Battery replacement

[lotzagoodstuff]

Yep, that's what I was talking about, lots of room for filtration or maybe a cold intake. If I was where you are, I would do the conversion to twin Group 31's, check out BrandonMag's recent posting. He was over last weekend to put a body lift on and I've got to say they fit really nice and should crank hard no matter the conditions.

 

[Devilish]

The additional info says the odyssy batts are non-spillable so they must be made with a lead acid past just like Optima and Orbital batts. This is good to me since they can be mounted in any fashion including upside down. Your positive cable being bad would put more stress on your batts when they aren't fully charged. That's like likely cause of premature failure here. Those odyssy batts just plain cost too much. The dimensions on them are about the same as the deep cycles I'm using in 4 trucks that I got for next to nothing.
Fix your connections and if wallyworld won't refund the money then just use the replacement batts.

 

[Dave7.3]

I think what I will do is IF wally world will give me a refund, I'll grab two group 31s and stuff them into the passenger side next to one another.

If they refuse to refund, I'll just swap them out and live with the 3 year free replacement. Again, going to try and stuff them into the passenger side though to free up the space on the driver's side. I'll stuff a BHAF on that side to free up the clutter on top the the engine.

 

[CDX825]

I'm currently running just one group 31 battery.

If you wanted to run just one you could get one with the largest CCA rating and run it. I know for sure Napa sells one thats rated at 1125 CCA and 1260 CA. I'm not sure how it would do in the winter though.

 

[RLDSL]

Winter in South Dakota on one batt... that sounds like a loosing game of Russian Roulette . Even as stout as a 31s is, I sure wouldn't be considering taking one out. If anything , I would be thinking of a way to mount a third under the bed if I had to survive a winter there or colder, and would put the GPs on their own dedicated batt and let the starter have the other pair

 

[Dave7.3]

Winter in South Dakota on one batt... that sounds like a loosing game of Russian Roulette . Even as stout as a 31s is, I sure wouldn't be considering taking one out. If anything , I would be thinking of a way to mount a third under the bed if I had to survive a winter there or colder, and would put the GPs on their own dedicated batt and let the starter have the other pair

Right on the money there RLDSL! No WAY would I consider a single group 31 in this "paradise".

Last winter we were as low as -43*F. Temps so low that a full tank of propane on our tank heater for livestock wouldn't keep burning. Of course we are in the same part of the world where summers soar to triple digits too.

An update for those interested, Walmart refused to give a refund but wanted to replace instead. So, a side by side battery tray is in the works of fabrication for the passenger side! Not even really that tight of a squeeze believe it or not. New custom cables on the way with paint tomorrow morning. I will try and get some pictures for you guys!

-Dave

 

[Dave7.3]

Update:
Dual passenger battery box complete, painted and wired up. Took the truck for a test run tonight and everything works great! Ran out of daylight to get pictures, I will have to try in the morning

-Dave

 

[Dave7.3]

As promised, here are the pictures of the dual battery swap. Things to note: it only took me about two days to fabricate and paint. I used some old sheet metal and reused the longer positive wire for my cables. The vacuum sensor and voltage regulator were relocated sitting vertically on their former fender plate you see behind the batteries. Also, I had to make my own set of connectors for the new cable ends to tie them together with the other battery as they would not bolt together solidly. Spins up that IDI real fast now with solid connections and new batteries! All in all, this conversion was free!

Oh and as redneck as it sounds, the base plate that the batteries are bolted down to is fabricated out of an old snow shovel.

Before:

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After:

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Now exists a vacant spot where my larger filter will fit in. Yes, this means ditching the stock air cleaner assembly. (Napa part #6637)

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[BrandonMag]

Very nice work!

What did you fab up the hold-down strap out of?

 

[Dave7.3]

Very nice work!

What did you fab up the hold-down strap out of?

Thanks! It was well worth it!

The hold down strap is a small piece of iron that came off an exercise machine I scrapped last year. Somehow it fit near perfect, only had to roll the edge a little more to get it to fit between the fill caps on the batteries.

 

[rjjp]

Just put your other tray back in and run 3 batteries, they it'll have no choice but to start in late December.

 

[HammerDown]

Bet you need an add-a-leaf on the passenger side

 

[82F100SWB]

For what it's worth, the stock batts in these trucks were 550 CCA, a single good G31 is double that... I have never installed the drivers side battery tray in my 6.9 truck since I built it... Even at -30 if the truck is plugged in your fine, not plugged, skip the glows, ether it and you're fine...

 

[subway]

little late since you already changed the batterys (nice looking tray by the way) but i just swapped in dual 31's yesterday and what a differance! i changed the injectors in my truck and bleeding it out showed just how weak my batteries were. i was putting it off since it is not cheap but i am glad i did it.

my truck is a 94 so i actually didnt have the room for the lug adapters on the fender side of the battery so i was forced to upgrade to the wingnut stud setup, darn. they are snug but fit. got mine from azone for 99 a piece.

 

[FordGuy100]

I think if I ever wanted to move the batteries, they would go in a box under the toolbox, that would clear up plenty of space under the hood