Battery

   / Battery #21  
Gel batteries (like Optima) and AGM batteries in a class of valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries. They are sealed and can be used in any orientation, won't spill acid, and tend to tolerate vibration better. The main advantage of VRLA for us tractor types is their very low (compared to normal "flooded" batteries) self discharge rate; they won't go dead if they sit uncharged for weeks or months (well, they do but very slowly). On the minus side, they are less tolerant of overcharging. With spiral-wrapped gel batteries, like Optima, the cells are cylinders and this limits battery size and shape to an extent (width is 150% of the depth). AGM batteries use rectangular cells so they can be just about any rectangular shape. VRLAs cost about twice as much a flooded batteries but don't last about as long, all things being equal. It's easier to kill a flooded battery by undercharging or contamination and easier to kill a VRLA by overcharging. My 2006 DK45S still has the original AGM battery, I think (not sure because I bought it used). All this notwithstanding, there is no value in putting too much battery in your tractor unless you plan to run the radio for long periods with the engine off. If a healthy battery can't start your Kioti, almost immediately, something in the tractor needs to be fixed. The exception would be a very cold climate. But even there, a block heater and battery heater are a better strategy than a super big battery. The super big battery can cause excess stress and wear of unlubricated surfaces until the oil flows; but the block heater helps the oil flow quickly and the battery heater will yield the full cranking amps. on a related topic, a good synthetic motor oil will flow at much lower temperatures than conventional oil.

Probably why most off-road racers use Optimas in their trucks etc.
 
   / Battery #22  
Gel batteries (like Optima) and AGM batteries in a class of valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries. They are sealed and can be used in any orientation, won't spill acid, and tend to tolerate vibration better. The main advantage of VRLA for us tractor types is their very low (compared to normal "flooded" batteries) self discharge rate; they won't go dead if they sit uncharged for weeks or months (well, they do but very slowly). On the minus side, they are less tolerant of overcharging. With spiral-wrapped gel batteries, like Optima, the cells are cylinders and this limits battery size and shape to an extent (width is 150% of the depth). AGM batteries use rectangular cells so they can be just about any rectangular shape. VRLAs cost about twice as much a flooded batteries but don't last about as long, all things being equal. It's easier to kill a flooded battery by undercharging or contamination and easier to kill a VRLA by overcharging. My 2006 DK45S still has the original AGM battery, I think (not sure because I bought it used).

All this notwithstanding, there is no value in putting too much battery in your tractor unless you plan to run the radio for long periods with the engine off. If a healthy battery can't start your Kioti, almost immediately, something in the tractor needs to be fixed. The exception would be a very cold climate. But even there, a block heater and battery heater are a better strategy than a super big battery. The super big battery can cause excess stress and wear of unlubricated surfaces until the oil flows; but the block heater helps the oil flow quickly and the battery heater will yield the full cranking amps. on a related topic, a good synthetic motor oil will flow at much lower temperatures than conventional oil.

Well said!!! With all my experience with dual 6 volt systems in series I am against using the system.

2 6 volt batterys connected in series means,
12 volts but Does NOT double the amperage. Amperage stays the same. Two six volt batterys with 300 CCA will still have 300cca. More connections to fail.

I don't blame you for wanting a better battery for all means but you could have 1500 CCA and the starter will only handle so many amps at a time.

Check connections

Clean connections

Check cables

Paint connections after done cleaning to insulate them

With cold weather you need to worry about more than a battery as previously stated. Deep cycle batterys can take more abuse than a normal battery just as optima battery's are stronger than your regular battery.

One more thing, before starting your tractor you can plug in a battery charger to "top off" the battery before you start it maybe 2 hours to 4 hours before. This will keep it ready and will keep it cycled and warm makes a big difference. Best time to plug in a block heater and battery tender or charger.
 
   / Battery #23  
im confused why you need more cranking power. Mine fires up in 2-3 seconds after turning key. The preheat and plug in heaters do wonders.
 
   / Battery
  • Thread Starter
#24  
diesel lover - I heard the statement on 2x6 volts in series. Thank you. That is the part I hadn't heard before.

I need to get an Optima for the Heep in Spring so I might as well get two and put one in the tractor. I could put the one out of the Heep in the boat for a starting battery and get another Optima for the house battery. The boat has two cheapie CTC batteries in it right now.

Batteries don't like cold temperatures. The more CCAs the better in my eyes. By cold temps I am talking -30*F . I tried to start her yesterday, the temp was -30F. After the glow plugs got cycled twice she cranked slowly and wouldn't fire. I am guessing it is the battery, OR it could be that I didn't give the block heater enough time to warm things up. I'll go outside tomorrow (Thursday) and trouble shoot it. I will be putting a battery charger on it for a couple of hours.
 
