What battery group size do you use?

[heyjpark1]

I need a new battery, and was wondering whether or nor I should get a group 65 or stick with the standard group 54. The highest CCA rating I've seen on the group 54 batteries is around 550, while I can get much more out of a bigger battery.

Are the benefits of a higher cranking amp battery worth the drawback of it not fitting correctly?

 

[ECKSJAY]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

I use one of these and it fits great.

http://www.autobarn.net/noname3.html

#34 dual post red top Optima. 800 CCA

Are you looking for a regular lead acid type battery?

 

[Hellbent]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

I use one of these and it fits great.

http://www.autobarn.net/noname3.html

#34 dual post red top Optima. 800 CCA

this is the same battery i run, no problems either.

 

[BudgetXJ]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

this is the same battery i run, no problems either.

x3. No problems at all here either

 

[mud-dog27]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

go optima yellowtop its worth the price

 

[PacificEd]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

I run a Deka 34/78DT AGM battery. 750 CCA and 120 reserve capacity minutes. All for $150.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

I like pancake batter myself.... oh batteries my bad!

 

[heyjpark1]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

I use one of these and it fits great.

http://www.autobarn.net/noname3.html

#34 dual post red top Optima. 800 CCA

Are you looking for a regular lead acid type battery?

I run 15w-40 year around. That means in the cooler times of the year, my rig cranks over VERY slowly. Since its a Renix era rig, it has to turn over five times before it will fire. The quicker I can crank it, the quicker it will start.

I want more CCA then the OEM battery size allows, but want the thing to fit under my hood as well.

 

[BlueCuda]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

I am currently running the Interstate SC34U which is the red top Optima. I also run 15W40 year round. It was 7 here the other morning and my junk cranked right up.

Interstate Batteries Part # MTP-58 is 610CCA@0 degrees which is probably about the highest you will find in the group 58 size.

 

[xjtrailrider]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

I run "red-tops" in the whole fleet, 5 XJ's. The oldest is 9 years old and still cranking away!

 

[mjma]

I run a 65 battery. I had to get a new clamp for the top of the battery box, and had to slightly modify (cut the box at the long end to fit the entire battery all the way down into the tray) but it fits just perfectly!! It was the same price as the stock size and had more cold cranking amps and all that, so it was a no brainer.

I knew it would fit because at the time I had a room mate who had an exploder, and when my jeep was acting up, just to be positive that it was indeed the battery, I borrowed his and it dropped into the tray. It was a tight squeeze, but it fit without any modifications, although I wouldn't recommend running it that way for any period of time.

I ran it without a clamp for too long and the battery rubbed up against the AC compressor and cut the two wires that kick in the AC clutch. Easy fix, and now I've got it sitting down flat and secured as it should be.

 

[5-90]

An Optima should give you an increase in CCA (I don't recall the spec offhand,) and will fit neatly under the hood without any trouble (at least on my RENIX rigs - using OEM holddowns and marine-style terminals with 1" long binding posts.) Optimas are BCI 34/78 (34 is a top post size, 78 is a side post size. The Red Top has both terminals, therefore answers to both BCI groups.)

I haven't taken measurements to get an absolute limit on the biggest BCI group size that you can fit in there - but if you go any taller, make sure you have a rock solid holddown, and you may want to stick some rubber matting to the underside of the hood overop the battery.

 

[BlueCuda]

The later year(99+ maybe) XJs take a group 34 from the factory as opposed to a group 58.

I run marine style terminals like 5-90 and I have to use the Optima now since the posts bieng closer together allow it to clear my hood. I tried ditching the Optima for a group 34 and the marine style terminals were to tall for the bracking under the hood...the Optima misses the bracing. I use a giant F'ing zip tie to hold it down lol(quick fix that turned into forever fix .

 

[xjtrailrider]

The Red Top has both terminals, therefore answers to both BCI groups.)

I forgot to add that, I use the negative side post for an extra chassis ground on all the Jeeps and it really helped out the RENIX, the extra positive side post is good for aftermarket power connections and such.

 

[mud-dog27]

Re: What batter group size do you use?

I run 15w-40 year around. That means in the cooler times of the year, my rig cranks over VERY slowly. Since its a Renix era rig, it has to turn over five times before it will fire. The quicker I can crank it, the quicker it will start.

I want more CCA then the OEM battery size allows, but want the thing to fit under my hood as well.

i too run 15W40 year round (works great for fixing noises) but we've been anywhere from -5 to -15 in the morning and it starts easily with my yellow top, way better then my old battery ....crank...crank.crank.........

 

[BlueCuda]

I just got a Memo at work that the Yellow Top Optima will soon go to 36 month free replacement warranty as opposed to the crappy 12 it has now. Just an FYI for Optima people

 

[mud-dog27]

I just got a Memo at work that the Yellow Top Optima will soon go to 36 month free replacement warranty as opposed to the crappy 12 it has now. Just an FYI for Optima people

that count for all batteries or just batteries puchased after a certain date

 

[Blaine B.]

An Optima should give you an increase in CCA (I don't recall the spec offhand,) and will fit neatly under the hood without any trouble (at least on my RENIX rigs - using OEM holddowns and marine-style terminals with 1" long binding posts.) Optimas are BCI 34/78 (34 is a top post size, 78 is a side post size. The Red Top has both terminals, therefore answers to both BCI groups.)

I haven't taken measurements to get an absolute limit on the biggest BCI group size that you can fit in there - but if you go any taller, make sure you have a rock solid holddown, and you may want to stick some rubber matting to the underside of the hood overop the battery.

I thought you do not want to have high amp loads using the side terminals on the Optima. Have heard of some of them melting.

Most GM's use the side terminals (at least the older ones) so I do not see how that is less amps than a winch (which was causing the side terminals on some Optima's to melt)

Just curious on that matter is all...

 

[5-90]

I thought you do not want to have high amp loads using the side terminals on the Optima. Have heard of some of them melting.

Most GM's use the side terminals (at least the older ones) so I do not see how that is less amps than a winch (which was causing the side terminals on some Optima's to melt)

Just curious on that matter is all...

You do not - conversations I've had with Optima and Exide agree on about a 75-80A sustained load being tops. (GM got away with the starter load of 150-250A simply because it's not a "sustained" load - it's a duty cycle of rather less than 10%.) You can use the side posts on Optimas for accessory distribution, as long as you keep the constant load below that threshhold.

The typical starter motor runs .75-1A/cubic inch for a gasoline engine (we're toward the low end of that, at 160-170A for a 241.5ci engine.) The typical winch can hit 400-450A on a pull without too much trouble at all - so there is a definite disparity between starter motor draw and winch draw (and starter motors usually draw for a few seconds, tops. Winches can pull for a minute or two without any trouble at all.) This would also contribute greatly to melting the side terminal pads right out of the case (and, they're lead - which melts down around 700*F anyhow. No trouble getting there with that sort of current...)

 

[Blaine B.]

Hm, haven't really looked at too many GM trucks but do they use the side terminals as well?

If you used anything more than an 90 amp alternator there seems like there could be problems....ie a heavy duty truck running probably a 120 amp alternator minimum.

Speaking of the optima side posts, I have to reduce some of the leads to the top posts and finally utilize the sideposts. I am using quick-disconnect clamps with the threaded stud and nut so all of my main wires already have eye terminals crimped on the ends, just have to find some bolts out of my bolt stash to fit the terminals.