Need help with a battery...

[p8nt]

Doing a dual battery install and need help picking out my battery.

disclaimer: The diehard platinum's are out of the mix. I know how well regarded they are, but the price is too much for me to swallow.

So Im down to the Diehard Marine - http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...e=Batteries+&+Chargers&sName=Marine+Batteries

The interstate srm-29 - Interstate Batteries

Ive heard good things about the Exide Orbital, but im having a hard time finding a spec sheet on them?

Ill be using it for winching, a 1750w inverter and to power an additional fuse box.

Thoughts?

 

[greentruck]

I don't have experience with that specific Interstate battery, but that's where I've sourced all my batteries from since I was buying them for other folks. You probably can't go wrong there. Our local IB carries Optimas now. Tell them what you need a battery for and they can direct you to what the best one is for your application.

 

[80t0ylc]

Doing a dual battery install and need help picking out my battery.............Ill be using it for winching, a 1750w inverter and to power an additional fuse box.

Thoughts?

Might want to re-think your ideas about using a deep cycle or marine battery for running a winch. I know, it used to be thought that the DCs were better for use with a winch because they're designed to be run down to practically nothing and then recharged whereas the typical auto battery didn't last long in that environment. It's been discussed in some other threads in this forum. The thinking is that the DCs have thicker plates than a starter battery and tend to warp when needed for extended high amperage usage, such as when needed during winching. I've been using DCs for years as a dedicated winch battery in a dual battery set up and they just don't last. I've been able to get a few good pulls out of a DC and then it'll crater on me when I try to use it. A dual application battery is mentioned in post # 6 of this thread. I have no other use for a DC on my rig, so I'm on my last DC currently and when it dies I'll be looking to replace it with a dual application or 2nd starter battery. I kinda wondered why I was going through DCs and I stumbled onto this and it makes sense, in a way.

 

[greentruck]

That is a good point, 80t0ylc. If the use for a second battery is primarily for winching, then the deep cycle may not be a good one.

But if p8nt's intended use includes use of the inverter while camping, then a deep cycle second battery might be wise. This is actually what I'm thinking of doing. I tend to base camp for a couple of days at a time and it's nice not to worry so much about running down the only battery I have, especially now that the vehicle has an auto trans. I also use a CPAP machine, so want to be able to run it overnight whenever I'm camping without worrying about a morning start. In either case it's for relatively light loads over longer time periods where the deep cycle battery works well.

Running the winch off the primary battery is not too big a deal so long as you circuits are set up to allow you to use the deep cycle for starting and running as an option in case you happen to fry the primary. Not ideal, but as a back-up this should work in limp-home mode.

Anyway, that's what I've been thinking for my own purposes.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/members/80t0ylc.html

 

[p8nt]

Yeah, to be honest the battery's primary job will be running the fridge and inverter. I don't wheel hard, most of the cruisers use is for trips into remote areas (northern ontario, michigans upper peninsula) and the winching would only be a last resort.

I think im set on the Interstate unless someone can make a can against them.

 

[p8nt]

Now that I think of it, the Duralast I have now as my primary is on its last leg and will be replaced soon. It sounds like I would be better suited just to get a decent starting battery and wire the winch to it, avoiding the whole issue of deep cycles for winching. No?

 

[80t0ylc]

Now that I think of it, the Duralast I have now as my primary is on its last leg and will be replaced soon. It sounds like I would be better suited just to get a decent starting battery and wire the winch to it, avoiding the whole issue of deep cycles for winching. No?

There's a fair amount of folks running winches on single battery systems and they claim no problems. Yeah, you'll want to make sure your primary batt is in great shape on outings. DC can power the fridge & inverter and be used as a backup like Mike suggests. It sure is peace of mind having a healthy primary & reliable back up when you're in the outback.

 

[p8nt]

There's a fair amount of folks running winches on single battery systems and they claim no problems. Yeah, you'll want to make sure your primary batt is in great shape on outings. DC can power the fridge & inverter and be used as a backup like Mike suggests. It sure is peace of mind having a healthy primary & reliable back up when you're in the outback.

And in the unfortunate instance of a dead primary, I can still jump it off the deep cycle with little to no ill affect?

 

[80t0ylc]

And in the unfortunate instance of a dead primary, I can still jump it off the deep cycle with little to no ill affect?

You wouldn't want to use the DC as a starting battery too many times. But for an emergency - a limp home scenerio - get it started and get home, I think you'd be ok. Just don't try relying on the DC as a starter battery. That would have "ill affects" for your DC.

 

[greentruck]

The new winch just arrived, so no experience with it and my 80 yet. However, at least for the time being, the winch will be on a single battery system.

That said, with both my previous trucks with winches, the installs and use have been single battery systems. The first was my FJ55 with a Warn 8274. It was used and used hard multiple times. You do need to be careful and let the charging system catch up on long pulls. The other was on my Trooper. It had the early Warn 6k planetary and I never used it except to rescue others a time or two, but watched carefully it caused me no grief either.

