batteries

[V8Patrol]

Ok the Patrol is getting a duel battery setup but will remain 12 volts.
I am currently running a "Century" battery thats 3 years old and still starts the motor easily + it handles the winch too ( 130 amp alt prolly helps there !!! )
problem is ........ what 2 new batteries should I run?
anyone got any "steer clear of this brand stories?"
or should I stick with what I allready trust..... a Century Battery !

[ausyota]

If you can aford it go with optimas.
Best batteries Ive ever run but they cost a bit (around the $300 each mark for a red top. More for a deep cycle).
Paul.

[Wendle]

what are the blue and yellow coloured ones? century? I had problems with one of them leaking all the time when the truck was on angles. When I stripped half the engine bay to clean up all the rust that was eating away at the firewall due to the rivers of battery acid that had been pouring down it, I tested the angle it took for the battery to leak with a protractor on the driveway.. 17deg! Pretty fawking useless for a 4wd battery!

[Area54]

what are the blue and yellow coloured ones? century? I had problems with one of them leaking all the time when the truck was on angles. When I stripped half the engine bay to clean up all the rust that was eating away at the firewall due to the rivers of battery acid that had been pouring down it, I tested the angle it took for the battery to leak with a protractor on the driveway.. 17deg! Pretty fawking useless for a 4wd battery!

That does sound a bit below average. I have a cheapy on my hilux that will handle 90 degrees in all directions - super crank or star charge or something crappy like that (it came with the rig - I was going to replace it with something more reputable)... funny thing is that battery has never let me down. It was manufactured to iso standards in Malaysia.

I had an Exide in my wagon, gave pretty good service - even lasted two winters in its last years, but replaced it with a much cheaper malaysian made ISO standard battery recommended by my trusted battery supplier. I saved about $80 by not buying a top branded one, and if it lasts 3 years instead of 3.5 years as the top branded one, I'm in front.

I think half the problem with any wet cell battery (no matter what brand) is lack of maintenance. I would never buy another 'low maintenance' battery - I'm a control freak and I like to check and maintain things. Cell imbalance will kill a battery real quick, and with a low maintenance wet cell you can't keep an eye on things. I keep mine topped up with acid, not distilled water, but I'm happy handling acids, distilled water is safer for most people. Don't get me wrong, I dont buy the cheapest gear because it's cheap, I buy the gear that I can afford and I won't take short cuts on stuff that will let me down. Gel and paste electrolyte cells are great, but if you don't need the features or have to justify the cost, maybe they are not for you.

[Robbo]

It will depend a bit on 2nd batt location, my GU petrol has an ARB cradel that is in the left rear corner of the engine bay. I was using Yausa overlander 700 batteries but after frying the 2nd & spitting acid on underside of bonnet I now use AC Delco Voyager marine/rv 720, been grous so far.

[V8Patrol]

I'm using a 2nd battery carrier from a MQ diesel, the duel battery setup is allready fitted from factory. ChevyMQ has donated me one from a wreck, all I have to do is fit it.
The battery setup will be....
one on the inner guard on the drivers side and the other on the inner guard passengers side with a heavy duty cable joining em!

[Tojo]

I've been running a red top optima for over 2 years now and they are good. They are also smaller than most batteries which is handy if space is a problem. I would recomend steering clear of the generic N70ZZ century / exide etc. Mostly they are identical with just different stickers for the different brands. Myself and my friends have had these fail with just over a years use. I think your doing well to get three years from your century!!! Out of interest, what type of system will you be running? I'm using a simple solenoid system in my vehicle.

[modman]

i use the exide extreme gell cells.
smaller in size than wet cells and a little cheaper than optimas
the size is grouse, i fit 2 under the seat in the standard position.
i have been running the engel in my car for just on 12 months.
must have flattened it 10 times(drive it every day)
it comes back just as strong.
my 2 cents.

[CRUSHU]

if you are running a standard wet cell battery, ac delco make the best, GENUINE maintenance free battery. they have a 30 month warranty, and are relatively cheap. i sell them thru work, and have very few come backs, compared to century or exide. other brand suposedlt maintenance free batterys are just normal batterys with the plugs glued shut, so when the acid comes out the breathers, you cant top it up. the delco has a water to air seperator, to return the acid when releasing gas.

[blu125]

AC Delco makes fine Batteries, but for some reason, GM (who owns AC), chose to form a seperate company when they entered into a joint venture with DaeWoo some years ago. Delkor batteries have been powering my vehicle, most of my friends & a lot of my customers for a good few years now. If you need a battery for high current discharge (ie. start/winch), I don't believe you can buy better. If your fridge is the main use (low current discharge ie. deep cycle) buy Trojan. Both these brands are wet batteries that store LOTS of power. As we try not to roll our trucks I don't think this is a disadvantage.

If you want to store small amounts of power, buy a gell battery. I think that most of the features that are used to sell gell's dont make sense for 4WD use.

But ya pay ya munny an ya make ya choice!

[modman]

i,ve tried deep cycle wet cell battaries and they just don't recover like gell cells
also having rovers, there just isn't room to fit larger batteries

[Wooders]

Me run Optima yella top & loves it....can fully drain it someting like 350times without any damage problem....do it more than 5 times in a wet cell & you're lucky.....

[modman]

too true

[tony cordell]

best batteries IMHO
Hawker Odyssey
standard fitment in UK army landies
later technology than optimas far smaller/more powerfull.
www.odsseybatteries.com
pc1700 for me

[hazard]

I have found that the Odessey batteries as good as the Optima that I had, but some models of the Odesseys had a problem with the terminals separating from the plates (internal open circuit). Apparently the problem has been fixed (I havent had a failure for years) and was only on the smaller sized batteries used in extreme conditions (ie race and rally cars!).

I would trust a jet ski Odessey to just drive the engine in my Patrol - but I would want bigger if I had a diesel / winch... or a fully sik subwoofer....

[Robbo]

It looks to me from all these replies that nearly all of these batteries that we experts speek of will perform fine if they are maintained properly, proper mounting & voltage control systems are the key to a batteries life span. Keep up the fluids the power & keep it cool as possible & SHEALL BE RIGHT MATE.

[Screwy]

Ive been running Exide in all my 4 bes and no probs at all as yet.

[Gordo]

Agreed - treat it well and it'll last...I didn't :(

I only got just under 3 years out of my Optima red-top after starting and winching duty (no fridge). Suspect one too many total discharges didn't help.

Would be happy to go to a Redtop+yellowtop dual setup...and would probably get change out of $1000 with a solenoid too !

Know a few folk who run Odysseys with good results. The oonce-oonce boys at the nats use plenty of Odysseys (or 6x 2v forklift batteries)