new battery

[captden29]

my computer skills are bad. tried to look up old threads on buying a new battery, which ones may be better. I need a group 2 for my 54 Chrysler with a 265. I have bought from batteries plus in the past but do not have good luck with their product. the one in the car had to be replaced under the warranty 2 to 3 years ago, and is now getting weak. maybe I should just go up the street to advance . I know there are more expensive ones like optima, but not sure if I should spend the money. many are made overseas, poor quality. seems like we are stuck these days and have nowhere to turn.   capt den

[Plymouthy Adams]

who are your local retailers, who has the battery you need, who has the better warranty and MOST OF ALL....if out of town and goes belly up...can you get it serviced in that neck of the woods....

 

 

the last part, service out of town is the reason for where I buy my batteries today.....while I did get it replaced upon return to home after a 3 month deployment out of state where there were no retailers, it was out of my pocket till I got home and a bit of stand your ground on the warranty...to include not being charged the pro-rated 3 month but to be warranted on dated of replacement, not date I got home...

Edited March 18, 2019 by Plymouthy Adams

[casper50]

I bought Optima.  Have no 2nd thoughts or problems about it at all.

[Dan Hiebert]

For whatever reason, 6v lead-acid batteries don't last overly long in the first place.  If you get 5 or 6 years out of them, you're doing about average.  I migrated to a NAPA commercial battery, forget the number/group off hand, and have a bit better luck with it, has the best cold cranking amps as well.  I had been buying Auto Zone (none even remotely close to where we live now) Duralast with good results, albeit with less CCA.  All that said - The Optima looks like the way to go, only hold back on my part is the cost, which is probably moot in the long run since they seem to last just about forever.  For what we've spent on lead acid batteries, I could have bought a couple Optimas.

[soth122003]

Try Tractor supply. Has only a one year warranty but you can get extended 2 year for about 6 bucks. 700 CCA and 875 CA. Also because they are mainly for tractors they have a decent turn over for sales. That way they don't set on the shelf for a long time. You can usually get one that has only been there for a month or so vs AutoZone that has set there for about 6 months to a year or longer.

 

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-1-6v-heavy-duty-battery?solr=1&cm_sp=SearchPreview-_-DidYouMean-_-Product&cm_vc=-10005

 

Joe Lee

Edited March 18, 2019 by soth122003

[desoto1939]

The issue is that you need to get a 3 amp trickle charger that you can get at Costco that is a 12/6 volt unmit and keep the battery charged at all time.  By having a trickle charge on the battery you willextend th elife and I got 8 years out of mine.  The trickle charge stops the  lead plates from losing the metal.

 

We have talked about this issue at the annual AACA meeting every February in Philadelphia and there isa engineer that comes in fromPenn State to talk about this issue.  So get a trickle charge and you battery willlast longer.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[sser2]

Battery itself may not be a problem. Battery condition critically depends on generator and voltage regulator condition. A little bit off, and the battery is either overcharghing or undercharging, both of them harmful. In addition, generator has low power output and practically no output at low engine speeds. Even if generator and regulator are in perfect shape, battery needs regular maintenance: keeping it fully charged all the time, do frequent top-offs with battery charger, measure electrolyte density, and add water as necessary. Regular flooded batteries are more suitable for 6V system than maintenance-free ones. With 6V, maintenance option is a big plus.

[desoto1939]

2 hours ago, sser2 said:

Battery itself may not be a problem. Battery condition critically depends on generator and voltage regulator condition. A little bit off, and the battery is either overcharghing or undercharging, both of them harmful. In addition, generator has low power output and practically no output at low engine speeds. Even if generator and regulator are in perfect shape, battery needs regular maintenance: keeping it fully charged all the time, do frequent top-offs with battery charger, measure electrolyte density, and add water as necessary. Regular flooded batteries are more suitable for 6V system than maintenance-free ones. With 6V, maintenance option is a big plus.

I totally agree and because we only drive these old cars not on a regular daily basis this will cause the barrtery to drain so this is why I use the trickle charger to keep the battery fully charges and as you point out the maintenance of the water level, using distilled water and keeping the battery connections tight and clean also help keep the battery working upto full capacity.

