Greetings,

The weather has turned cooler and on a recent outing, I ran my battery down running the radio, dvd player and other accessories on my '96 AWD. Of course I had my back-up portable booster battery, so jumping the car was no problem. Now I'm shopping around for a replacement and want something that will handle the drain of using a variety of 12v accessories on frequent weekend outings. I think marine or deep cycle batteries will do the trick, but I really don't know what would fit or how to pick one out. Any recommendations.

Also tell me if this will work. The afore mentioned booster battery has a cigarette lighter plug for recharging. I hate the way the van runs after the battery has been disconnected while the computer relearns the operating parameters, not to mention having to manually reprogram the 30 presets on the stereo, set the clock, etc. If I have the booster battery plugged into the cigarette lighter when I do the battery exchange, will it keep the van and stereo from forgetting everything?

 

If you do that, you not only got to keep the radio stations, you also got to keep all the settings on the engine computer. It saves you from having to get the engine computer to relearn everything. I would strongly recommend that you do that. But make sure all the accessories are off. The juice is going to go through the cigarette lighter to the fuse box, and then to other things. If the head light is on, or some heavy current draw is going on, you'll blow the fuse for the lighter, and then you lose all the settings

Also, I would be weary of using deep charge cycle batteries in cars. These batteries are meant to be used until almost empty, and then recharged, unlike automotive batteries that must be kept fully charged all the time. If you keep drawing down the deep charge batteries only partway and then charge them up again, the batteries will suffer from memory problems, very much like the earlier versions of laptop and appliance batteries. Anyway, that's what I believe to be true, but I could be totally wrong here. Hopefully someone who has done that before can shed some light on the subject.

 

Good idea about using the jumper pack to retain all the settings.

Consumer Reports had a recent article on automotive batteries and to my surprise, the top rated battery turned out to be Duralast (AutoZone brand). This is not to imply it was the "beefiest" (most CCA) but represented the best value of cost and amperage.

I think you can Google "battery group sizes" and get the dimensions for each group then match marine/deep cycle groups to standard automotive group dimensions. At the next outing, perhaps you could get a buddy to park alongside, jumper cable the two batteries and then party on dude!

 

I WOULD NOT recomend doing that while replacing the battery.


Why? There is an off set chance that while you are removing the old battery or installing the new battery, you will get a spark which will cause an explosion (like the Positive lead hitting a piece of grounded metal,) Or a surge in the the electrical system. I would not take the chance, I know it is a PIA to re-set everything, but it is better than having to replace the computer or yourself.
As for best battery, I would go with the red top Optima. It is a deep cycle battery and almost every car audio junkie has one in there 5,000w systems vehicles. Has been number one for decades, can't beat it and they last a long time.

 

I can't remember when I've replaced a battery and have not gotten a spark. I connect the positive first and the negative always sparks.

Is there some way to avoid this?

 

Draco... I concur with 'Nighthawk. Your application is begging for a red top Optima battery. I see them for $97 at the Costco near me, and they're worth every penny/. Also, Costco's "Kirkland" line of batterys are also a great buy for the buck, outperforming more expensive Exide and Interstate batteries comparible in power, warranty, CCA's etc. For jumper cables, quit using pansy cables. I'm not saying that you are, only to invest in a quality set of 2 to 1 guage cable, with added length. Again, those kind of cables send the maximum amount of juice to the vehicle being jumped. The "jumper" vehicle that's running benefit from quality cables, because there is not a huge electrical drain from it's system, or uneeded "spikes" or "surges" which can occur with cheap cables. Also, with what you are doing, make sure your Aerostar has a good 2 guage or 1 guage ground cable, in leiu of the stock 4 guage. I replaced my neg. (-) cable on my Aerostar with a 1 guage cable with a piggyback ground wire to the fender. I also added a engine (3.0 V6) ground strap to chassis (easy) extra. Really, for an older Aerostar, batteries last long, alternators last long, lights are bright when running full accessories such as heater / AC, wipers, stereo, rear window defogger etc. Lastly, you should never have much of a spark when jumping. Running vehicle, + to dead battery +. Running vehicle neg. (-) to dead vehicle engine block (preferred) or unpainted metal bracket that attaches somewhere into the dead block. Never to dead (-) battery cable. ED
PS Duralast batteries are okay. Wife's Escort GT (Group 58) has a Duralast Gold battery almost 4 years old, with never a starting "issue". I usually replace batteries at 5 years, whether dead or not, so I don't get stuck some Friday night, after having dinner at a resturaunt. Turn the key. "click, click click click cccclllllliiiiccccckkkkkk...then nothing. Been there years ago, hated that!...

