Battery Question

[donnier]

Its about time for new batteries for my 05 with power everything.

What would be the best bang for the buck and why??

Thanks.

 

[MStrain]

Well I don't know about best bang for your buck, but I do know about best, and that is optima. They make different models of the red top battery but they are the best because they are sealed and can be mounted at any angle and never need servicing, they have a great warranty and have probably the highest cold cranking amps rating. I bought my Optima at pepboys for about $130, they were the 890 CCA rated, they had red top optimas at costco for $99 but they were like 720 CCA which is better than most batteries anyway.

 

[CRuth]

An 05 needing new batteries? I'd get my electrical system checked first. Even cheap batteries should last longer than that.

 

[MMeier]

An 05 needing new batteries? I'd get my electrical system checked first. Even cheap batteries should last longer than that.

Exactly what I'm thinking. heck, I have 175k on the stockers in my '03! And most of that with trailers hooked up to it.

 

[BGlidewell]

lot a people change their batteries BEFORE symptoms like "no start" occur. Bad batteries can cause all kinds of bizarre problems especially in a diesel. I have an o5 and according to the hydrometer, it's about time for new ones. I think heat (location) can play a role in battery life too.

 

[jelag]

In the past 10 years battery technology and battery life has changed... . most vehicles have protection for batteries from excessive heat, and cold... .

Typical battery life is now 4-5 years with some care... . I don't know why you'd consider spending the money with 2 or 3 years of good life left in the batteries...

We own 3 Dodge trucks, 04, 04. 5 and a 05, all 3500 duallys... . (6 total) they get used hard, sit outside at night at -10*F. sometimes in the winter... . we test both batteries at the start of the winter..... and if they are not up to 75-80% capacity we replace them... . as winter starting is hardest on a battery... . we go as far as to open the cells and test each one...

We keep the tops clean and dry and use a non corrosive washer between the post and cable to prevent the gases from around the seal in the top of the battery from doing damage to the cable ends...

I'd take the truck and have the batteries tested by someone who didn't have a vested interest in making a profit off of you to sell you new ones..... if their bad, replace them, if there good, run them till next winter... .

BTW - in all the years in business, with these trucks we've never been caught in the middle of winter with a truck that won't start from a bad battery... . we also every 150 - 200 K miles replace the alternator brushes, and bearings... .

Just our thoughts... .

 

[BGlidewell]

I think this is an important point:

Typical battery life is now 4-5 years with some care... .

Emphasis mine. Maintenance free is a term most people think means you don't need to do any maintenance on them.

 

[WUnderwood]

I have Optima red tops, and I am very happy with them

 

[rbattelle]

Maintenance free is a term most people think means you don't need to do any maintenance on them.

What are the maintenance tips for a maintenance free battery?

When mine go, I plan to replace both batteries with a single Odyssey PC2150. In my opinion, Odyssey's are the best. [Note that PC2150 weighs 75 lb... and is too large for the stock battery trays].

Ryan

 

[jelag]

Maintenance tips for a maintenance free battery.....

1 - keep the top of the battery clean and dry
2 - install no-co washers to keep the gases from escaping around the post and giving you connection problems at the battery cables and destroying the high dollar cables these trucks have... .
3 - once a season, if you can remove the covers inspect the water level in the batteries adding only distilled water to the correct level. Make sure there is not dirt to fall into the cells. Hydrometer test the cells once a year... just before winter... . if any cell reading is more than 15 points from on cell to another replace both batteries... ...
4 - never charge a battery to a point that you can't comfortably touch the side of the battery..... if its too hot to touch your over charging it..... (read, too much current)
5 - if you have corrosion, and need to clean it... first put some baking soda in a container with hot water..... gently pour over the top of the battery connection, making sure this doesn't splash, get in your eyes or on the paint..... rinse with cold water and dry... . rinse this out of the battery box as well... take apart the battery cable and clean the post and cable connection, reinstall and tighten correctly... . use 2 wrenches... using one can damage the post inside the battery.
6 - never touch both + and - together around the battery..... this arch can cause the gases escaping around the post to explode
7 - when jumping connect the + connection first, and connect the ground away from the battery..... a suitable clean frame connection is good... .

I'm sure as soon as I walk away from this I'll remember 2 or 3 more tips...

If and when you replace the batteries install the largest CCA (cold cranking amps) battery that will fit into the battery box... . I'm personally not a fan of fancy terms, as the battery manufactures seem to have a good handle on making them to last with some care... .

Hope this helps. .

