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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: Bow, NH | Went out the other day to start my truck which had been hooked up to a trailer for the better part of the week. It was deader than a door nail (I later found that one of our helpful 4 legged critters had turned the loading light switch on and we hadn't noticed). Anyway, jumping a diesel off is not nearly as easy as jumping a gas burner because of the dual batteries. Ended up needing two gas burners to get it jumped. Jeepers. Lesson learned - ALWAYS unplug the trailer from the truck if leaving it parked for a extended period of time (of course, remember to plug it back in before you haul the next time). |
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Expert
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Location: western PA | Thanks for the lesson! My truck doesn't power the lighting circuit in my trailer's stall area unless it's running. This has been a personal source of frustration in the past. I guess I should now consider it a blessing. Someone designed it to make up for my mistakes and has been looking over my shoulder ever since. Gard |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
 
Location: Vermont | Diesel dual-battery jump starting diagram
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Some diesel model vehicles utilize two 12 volt batteries, one on either side of the engine compartment. The batteries are connected in a parallel circuit (positive terminal to positive terminal and negative terminal to negative terminal). Hooking the batteries up in a parallel circuit increases battery cranking power without increasing total battery voltage output. The output will remain at 12 volts. On the other hand, hooking two 12 volt batteries in a series circuit (positive terminal to negative terminal and negative terminal to positive terminal) increases the total battery output to 24 volts (12 volts plus 12 volts). 
Never hook the batteries up in a series circuit or the entire electrical system will be damaged, including the starter motor
In the event that a dual battery vehicle needs to be jump started, use the following procedure: - Turn the heater blower motor ON to help protect the electrical system from voltage surges when the jumper cables are connected and disconnected.
- Turn all lights and other switches OFF.
The battery cables connected to one of the diesel vehicle's batteries may be thicker than those connected to its other battery. (The passenger side battery often has thicker cables.) This set-up allows relatively high jump starting current to pass without damage. If so, be sure to connect the positive jumper cable to the appropriate battery in the disabled vehicle. If there is no difference in cable thickness, connect the jumper cable to either battery's positive terminal. Similarly, if the donor vehicle also utilizes two batteries, the jumper cable connections should be made to the battery with the thicker cables; if there is no difference in thickness, the connections can be made to either donor battery. - Connect the end of a jumper cable to one of the disabled diesel's positive (+) battery terminals, then connect the clamp at the other end of the same cable to the positive terminal (+) on the jumper battery.
- Connect one end of the other jumper cable to the negative battery terminal (-) on the jumper battery, then connect the other cable clamp to an engine bolt head, alternator bracket or other solid, metallic point on the disabled vehicle's engine. DO NOT connect this clamp to the negative terminal (-) of the disabled vehicle's battery.
Be careful to keep the jumper cables away from moving parts (cooling fan, belts, etc.) on both engines.
- Start the engine on the vehicle with the good battery and run it at a moderate speed.
- Start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
- When the engine starts on the vehicle with the discharged battery, remove the cable from the engine block before disconnecting the cable from the positive terminal.
Edited by PaulChristenson 2008-04-10 6:47 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah | That's the difference between a Ford and GM. On a Ford the connection to the trailer is ONLY hot when the key is turned on. The trailer can not drain the truck battery unless the key is in the ON position. But it also means you have not trailer Load Lites, Dressing Lights, Mid tack etc unless the key is on, OR you have a traielr battery. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Originally written by Painted Horse on 2008-04-10 8:02 PM That's the difference between a Ford and GM. On a Ford the connection to the trailer is ONLY hot when the key is turned on. On my Ford diesel, just turning the key on doesn't power the lighting circuit. The motor has to be running to get power to the aux circuit. The trailer can not drain the truck battery unless the key is in the ON position. But it also means you have not trailer Load Lites, Dressing Lights, Mid tack etc unless the key is on, Depends on the trailer. My Sidekick stall lights only operate with the truck's motor running, even with two batteries installed in the trailer. My Exiss doesn't even need to be plugged into the truck for the stall lights to work. All the lights run directly off its own battery. How the trailers are wired, in my instance, depends on who installed the LQ conversions. One is a Showtime conversion, the other is a Sierra interior. Gard |
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 Charter Member
Posts: 251
Location: Holland, Tx | We had problems starting my truck one morning (2006 Dodge Diesel) and jumped it. Ended up blowing some kind of fuse. Dodge guy told me to avoid jumping it if possible (well duh!!) because this is a common problem. |
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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: Bow, NH | After reading a couple of these posts I might have dodged a bullet jumping it the way I did. I would note that my Chevy has a "remote" jumping point but it didn't work worth a flip. Thanks Paul for the advice on my future jumping (hopefully I won't need it...lol) Take care. |
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Jumping a diesel - lesson learned
