Batteries Draining / ESS Issues / No Warning Lights - looking for Guidance

[RubiRob]

Hello all,


I've recently hit my breaking point with this ESS stuff. I honestly don't care that it doesn't work very well if not at all but I don't like that my batteries are in a constant state of low charge even if I drive 1hr a day.

-18' JLUR build date 12.17

-No electrical mods other than relocating 3rd light and plate light. Have a winch but that has ruled out.

-I've replaced both batteries they've both been verified by Jeep and Orielly's that they are fine
-I've replaced both batteries they've both been verified by Jeep and Orielly's that they are fine

-Orielly's verified Alternator is working fine

OK so with that being said, Ive been dealing with the ESS being on and off for over a year, but within the last 6 months it just hasn't worked at all. I've never had an issue such as a dash light or dead batteries, just ESS not working for the longest time. Currently I need to drive for over an hour for ESS to be "ready." The Batteries are 3 months old, one is a direct replacement AUX and the other is an Optima yellow top that has a Higher CCA rating than stock. The volt page 99% of the time is 14.6 and 14.7 no matter if ESS is working or not. If I trickle charge the batteries all the way, the volt page displays normal numbers and moves up and down as I drive properly. A day or so later, it will be back to that 14.6-7 number. When ESS does activate at that 14.6, the volt page will drop down to 12.2-12.6 and then stop for a second. After that second goes by, the voltage drops by 0.1 every second on the second until it gets to the mid 11.x and the light turns green.

I finally got this to a dealership (3 other local dealers were / are a complete waist of time so I had to go to one 45 minutes away) the other day. Explained everything and they had it for about 4 hours while I waited. They said that the batteries and the IBS were all functioning normal and that "this really ends up just being a waist of time for the customer and the dealer as this is such a common problem." He suggested that I just live with the ESS not working properly as its so common. I explained that I don't care about the ESS as much as I care about the batteries being constantly discharged and then recharged more than normal. He seemed to understand but offered no other help. I asked if they could perform a test to see if something is draining the batteries and he said they could but it would carry a $160 diagnostic fee because I "replaced the OEM batteries." I plan on calling him back and insisting that he does it for free, since I am still within 3 years and 36k miles. He did say something about taking a look at the batteries again next week when I drop it off for other work, saying something about a "battery history" that the tech would be able to look at after they fully charged them.

-Does anyone have an suggestions on what I can do or what test I can perform myself to fix this issue?
-How do I do a parasitic drain test on the dual battery system properly?
-Has anyone had one of these problems that wasn't caused by the battery/IBS/Alternator?

Added a photo from my drive today showing 14.8v on the way to get groceries. This photo was not even 48hrs after the Jeep dealership had fully charged up the batteries. Hope to get @JeepCares in on this as well.

Thanks all!

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[WranglerMan]

Seeing 14+ is normal if your JL is parked for a few days but should slowly drop as you drive it but you will have to drive it more than a short distance to put back what is pulled out from just starting and the normal parasitic draw of any new vehicle.

If the voltage is floating after trickle charging that’s normal but like I said if it’s parked for a day or two the displayed voltage will usually be above 14 and if this is not a daily driver or you only put a short distance on it everyday that’s not enough driving to put back whats been pulled out.

I personally dislike ESS and have it disabled but my battery voltages are normal in the 13-14 range depending on how often it’s been driven but realize that the EVIC voltage display while the Jeep is running is influenced by the alternator and even if you shut it off and look at the display it’s honestly not a true reading of what the voltage is at the batteries so it’s best to get a meter and check them and they should be in the 12.6-12.9 range depending on when they were last fully charged.

If you have replaced both batteries with aftermarket ones the dealer won’t likely offer up much since they are not OEM and we’re not replaced by them.

Here is a test you can possibly do for parasitic draw but with two batteries it’s alittle different but should give you some idea https://testmeterpro.com/parasitic-draw-test-with-a-multimeter/

You honestly need a meter to check the batteries directly at the source it could be anything from a bad IBS to a shorted battery but if the voltage floats after doing a trickle charge I doubt the IBS is bad.

 

[RubiRob]

Seeing 14+ is normal if your JL is parked for a few days but should slowly drop as you drive it but you will have to drive it more than a short distance to put back what is pulled out from just starting and the normal parasitic draw of any new vehicle.

If the voltage is floating after trickle charging that’s normal but like I said if it’s parked for a day or two the displayed voltage will usually be above 14 and if this is not a daily driver or you only put a short distance on it everyday that’s not enough driving to put back whats been pulled out.

I personally dislike ESS and have it disabled but my battery voltages are normal in the 13-14 range depending on how often it’s been driven but realize that the EVIC voltage display while the Jeep is running is influenced by the alternator and even if you shut it off and look at the display it’s honestly not a true reading of what the voltage is at the batteries so it’s best to get a meter and check them and they should be in the 12.6-12.9 range depending on when they were last fully charged.

If you have replaced both batteries with aftermarket ones the dealer won’t likely offer up much since they are not OEM and we’re not replaced by them.

