Lets Talk Batteries

[DonTX]

Thanks guys, great info. That Odyssey really kicks butts, 12 year life expectancy yet! At my age, I don't even buy banannas that are too green anymore, so more battery than I really need I reckon.

Paychk: I was surprised to learn that Dodge used only one battery in early years. With no heater grids on my version, I guess the 1050 could be termed "adequate". What is FSM, factory service manual?

Deka web site says they don't have a dealer within hundreds of miles of here, shipping would kill me I reckon, does any chain stores sell them? Someone said some NAPA stores carry them, but my NAPA guy say not, I had never heard of them before this thread.

 

[DonTX]

OK Greenleaf, you are excused! :{

No Costco stores down here either!

 

[Paychk]

You hit the nail head on FSM. If you have an local "Old Style" NAPA & not one of those new fangled sissy boy places, they should be able to get a group 31. The reason they are seemingly rare is the 31 is considered heavy duty commercial application. You could also try the local Dodge dealer ($$$) or a Semi-truck repair shop.



BTW Tell them you want a group 31 with 1100 CCA or better

 

[DonTX]

Our local NAPA is a "Truck" NAPA, only one I have seen. Has all the Class 8 truck stuff like slack adjusters etc, I got Gp 31 batteries there 6 years or so ago. The 1050 cca for $79 with 18mo free replacement is the best they can do, I even read their books for them! I will probably spring for theirs, can't seem to do any better. Their Optima look alike is sure interesting too, 950cca as I recall.

 

[bgilbert]

Pass on the sissy Optima (Interstate) battery. It has been determined in the past that members sourced Deka batteries locally when the website said they had no distributors within hundreds of miles. But since you've already shopped around, looks like the group 31 from NAPA is your best bet.

 

[tugboatphil]

My favorite is the little square nine volt. Silver in color with a red light'n bolt and a leaping black cat.

Dang, Scott. You just keep going, and going, and going... ... ...

 

[DonTX]

Update:

When looking closer at the DEKA site, they only list DISTRIBUTORS in the general area, I called the distributor who assures me he can get me one locally, am awaiting a call back now. :-laf Oo.

 

[bgilbert]

Good man. Part number something like PMF1231ish... . Top post Group 31 1260cca at 32*, 1160cca at 0*... . beat that cca, let alone the price Optima :-laf !

 

[DonTX]

Further Information:

Talked with DEKA this morning, they are and have been major suppliers for "store brand" batteries, that is why they are not a household name. No dealers in the area, but they told me OReilleys sells DEKA under their name. They agreed they have the top CCA battery in Gp 31 these days, as lead has been going up, each manufacturer has just reduced the lead - AND the CCA.

If you are thinking about a new battery, he informed me that lead had just taken another gigantic leap in price, batteries will be going up lots in price real soon real high.

Gotta go, there is an O'Reilleys just down the street!

 

[Greenleaf]

I use Deka exclusively. Personal and bus fleet. A dealer in Dayton Ohio covers North Central Ohio.



I like the cool black and orange graphics.

 

[DanaLittle]

try sears i got mine from them. 1100 cca about $80 spin truck over good in the cold.

 

[DValentine]

Here is my set up.

 

[DonTX]

Did not make much progress today, went back to NAPA, they had fibbed a little, theirs is only 950CCA for their best. Went to O'reillys as instructed by the DEKA guy, best they can do is 1000 cca, don't have the one DEKA said they should, cannot even order it. Went to Sears too, nothing even close there either. Next move is to call the DEKA guy back and see if his distributorship can get one of them down here. Incidentally, DEKA is only a brand name for the East Penn Manufacturing company, web site here: http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/ :--)

 

[jrjuday]

Don, Car- Quest batteries are made by East-Penn/Deka. I just bought two for a dozer, 1150 CCA I think. John.

 

[DonTX]

I am feeling like a little cloud is following me around and raining on me. I just called Car Quest, they don't have a listing of a battery with more than 900 CCA! If you could give me the store and the part number, the locals say they could order me one in, but they have no such listing! That is a zero degree listing, not a 32, right?

 

[jrjuday]

Don. I just checked the Car-Quest battery in my truck, it is P/N 31HDP30. CA 1260. Couldn"t read the CCA sticker anymore, but I think it was 1050 or 1150 when new. I'll go check the dozer batteries after I get my hungry cows fed. I think one important thing may have been overlooked here, which is reserve amps. These Batteries claim to have a pretty high reserve, which allows them to crank and maintain starter RPMs longer. Can't proove that with my truck 'cause it starts too quick. Been real good batteries for me so far, and the Car-Quest price is lower than at the Deka stores, and the C-Q is 30 mi. closer.

 

[jrjuday]

Don, just checked the dozer and the battery P/N WAS 1131XPMF Deka brand. A little lower CA 1100, and CCA 1000, but it has two batteries. Are you looking for a battery for your motor home? If you are not planning to visit the great-white-north anytime soon, the CCA probably won't be an issue anyway. Also, the "group-31" batteries are designed for rough service/commercial uses and might not be absolutely necessary in an M. H. if you could find the needed cranking capacity in a different group#. By the way, did you ever get that old girl to fire up without ether?

 

[Grey Wolf]

I've used AC Delco 31-901CT batteries for years in truck applications. They are rated at 900CCA's but I've never seen one test for less than 1000CCA's, that's what I use in my truck. Just my 2cents worth

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

After spending most of the day battery shopping, I can report that the supply has changed! I came home empty handed!

I could only find one Gp 31 with over 1000 CCA, that was 1050 at NAPA. The "red Tops" are attractive, but somehow the low CCA scares me, gotta look back at those that indorsed them on this list. Sure like the idea of mounting it on its end for space saving! NAPA also has a "Optima type" battery for sale now too, might be made by Optima even, not real sure. For the Dodge owners, does your manual state a needed capacity for the battery in the pickups?

This is good stuff guys... ... the original battery that came with these trucks was a 1050 CCA..... Later, when they started to put two batteries in the newer trucks they dropped those batteries rated at 1050 CCA and went to the more common 950 CCA models cause there was two in there instead of just one.

Most of the time that is sufficient but personally I'd really like the extra bit of "reserve" that comes with the higher rated batteries.



pb...

 

[Regcabguy]

Hard Starting?

James if you read Elandon's sig you will see he has one of those hard starting 2nd gens that need 2 batterys. :-laf :-laf



I don't think Optima makes a group 31 size.



My group 31 has started me with no problems at -20 without heaters pluged in. I think mine is a 900 CCA.

I can't get my hand off the key fast enough! This truck starts instantly,always has. I do have extreme 12-valve envy though.