Opinions on biggest best battery for CDM spec 70

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Eric Winkworth

Eric Winkworth

Joined
Feb 28, 2005
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Hey

I'm in the market for batteries again! I want opinions and how long you have had batteries last in a 24v setup with cold weather!

It seems like it hasn't been long enough but half way through the life of these ones (4 years) I switched to the solar converter setup that load balances my batteries... Which I hope will help with the life of the next ones!

I am wondering what the biggest batteries I can fit in the factory trays, with the best warrenty...

I have herd Canadian tire has a 9 year free replacement if you pay an extra 10 bucks per batt, but their batteries don't seem to last the best... The two I have now maybe undersized tho as they are 850cca... I put in the same ones the PO had!

I maybe able to get a deal from interstate if it's really worth it!
I maybe able to get a deal from Carquest if it's worth it?

I have 38 months left on 108 month pro rating on the CT batteries, but paying a 3rd of the price of new and getting no warrenty for me doesn't seem like the greatest idea, especially with the life i've seen out of the elinators (I know someone else makes em)

Please school me!
 
I just put 800 or 850 cca batteries in my truck.
5 year warranty, Starts better than before.
Should be plenty really... Run some big cable to your starter and your ground.
 
It took me about a dozen batteries in my old BJ60 in Edmonton to finally give up on Canadian Tire. Seemed like one or the other of the pair would go out every winter. Switched to Optima in my BJ70 when the 2nd pair of Toyota dealer batteries gave up the ghost. Despite lots, and lots, of negative experiences by others, I have been extremely happy with Optima red tops. 12 years on first pair. Now on 3rd year of my second set. But I must footnote that the 70 is no longer in my great white north motherland
 
I should have noted I went to nice thick welder type cable for battery wire the first year I owned the truck...

I am glad to hear about ur Canadian tire experience honestly, I was starting to wonder if it was just bad luck or if these batteries actually suck this much... I even have a battery minder on the one battery that is telling me it's fubared beyond repair...

So red top you say!

I just remember guys having good luck with big interstate batteries saying they were better then red tops... So did you get 12 years out of red tops with CDN winters? I am in south western ontario so my winters aren't really hardcore CDN, lol...


I appreciate the reply, I may go the way of redtops!

Cheers
 
How long you had em John? How much they run ya? What group are they 24 or 27?

Do they have 3 or 4 year replacement? Sorry for the questions just in the market to buy...
 
im running C&D technologies inc
model ups12-350mr
perfect fit in your truck they just barly fit in
one battery has cca 1600 or 1700 cant remember the exact #
i have 2 and love them

here are some specs

10 year Design Life @ 25°C
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) technology for efficient gas recombination of over 99%
Patented Long Life Alloy having the lowest calcium levels in the industry minimizing grid growth, reducing gassing, and extending battery life
Flame arresting, one-way pressure-relief vent for safety and long life
UL Recognized Component
Flame retardant polypropylene case and covers
Thermally welded case-to-cover bond to eliminate leakage
Not restricted for air/surface/water transport

only couple of down falls with these battery's there 110 lbs each
u can get a lighter and smaller model
and u have to change your battery connectors to a difference style very simple to do
 
My 70 is a 12 volt one, been running a pair of NAPA brand batteries for about 4 years now, no problems at all with them.
 
Just a brief note--my Optimas were only in Edmonton winters for 7 years before I moved to warmer climes. The heat was worse on the batteries than the cold!
 
Wow 7 freakin years eh!

Thanks for the reply John!

How much do those GD optimas cost anyway?
 
Group 24 are too small.

Group 27 are a proper fit.

12V and 24V systems are very different with respect to how batteries survive in the longer term, and it would appear that electronic (IC) voltage regulators do better than the old school relay type for battery longevity.

AGM style batteries do well in 12V vehicles like the BJ60, but do not do well in the 24V applications from my experience.

