I am on my second starter which still has the same cranking symptoms- will crank slow or stop cranking even while holding the key on. I cleaned the battery connections which were corroded and that fix lasted a week. I check the battery voltage which is 12.5 Volts, too low, the alt is putting out 14V. So now I put in a group 27 deep-cycle which is only 575 CCA, but it does have a 200 min reserve capacity at 25 Amps.
The question is: Is 575 CCA enough power to start the engine during the cold NY winter?
I would like to keep the deep-cycle because I feel it would be better suited for on the job site, doors open with the interior lights on, radio on, maybe an inverter and maybe even a fridge.
What do youse think?

 

i would be a bit weary of that... especially if you're gunna have that electrical drain, if that battery isn't completely charged it might not have enough juice to crank it too far.

Maybe you can rig up two batteries and run a switch. If you go to a marine parts store they could help you out there.

You're probably better off just getting a big *** cranking battery. I have a 600 in my truck, its got plenty of juice, altho i would love to have a nice 800+

 

Get a HUGE battery for cranking and running the truck. (Interstate makes a 900 CCA Battery that will fit.) Then use your deep cycle battery for running your accesories while the truck is off. an ISOLATER switch (Available from JC WHITNEY) will keep a really hot battery available for cranking the truck and the ALTERNATOR will charge BOTH batteries when the truck is running!!!
That rhetor, he is so smart!!!


ftwfred

 

i gotta 750CCA battery in my truck and with the stereo playin for a few hrs from the battery, it still turned over easily....also with a terrible winter we had and not startin it for a few days she turned over like nuttin, definatly go bigger CCA. also, if u play on using a lot of equipment, go dual batteries or have a deep cycle just for the accesories and one with some CCA for starting and main truck funtions.

 

i got a 650

 

Your BIGGEST stumbling block is the GROUND CABLE from the battery to the block and frame. It's a ONE PIECE with insulation cut out and a clamp placed over the open area where it connects to the frame. Most everyone when they clean contacts miss this. It won't help much to clean the contact area because the cable is more than likely corroded up INSIDE and is causing a lot of resistance in the cable hence no juice to the starter. Start out cleaning ALL the CONNECTIONS ON ALL THE CABLES(BOTH ENDS AND MIDDLE). Then replace cables as necessary.

12.5V battery voltage is ok. BUT what is it reading when the engine is running. And where are you taking the readings.

Go to a truck shop (18 wheeler) and get the battery cables from them. They usually have #2GA or LARGER. Make sure you use a separate cable from the battery to frame and another one from the frame to the engine block. You could even go so far as to install another one from the starter casting to the frame. SHORTER CABLES = LESS RESISTANCE. Make sure the attachment points are clean metal (do some work with a dremel if necessary) and when you put the connections together coat with di-electric grease.

Use a 650cca or better STANDARD CRANKING BATTERY! 'Stay away from the Deep Cycle.

Larry

 

Deep Cycle batteries are designed to be drained down before charged. They are not meant to start a vehicle. They are used as marine batteries so that you can run your sump pumps, exhaust fans, and stuff without the motor running and it will not draw it down enough that it won't start.

Unless you leave your lights on, or play the stereo for hours and hours, without the vehicle running, you will kill that deep cycle battery in a heartbeat.

You can get higher CCA car batteries. Replace cables, etc.

 

my advice would be for you to get an optima or a napa orbital battery. Those drty cell bats dont cerode your cables and have ALOT of juice in em.

 

MEPR; Galvanic action between the iron on the frame, aluminum clamp and copper cable will cause corrosion. Also Galvanic action and VOLTAGE potentials (even below 1/10th voltDC)between the post and the cable at rest will cause corrosion. Just because it's a dry cell doesn't mean it won't cause corrosion.

Leave a couple of "D" cells in a flashlight for a year or two. What happens? The batteries corrode out and ruin the flashlight. SAME THING HAPPENS on the truck.

You just prolong the inevitable.

Larry

 

Does this apply to my van? If it ever stops raining long enough for me to crawl under and look I will.

The voltage reading was at the battery and was 14V with the engine running.

Thanks

 

Larry, what do you think about some dielectric silicone on the ground contacts /ends to help curb the corrosion problem?

 

Been using the same 12oz. tube of General Electric di-electric grease on all contacts for all my cars for the last 18 years. Also all the plug wires, ANY ignition wire bundles. Basically anything electrical. Even got a Navy Stock Number on it. Born on date is 1965. EXPENSIVE as HELL tho. If it's a connection, it gets coated.

HAVEN'T had any corrosion on any of the terminals, plugs, wires, bundles. Works as well or better than Vaseline coating the terminals. The biggest problem with Vaseline is when it warms up, it runs.

 

Your problem is not the battery. It has to be bad starters, cables, connections ,starter soloniod, or just a lousy state of tune.I have started 460's in Motorhomes with a deepcycle batterys.

 

A conventional deep cycle battery is simply constructed with double the lead plates to increase the surface area available for chemical reaction. I am not current on the industry standards for ratings, however merely going to a deep cycle battery of the same current rating would serve no purpose. For a good analogy consider your conventional car battery to be a AA and a deep cycle to be a C type dry cell. The only advantage to your deep cycle is current reserve. Yes, they do recommend that deep cycle batteries be fully drained, however ALL lead-acid batteries would benefit from a periodic total discharge/charge cycle to reduce sulphates from the plate surfaces. I would highly recommend a DUAL battery setup for your situation.

Oh yeah, and to answer your original question the symptoms you are suffering most definitely sound like a high resistance connection as the others have said. Replace your cables with some of mediocre quality and if you don't have dielectric grease a THIN layer of vaseline will also work(but not so much that it traps contaminants and presents a possible location for a ground). Ensure your connections are metal to metal without corrosion. I had an old '85 F-150 that periodically wouldn't start and it turned out to be my grounding cable.

 

i use the optima red top with no problems (i have 4 100w light on top a set of 55w driving lights an use a warn x8000i winch ) starts right up i will be going to a duel battery system soon for grounding i ran a ground from the battery to the frame 8" piece for resistance and cleaned the engine ground .