Best battery

[FERLING]

I get my batteries from O'rellys auto parts
battery has a free 3 year replacement

willy

Looks like warranty wise this may be a good place that honors warranty for tractor use.

 

[SmallChange]

How much research do you have to do to get a proper replacement? For example, my NH WM25 manual specifies the battery is "660 cca BCI Group 34", and at Interstate's web site there are six different products offered for Group 34 (they're different grades and prices and different CCA values). Would all the ones that have at least 660 CCA be satisfactory and meet the spec? Or is it on me to research overall dimensions, terminal design, etc etc?

 

[FERLING]

How much research do you have to do to get a proper replacement? For example, my NH WM25 manual specifies the battery is "660 cca BCI Group 34", and at Interstate's web site there are six different products offered for Group 34 (they're different grades and prices and different CCA values). Would all the ones that have at least 660 CCA be satisfactory and meet the spec? Or is it on me to research overall dimensions, terminal design, etc etc?

Group 34 Batteries - Dimensions, Features and Recommendations

Group 34 Batteries - Dimensions, Features and Recommendations

www.batteryequivalents.com

 

[5030]

Good chart. I just go by the largest physical dimensions that will fit in the tray, terminal location with respect to the leads and the highest CCA (cold cranking amps when replacing any battery plus my recommendations ( listed in a previous post when buying ANY battery. Rule of thumb is, the heavier the battery is the more lead alloy it contains so the higher the CCA is which means better cranking a cold motor, especially in the dead of winter in an (in my case) unheated barn with no electricity.

 

[52wej]

I have my original battery in my 2004 Century 2535 (Branson 3510 equivalent). The tractor was made in S. Korea and has been very reliable. I will on occasion put a battery minder on it to allow it to trickle charge and desulfonate the cells. The tractor stays in an open shed but we seldom have temperatures that get to 0 or below. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts. W. Jones

 

[ultrarunner]

I have my original battery in my 2004 Century 2535 (Branson 3510 equivalent). The tractor was made in S. Korea and has been very reliable. I will on occasion put a battery minder on it to allow it to trickle charge and desulfonate the cells. The tractor stays in an open shed but we seldom have temperatures that get to 0 or below. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts. W. Jones

That has to be one of the longest posted here.

I too had the original 2004 battery in my BX23 until 2 months ago… it was slow on crank and figured I received my money’s worth and battery is cheaper than starter replacement!

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

My original OEM Interstate branded wet cell battery died the very first night the temperature hit -30F. Less than a year old. Went out and bought a red top Optima battery, and it's been fine ever since. Used to park it outside year 'round. 2 years ago we bought the new house and came with a 40' x 70' shop building. I call it a "shop", but the floor is gravel and it's not insulated (has lights and power).

So the Optima still sits in an unheated shed and it has never needed a jump or a trickle charge. Sits sometimes for weeks at a time, cycle the glow plugs once and bingo, starts right up.

Love me my Optimas (truck and wifey's car also have them).

Best battery I've ever had.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I buy a battery I go to one of two wholesale houses where stock turns over fast…

We sold Interstate for decades… even back in high school I was the person to see for batteries…

The Interstate Distributor in Oakland built quite a business with hotshot deliveries and well liked.

He became bitter when told they were consolidating territories… he could buy the adjacent one or be bought out…

He said the hell with it and retired…

When I asked him about the batteries I learned the manufacturers are not always the same and the old battery in my service truck manufacturer no longer made batteries for Interstate…

With the change we were seeing shorter life whereas before the top line lasted well beyond warranty…

With the closure I lost 30+ core credits and service not so good as often same day not available so we dropped…

 

[RSeanV]

Hi,

Trying to find a modern equivalent battery for my Yanmar FX175D.
The Yanmar part Nº is 194208-51310 & description = Y100-S6L according to my parts manual.
I can’t check against the dead battery as it’s non-standard.
At a guess, the dimensions are ~ L=215mm, W=140mm, H=160mm.
The battery in there is 450A, but I don’t know the required spec.

Thanks for reading

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I bought this one yesterday,

IF it holds up like the other group 31 Interstates I've owned have, I'll be a happy camper!

SR

 

[RSeanV]

I bought this one yesterday,

IF it holds up like the other group 31 Interstates I've owned have, I'll be a happy camper!

