. Batteries were in truck when I bought it so age is not known.

Another issue is the power locks don't work for all doors unless it has sat overnight, and only on the first try. Keep mind Subs have 5 door loocks all firing at once. Any sure way to tell if I should replace batteries?

 

[Chevylover]

Go to a parts dealer like Autozone a do a battery load test. THAN you will know if they are good or bad - and also if you should replace them, but if you do that replace BOTH !

Cu,
Sven

 

[mfgguru]

The lock situation I have experienced before. It seems like the locking solenoids have a capacitor that needs to charge up after use. If I cycle my locks up and down several times, about the 4th time they won't even move. Go figure. If I let them sit for a minute they work again. It could be your batts. If you lose a 100 or 200 ca's(cranking amps) from each one you'll notice a difference. Also, check your ground on the frame and engine. I know, it is cliche around here, but it could be culprit. If your batts were run down from your dome lights, they were probably week to begin with. My truck can have the domes on and the stereo blasting all evening and it still starts like nothing has been on. My batts are 1250 ca each. Get the biggest you can find and you won't be disappointed.

 

[Turbine Doc]

No capacitor in the locking solenoids that I know of, poor grounds would be the prime culprit or a weak solenoid itself, weather can worsen or improve a weak ground, tight & clean is what you want, this will prevent intermittent "cold-junction" or from being adversely impacted by moisture ie high humidty.