Reference.....The Battery issues

Jim recently added a nice write up on batteries.

Sealed maintenance free vs the serviceable liquid filled type.

The corroded battery tray in the picture Jim posted is what you will get with the liquid filled batteries that have the service caps.....

A great choice for nearly any rig is the AGM (Absorbed glass mat) type battery.
A common brand is the Optima (Has the goofy looking round column type case.....Comes in RED TOP, YELLOW TOP, BLUE TOP

The different colors are for various applications
Red...Common high output suitable for trucks
Yellow....Deep cycle
Blue top...Sort of a dual purpose.

Many manufactures offer the AGM type batteries.....Optima was one of the first IIRC
Napa offers one as does Interstate and a host of others.

Most AGM batteries can be mounted almost an way you like and will not leak.

We had an Optima Red top in the Skid Steer last for over 10 years before it finally gave up.

I have heard (Street chatter) that the OPTIMA is not what they used to be.....but they are still a good battery.

An AGM battery (OR A PAIR) are a great choice for the starting power needed for a diesel pickup.

Your battery tray will thank you.....and you will be happier next time you need to remove the battery cable or work anyplace near the battery.

Most AGM battery manufactures offer side terminal, top terminal or a unit with both on the same battery.

I prefer to use the heavy top stud with the marine type heavy clamp on terminal.

These have a threaded stud to secure the cable.

Solder on the heavy copper lugs to the cable and then fasten to the lug with a nut and washer.

Corrosion deep into the cable strands will and does cause cable failure and when the copper terminal is soldered on so all the strands are filled with solder the crud can't get in.

Use ROSIN CORE SOLDER....****NOT ACID CORE****

A piece of shrink tube slipped over the cable before soldering the assembly together and then shrink the tube to cover the end of the cable and the soldered portion of the terminal.

Make a really neat looking job.

This type of set up will keep you from fighting a deeply (Hidden) corrosion issue that can and does cause power transmission problems.

A spare set of the little marine battery terminals tossed in the glove box can be a life saver out in the boondocks.....

The Marine terminals usually give very little trouble on the AGM batteries as there is not the issue with ACID leakage and corrosion.....


Just some observations from a lot of years beating on these rigs...

Motorcycle, ATV, aircraft, marine and many other manufacturers have mostly all gone to AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries for a host of reasons. Among those reasons are: 1- They don't leak in most any position. 2- They don't fail as a result of not being serviced - they are maintenance-free. 3- They tolerate inactivity far-far better than wet acid batteries... they can hold a charge through the winter even without being recharged periodically (though the manufacturers recommend recharge maintenance every couple of months). But, AGMs are more expensive than wet acid batteries.

The ACDelco branded maintenance-free sealed top batteries (not advertised as being AGM) were always my first choice, but recently, I've found many on the market that physically look just like ADC, but are branded differently (I suspect made in the same factory). I bought two from Wal-Mart 4 or 5 years ago for Lil Red. They have never leaked a drop and still hold a charge through months of inactivity. Last fall, I bought a couple more maintenance-free batts from NAPA that look just like the ACD. We'll see how they do long term. Jim

Battery article link: https://www.thedieselpageforums.com/...e&goto=newpost

The batteries are certainly better when it comes to holding up and not wasting the rig and the wiring/connectors.
We always put an AGM in the skid steer.
That rig is a 1996 model. on it's 3rd battery now.

All the pounding a skid steer gets into and the battery hangs in there.

that i took out of my diesl this morning has a 12/07 date code! The ones that came from the factory only lasted 6 months. I made SEARS and WALMART RICH !!!! Now I will keep OPTIMA replacements with the side and top terminals on all my cars.

Actually.
The glass mat type battery is offered by several Mfg's
Optima is just the one that always seems to come to mind.

AGM = Absorbent Glass Mat

Then there is the Gel type battery

Far and away better than the old liquid filled cell type. (Rot the rig away) RTGA :(