Educate me on battery choices

[JJZ 109]

Here's how I'd approach your battery choices. Find out what battery was OEM to that application, then, taking into account what improvements have occurred since 2001 in battery technology, adjust accordingly.

I've Googled and looked through the Telsta service/parts manual that came with the truck. Nothing mentioned. It'd make life easier if I could find that info somewhere.
I just emailed a Trojan battery distributor from about 100 miles away. Hopefully they get back to me next week with some information.

 

[Coyote machine]

I hear you, that you'd like the info; sometimes it takes extra research time, finding long term owners/operators by searching used truck' owners, etc. The time spent can pay off in getting what you actually need, vs. guessing.
Who primarily bought these trucks? Utilities? Tree companies? What are current, similarly equipped trucks using for their bucket batteries?

 

[3930dave]

This is a separate battery that powers the lift. The V10 in the truck has it's own battery. There's a switch in the cab to activate power to the lift. The way it's been explained to me, when that switch is on, the lift battery powers the lift and is isolated from the rest of the charging system so that the truck battery doesn't get sapped. When the lift switch is off, the truck alternator charges that battery.
I'm kind of leaning toward the NAPA deep cycle (I believe Deka makes their batteries) in my earlier link, but the listing doesn't show amp hours.

I'd definitely go deep-cycle for your application. Deka or Trojan.

Your battery isolator switch does it's job - guaranteeing you can start the truck. Public Utility crews often just leave the truck running, so don't have the issue you describe. Then again, they don't pay for their own fuel - guessing that you do.

Even a deep cycle battery does not like to be deeply discharged, often - they survive this use better than starting batteries, but that is somewhat a damning with faint praise comparison. At the end of the day/week, battery maintainers can help, but your in-day use can be a factor too.

If you work 30 minutes at one site, then drive 40+ miles to another job, a healthy alternator should keep a hyd. pack battery happily topped up - given that the isolator switch is returned to the Charge position.

OTOH, if you work at one site for 2 hours, drive 1 mile to another site, work 3 hours..... you get the picture.... your hyd. pack battery may be suffering at the end of a long day like that.

Depending on your truck use patterns, I'd be tempted to hook up something like a Honda EU2000i to the hyd. pack battery - quiet, and they can put out 8amps DC for battery charging. Fire it up when you are parked on site - no matter how long you are there, the hyd. battery should be fine. A small Honda can be a good solution, but any generator+battery charger would work for this though. Some Telco trucks run on-board generators, for similar reasons.

(P.S. I'm no expert on bucket trucks, I'm only guessing at 8 amps being enough - I'm assuming just sporadic bucket movement for positioning, and light hyd. tool use now and then.).

Rgds, D.

 

[JJZ 109]

I hear you, that you'd like the info; sometimes it takes extra research time, finding long term owners/operators by searching used truck' owners, etc. The time spent can pay off in getting what you actually need, vs. guessing.
Who primarily bought these trucks? Utilities? Tree companies? What are current, similarly equipped trucks using for their bucket batteries?

I bought the truck from a dealer in PA who specializes in bucket trucks. They get them at auction and go through them fairly extensively before reselling them. I actually found my truck on the website of the auction company that the dealer got if from because the auction company left the information up for a few months. It originally belonged to Optimum Cable, I believe out of Long Island. The truck has what they call a splicer body on the back.
My previous bucket truck was an Altec. I still have an account with them and I bet they could enlighten me. The previous truck ran the lift with 2 standard size deep cycles instead of one huge battery like this truck has.

 

[Degolyerent]

How big is the alternator?

John

 

[JJZ 109]

How big is the alternator?

John

Good question. Stock for a 2001 F450 V10 as far as I know, but maybe higher performance for this application. Another question deserving some research. A quick look is showing 110 amp for stock, with optional 130.

 

[JJZ 109]

I believe I'll order a NAPA 8286 deep cycle today. Big battery, same dimensions as the current Deka 908 DTF. Will likely also get a Pro Logix 2520 charger/maintainer/reconditioner to keep right on the truck and plug in at the end of the day.
Thank you for all of the posts and assistance in getting to this point.