batteries

[RLDSL]

currently i am running dual caterpillar batteries and they where amazing batteries and i love how big they are but i let them die over the winter and it says in my profile that im from kelowna but im living in dawson creek b.c at the moment for work but the batteries that i have sat through -50 temps while my truck was parked for more than a month and where dead when ever i got over to working on it
i have also checked into the regulator problem is it possible that the internal regulator could be causing a draw on my batteries or is that just the ones on the fender that can draw on batteries when they are no good and what should the reading off my alt. be i think when i checked a few weeks ago it was 14. something is that to low?

If you had a set of Cat batts die sitting, you'd just LOVE optimas those thing take a dump on you for good if you don't use them all the time Only reason I still have any in my cars is I still have warranty coverage on the blamed things and they keep crapping out and getting replaced free because they crap out so soon. WE have extra cars so we don't drive them all teh time so some will sit a little and those stinking optimas will fold if ignored for more than a few weeks

 

[fullsizebronco]

oh ok thank you guys! for the price i may just have to buy the red tops im in a small crap town that i hate! wish i never moved here haha so my options are not all that great but thank you for all your help

 

[Andrew M. Frankli]

Cat Batts

I went through two Interstates and two other name brand batteries in my truck. Only got a couple years out of each set. So last year I popped for Genuine Caterpillar '31's (recommended by several on this site.) So far I am happy - though my truck sits for several days at a time, it has only needed to be jumped once. Other batteries needed to be jumped much more often. Paid around $150 each for them (Patten - Chicago), but so far so good.

 

[Silver Burner]

NE1 ever thought of running 2 Trojan 6V batteries in series? Each battery has around 230Ah's, which is HUGE compared to most batteries.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

you best plan to get them in and out with some kind of a handle, because your hands will pay dearly if you have to try and grab them to pull them out.

Although I do occassionally see them, it is rare to find the heavy Group-31s with carrying handles.

I am assuming the lack of handles is on account of the manufacturer not wanting to be liable, should a plastic handle break and let a battery full of acid smash off someones left great toe.


A few years ago, I started adding a handle/carrying-system of my own.

I take lengths of inch wide nylon strap like comes on those neat little ratchet-strap binders.

I go completely around the battery at each end, just inside the posts with two separate snug fitting loops of the strapping.

I use a torch-hot #20 nail to melt holes through the strapping so that I can install harness rivets or belt rivets to hold the strapping together.

I then make a carrying handle by doubling a length of strapping through an eight-inch length of heater-hose, wrapping the strapping around each of the loops that pass around the battery, riveting securely.

The section of heater-hose becomes the handle.


My home-made carrying handles sure make battery removal and installation a lot easier.

 

[fullsizebronco]

i ended up getting the red tops for now i know they where sitting for a little bit of time because he swapped out all his batteries for top of the line ones that are stupid amounts of money and i put the red tops in my truck after trying to get it started off my own batteries for a while.... it fired up on with the red tops so i guess i am going to stick with them for a while they say i think 800 cca and i ended up paying only 120$ thank you for your help guys

 

[CDX825]

NE1 ever thought of running 2 Trojan 6V batteries in series? Each battery has around 230Ah's, which is HUGE compared to most batteries.

You could but they might not deliver the amperage quick enough to turn the engine over quick. If you had the batteries though you could give it a shot.

They would probably last a long time if properly maintained.

If you notice a true deep cycle battery will have no cranking amp rating.

 

[fullsizebronco]

the red tops look soooo small the cats where huge now i think i will have to make some new battery holds because the cats fit very snug and these im worried about jumping out of place i think i am going to get the cats tested and if they are still ok i will hook them up for my stereo can i just run a line from my front batteries to the rear and ground them will this keep them charged ?i have been wondering about this for a while

 

[junior20762003]

well i just bought me some interstate batteries

 

[sootman73]

my buddy has had interstates in his 6.5l and they keep leaking out and he has to take them back a few times(gotta find the dumb kid at sears that will exchange them.)

my napa batteries cost quite a bit but i can leave those for a few weeks(i drive my car a lot) and it will fire up like its driven every day. plus i have an amp, extra lighting, and some other stuff....

 

[Silver Burner]

I still run some old tore up motorcraft batteries with kinda crappy wire harnesses and they hold a charge for weeks and always crank over with vigor. I'm still waiting for them to die one day...