SR

I think that’s a bit too big to fit into my FX175D!
At a guess, the correct battery is just under 8 ½” long, 5 ½” deep, 6 ⅓” high (L=215mm, D=140mm, H=160mm in metric: I’m in France!)

 

[Williy]

I don't tell them what the battery is for just take the
battery in and say I need a replacement

willy

 

[RSeanV]

I don't tell them what the battery is for just take the
battery in and say I need a replacement

willy

That only works if you have the correct original battery to take. I don’t, hence my question on here.

 

[Williy]

Its not always the original battery I very seldom
have the one that's called for as I get higher CCA
and then I check for the warranty and sometimes
the original battery may have just the min amount
of CCA's and I want more been doing this ever since
I can remember. I have taken the battery out of one
vehicle and put it in another just measure for the size
and get me another battery. I have had batteries that
have exploded just glad the hood was down and not
around it when it happened. So just measure for size
and get your self what ever will fit and make sure the
posts are the same.

willy

 

[SmallChange]

I don't tell them what the battery is for [...]

Don't they need to know the use if they're going to support the warranty?

I mean, if you're buying it to teach yourself arc welding, they probably wouldn't want to issue a guarantee on that.

 

[California]

That only works if you have the correct original battery to take. I don’t, hence my question on here.

I handed AutoZone a dead sealed 12V battery from a UPS, about the size of a brick and 7AH, for the 'exchange' during the transaction when I bought a car battery. The clerk accepted it, no problem.

(But I later dropped of the real exchange, without explaining anything).

 

[California]

I think that’s a bit too big to fit into my FX175D!
At a guess, the correct battery is just under 8 ½” long, 5 ½” deep, 6 ⅓” high (L=215mm, D=140mm, H=160mm in metric: I’m in France!)

Some Yanmar batteries had a water level sensor reporting to an indicator on the dashboard. I don't think that model battery is available in the US. Maybe in Europe?

Just match the dimensions and CCA of what you have. Or better, take out your battery and measure the space then buy maximum size/CCA, and terminal location, that will fit your space.

 

[Vigo327]

Don't they need to know the use if they're going to support the warranty?

Followup question: At what point is society victimizing Walmart rather than the other way around? I don't break things on purpose, therefore with all the other things i know about Walmart i am a LONG way from feeling bad for them about battery warranties.

Even then, it's maybe 60% percent policy and the other 40% is who you happen to talk to at that moment. They don't even stick to their own policies so it doesn't much matter what it is, in my opinion.


Battery sellers will generally accept any kind of lead acid battery as a core return for a car battery. Makes sense because a happy customer is worth more than the difference in scrap money between two different sizes of lead battery. The actual accepting of cores is just a necessary evil to go along the states allowing them to charge for not turning in cores in the first place. I'm sure most retailers wish everyone paid the core and didn't give them a battery to have to deal with at all. But it's been an INCREDIBLY successful 'sin tax' because now something like 99% of car batteries get recycled, which is tremendously important when you look at the health effects of lead in the environment.


I agree with cheapest, followed by heaviest. At this point im usually buying Walmart value line and marine batteries which i expect to outlive their short warranties anyway, but i guess i would put length of warranty in there at 3rd place.


Keeping lead acids alive comes down to a few major things followed by a bunch of minor ones. Do not let it sit at less than fully charged for long periods. Don't let it discharge deeply preferably ever, but as little as possible is nice. Engine cranking usually doesn't qualify as a deep discharge because duration is so short. They live longer in cold climates, so cooler storage generally makes them last longer. The less vibration, the longer they last. Avoid buildup of filth on top of the case between terminals because it WILL conduct electricity in many cases (poke it with a meter, it's measurable) and present a drain.

So a battery that's stored in a cool/cold place, allowed to fully recharge after each drain, and generally used shallowly and infrequently, will live a long time.

 

[PILOON]

My battery theories!

1-largest battery to fit the space.
2-Highest CC amps
3-permantly wires quality 'keeper' in the circuit.

My present CUT sports a used phone company battery (5 yrs old when installed)and now pushing on to be 11 year old, and perhaps older.
Usually need 2 cycles to get my glow plugs ready to fire but on coldest winters (Canada) it has not let me down yet.

Quality 'keepers' are IMHO a very wise investment.

 

[rScotty]

I never did understand the cheap battery theory. If the battery doesn't work, neither does anything else. Doesn't that mean that the battery needs to be the best rather than the cheapest?