   / Battery #25  
At minus 30 you definitely would be best off with a full synthetic motor oil. Your battery may be straining to turn over your engine but your engine is probably trying to tell you to go back inside and don't spin a bearing due to lack of/no lubrication to the engine parts. More CCAs may just end up spinning your motor into a destroyed state. Unless there is an absolute need to start in arctic temps, why risk serious damage to your machine? I wouldn't.
And Interstate are some of the best made batteries out there, I know first hand because I sold them from my foreign auto shop for many years, and use them in my tractor, boat, cars, trucks, etc.
Check with your selling dealer as to what the warranty is. I have 9 in use as we speak.
 
   / Battery #26  
I have an Interstate 12Volt battery that came with my Kioti (2012).
(A) How long is this battery supposed to last. Answer:Much of this depends on the amount of use, maintenance (keep the electrolyte levels full) and the quality of the battery. The longest I have had a battery last is 6 years in my truck and that I believe was because it sat unused for 8 months( some of which had a battery maintainer on it) at a time for the first 2 years so no degradation of the battery happened. In my experience, after 4-5 years on any battery, you are living on borrowed time on automobiles simply because they have a high demand for power with all of the equipment on them. Diesel tractors that don't have a lot of extra lights have very little draw and 6 years or more is quite common for a battery to last if maintained. My 2009 Kubota has original lead acid battery in it and going strong.
Question is; (B) wouldn't 2 of 6 volt batteries wired in series do a better job? The answer is yes and no, If you got two 6 volts with the same CCA of the one 12 volt and put them in series you would get more amps to draw on for longer period of time before draining the battery Older tractors of larger engine/higher compression needed those amps to crank with but not the CUT's of today. One 12 volt supplies plenty of amps to do the job so there is no need for 2 batteries. Besides that, there is really no place designed to put an extra battery on our tractors today. You likely don't have the amp capacity on the alternator to charge two large batteries without damage to the alternator. MY LS P7010 (70HP) cranks quite well on one 12v battery even in colder temps. This could also be because of todays starters with super magnets in the stator produce more cranking power with less amps. Using the glow plugs even after engine starts sometimes help them to rev up quicker rather than stutter and smoke excessively. I noticed the NH of my brother in laws didn't want to rev up even though it started with one cycle of the glow plugs. I hit the switch to energize the GP's and it came to life then.
I for sure know that you don't want to kick the voltage up to 24 volts because while it may spin the heck out of the starter, you will burn it up quickly.
Other advice on using a block heater, battery heater blanket etc is also good advice, but the main thing is that if your vehicles aren't cranking easily when turning over, fix the problem. IT's not the battery. All my engines crank within in a second of 2 at most when properly using glow plugs. If your diesel has to grind and grind on the starter to crank, there is other problems than battery.

PS: on an old AC WD45 we had once, it was notorious for hard to start. It used 2 ea large 6 volt batteries and still turned too slow to start about half the time. Dad replaced on of the 6 volts with an 8 volt so it used 14 v and it cranked much better. I don't even know if you can find an 8 volt battery today but they were pretty common in the early late 50's-60s. The 14 volts didn't even need to put a resistor in the light circuit.
 
Last edited:
   / Battery
  • Thread Starter
#27  
I think most of my problem is that the block heater was only on for about a half an hour and the temp was -30F. I'm going out in a few minutes and will put the battery charger on it. Tomorrow, in the morning I will fire up the block heater and warm it up good for a couple of hours before I try starting it. (I get up at 7, but I don't bother to get around to doing anything until noon.)
 
   / Battery #28  
Here in VA we normally don't get super cold temps, but this January has been different. Several consecutive days of subfreezing temps. As my tractor is only covered by a tarp and kept under the back porch (no garage), I remove the battery and bring it inside for Jan until early March. Probably unecessary, but makes me feel better!
 
   / Battery #29  
If we are getting a snow storm and cold temperatures I always plug in the block heater the night before and in the morning it always starts like summertime after I activate the glow plugs.
 
   / Battery #30  
I think most of my problem is that the block heater was only on for about a half an hour and the temp was -30F. I'm going out in a few minutes and will put the battery charger on it. Tomorrow, in the morning I will fire up the block heater and warm it up good for a couple of hours before I try starting it. (I get up at 7, but I don't bother to get around to doing anything until noon.)

I have a 1997 f150 with a freeze plug installed block heater. I also have a laser temperature gun that goes from -75°F to 980°. Has to be plugged in for at least 3 hours to make a difference on the coolant temperature measured at the thermostat and upper/lower radiator hoses. 4 or 5 hours works better. It was -14° F here a few weeks ago. I needed to make sure my truck would start so I could get to the truck shop I work at. I knew it would start when it was that cold as I had to start it at work without the block heater. It was the sounds, hard cranking etc that I didn't like. If I plugged it in for at least 4 hours than it would make a huge difference.

If I knew I had to start it soon after a nights sleep I would come straight home, shut the truck off, plug in the block heater, go to bed and the truck would whip right over sometimes like it was 50°F outside. I do not know if it makes a difference to plug it in when the coolant is cold or warm but it seems like mine maintains the coolant temperature well.

One more thing, you could buy a timer for christmas lights etc from a home improvement store. They are usually rated for 1800 watts is your good to go. Then you could set the time you want the timer to turn on for 5 hours before you have to plow the driveway.
 

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