Do you REALLY need 2 batteries?..

[diesel4me]

Anyone here tried using just one good sized battery,instead of two "normal" sized ones?...

I've started my Suburban up with one battery even on some 30 degree days and had to crank it over quite a bit and cycle the glow plugs a few times,and it didn't seem to slow down while cranking it...

I am probably going to need batteries for my pickup,however I am not rich and dont have 200+ bucks for 2 batteries,and the truck needs other repairs the money would be better spent on also..

I see Walmart has a group 24 Marine starting battery on sale for 60 bucks,it has 650 cold cranking amps and an 80 minute reserve,a bit more than the normal sized group 74 my truck would use originally they sell that goes for nearly 100 bucks...it also has both posts and stud terminals,so my cables would be easy to adapt (it has side posts now,and if I put my Suburban on the road,it has top post cables,so the batteries could be swapped between them easier)...

The marine starting battery I realize is probably more a deep cycle type than a "normal" battery,but I've used them before in a vehicle with no issues...they have only a one year free replacement warranty,but so does most other "regular" batteries that are priced at 100+ bucks or slightly less at other stores,so thats not an issue with me--...if I had too,I'd buy two of the marine batteries and spend about what one "normal" battery would cost..
But if one would get me by I'd rather just buy one and not spend double..

Another option I thought about was I can buy a used 4D battery from a semi truck,and mount it under my toolbox in the bed--I can likely score one cheap for core price or a bit more,at a place I know,often truckers will replace ALL the batteries in a semi that uses more than one,when just one of them goes bad,and the others get scrapped for no good reason..

 

[kennyw]

I ran a single battery in the 1979 K10 that I converted to a 6.2L diesel. However, I did not visit very cold climates with the truck and plugged in any time it was below freezing. The biggest thing I did do with that truck was upgrade the size of the battery cables. I think I was running 00 welding cable for the battery to starter connection.

 

[ryoken]

I ran a single 8D in the trunk of my Chevelle...

you'll get more CCA from a pair of good #27's.. and that's just straight paralleled.. throw in an isolator, relay or marine switch to split em up, and it's even more reliable/durable..

marine "starting" bats are just like any other "cranking" battery.. ton's of CCA and little RC..

as most know in here, I'm a fan of true Deep cycles... as long as it has enough CA for the starter to spin, it's a better option imo... if your sucking 400 amps to spin, don't matter if you have 900 cca, or 1400.. but RC does matter...

 

[76zimmer]

always wondered why my 99 w/ 6.0 gas came with 2 batteries??? perhaps a snowplow pkg?

The Dodge that I took my Cummins out of obviously had 2 batts, what would be a better one batt alternative to the duals?

I could steal the Yellowtop out of the Maiden???

specs on that are:

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Power:​

CCA (BCI 0°F): ​

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900 amps​

MCA (BCI 32°F): 1125 amps

Open Circuit Voltage (Fully charged): ​

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13.1 volts​

Internal Resistance (Fully charged):​

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.0025 ohms​

Capacity:​

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75 Ah (C/20)​

Reserve Capacity:​

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BCI: 155 minutes​

(25 amp discharge, 80°F (26.7°C), to 10.5 volts cut-off)

 

[diesel4me]

If the plow was an electric setup I would assume thats why it had dual batteries..the plow pump motor is a Ford starter basically,and draws a lot of amps--so do the rotary beacons and the plow lights..they need the reserve to keep the altenator from maxing out constantly to keep up..

I dont see why a gas engine would need 2 batteries the rest of the year,once you were not using the plow though...

So,I assume using one of those marine starting batteries would be OK,till the winter sets in...thats good to know..

One thing I dont like about dual batteries that are hooked together with no isolator,is if one battery goes south,it saps the other one down too..

My truck has gone 11 years with two Duralast "mismatched" batteries that were used before I got it-one is a dinky side post "Gold" and the other is a group 74 "non gold" one...one looks newer than the other,both never had the date codes punched out on the stickers so I have no idea how old they are--but at least 11 years!..

Only problem is now,I may not even end up fixing my truck,or keeping it...

I discovered the "good" used gas tank I installed last summer and just finished hooking up yesterday,is now weeping under the rear most strap!--after I put in another 5 gallons in addition to the 5 or so I took from the leaking tank I removed.. ..also the sending unit I transfered from the original tank is junk,so the gas gauge pegs at 3 o'clock and stays there.....so that'll be another 200 bucks to fix that I dont have to spend on the POS..

I cant use the RH tank sending unit that works fine on the drivers side either,they are different..and I can no longer use a RH tank,because the gas filler door on the stepside fender litteraly rotted off,and I already patched over the gaping hole after removing the filler neck..

Also when I went food shopping yesterday,all I got was a "click" - "clunk" when I tried starting it--after a few more tries,the starter kicked in and cranked it over and it started--I could not get it to do that more than once after I got home,so I could not determine what was at fault...could be the starter,wiring,ignition switch,neutral safety--all of the above except the starter are original and salt has destroyed the truck pretty much..

I was going to swap 4 better tires & rims onto the truck and go get an inspection sticker today--it will never pass if they see a fuel leak,and the e-brake works,but will be unlikely to release if they apply it,and the truck is pretty rotted as far as the inner fenders and bed goes..not sure its worth the 30 bucks to try getting it to pass now,and it expires in 10 days..

I may have to toss in the towel on this truck,I'm just not able to do all the work it needs...if I didn't have to have a plow for the driveway,I'd be VERY tempted to just sell both my pickup and Suburban right now...seeing I cant deal with the repairs myself and dont have an income to buy parts with even if I did..

So sick of not having a vehicle I can get in and go somewhere in,and have a fairly good chance I'll get home,without it breaking down....I dont know if thats better than having none at all..

 

[kennyw]

My mom and grandmother both went through losing licenses for medical reasons. It is a difficult choice to toss in the towel there when it has been a large part of your life for so long. Can you get to the places you need to go on a local bus? Or could you sell the current vehicles and buy a cheap economy car that was newer and more reliable with that cash?

No cars or trucks could save you a lot of money if there is a decent transit system in your area. It has worked for my mother and grand mother in a small Midwest town.

 

[diesel4me]

There isn't much for public transportation here--if I was able to hike a mile to Walmart I could get a bus that goes to a few other towns,but thats a last last last resort..I'm not into wasting half the day waiting for a bus to go less than 5 miles,and trying to lug groceries home on a bus is not my idea of a good time either..a taxi costs you 20 bucks to go 5 miles here too,so thats out..that much would run my truck 80 miles...

If I end up losing my independence because I no longer have a license or a vehicle,I'd really be a mental case--just being stuck at home 98% of the time the past year has already made me a candidate for a rubber room & straight jacket....

Maybe I should get a motorcycle,though I'd probably get killed on one in no time around here..and I'd probably be better off on a trike,seeing I cant balance a cycle like I used too...thing that sucks about a cycle is your limited to fair weather only,and your always worried about it getting stolen when you park it anywhere..maybe I should buy one and just leave it in my truck bed--at least then I'd be able to get home or get help if it breaks down.....but the amount of money to get a cycle or trike and insure and register it would be more than getting one of my vehicles put back in decent enough shape to trust again...