What do yall think of this battery?

[Sharpe]

I am looking at this monster to replace the two wal-mart cheapos that I currently have in my trail truck. This single battery has as much cranking power as both of my cheapos. Any reason not to get it?
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?lang=-1&catalogId=10002&storeId=10001&categoryId=22267&s earchItemId=84579
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[Doug Krebs]

I think I only paid around 170 for mine at the interstate dealer on finfeather a couple years ago.

[Sharpe]

You got one of these monster ones? I think they're called group 31s?

[Sharpe]

http://www.e-marine-inc.com/products/alternators/isolators.html

Check out this isolator. Its the cheapest one I've been able to find. Its for a marine application so I figure its decent quality. Size isnt really an issue for me, but price is.

[BMFScout]

That's the exact battery I'm running. I got it off some chinamen lady off of ebay. Delivered to my door, I think I paid around $100-$130ish. I once ran it down trying to start my pile of poo until it wouldn't turn the starter, then winched myself up the obstacle with what was left over. I like the idea of a deep cycle b/c my truck sits a lot ;)

[JeepPhisherman]

I got a case of the ED...


Battery in my truck is toast, so I've been looking around for a new battery. Optimas seem to be **** lately since they've changed hands, but Advance has the red tops for $145 or so. Odysseys are the new battery to pimp, but they're rediculously expensive. Exide Orbitals still seem to be pretty unknown, but the reviews I've read have all been good.

Napa and NTB stock them, so I called around this morning. NTB has the group 75 for $173.99 and Napa has them for $152.99 with exchange. Warranty is 24 months free and prorated up to 7 years :eek:

I'm thinking about picking one up and checking it out, anyone heard anything bad about them?

Exide Select Orbital Sealed VRLA (AGM) Automotive Battery - 84 Month Warranty 12 Volt
BCI Group Size..Part Number..CCA at 0° F..CA at 32° F..RC min @ 25 Amps..Dimensions (in.)
78DT...............ORB78DT-84.......770...........950....................95.. ..............10-1/8x7x8
75DT...............ORB75DT-84.......690...........850....................80.. ..............9x7x8

[Doug Krebs]

Sucks optima went to ****. My red top from 97 has been in my blazer, our tractor, and now my truck. In 10+ years I can't ever remember charging it and it's cranked the previous mentioned vehicles after sitting for months.

[Seth]

Sharpe I would run two batteries still. Stock those things come with at least 1300 cca. Maybe even 1700.

[Seth]

Also, you can get sears batteries i think that come with a 6 year full replacement warranty.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

I had a yellow top optima in my black truck, and in less than a year it quit holding a charge. When I got the buggy, I switched to a exide orbital, and now run one in my 4runner. I like them, and they have never given me a problem, even after I left the 4runner for a year without running it. Another cool thing is that the orbitals have two holes in the middle of them that make it very easy to build custom tie down mounts.

[BroncoJo]

I went from optima to orbital and can't be happier, I could not get a brand new optima to hold a charge for more than a week of sitting, seriously, i was going through one about every two months in the bronco.

[agjohn02]

Another cool thing is that the orbitals have two holes in the middle of them that make it very easy to build custom tie down mounts.


got a pic?

[DRAGOONRANCH]

I am thinking it is the ~3/4"square holes that would be between the round "cells"

[agjohn02]

if scotti's old optima desnt work im gonna get my money back and get one of those.

[JeepPhisherman]

I had a yellow top optima in my black truck, and in less than a year it quit holding a charge. When I got the buggy, I switched to a exide orbital, and now run one in my 4runner. I like them, and they have never given me a problem, even after I left the 4runner for a year without running it. Another cool thing is that the orbitals have two holes in the middle of them that make it very easy to build custom tie down mounts.

Are you running one of the auto orbital selects? I picked up at blue top orbital from Academy yesterday and got a decent deal on it, but I might take it back and try to find a marine starting orbital or just stick with the orbital select g78.

[JeepPhisherman]

Specs on the red- (top) and blue- (bottom) top batteries from Exide:

BCI Group Size..Part Number..CCA at 0° F..CA at 32° F..RC min @ 25 Amps..Dimensions (in.)
34T.................ORB34M-36.......770...........950....................95.. ...............10-1/8x7x8
34...................ORB34DC-36.....750...........925....................100... .............10-1/8x7x8

[CRaSHnBuRN]

got a pic?


I looked, but I don't have a decent one. You can kind of see it here

http://tamor.us/members-rigs/albums/album163/100_0019.jpg

Basically I ran a plate on top of the battery with two bolts running through the holes pictured in Ed's post to sandwich the battery in place. It made for a very simple yet very strong mount. I'll be doing a similar setup in a few weeks when I go to dual batteries in the back of my 4runner, and will try to get better pics then.

BTW, I also think JR with the bronco buggy on pirate did something similar to this on his last buildup

[JeepPhisherman]

So that's just the standard orbital eh?

[CRaSHnBuRN]

Are you running one of the auto orbital selects? I picked up at blue top orbital from Academy yesterday and got a decent deal on it, but I might take it back and try to find a marine starting orbital or just stick with the orbital select g78.

I'm running whatever Napa sells. I can't remember if napa sells three versions or this battery like optima does (red, yellow, blue), but I always thought the ones I got were the yellow ones (like in the picture above)

[CRaSHnBuRN]

So that's just the standard orbital eh?

pretty much so. I wish I still had a hook up at napa, the one on my buggy only cost me 80 bucks

[JeepPhisherman]

You can finagle(sp?) them down close to that...

[CRaSHnBuRN]

well, that was around three to four years ago, and my hook up was the napa owner's son. The last time I bought one of these batteries I payed alot more, but I still don't think it was near the prices you have listed

[DRAGOONRANCH]

Anybody know what size the holes are, if they are big enough, I would like to take some solid stock and drill and tap one end for a bolt. I have been looking for some good batteries to put on the GN for the winch.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

If I remember correctly you can fit 5/16" in there with no problem. A 3/8" bolt fits, but its a tight fit and you may have to file a little of the plastic to get it to fit, but not enough to hurt the battery.


What I plan to do is weld a coupler nut to the bottom plate, sticking up into cavities between the battery cell. Then I will simply thread a bolt in from the top, similar to what I did before. If you can wait a few weeks, I'll try to get my dual battery setup installed and I'll take pics and measurements

[JeepPhisherman]

I looked around at some more batteries today. NTB has the group 78 Orbitals, but they want $184 for them and won't price match batteries. Sam's Club has Red/Yellow/Blue top Optimas, the Reds were $138, the Yellows were $155 or so. I couldn't find anyone to ask about price matching. I still haven't made it to a Napa yet, since there aren't any good auto places near me because no one in my part of town works on their own vehicles.

I'd really like to find a red top Exide just becasue using a boat battery that is meant to be slowly drained and re-charged all the time kind of worries me, and I think I could get the red top for $30 cheaper or so.