do all CUCV's drain their batteries?

[firefirefire90]

I come from the BMW world where I can leave my car for 2 months and come back and start the old girl right back up like it was yesterday, but I left my M1009 sitting for 8 days or so and the batteries had drained and I had to jump it with a 12V jeep. I was just curious if this is a common issue and I shouldn't compare my 86' Chevy with a finely tuned European machine

 

[jimmy-90]

That is not normal. I'd have the batteries tested to start with and if that's not the problem then get familiar with the TM's. Im sure other people will chime in with possible reasons why your batteries are dieing. Also how did you jump your M1009 with a 12v jeep???

 

[firefirefire90]

funny story, I googled "jump start 24v with 12v" and a thread on steel soldiers popped up. It told me to lightly charge the first battery with the 12v car, then go to the second battery and boom the truck started right up. The m1009 wouldn't even turn over before so I like that approach.

 

[Terracoma]

Usually just the front battery needs a jump. This thread has some good content and two diagrams in Post #9.

My truck started draining the front battery recently, but I'm still tracking down the culprit...

 

[papercu]

They tend to do that when you leave the headlights on. Wayne

 

[HoJoPo]

You have to leave the service / blackout light switch in the "off" (middle) position, or a relay is left engaged that will drain the 12V (front) battery.

At least, that's what I remember reading somewhere....

 

[firefirefire90]

Yes yes my friends I figured that all out after reading the manual I was prescribed for the truck. I can assure you the lights were off. The only electrical add-ons for this vehicle were the doghead starter mod, fog lamps, and then an aftermarket stereo. Other than the relay mod, I've removed all others from the vehicle. I hope it is not a botched starter relay job

 

[lavarok]

You have to leave the service / blackout light switch in the "off" (middle) position, or a relay is left engaged that will drain the 12V (front) battery.

At least, that's what I remember reading somewhere....

I am pretty sure that is just a M1010 issue, which you have. The M1010 is unique.
Of all the CUCVs I own, you only have to make sure the switch is off in the M1010.

 

[nudewheeler]

Have vehicle turned off with no keys in the ignition (typical 'off' state)

Get a multimeter. Verify the amperage rating is at least 10Amps (20+ preferred). Verify fuses in multimeter are good (I bet 90+% of multimeters in the world have blown fuses). Verify leads for multimeter are connected to highest amperage fused ports. Place multimeter on the least sensitive amperage setting (typically 'Amps')

• Disconnect a battery lead
• Place one lead from multimeter on battery terminal
• Place other lead from multimeter on battery terminal clamp
• evaluate current draw.

I just did this to my M1009. Current draw from my blazer in off status was .2 milliamp.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Mine sits for months at a time with the BO switch in service mode and starts right up.

 

[Barrman]

Same here. That light switch is always on. Since he "lightly" charged the front battery and then jump started off the rear battery, I would think the rear battery is faulty. Did you load test them both since the troubles?

 

[erniemigi]

what are the cold cranking amps on your batts? both of mine went bad and the guy at the autoparts store told me that the min you should have is 750, my front was a 750 and the rear was a 550, so when the front 1 died it sucked the life right out of the rear 1, also my aftermarket radio was slowly draining the batts, so i just take the faceplate off when i'm not using it

 

[repairs_nooooo!!!]

My M1008 has an electrical problem that drains the batteries when the truck is off. It might be something to look into. All I do is unplug the front battery connectors and that seems to work pretty well. I would fix it but I want to swap it for a M1009.

 

[stampy]

Get a solargizer. While it doesn't "charge" the battery per se it does desulfinate and seems to keep mine up. My truck has sat for many weeks at a time and yes I just get in and start her up. Make sure you wire any aftermarket accesories into the keyed part of the switch so they are powered off when the switch is off also

 

[cucv1833]

Get a solargizer. While it doesn't "charge" the battery per se it does desulfinate and seems to keep mine up. My truck has sat for many weeks at a time and yes I just get in and start her up. Make sure you wire any aftermarket accesories into the keyed part of the switch so they are powered off when the switch is off also

I would like to get me one of those solargizers but my 1009 stay in a shed for 2 months at a time while im offshore. But i have no problems so far with battery drain. I come home after 2 months and it starts right up. I even leave the service light switch in the ON position and have after market 12v components installed.
My front Batt. is a 2010 and my rear batt. is 2005 model. So i do see future problems with that said.

 

[mikelee]

Well as posted do a load test . Possible to also have bad diode trio in alternator and will slowly pull power easy to check..

 

[Stihl029]

I had my M1028 sitting for 4 months while on deployment here in Kodiak, AK. Just got back 3 days ago and it started up like a champ. I was jumping alot of other cars even today when I got off duty. Do you have any non-standard equipment hooked up. BTW it was below freezing when I reached my truck. I did have to cyle the glow plugs twice...but that is to be expected for extended periods of time in my experience.

 

[GM 1008]

Draining the battery

for some reason my M1008 started to completely drain the battery as I use the vehicle. All lights off, everything off, still a 30 mile ride completely drained the battery. Is important to know, I just had the alternator worked on and as far as I can tell, it works fine. Also, there was a short wire that went from the alternator to the frame, it didn’t look like it was doing anything and I removed it, could it be it?
Thanks.
GM 1008

 

[stonewalljac]

With all lights and blower mtrs and things off. should be no drain on a battery other than the fuel sol. The wire, was it on the drivers side alternator? Are your alternator's proper for a CUCV ( Isolated ground) still? if the answer is yes. that wire you removed was the ground for the alternator. It has to have that to work. Also. Did the drivers side battery go dead or both go dead? Driver= front Passenger = rear

 

[doghead]

The short wire is needed.

It grounds the alternator on the driver side.

Without it, you will not be charging your front battery.

These alternators are not case grounded.

Do not ground the other alternator though, they are used in series.