Here is a test you can possibly do for parasitic draw but with two batteries it’s alittle different but should give you some idea https://testmeterpro.com/parasitic-draw-test-with-a-multimeter/

You honestly need a meter to check the batteries directly at the source it could be anything from a bad IBS to a shorted battery but if the voltage floats after doing a trickle charge I doubt the IBS is bad.

Thanks
Jeep tech confirmed that my batteries and IBS are functioning properly. My Jeep is my daily driver, usually 30 min of driving a day minimum a few times a week I’m driving over an hour.

 

[WranglerMan]

@RubiRob the JL uses a smart alternator so it works in conjunction with the IBS to determine what voltage needs to be kicked out to the batteries so if you are seeing 14+ all the time and it’s a daily driver that is not by design as the closer the batteries get to being charged the EVIC should display less than 14, a way to see is to get a voltmeter and while the Jeep is running place you +/- leads on the main battery and see what voltage you are getting then fully charge them and do the same test.....on the second time the voltage reading should be less since they are fully charged but make sure they are fully charged and check them separately

 

[RubiRob]

@RubiRob the JL uses a smart alternator so it works in conjunction with the IBS to determine what voltage needs to be kicked out to the batteries so if you are seeing 14+ all the time and it’s a daily driver that is not by design as the closer the batteries get to being charged the EVIC should display less than 14, a way to see is to get a voltmeter and while the Jeep is running place you +/- leads on the main battery and see what voltage you are getting then fully charge them and do the same test.....on the second time the voltage reading should be less since they are fully charged but make sure they are fully charged and check them separately

Their service manager prior to me visiting told me that as long as the batteries were the proper ones for the vehicles and not any less powerful then I would be covered under warranty, so there’s that point of contention. Not to mention they also tested the batteries and found them to be working fine, so I’m not sure how they can still point at the batteries being the problem.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

I've recently hit my breaking point with this ESS stuff. I honestly don't care that it doesn't work very well if not at all but I don't like that my batteries are in a constant state of low charge even if I drive 1hr a day.

This is your best (cheapest) fix: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/3-6l-ess-aux-battery-bypass.17293/

You need to pair that workaround with either a Smart Stop Start or a programmer (I recommend Tazer). You don’t want to take the AUX battery offline and let ESS kick in, as it will tax your cranking battery. (Yes, it will work, but it’s not wise.)

Note that in addition to the jumper you want to disconnect the aux battery’s negative (or, better yet, use a battery switch).

You can actually get very fancy with this workaround, if you like: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/ess-dual-battery-management.60034/post-1299206

Undoubtedly, someone will chime in with a recommendation for the Genesis dual battery system. Unless you’re overlanding and/or powering many accessories, my opinion is that it’s not worth the very hefty price tag.

In short, use Jerry’s solution, above, coupled with an ESS disabling device to rid yourself of this design flaw.

 

[RubiRob]

This is your best (cheapest) fix: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/3-6l-ess-aux-battery-bypass.17293/

You need to pair that workaround with either a Smart Stop Start or a programmer (I recommend Tazer). You don’t want to take the AUX battery offline and let ESS kick in, as it will tax your cranking battery. (Yes, it will work, but it’s not wise.)

Note that in addition to the jumper you want to disconnect the aux battery’s negative (or, better yet, use a battery switch).

You can actually get very fancy with this workaround, if you like: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/ess-dual-battery-management.60034/post-1299206

Undoubtedly, someone will chime in with a recommendation for the Genesis dual battery system. Unless you’re overlanding and/or powering many accessories, my opinion is that it’s not worth the very hefty price tag.

In short, use Jerry’s solution, above, coupled with an ESS disabling device to rid yourself of this design flaw.

Ya I saw that, and I actually made a jumper but we’ve confirmed that the aux and main batteries are working fine so would I need to do that?

 

[WranglerMan]

@RubiRob this is how a smart charging system is supposed to work:

Here was my running EVIC displayed voltage on startup after resting approx 12 hrs ( came off a recondition charge this past Sunday )

And here was it’s peak just before coming to a full stop shortly after being on the road:

Here is a vid I did on my way home, as you can see as I slow down the voltage ramps up and once I get to a point of stopping it settles with a low voltage but as you can see as I speed up and slow down the voltage floats which is how a smart charging system is supposed to work




And last here is my EVIC displayed voltage after driving for approx 45 mins, as you can see it’s quite a bit lower than where I started at

If your batteries test good and the IBS tests good and you don’t leave it parked a lot I would be looking at a parasitic draw that’s pulling down the batteries low all the time.

I have to be honest and admit that I don’t have the stock battery setup as I run a dual system that uses two full size 64 AH batteries that stay connected almost 100% of the time as one big battery so I have lots of power and even with the above normal parasitic draw I have compared to a stock setup my batteries never go below 12.6 parked and don’t take long to get charged back up to 12.8-12.9

Here is how a smart alternator works

https://www.redarc.com.au/alternator-vs-fixed-alternator

I will also not that when I first got my stock JL in early 2018 my charging system acted the same so there is something going on with yours staying at 14+ all the time if it’s being driven daily and the batteries are good.

