Suggestions for New Battery
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More Turbo
Joined: May 2012
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From: San Antonio
Suggestions for New Battery
My battery is dying and I am looking for suggestions for a new battery. My 64 F100 with Stock 292 is a weekend driver with a generator. I read some of the old post on batteries and it reminded me of conversations on motor oil. I thought I would ask for a set of new opinions.
Historically I have bought the largest battery that would fit in the vehicle which is a group 27. I am considering getting a Dual Purpose Starting/Marine battery. These are supposed to be designed to handle deeper discharges for extend periods without sulfating and permanently dying. Weekend driving in a generator powered truck has a similar discharge/charge pattern.
Opitma has Dual Propose for 2x the price but if it last for more than 3 years I will be happy. Dead batteries are my pet peeve.
Thoughts or suggestions?
Historically I have bought the largest battery that would fit in the vehicle which is a group 27. I am considering getting a Dual Purpose Starting/Marine battery. These are supposed to be designed to handle deeper discharges for extend periods without sulfating and permanently dying. Weekend driving in a generator powered truck has a similar discharge/charge pattern.
Opitma has Dual Propose for 2x the price but if it last for more than 3 years I will be happy. Dead batteries are my pet peeve.
Thoughts or suggestions?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: VA
Sounds like a good idea. I've been thinking of doing something similar or going to a dual battery system in my truck. Regular starting batteries always start to go downhill after they've had a couple of bad discharges...
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From: VA
Yeah, that's good to go by. I've got a 460 and a 525 amp battery, and if I have to crank much it's toast. I really need to get a better battery or go to a dual battery system.
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: Golden, CO
I've got an '05 F350 that I bought a month ago. Has the original Motorcraft Tested Tough Max series 750 Amp batteries. There are 2 of them, and they work great, even after 7 years. I've tested their voltage after a 2 day rest and they showed 12.5 volts. I live in Colorado and my truck sits outside every night, and it gets cold here, well below freezing. On the nights I'm too lazy to plug in my engine block heater or my battery tender, the batteries crank my truck up just fine. Because of the awesome 3 year and limited 100 month/unlimited miles warranty, I may get another pair soon. I think I'm playing my luck now since the batteries are over 7 years old.
Posting Guru
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From: VA
I've got an '05 F350 that I bought a month ago. Has the original Motorcraft Tested Tough Max series 750 Amp batteries. There are 2 of them, and they work great, even after 7 years. I've tested their voltage after a 2 day rest and they showed 12.5 volts. I live in Colorado and my truck sits outside every night, and it gets cold here, well below freezing. On the nights I'm too lazy to plug in my engine block heater or my battery tender, the batteries crank my truck up just fine. Because of the awesome 3 year and limited 100 month/unlimited miles warranty, I may get another pair soon. I think I'm playing my luck now since the batteries are over 7 years old.
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 38
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From: Golden, CO
Dual battery setups are run in parallel. So, theoretically, as long as you can find a spot for another battery in the engine compartment, just hook up the second battery in parallel via the terminal threads, and keep the posts for the hookup to the truck. Ford's parts website sells all of the stock parts and provides schematics, all you have to do is punch in your truck model. But it might be cheaper at O'Reilly's or Autozone. They sell battery cables pretty cheap. I converted my pop-up to a dual battery setup in parallel, cables only set me back $20 and they're 4 feet long each.
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: Golden, CO
Nice. You can get a long life out of batteries if they never get run down badly, and it's much harder to run a dual battery setup down badly. I really want to figure out how to mount another battery in my truck, it takes a good amount of power to crank my 460 (7.5l) over.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: VA
Dual battery setups are run in parallel. So, theoretically, as long as you can find a spot for another battery in the engine compartment, just hook up the second battery in parallel via the terminal threads, and keep the posts for the hookup to the truck. Ford's parts website sells all of the stock parts and provides schematics, all you have to do is punch in your truck model. But it might be cheaper at O'Reilly's or Autozone. They sell battery cables pretty cheap. I converted my pop-up to a dual battery setup in parallel, cables only set me back $20 and they're 4 feet long each.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,522
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From: Townsend, MT
A group 31 commercial will fit in a group 27 box. They are just taller. Around here, the cheapest top of the line Interstate 27 was $6 cheaper than a NAPA Commercial group 31 (looks identical to an Interstate in EVERY aspect except the NAPA on the sticker. Even the stickers were the same).
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More Turbo
Joined: May 2012
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From: San Antonio
I will look at the commercial group 31. Bigger is definitely better and the newer technology batteries are expensive. I used "cold climate" batteries in Alaska and they lasted 5 years. The light batteries I get in Texas only last 3 years regardless of the warranty.
I measured my top battery retainer and it is 12 1/4 long and the spec for 29 and 31 is 13 inches. It one will fit so will the other. I may be 3/4 inch short.
I measured my top battery retainer and it is 12 1/4 long and the spec for 29 and 31 is 13 inches. It one will fit so will the other. I may be 3/4 inch short.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
GM & ChryCo batteries look the same as Ford, have a similar group number, but it begins w/a G and the terminals are reversed.
1961/64 F100/250 2WD: The largest available battery was R-29NF / 5 1/2" wide, 13" length at top, 9 3/32" high.
R-27F (70 amp) & R-27FA (80 amp) were introduced in 1965 / Both: 6 13/16" wide, 12" length at top, 8 1/8" high.
If you want a H/D battery with the most cold cranking amps, get a helicopter battery.
Dual batteries were not available in F100/350's until 1973, and then only as an option.
If you find dual batteries in a 1972 or older F100/350, most likely they were installed by an RV dealer.
First year for a diesel engine: 1983, F250/350 only.
Posting Guru
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From: VA
For the OP, a dual battery setup wouldn't look stock unless you could mount a second battery where it was hidden.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Mddl A MexCans
A tender is cheap and rigging something so you dont need to lift the hood to hook it up would be easy. But if you have the $, then getting a REALLY GOOD battery and being happy about it works too 
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More Turbo
Joined: May 2012
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From: San Antonio
I have a tender for my toy car convertible. I am too lazy to hook it up most of the time. I am going to get an extra bolt on battery lead for the truck and wire both as you suggested. A fully charged battery on a tender will have a very long life.
I have decided to get a dual purpose starter/deep cycle battery. The discharge/charge cycles on my truck should be similar to what it is designed for and get better at putting the tender on.
I have decided to get a dual purpose starter/deep cycle battery. The discharge/charge cycles on my truck should be similar to what it is designed for and get better at putting the tender on.