JoeMonag 1 #26 Posted December 25, 2012 My local dealer uses a Decka 365 amp 300 cold crank at 0 degrees F. I had to replace the one on my 310-8 last night as it would not hold a charge. My dealer was closed, so I went to the local TSD and bought a 360 amp 300 cold crank at 0 degres F and got it for about 40 bucks with tax. The Decka lasted almost 6years. I have a Decka on my 416-8 that I bought new in two years ago, with tax it was just under 50 bucks.. Those 20 dollar batteries don't have the cold cranking amps and are rated around 200amp. It comes down to you get waht you pay for. I have always been told that your standing battery should be at 12.5 volts, and the charging system should be charging the battery at 13- 13.8 vlots. I learned a new tidbit, that if your battery voltage is less than 10-11 volts while engaging the starter, the battery needs a charge or replacement. I did charge the battery, to where it read 13.6 volts, but when I engaged the starter it dropped quickly to 7.5 volts after being charged. The battery must have been on its way out, as I noticed the new battery turns over the engine much faster The charge system onthe 310-8 is unregulated, so it always charging at 13.8 to 14 volts. I did read some where that the un regulated charge systems can shorten battery life, compared to an engine with a regulated chargings system. Any body have any thoughts on this? Joe in Norton, MA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 616 #27 Posted December 26, 2012 Just measuring voltage does not always tell you if the battery is OK. I decided to buy a battery load tester that measures the CCA output of the battery compared to what it is supposed to be. I bought a digital CEN-TECH unit that seems to work well. They are sold on eBay. Advance Auto sells the analog Schumacker Load Testers. Dealing with weak batteries is such a PIA that I try to buy the best ones I can find. I use automotive batteries in my D-160s and they always crank well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeMonag 1 #28 Posted December 26, 2012 Jack,what did you pay for the load tester? And where in MA areyou located. Joe in Norton, MA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,147 #29 Posted December 26, 2012 You can pick up a load tester at Harbor Freight cheap. I have had one for several years and works just fine on WH batteries. (If you were testing heavy duty deep cycle large batteries you might want to spring for a higher quality unit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,342 #30 Posted December 26, 2012 This may help someone.... I just got a Schumacher BT-100 load tester for Christmas, I think it will do just fine for testing everything from my 190 CCA motorcycle battery to the 650 CCA battery on my farm tractor. I did a bunch of research before I made my Christmas wish list this year, here's some of the other units I think are very similar in terms of load (all 100 amp), physical size and capabilities, with some typical prices: Actron CP7612 ($30-$74) Chicago Electric #90636 ($25-$30 at Harbor Freight) OTC 3180 ($32-$47) Schumacher BT-100 ($40-$58) The displays on the Chicago Electric and Schumacher units have a series of "steps" that allow you to more closely estimate how strong your battery is relative to its rated CCA. The Actron and OTC units appear identical, I believe they're both made by Sunpro. For a little more money, there's other units out there that generate a 130 amp load, and the Chicago Electric #91129 with an adjustable 0-500 amp load. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 616 #31 Posted December 26, 2012 Jack,what did you pay for the load tester? And where in MA areyou located. Joe in Norton, MA I paid 49.99 plus 5.00 S&H from a seller on eBay. They are 79.99 at Harbor Freight. You can read a description at Harbor Freight. Search for Digital Automotive Battery Analyzer. I have only used it a few times and it seems to work fine. Here is a link to more information on it: http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=44177 I am on the western end of MA in Pittsfield. Some of my tractors are here and some near Northville, NY. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim_M 178 #32 Posted December 26, 2012 (edited) I know they're expensive but I think they're worth it. I run these in both of my pulling tractors. They're a little smaller than a garden tractor battery. They're dry cell batteries, won't boil dry and can be mounted upside down if you really want to. They hold a charge forever, aren't affected by the cold and they seem to last forever. I bought my first one used, 3 years ago, the guy said it was at least 10 years old at the time, it still works as good as new so I bought another one just like it for my new puller. I don't have charging systems on my pullers, the battery has to run an MSD ignition, Toyota starter and electric cooling fans. Even with all of that draw I have gone 4 runs without charging and the battery still has plenty left, I think I could go 8 runs but I don't like to take chances, no battery= no spark.. It will charge in 1 1/2 hr on a 2 amp charger. http://www.performan...m/batteries.htm Edited December 26, 2012 by Jim_M 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kelly 1,028 #33 Posted December 27, 2012 Thanks Jim, I may have to look at one of those for my diesel project, perfect size and sounds like it will crank the little beast over pretty good, I've been looking at dry cell ATV and water craft batts so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 616 #34 Posted December 27, 2012 Apparently batteries get weak or go bad because of Sulfur build up on the plates. Has anyone tried using a Desulfator with any luck in restoring a weak battery? There are all kinds of Desulfators for sale on eBay. Note from an article on extending battery life: Never let your batteries sit in a discharged condition. As a battery discharges, the sulphate that forms will be easier to return to solution when promptly recharged. If you let it sit, the sulphate can harden and be nearly impossible to return to solution. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim_M 178 #35 Posted December 27, 2012 Kelly, it will crank a big block v8 with no problem. When you think about it, if it lasts 10 years or more it's actually cheap in the long run. