Crappy batteries dead, suggestions on replacements...

[linksvu]

Well, the two POS Cat batteries I have are dead. They will not hold a charge after all-night on the battery charger. When it is on my other truck, they hardly show 12v...they things suck.

The worst is, I cannot get any juice to the truck to start it so I can check the alternator to make sure that isn't gone as well....oh fun.

I am pretty set on Optima, however, what do you guys think about running one deep-cell and the other normal Red Top. I am pretty sure I need both to start on those cold mornings here in CO, so I cannot isolate the deep-cell, but maybe it would last in case another issue were to rise.

Any thoughts....

 

[linksvu]

It is amazing what two new batteries wil do...everything is working now, as it should. Alt is just fine, the POS batteries were the cause...

Two new Red Tops look nice under the hood

 

[walla2k5]

I've been thinking about new batteries myself.Leaning toward deep cycle though.

 

[linksvu]

I wish could have gone that way, but they were almost $80 over the normal optima's from Autozone...

 

[454k30]

I went with optima red top for my 454. The engine cranks so much better now and I love the fact that these things cant spill!

 

[linksvu]

My truck starts faster as well, love these things...

 

[ryoken]

Congrats on the new juice...

I've always been a proponent of overkill with electrical systems, from big cable and killer ends to multi batteries and big amp alternators, hi-tech starters, quality breakers, etc...

Just some mental dribble on batteries that i've noticed lately since I started the new job...

I guess I've humped about 50 8D's, couple dozen 4D's, and about 100 of the sane groups 31, 27 and 24's in to boats over the last couple months... Don't even want to get into what a chore some boats are, dragging 8D's outboard of some 12 cylinder diesels is, well, a drag....

Anyway, other than realizing that no workclothes worn from april to june would survive the acid doses, I realized how much heavier gel batteries are...

Out of 50 or so 8 D's, about 10 where gels... Now I'm just guessing, but I would say a standard wet 8D weighs around 100lbs conservatively, maybe 110. The friggin gel version are a good 20 to 25 lbs heavier, if not more..

I'll install any battery by myself, but I've learned if someones around, to grab em for a big gel.. I can barely carry them around by myself, let alone hump them down into a bilge very easily. Did one set of 4 by myself and learned to grab someone for them suckers...

I'd be curious to see some real world stats comparing gels to wets...