Newbie battery advice

[sgmidf]

I'm the proud (at least for now) owner of a '93 Manta Ray I/O with a Merc-cruiser that belonged to a friend of mine. The battery, an Interstate 24m-xhd with 800 CCA is dead (purchased 2009) and I need to replace it. It's size 24m. Is there any reason that I can't replace this with a Diehard Platinum Marine Battery size 34? They seem to be similar in size and CCA and the Sears has a 3 year warranty. It is more expensive but it may be worth it for the warranty and presumably longer charge holding ability.

Thanks...great forum.

 

[Don S]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Should work fine.

 

[sgmidf]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Thanks. It's on sale at Sears through tomorrow at $178 so I think I'll go with it.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Thanks. It's on sale at Sears through tomorrow at $178 so I think I'll go with it.

Those are great batteries. Odyssey makes them for sears.

How did you find them for $178? That's a great price. I don't see that on the web site. Shows $197.99 which is there current 10% off sale.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Used them in my boat for years. I always go with the largest sized battery that will fit so long as it meets the Minimum CCA or MCA for your engine. You can never have too much extra battery capacity!!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Yes, I am going to buy to group 31s for my boat from Sears. Waiting for the best price.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Yes, I am going to buy to group 31s for my boat from Sears. Waiting for the best price.

Wow. That's some pretty heavy duty capacity! I've always gone with the group 27's. I was thinking of maybe upgrading to a pair of AGM's but I do so much bouncing around on my boat I never seem to get more then 2-3 (max) years out of mine. And AGM's as you know are big bucks. I store them in a heated basement over the winter, on wood and charge them every month but still the pounding takes it's tole on the lead plates.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Re: Newbie battery advice

i would think CCA should be kept at safe level for marine engine as your not going to be starting when extremly cold and if ever hydralocked things will break . Starter cranked to long to solve/find problem will burn up series starter motor as it gets hot and resistance lowers hence more amps . I used to think the same and after changing tractor bendixs that broke from so much starting and car starters from cranking so long without checking basics fuel,air ,spark . I now get manufactures recommened cold cranking amps and go biger on size of amp hours/AH as i can afford . Marine are reinforced for pounding enviorment . Keep a small spare of one of those portable jumpers to carry on with trouble light and heck some have Air compressors built in when gettein lock jaw from inflating towable kids things ,tire flats .AGM's require left on special chargers and used in critical applications . Battery lifting magnets is one that comes to mind . Float and equalize circuitry is a must and alternator is not that special charger as it will try to put to many amps in a low one.Just my 2 cents .

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Wow. That's some pretty heavy duty capacity!

I believe the Sears Platinum 31 is the physical size of a 27

http://www.sears.com/diehard-platin...p-02850131000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

 

[tazrig]

Re: Newbie battery advice

I believe the Sears Platinum 31 is the physical size of a 27

DieHard Marine Battery : Buy High-Performance Battery at Sears

Thanks for the tip. I think those will be my next pair.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Newbie battery advice

i would think CCA should be kept at safe level for marine engine as your not going to be starting when extremly cold and if ever hydralocked things will break . Starter cranked to long to solve/find problem will burn up series starter motor as it gets hot and resistance lowers hence more amps . I used to think the same and after changing tractor bendixs that broke from so much starting and car starters from cranking so long without checking basics fuel,air ,spark . I now get manufactures recommened cold cranking amps and go biger on size of amp hours/AH as i can afford . Marine are reinforced for pounding enviorment . Keep a small spare of one of those portable jumpers to carry on with trouble light and heck some have Air compressors built in when gettein lock jaw from inflating towable kids things ,tire flats .AGM's require left on special chargers and used in critical applications . Battery lifting magnets is one that comes to mind . Float and equalize circuitry is a must and alternator is not that special charger as it will try to put to many amps in a low one.Just my 2 cents .

Jimbo, I agree with you on a safe level. Maybe I'm just getting my terminology confused. I wouldn't put in a 1000 cca battery if my boat only needed a 300 cca for example but wouldn't have a problem putting in a 1150 CCA if my boat called for a 1000 cca as I doubt that small of a difference would make a difference. I could be wrong though too. I always figured the bigger the battery without going crazy on the CCA would give you longer life and run the pumps for that much longer if you had a problem. Please correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the AH go up as the CCA increases?

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Don't think CCA will figure in Amp Hour rating as one is measured in discharge to low resistance / starter . Like flow capacities potential if dam failed completely and Amp Hours is rated in discharge in normal loads as water flow from dam at different hole sizes in time with what is held behind in reserve . That is why AH is always lower . 500 amps for 1 hour =50amps for 10 hours =5amps @100hours . Batteries will try to give you all on shorts and is why they are so dangerous . I have had some exciting moments learning this including why you unhook jumpers from charging batteries and ground lead is away from batteries so spark won't ignite any hydrogen gas from charging .Boat/all batteries need to be secure as the make neat holes in alumin john boats ,to big tall ones in demolition derby cars discovered when you close hood will weld closed .Hopes this helps as electricty was best understanded /explained to me with water as potentional /pressure is volts and capacity /amps in flow is all I understood as a kid

 

[mxcobra]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Advanced auto has the same thing - with a differant name on them for under a hundread bucks. Breaks my heart when peaple pay double for somthing just becouse it says sears on it.
Most batterys come off the same assembly line. Their is only 2 or 3 Battery manufacters in the whole WORLD!

 

[mxcobra]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Buy Autocraft Marine / RV 12-Volt Deep Cycle Service Battery, 800 CCA M24-3 at Advance Auto Parts

dont waste your cash

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Advanced auto has the same thing - with a differant name on them for under a hundread bucks. Breaks my heart when peaple pay double for somthing just becouse it says sears on it.
Most batterys come off the same assembly line. Their is only 2 or 3 Battery manufacters in the whole WORLD!

Odyssey makes the platinum battery for Sears and the Odyssey is way more money so you actually save buying the Sears version. The platinum battery is a completely different battery than what you linked to. It is an AGM.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Odyssey makes the platinum battery for Sears and the Odyssey is way more money so you actually save buying the Sears version. The platinum battery is a completely different battery than what you linked to. It is an AGM.

I didn't realize it was an AGM. Thats not a bad price at all!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newbie battery advice

The same exact battery with an Odyssey label on it is another $100.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Its my understanding that the odyssey`s are made by Enersys, and the ones from advance are made by Johnson Controls. When I replaced mine last year I went with one from advance simply for convenience, In the past I have had good service and they back up their battery's. So far it has worked as expected. I have had two of the advance battery fail , and they were replaced at no charge, both were at least 50 % into their life cycle.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Newbie battery advice

I believe the Sears Platinum 31 is the physical size of a 27

DieHard Marine Battery : Buy High-Performance Battery at Sears

Bruce, do you happen to know if I would be able to safely / correctly charge the above diehard with my current diehard deep cycle charger:


Owner's Manual - DIEHARD Battery charger 200713101 - ManageMyLife.com


or would I need to get a new "intelligent charger" that was set up to specifically do AGM batteries? If so any recommendations that actually work but don't break the bank?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newbie battery advice

Go to page 16.

http://www.odysseybattery.com/documents/US-ODY-TM-001_0411_000.pdf

Your charger is not a 3 stage charger. I have a 3 stage charger but it really does not have the current output recommended. At a minimum you need a 3 stage charger.