 

Rich Hartung

[captden29]

I may have an overcharge as there is always water coming out of the caps. if I run it about 1200 rpm, what voltage should I have across the batt. terminals? my guess is around 7.2. will try tomorrow. thanks for the batt. advice. I agree with the trickle charge, but should it be left on all the time or only on occasion? the batt in the car reads about 6.4 volts with the car not running.   thanks,  capt den

[sser2]

7.2-7.4V is normal charging voltage at 1,200 rpm and above. If it gets considerably above that, battery may be overcharging, so voltage regulator will need servicing and adjusting. 6.4V is normal battery voltage with no load and engine not running. However, this voltage is not an indicator of battery's state of charge: fully charged and almost completely discharged battery have almost same open voltage. Whenever you suspect that the battery is not fully charged (for example after a trip with headlights, heater fan, and radio on, or if car was not used for a couple of weeks), hook up an automatic charger and keep it on until "fully charged" indicator lights up. Automatic charger may be hooked up permanently to maintain the battery in fully charged state. 

[greg g]

Did you check your local tractor supply or farm and fleet??  I have been buying my batteries from our local exide warehouse.  Been getting five to seven years from what they sell as seconds.  They are seconds because they have sat some where for six months and they get returned to the warehouse.  Got one last year, paper work for the dead one said it was six years old. The newer one was a second an cost me 45.00.  Advance wanted 80.00. Tsc was 69.  This was for group one so the group two might be higher. The Cca rating was 7075 if I recall.

[desoto1939]

On 3/19/2019 at 9:29 PM, captden29 said:

I may have an overcharge as there is always water coming out of the caps. if I run it about 1200 rpm, what voltage should I have across the batt. terminals? my guess is around 7.2. will try tomorrow. thanks for the batt. advice. I agree with the trickle charge, but should it be left on all the time or only on occasion? the batt in the car reads about 6.4 volts with the car not running.   thanks,  capt den

Leave the trickle charge on all the time the turning off and on defeats the purpose to keep the battery fully charged.

 

rich Hartung

 

 

[Don Coatney]

Check all of your no longer used AC adaptors for various electronic devices. If any have an output of 6 volts they work well for trickle chargers.

 

[captden29]

thanks for all the replies. I will look for old adaptors and probably have some. I checked the voltage on the batt. at 1200 rpm, it is 7.5 v.at idle it is 6.5v. I think that is ok. don't know why I always have a little water trickling out the caps. I set the timing back about two degrees and it does start a little easier. next move will be a trickle charger. tomorrow I will be in a parade, but it moves faster than most, so all should be ok. it is a law enforcement appreciation parade, starting at the battleship in Wilmington,NC,and ending in Shallotte. moves on hwy. 17 at a 45mph clip with a police escort. very enjoyable event. anyone in the area with a classic car truck or motorcycle can join in, no entry fee. leaves at 11:00 am,arrives at shallote about 1:15 at jeromes restaurant. only open to us and the officers for lunch. hope to see you there. I may need a jump.    capt den   

[captden29]

correction to my last post. the parade arrives in Shallotte at around 12:15.    capt den

[soth122003]

Might not be of use to you since you probably garage your car, (Mine stays park outside all the time) but I use a part of a Harbor Freight outside LED solar security light. The LED part let in water and was toast, but the solar panel was fine. It puts out about 6.5 to 7 volts dc and all I did was add alligator clamps to the line and a couple of magnets to the base. When I park my car I just put it on the roof. Keeps my battery topped off just fine.

 

Joe Lee

Edited March 22, 2019 by soth122003

[Don Coatney]

1 hour ago, soth122003 said:

Might not be of use to you since you probably garage your car, (Mine stays park outside all the time) but I use a part of a Harbor Freight outside LED solar security light. The LED part let in water and was toast, but the solar panel was fine. It puts out about 6.5 to 7 volts dc and all I did was add alligator clamps to the line and a couple of magnets to the base. When I park my car I just put it on the roof. Keeps my battery topped off just fine.

 

Joe Lee

 

Great idea. I like repurposing.