Heavy winching should have you watching the heating of your winch motor, too. If you're doing that, you should end up allowing the charging system time to catch up putting amps back into the battery. Naturally, if you're in a time-sensitive rescue situation, this may not work so well, but then that's hopefully not an everyday occurrence, right?

 

[spotcruiser]

Ive heard good things about the Exide Orbital, but im having a hard time finding a spec sheet on them?

I've gotten really good service from my orbital over the past 7-8 years. All abuse and no care.

Exide Orbital 34XCD Battery - Orbital Batteries at Remy Battery - Remy Battery

Exide Orbital Battery | Exide Orbital Batteries - Remy Battery - Remy Battery

 

[homebuiltcruiser]

What battery to use?

Reading through this thread about the DC batteries verse a regular starting battery I have a couple of questions as I just put my winch setup on. I am currently running a DieHard Platinum auto battery with 880 CCA and with the winch I was thinking about getting a second one so I don't have to worry about killing it on the trail. When I bought the battery I was looking at the Marine batteries and they make a DieHard Marine Platinum that I believe is a DC but has 1150 CCA's. Could that be used as a starting battery also, my friend who is a boat captain told me that as long as it has the cranking amps you can use it as a starting battery.

So I guess the question is should I just double up on the battery I already have, go with the single, very large, marine platinum battery or possibly back up my current battery with the marine as it could be used as a starter if needed???

Either option I'll be waiting for a few paychecks, that platinum hurt a little but better safe than sorry!

 

[greentruck]

If your only concerns are starting and winching, then two batteries with all the CCA they can pack are just fine. If you start and winch, just don't pull your batteries all the way down. That's what hurts them.

The issue is when you start mixing in a third use, steady long duration discharges that pull most of the charge out of the battery on a regular basis. A deep cycle works good for that, but don't ask it to regularly handle the high CCA of starting and winching.

I think that's the basic split in battery types vs uses. Someone else will tidy it up if I muddied the waters.

 

[80t0ylc]

......... If you start and winch, just don't pull your batteries all the way down. That's what hurts them...........

This is part 1 of the dilemma for the perfect winch battery. By "all the way down", what do you mean? Dead, almost dead, 10% left, 50%, etc...... See there's no hard fast dividing line. A good healthy starting battery will survive once, maybe twice running it down - or will it? And then how will it perform at -10*F if it seems healthy at 75*F?

......... A deep cycle works good for that, but don't ask it to regularly handle the high CCA of starting and winching........

Part 2: How many winch pulls or emergency starting duties will a DC survive? There's only one way to find out - try it!

......... I think that's the basic split in battery types vs uses. Someone else will tidy it up if I muddied the waters.

I don't think you "muddied the waters", they're kinda murky to begin with. And IMHO, there still a large abyss with the limits of the "multiple use" batteries, at least when you talk about winch usage. It seems like, if you want a winch battery, you just get the best compromise that you can afford. What ticks me off is that with all the specialized batteries out there, no one, to my knowledge, has come out with a battery specifically designed for winch usage. You think that might sell, at least close to how winches are selling?

 

[p8nt]

For what its worth I went with a dedicated deep cycle in the Interstate SRM-29. A more traditional type that the Die hard Platinum, at half the cost and 210 min of reserve I was sold. Not to mention a great warranty and it fit into the second battery tray without modification. This battery will run the inverter, fridge, and accessories. I will replace the starting battery and run the winch from it based on what Ive learned in this thread.

Thanks for the help!

 

[homebuiltcruiser]

CCA's vs. Deep Cell?

I mentioned having a DC with high CCA, what makes a starting battery vs. a DC? Looking at the requirements for my buddies warn 9000 winch it says to have a battery with a minimum of 900CCA, will a deep cell with high CCA be bettery than a starting battery because of its ability to be drawn down and recharged regularly?

My buddy had a yellow top optima and had to winch out all day and ended up walking home to get another battery when his died, I don't want to end up in that situation!

 

[80t0ylc]

I mentioned having a DC with high CCA, what makes a starting battery vs. a DC? Looking at the requirements for my buddies warn 9000 winch it says to have a battery with a minimum of 900CCA, will a deep cell with high CCA be bettery than a starting battery because of its ability to be drawn down and recharged regularly?......

IMHO, the best choice available today, to get the most performance from your electric winch would be the highest CCA dual application battery that you can afford. Check with the manufacturer to be sure, but dual application would suggest that powering a winch would not exceed it's limitations.

........My buddy had a yellow top optima and had to winch out all day and ended up walking home to get another battery when his died, I don't want to end up in that situation!

Nobody wants to end up like that, but about the only way to avoid that would be a hydraulic or PTO. Electrics are occasional use at best. If you want to best prepare your rig for that kind of winching, don't go electric. Most folks rarely need a winch, so an electric winch is totally acceptable. Plus most winching events are accomplished well within the normal duty cycle of an electric. About the only advantage that an electric has over the hydraulic or PTO is that you still have some (very limited) use if the engine dies. IMHO, about the best you could hope for, realistically, with an electric winch is to have a dual battery setup so when you get into a situation where winch use is above normal, you can still start your engine if it stalls or you need to shut it off for some reason.