December 2023 winter is about to finally arrive for real in new Mexico. On the last nice day for a while I figured I should test my battery. Old battery is a group 27, rated for 650cca, made in 2020 but was also leaking acid around both terminals so I was kinda looking for an excuse to replace it.
I tested it, was sitting at 12.2v figured there could be a small electrical drain. Battery tested bad with my snap on battery tester. "490cca replace".
I pulled the battery charged it, let it sit for 5hr, now it was as 12.3v, tested again "510cca replace battery"
So I start battery shopping. Cheapest is $150. Something I would use started at $200 and went way up from there.
About the same time at work the boss decided we're replacing 1 to 1.5 year old flooded group 31 batteries rated for 1,000cca with 850cca 34/78 optimas.
I figured okay, but dumb.
Then the boss said "if they're still good you can keep them, I don't care". Out of the 8 flooded group 31s I replaced 2 of them tested over 1,000cca.
All I had to do was make a group 31 fit in a group 27 hole. Thought at first it might drop right in. Nope.
The + battery cable had been cut back once or twice and is too short. Made a new longer thicher one.
The m6x1 battery bolts were too short, I just needed to fire up the bolt stretcher and make them an inch longer. Maybe..
Last I noticed the battery wasn't sitting all the way down in the plastic battery tray.
All I had to do was cut away a plastic lip and it dropped right onto place. Bolts were still too short, easy fix.
The original battery hold down fit across the group 31 no problem.
I replaced the budlight drinking redneck style "stripped wire, bolted to the terminal" garbage with proper swaged ring terminals and navial style battery lugs.
I tested it, was sitting at 12.2v figured there could be a small electrical drain. Battery tested bad with my snap on battery tester. "490cca replace".
I pulled the battery charged it, let it sit for 5hr, now it was as 12.3v, tested again "510cca replace battery"
So I start battery shopping. Cheapest is $150. Something I would use started at $200 and went way up from there.
About the same time at work the boss decided we're replacing 1 to 1.5 year old flooded group 31 batteries rated for 1,000cca with 850cca 34/78 optimas.
I figured okay, but dumb.
Then the boss said "if they're still good you can keep them, I don't care". Out of the 8 flooded group 31s I replaced 2 of them tested over 1,000cca.
All I had to do was make a group 31 fit in a group 27 hole. Thought at first it might drop right in. Nope.
The + battery cable had been cut back once or twice and is too short. Made a new longer thicher one.
The m6x1 battery bolts were too short, I just needed to fire up the bolt stretcher and make them an inch longer. Maybe..
Last I noticed the battery wasn't sitting all the way down in the plastic battery tray.
All I had to do was cut away a plastic lip and it dropped right onto place. Bolts were still too short, easy fix.
The original battery hold down fit across the group 31 no problem.
I replaced the budlight drinking redneck style "stripped wire, bolted to the terminal" garbage with proper swaged ring terminals and navial style battery lugs.
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