 

[RubiRob]

@RubiRob this is how a smart charging system is supposed to work:

Here was my running EVIC displayed voltage on startup after resting approx 12 hrs ( came off a recondition charge this past Sunday )

And here was it’s peak just before coming to a full stop shortly after being on the road:

Here is a vid I did on my way home, as you can see as I slow down the voltage ramps up and once I get to a point of stopping it settles with a low voltage but as you can see as I speed up and slow down the voltage floats which is how a smart charging system is supposed to work




And last here is my EVIC displayed voltage after driving for approx 45 mins, as you can see it’s quite a bit lower than where I started at

If your batteries test good and the IBS tests good and you don’t leave it parked a lot I would be looking at a parasitic draw that’s pulling down the batteries low all the time.

I have to be honest and admit that I don’t have the stock battery setup as I run a dual system that uses two full size 64 AH batteries that stay connected almost 100% of the time as one big battery so I have lots of power and even with the above normal parasitic draw I have compared to a stock setup my batteries never go below 12.6 parked and don’t take long to get charged back up to 12.8-12.9

Here is how a smart alternator works

https://www.redarc.com.au/alternator-vs-fixed-alternator

I will also not that when I first got my stock JL in early 2018 my charging system acted the same so there is something going on with yours staying at 14+ all the time if it’s being driven daily and the batteries are good.

thanks that’s great information! I’ll definitely have to figure out the parasitic draw test with the dual battery system. I plan on checking on it once my son goes to bed.

 

[RubiRob]

So I tested the battery and then the draw. At first it said 12.56ish volts for the main and the aux separately, 12.38 combined. Then I moved to 200m to check for draw and it was bouncing around from 62.x to 65.x. On the 10A setting it registered 0.00 so perhaps something is wrong with my meter. Is that a normal range for the jeep? I'm pretty sure on my dash it shows 12.0v would that variance be some kind of an indicator?

 

[redsyphon]

Ya I saw that, and I actually made a jumper but we’ve confirmed that the aux and main batteries are working fine so would I need to do that?

I'd keep it in the glove box just as a backup. In the event your AUX dies in the future, then you may need to jump N1 and N2 to get jumped off and get going. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that though please.

To add to @OldGuyNewJeep point on the @Genesis Offroad system, as an owner of the system, you'll still see the higher numbers even with their dual battery system on your daily driver.

I have a short commute (10-15minutes) and little access to a trickle charging system. So, my dual battery system stays around 13.8 to 14.2v most of the time. On a long trip 2+ hours, the charge will catch up and drop into the 12.# area. Only slowly climbing and dropping as the battery drains and is charged again... kinda fun to watch lol.

The thing the dual battery system does get you, beyond what the overlanding scene might value; is a much easier to service system. Removing that damn AUX battery has solved so many electrical gremlins for my '18 JLUR it has been worth the price. BUT, I knew these gremlins were caused by my AUX starting to die... So, don't take that as a "it might solve your issues" suggestion.

All that said, if you have good batteries and a good alternator, then you shouldn't need to spend the $$ on a aftermarket system. If you still have large gremlins, then my internet non-expert advice would be to check for loose fuses, check the major engine bay grounds and check any aftermarket accessories for parasitic draw.

If that all checks out, then I'd leave it stock and have the dealer make it right if you're under warranty.

 

[WranglerMan]

@redsyphon i to have the Genesis system and simply love it, my JL seems electrically so much happier and your correct on the jumping volts it is somewhat hypnotic to watch.

Im not sure what batteries you have but I have the Full River 750-25’s and was advised by then to periodically do a maintenance charge as those batteries love to be kept on the higher end so I do a weekly bump with a NOCO 10 and a monthly recondition with a Odyssey 20, the Odyssey 20 to me does a better job as when it goes into conditioning mode it holds the output at 14.5 for 6-8 hrs and those batteries gobble up that juice

 

[RubiRob]

Called the dealership. I guess they only want the diagnostic fee if they test it and find out that it was something that falls outside of warranty. I’m ok with that then. Anyone know about the parasitic draw numbers?

 

[dave12345]

Watching because I also have the problem of ESS sometimes not working because the battery is charging. Sometimes it seems normal, sometimes not... Sometimes it works fine and ESS is ready, sometimes it doesn't, so I would really like to know if it's a real problem or not!

Seems to happen to many people, and many dealers seem to find it "normal", so...!

 

[RubiRob]

Watching because I also have the problem of ESS sometimes not working because the battery is charging. Sometimes it seems normal, sometimes not... Sometimes it works fine and ESS is ready, sometimes if doesn't, so I would really like to know if it's a real problem or not!

Seems to happen to many people, and many dealers seem to find it "normal", so...!

I’m done accepting that it should be forgotten about and move on. It should work properly and I’ve seen Jeeps where it works properly. Hopefully we get some answers I’ll have dropped mine off next Thursday for an unrelated issue and to look into the issue further.

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