I am currently using Napa Canada (make by East Penn/Deka) and AC Delco Group 27s - both brands are doing well for the longer term so far (2 -3 years).

~John
 
I appreciate all the responses that thread that was just posted is exactly what I was looking for!

I managed to get my eliminator batteries charged up and going again with my battery minder, the thing is worth it's weight in gold! Hard to say if I can get them through the winter... Luckly I use a work van as my DD so my truck is just a secondary vehicle, so I will for the time being continue to weigh my options and look for a deal...

It does makes sense to me to get the biggest f'in batteries I can get though, because it's bound to be a longer lasting system... We have an old 210 John deere lawn mower that has a 10 year old + interstate battery in it and in the dead of winter you can turn the key and it will come to life like you just put a fresh battery in it... To me it's a huge battery way more then what is needed, hence why it's lasted so well... On the other hand our cub cadet Lawn mower that uses a small lawn and garden battery is lucky to get a full year out of a battery and is usually dead in 8 months... Warrenty is 6 on those stupid things...

Thanks for all the comments!
 
It's weird tho because i've always gotten way more life out of my car batteries then 4 winters in 12V vehicles.....

So basically I am gathering go with lead acid with the best warrenty you can get, which I think is 4 year free replacement at canadian tire!
 
Last edited:
That's why I went with marine starter batteries. They're specifically designed for very cold hard starts, and the terminals plus posts for connection makes it easy. They've also got a good solid handle, which helps a lot because they weigh about 50lbs ea. They're more ruggedly constructed internally for marine use and thus the extra weight.
 
After 4 years from Optima Red Top I was not prepared to pay for $400 for another pair.

I now have a pair of Group 27 marine starting batteries made by Yuasa, but have a generic label. They cost $105 each. They are rated at 1000 MCA (1000 amps for 30 seconds at 32F, rather than CCA rated at 0F). The battery capacity is 105 amp-hours at 20 hours ( good for my ARB fridge), and battery reserve is 170 minutes at 25 amps.

I like the marine starting batteries because they have an extra set of terminals for accessories, and are more ruggedly constructed than regular car batteries for pounding in power boats.

They are holding up well after two years and I expect they should last at least as long as the over-rated Optimas for a little more than 1/2 the price ( i.e lower cost per year).
 
Odyssey batteries are another one to look at. cold starts not a problem anymore.
 
I am kind of stuck on Canadian tire or costco... CT being the first choice because they have stores everywhere, I don't leave canada(I actually h8 cambodian tire) I know anymore, it's about as bad if not worse then wally world for selling junk that sits in land fills.

However their warrenty is the best 4 year free replacement, I know if the battery don't pass charge,load test even just one, they will replace both...

Costco is 3 year same cost basically...

And everywhere i've seen is 3 year, I am not one to typically give a crap about warrenties, but lately i've been noticing nothing new you buy lasts and to me warrenties have become much more important.

If everyone was telling me optimas would last 12 years in my 24volt truck I would just drop 500 bucks and be good for a decade...

If I was gonna drop 500 tho, I'd be kinda tempted to try these,
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...D+Pure+Lead+AGM+Automotive+Batt.jsp?locale=en


because they are 5 year free replacement, but John (Radd Cruisers) was saying AGM's don't work well with 24v earlier in the thread and I know he deals with a lot of these trucks. Also, I've had some first hand experience with AGM in my ATV batteries and from what's I've seen they are in no way worth the extra cost, they don't charge worth a s*** even with the battery minder set to charge AGM and once they are run low they seem like they're done. I got more life out of regular lead acid and they were like half the cost....

The optimas don't even have a great warrenty that i've seen do they?

Anyway I appreciate all the responses, I was hoping to hear someone with 8 or 9 year old batteries in a 24v setup of a certain type that goes through CDN winters, I guess I'm dreamin...

Nothin is gonna last like the big ass interstate in my old accord...

Cheers
 
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