Guys,

Question for you, I think that I killed my alternator in this last storm... and I just want to double check is not the batteries.. so I want to confirm which is the primary battery on a dual Chevy 98 2500 truck... the primary is the passenger side battery. IS that correct??

Pete :confused:

primary? are you asking if one is just there for a back-up? They're both running all the time. The one on the pass side has the heavy wire down to the starter, and from the alternator, if thats what you mean.

If you are due for batts replace both, a bad one will kill a good one, also try to get 2 batts from same mfg lot date

TD,

Battery replaced ... both... in either summer of 2002.. so its a maybe on being due..

however .. since the amp meter shows maybe 12 +.. but less than 12.5 or so at idle.. thinking that it is showing only battery voltage.. if I bring rpm up it will show at 13.5...
That is why I am still going to check the batts.. to confrim itn not just 1 dead battery draining it...

TDG.. thank you for confirming that the primary battery is the passenger side battery


Pete

There really ain't a "primary" one, they each carry 1/2 of the AMP Load. I always replace them together just like you would do on a flashlight.

There is no primary battery. However, if you're having charging problems, I would take off the connectors and ensure that they're good and clean. Clean them off really well before reattaching them. If you replaced them in 2002 they should still be good, but a bad one can kill a good one and also make you think that the alternator died (ask me how I know...).

If the batteries are bad, make sure that they replace BOTH under warranty, not just one.

Update,

I ended up replacing both batteries and the alt with a remain...

Now a month later and its going again... took a load tested to both batteries this time... pass side shows charging 14v... driver side... 12v... so no charge there...
time to look at the wiring...

Oh.. replaced both batteries for less than $30... so that was not a problem...

It's just starting to hurt business with this truck down...

Pete

There is a " FIX " for the contact problems with the " double " connections on GM
dual battery's,

Suggest you visit the 6.2 6.5 Diesel Page and do a search in " ASK DR LEE,

The terminal connectors GM uses are on side terminals and I've never liked keeping up with them, as they harbor oxidation on the threaded post and under the rubber boot on the connector. I cut them off went to top post with brass marine terminal connectors that havn't oxidized yet.

HAHAHAHA your problems are EXACTLY what our 6.5L was doing. The alt would charge at 14.4, but the PS battery would be sitting at 13.1 and the DS battery would be at 12.7!!

the first solution was to run some 1/0 from each side of the head grounds for both batteries. this brought both batteries to 12.9-13.0 flat. The final solution was to ground the alt case/braket to the DS battery. Now the batteries charge at a full 14.4v all the time. :D

i only found it funny because I thought I was the only one to have the electrical issues....btw. ;)

Yota,

hummm... I am starting to think for piece of mind to change to what you have suggested... as between last week and this week I was down on andoff a couple of days between the batteries and the plow...

Thanks

Pete