I have the same problem with mine although my electrical charging system is
not up to snuff.
I have heard that the M-37's if not used regularly will do that.
I suspect there are several things happening:
First check your batteries-
You can purchase a relatively cheap battery tester ($50)- it's the one with
the two battery clamps and a dial. It basically is a huge resistor and it
tells whether there is enough juice under load. Any automotive parts store
will have them. All you do is connect it to the posts, hit the switch and
read the dial. If green you're good to go, if red battery is bad.
This is a good device to test and see if the plates are shorting inside or
the battery is sulfating, which a VOM will not indicate.
To check if you have a short-
Turn everthing off and then disconnect one terminal from your batteries.
Now connect an ammeter between the battery post and the battery cable. If
any currnet is flowing- you have a short. Now the fun part, trying to find
it.
Purist will tell you to install what the M-37 came with. I always follow
the rule a little bit more is better than less - in the case of battery
capacity that is (all rules are subject to change depending on situation
-Ha Ha).
Any name brand battery will work, and the charge rate is the determining
factor as to how big (as well as discharge). That's why you don't see
motorcycle batteries in your car - they can't handle the current loads.
Hope this helps
Keep me posted since we're M-37 bretheron - and I have a similar situation
but no time to look at it yet.
This weekend I work on its brakes. The old girls rears are locked up.
Jeff
bman@kodak.com
At 02:00 PM 7/17/96 -0600, you wrote:
>The batteries on my M37 are starting to fail, I think. The previous
>owner had a deep cycle battery and a regular battery in place. Lately
>I've been getting a slow drain, it seems. When I turn on the master
>switch there isn't much juice to crank the engine, but if I wait a few
>minutes the batteries seem to "charge up" and I'm able to start. When
>I charge the batteries everything seems fine for a few days. Then it is
>back to the slow/no cranking. So, is it the batteries, the difference
>in type, or could there be a short somewhere? Everything has been fine
>since I bought it 1-1/2 yrs ago.
>
>Also, any recommendations on what type of batteries to install?
>Cranking amps, deep cycle or regular? The truck has an 100 amp gen.
>
>Thanks
>
>BTW Sorry if this part is off subject but, I've just been running
>around in hockey heaven. I got my first Hat Trick!
>--
>Mark
>Rapid City, SD
>'51 M37
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