 

[DPKetchum]

I went to buy Optimas for another vehicle a year or so back. Guy talked me out of it. Bought a maintance free with a higher cold cranking amp,longer warranty for 1/3 less. He had a good point. Said UNLESS Baja racing,offshore racing,mud bogging and upside down in weird conditions that Optimas wern't needed. I understood his point. Said he also warrantied more of them then OTHER top of line batterys.

 

[CRuth]

I have two optimas in the Jeep, it really might wind up upside down someday, and one in the camper (no worries about fumes) but will I buy them for the truck? Probably not. Not worth the extra money in that case, though being truly maintenance free is nice.

 

[Prairie Dog]

My batteries are not maint free. Did DC start installing something different at some point?

 

[rbattelle]

My batteries are not maint free. Did DC start installing something different at some point?

Both my batteries say, in bold writing across the top, "MAINTENANCE FREE - DO NOT OPEN OR PRY VENTS".



Maybe you have an early 2003 that has batteries that require regular maintenance?



Ryan

 

[BGlidewell]

What are the maintenance tips for a maintenance free battery?

When mine go, I plan to replace both batteries with a single Odyssey PC2150. In my opinion, Odyssey's are the best. [Note that PC2150 weighs 75 lb... and is too large for the stock battery trays].

Ryan

Those things are MONSTERS I must have them!:-laf

Note the service life on the wet cells...

 

[PBrauer]

Get a pair of Interstates. Very good batteries for not much more than stock replacements. Perfect fit, including terminal location. Better warranty than most, if not all others and far easier to find a dealer if you need to use that warranty. Get the GREEN ones w/85 month warranty.



Changed mine in a rest area after my less than 1 year old, drivers side battery (both were stock/originals in my '06 2500) started blasting a very hot, very visible (and very stinky) jet of steam out of both caps. Freaked me out enough that I paid NAPA to come to me even though the truck was still running.



I will never buy a Mopar battery, no matter who made them that year... something about watching that steam condensing on the paint... the covers vented outboard.



Optima's are great batteries (same company BTW, Johnson Controls). I've had a few. Keep in mind however that they have a terrible warranty and can be hard to find. Even if you can afford them once, are you gonna buy two if one goes bad in two years?

 

[JDerrick]

I dumped the stockers out of my 99' when the corrosion problems became extreme. The truck lived and worked hard in the very hot Southern NV Desert, where temperatures that the truck was working in during the summer frequently exceeded 125 deg F ( outside of the hood) so im sure the temps under the hood were quite a bit higher. I had constant problems with all of my vehicles including 3 diesels ( personally owned) 2 Diesels ( ford E series ambulances) 4 gas E series ambulances, with a Volunteer ambulance company that I worked for in LV. I was constantly cleaning the posts on all of these trucks. I switched the batteries in my 99" over to optima ( thanks to Joe Donnelly, as he lived just down the street from me at the time, and finally convinced me to make the switch ) and I NEVER had a dirty battery problem again in my 99'. I was running emergency lights, a siren, multiple radios, large inverter, 12000 # winch, air conditioning, and long idle times(10-12 hours in some cases) in the middle of summer in Southern NV and those optima batteries NEVER missed a beat. Now that I live in Elko,NV area. Some 460 miles north of the LV desert I found that the optima batteries didnt like the cold very much. The winter in 2005 we had low temps in the low singles to slightly below 0 and that finished them off. they were approximately 2-3 years old when i had to replace them, with optima again just to maintain continuity. Then as fate would have it I bought an 06 this last September. I want to avoid corrosion issues right of the bat, so this talk about optima vs odyssey vs " off the shelf Walmart" is interesting.



Jim Oo.

 

[WhiteSheep]

Optima for Heat

JDerrick hit the answer on the head. Notice the location of the posters with the different oppinions on Optimas. You guys up North like Interstates or such. No wonder, these batteries are optimized for the cold. Optimas are optimized for heat. If you live in the North, go with a "regular" battery and it will last four or five years. If you live in the desert, I know of nothing better than an Optima.



I put two red tops in my Ram at the two year point. I also put a red top in my wife's Jetta at the two year point. Now she will not call me in a panic when her VW wont start in the summer in Phoenix when it is 115 deg. F. Why two years? That is when OEM batteries fail in Phoenix. Trust me, I have been dealing with battery issues in Phoenix for 20 years; trying almost every kind, including Interstate (they last one year).

 

[EErmert]

If those PC2150'S don't fit the trays, how will they fit; also the DC factor bats have a cover...



Eric '03 SLT SRW 3500 SWB 6SPD NV5600 LIMITED 4X4 52. 5K WHITE

 

[rbattelle]

If those PC2150'S don't fit the trays, how will they fit

Gotta make a custom tray.



Ryan