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kelly 1,028 #36 Posted December 27, 2012 Your right Jim, and the ones I've been looking at are in the $75 range as it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 616 #37 Posted December 27, 2012 I never heard of the Dyna-Batt so I was poking around for some information and ran into an interesting article. The author claims: "the Dyna-Batt is certainly a re-badged Genesis G16EP battery made by Hawker Energy." The article does include comments on what conditions the author believes are harmful to battery life. Not sure how reliable the information is. http://www.stealth31...abatt.htm#g16ep Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 616 #38 Posted December 27, 2012 Maybe one way to go is to purchase a standard battery ($30), or an even better one ($50), and one of these maintaner / desulfators ($45) for mounting in the tractor and plug it in when the tractor is not in use. The battery should last 2 to 3 or more times longer? It may save money in the long run and always provide a strong cranking source. Some people do not like to leave maintainers plugged in for long periods due to fear of overheating and a fire. The reviews of this device are positive. Maybe I will get one or two. http://www.batteryma...maintainer.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim_M 178 #39 Posted December 27, 2012 I never heard of the Dyna-Batt so I was poking around for some information and ran into an interesting article. The author claims: "the Dyna-Batt is certainly a re-badged Genesis G16EP battery made by Hawker Energy." The article does include comments on what conditions the author believes are harmful to battery life. Not sure how reliable the information is. http://www.stealth31...abatt.htm#g16ep I don't know if it's true or false but I plan to stick with what works for me no matter what the guy says. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
73-18 automatic 8 #40 Posted January 4, 2013 Any Gel type battery will normally last longer than a lead acid battery due to the plates being suspended in a gel instead of a liquid. A fully charged battery will not freeze due to the fact the solution is acid/water acid does not freeze but as a battery discharges the acid leaves the solution and goes into the plates so if it is dead the acid is in the plates and all that is left is water so yes it will then freeze. vibration is what will usually kill a lead acid battery. Any other questions feel free to ask. (worked for East Penn (Deka) since 2011 Doug Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toolmaker40 6 #41 Posted January 4, 2013 i would'nt by a napa i didnt get a year out of the one i bought this last year!!!! the last one i bought was from autozone and i got 2 seasons out of it napa was a little cheaper this last time did'nt save a dime !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
73-18 automatic 8 #42 Posted January 4, 2013 Napa this year are Deka's Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesBe1 80 #43 Posted January 5, 2013 I hate dealing with batteries dieing after two or three years of use. I wish somebody made a nickel-iron battery to fit one of these. From what I hear, their longevity is measured in decades. I don't know if anyone has ever used them in a garden tractor capacity (they haven't been manufactured for a long time). However, they had been used in vehicles in the early 20th century, I'm sure they saw their fair share of abuse. Some have even been known to pass the 100 year mark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 616 #44 Posted January 5, 2013 They use them in solar applications, but they are a little pricey for the horses: http://ironedison.com/renewable-energy-batteries I will be trying a maintainer/ desulfator to extend battery life: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SousaKerry 500 #45 Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) The ni-fe batteries have been used by railroads to maintain signal systems during power outages for ever. I have seen paperwork from battery testing that goes back 30-40 years on the same battery. But they are huge and extremely expensive around the $1000 range. They are also maintenance intensive the electrolyte must be checked for spacific gravity at regular intervals and the fluid level must be checked often as well Edited January 5, 2013 by Sousakerry2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesBe1 80 #46 Posted January 5, 2013 I know the NiFe batteries had a slight tendency to loose H2O due to evaporation of the water. Edison used to sell small bottles of mineral oil that would be poured on top of the electrolyte to reduce that. I don't think they would be overly maintenance intensive. In fact, I have often heard them referred to as "The Battery Too Good to Sell". They did not fit in well with the planned redundancy economy, so Exide bought the Edison Plant and closed it down in the 70's As far as I know, there are only two manufacturers. One in China, and a recent one in the USA. That is why they are so expensive at the moment. Oh, one downside was that they have a higher self-discharge rate than lead-acid batteries. But a simple float charger would end that problem. All tolled, I would go with the long-life battery rather than having to buy new ones every 3 - 5 years. Sorry to hijack the thread, I'll get off of my soapbox now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
855ownerJoel 32 #47 Posted January 6, 2013 I have started to put 1/4" bolts through the terminal tops with washers and a nut. Then I take a 1/4" wing nut to put the wire onto battery and when I need to take it out I just spin off the wing nut. No need for wrenches to pull battery. I do not keep a battery for every tractor, since I do not use them all at the same time anyway. I simply move a battery to the tractor with snowblower and plow tractor in winter and mower crew in summer. I have found when the batteries are used regularily to start and run tractors year round rather than sit without working for a season they last longer. I think they need to have a draw on them (Starting tractor load) and recharge regularily to function best. I have had issues with my boat battery sitting all winter but not any real issues with my tractor batteries. I don't buy top quality but seem to run them for 3-4 years at least. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
855ownerJoel 32 #48 Posted January 6, 2013 Just measuring voltage does not always tell you if the battery is OK. I decided to buy a battery load tester that measures the CCA output of the battery compared to what it is supposed to be. I bought a digital CEN-TECH unit that seems to work well. They are sold on eBay. Advance Auto sells the analog Schumacker Load Testers. Dealing with weak batteries is such a PIA that I try to buy the best ones I can find. I use automotive batteries in my D-160s and they always crank well. To do a thorough job testing batteries, besides the maintenance free ones, you also need to check the specific gravity of each cell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rexman72 210 #49 Posted January 6, 2013 I get 3 to 4 years out of the 24 dollar walmart batteries Share this post Link to post Share on other sites