 

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Also, when the dead vehicle is started and running, disconnect in opposite. Remove grounded to block (-) cable. Then - neg. cable on jumper vehicle. Pos + cable from dead vehicle and last connect from Pos. + jumper vehicle making sure cables never touch one another. You're done!

 

The Duralasts at Autozone also are a good bang for the buck.

I never understood the obsession with deep cycle batteries unless you have a high power amp in the vehicle. If your Aeros all stock a regular battery with a decent amount of CCA will suffice.

 

Hi Draco,

your Aero's problem is not battery amp/hour capacity but max. alternator output, unless your batt. is old and developed high leakage and lowered amp/hour output capacity. '96 Aero alternator puts out 95amps max. which is easily exceeded by all the accessories and aux halogen lights we add
i currently run a 200 amp alt on mine and is still not enough at times. the mega high power audio kids run 2 or 3 large alternators 400 to 600 amp total. over the road truckers with fully equiped large live aboard rigs will run 1000 amps total alternator plus 2k to 5k 120v AC gen. off engine.

130 amp upgrade will serve you well and is reasonably priced and installation. plus will solve the problem of running your start battery dead, Aero's don't run well when the PCM sees low voltage, computer dies

the red top Optima is NOT a deep cycle, it is a cranking amps designed batt. the yellow Optima is their deep cycle.

Do NOT use a deep cycle batt for your main engine crank battery, not rated for max cranking peak current draw, can current limit the starter motor and cause NO Start problems during cold weather and engine problems
Marine rated batts in same usually just have a stronger case, thicker more rigid plate insulators and bolt stud connectors.

Put in a separate deep cycle batt with isolator for all your audio/vid equip. mount in rear with min. #1 copper + lead copper cable to it, welding cable works well, heavy rugged insulator and flexible. fuse line under hood with 200 amp marine fuse and mount isolator under hood, ground to frame near batt. mount in marine sealed case with vent line to outside, drill floor.

your start pack will not supply 12v back thru cig lighter socket, if designed correctly, has a reverse current blocking diode.

to save your PCM settings, use your start pack and jump to opposite ends of in vehicle battery cables before disconnecting batt. will keep the KAM alive, parallels vehicle batt. just be careful with the plus batt connector, can weld with it, put in section of old inner tube to insulate

 

Great! The knowledge of this group is truly encyclopedic

Thanks for all the feedback and insight into batteries and charging systems. I'll be looking at the Optma and Drualast.

I'm really not a heavy duty user, I just like to listen to the radio (40 watt) or watch a small TV/DVD player around the campfire. I have all the interior lights turned off to conserve power. In the past, I've gone a whole weekend without running down the battery, but last weekend it wouldn't crank the car on the 2nd day. . .

I don't know how old the battery is, as it was on the van when I bought it from the Post Office 16 months ago. I can't even tell what brand it is, as it is completely covered with a plastic shell that can only be removed when the terminal are disconnected. Is that cover standard Aerostar or something the government put on it.

Anyway, I keep the trusty jumper battery pack in the van so I don't get stranded. It also makes it easy to be a good Samaritan when you come across motorists with a dead battery in the parking lot.

 

some auto parts houses will run a free load capacity test on your old batt
how do batt. connections look? clean and tight?

 

Deep cycle batteries are really not for automotive use. They are designed for campers, trailers, and boats. They are designed to be charged and drained repeatedly. A regular battery is designed to remaine mostly charged most of the time, neither battery should be stored unless they are fully charged. Deep cycle batteries have no benefits when used in a car, and they cost a lot more. An Optima is a better buy. Corroded terminals and cables will cause poor chargeing, also consider that your battery may be showing the first signs that it is dying, so perhaps a new battery alone will work, regardless or brand or type.

 

I remember my stock 96 Aero battery was a Motorcraft and had no indications on it whatsoever it just had the warning on the cell covers and nothing else no labeling anywhere and it finally died in 2004.

If the battery is a Motorcarft odds are its a stocker and its ready to kick the bucket.

 

96 has the right answer, 2 batteries and an isolator.

ken

 

As 96 suggested, I took the van down to the Advance Auto Parts and asked for a battery load test. They performed a full test on the charging system, battery condition, etc.

In a word, everything is Hunky Dory. They didn't even suggest I was ready for a new battery.

I guess Aerostars are just to doggoned dependable and trouble free.

At least this thread will keep Mr. T. off my back.

Thanks again for all the enlightening feedback. When the time comes for a new battery or alternator, I know what to look for.

BTW, the machine used for the electrical test had a Memory Saving feature. A unit that could either be pluged into the cigarette lighter or connected to the battery leads while installing a new battery.