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I have a stupid question, and welcome a stupid answer if it's that simple.....

I removed my batteries from the truck to give them a good deep charge, as it had sat for a couple weeks. Ran perfect, no battery issues prior. Once placed back in the truck, I have dash lights, very weak, and only the occassional click of the starter solenoid. Not even an attempt to start. Checked the batteries, still fully charged.

Something common or simple I've done here? The batteries are wired positive - negative - positive - negative........as they came out......

You haven't wired them backwards, have you?

Or is there a bad connection, maybe?

Hi there,

All visible connections are good, and i wired them with the front battery positive to the truck, negative to the positive of the back battery and negative to the truck. By front battery I mean closest to the driver....

tx Dave

Spray some WD40 into the ground switch and actuate it a few times to clean the contact and double check battery cables/connections for good contact.
The short cable can go bad(high resistance) if it is too corroded.

Well, I have lubricated and actuated the ground switch a few times, cleaned all of my contacts and inspected the wires for any breaches....nothing. Now I don't even hear the solenoid click.
Guess I'm gonna be going on a "hunt" very soon for whatever has changed.......just amazed this can all take place by simply removing the batteries!!!!!!

Have you checked the factory fitted immobiliser beeps when you disarm it with the remote?

Check battery voltage with a multimeter. Then check voltage somewhere under the dash. I'm betting a cable is rotted through which broke when you reattached.

Sounds good, I'll try this tomorrow (working late tonight ).

StuartL wrote:Have you checked the factory fitted immobiliser beeps when you disarm it with the remote?

Lol...I'll check this as a last resort

Finally got around to checking more in depth, and was happy to find the answer in short order. My batteries show more than acceptable voltage on the meter when charged, but after attempts to start, one was droping below 10.5v. I put it on the charger and it immediately showed full charge. Tried it in my dodge and didn't even get a dash light. Sounds shorted or something. New battery and all will be well.

thanks for the replies, always helps to get other's input.

Dave

FYI, I was the gent who stopped by and said hello a few weeks back.

Are you tapping one of the batteries as a 12v source?

No, everything is bone stock.....these are the units I recieved with my truck and the dead one was the "rear" battery location....

audiocontr wrote:FYI, I was the gent who stopped by and said hello a few weeks back.

I thought so, wish I would have tried the truck while you were standing in the driveway, I think it was the next day or so it wouldn't start! I beleive you have a bit more electrical savy than I..........

Sounds to me like the previous owner was tapping the rear for 12v. pretty common.

I swapped mine out as well but saved that battery as a spare in the rear of my pickup. Comes in handy for jump starting and powering the winch/air compressor in a bind.