Block heater problem.

[lbyler86]

Alright I plugged my truck in the other night. Went back out about two hours later to see it it'd start and it did just like it had of it was 75 degrees out. Me being a dumbass was in a hurry and shut it off and went on my way. I kept in plugged in the entire night and went to start in this morning and it tried to but slowed down and then all I had was ticking from the starter. I tried a few more times and my lights, everything dimmed downcast idea my battery was dead so I gave it another hour or so went back out and it did the same thing. Wanted to start but then eventually started ticking and my lights and dash lights dimmed. The only thing that was still on was the wait to start light. It would turn off after a few seconds. Idk ifs its bc my battery is dead or bc I shut it off too soon the first time it started or what. Help me out!

 

[RDPsmoker]

Sounds like the cold killed your batteries. Block header has nothing to do with keeping the voltage up on your batteries over night.

 

[druk]

The ticking sound is the starter not having enough juice to turn the motor over, batteries are dead. I had the same thing happen to me when i left the dome light on for like 4 days straight.

 

[Billysgoat]

Buy a set of batteries, with one at least being dead if you just replace the one you will have issues down the road.

 

[madmikeismad]

Buy a set of batteries, with one at least being dead if you just replace the one you will have issues down the road.

X2. Never replace just one. The old one will drain the new one down to it's level and they'll both just continue to go to chit regularly.

 

[lbyler86]

The guy I bought the truck from said he bought the batteries in august. And they went bad in November, could I have a draw or something going on or do you think it was my fault from leaving something on and it draining the them from the cold?

 

[Chris Tobin]

You may have left something on like a dome light and the cold will definitely make it harder on the batteries. How have they been acting since November? I assume you charged them and the truck has been fine since then...

In very cold weather you may not be able to let the truck sit outside for days without charging the batteries by running the truck or putting it on a trickle charger. But be careful with both the block heater and trickle charger if there are problems you could burn your truck and house/garage to the ground. Make sure everything is properly insulated and operating normally before you leave anything plugged in and unattended.

 

[Elim]

You can verify the block heater should work with an voltmeter. You should have continuity across the pins to the heater (unplugged from A/C naturally).

As for it eating the batteries. There is a chance to get a bad one every now and then, but it almost sounds like there could be a short somewhere sucking the life out of them. They are normally not easy to find unless there is some other symptom of something.

GL!