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Engine Batteries

My 2001 Foretravel U270 was delivered new in October 2000 and came with three Optima yellow top starting batteries which lasted seven years. Since then my experience with similar batteries has been not so good. The last set made it for only a year and a half. As I bought them on Amazon there is no guarantee/warranty.

Suggestions on what to replace these Optima Batteries (8051-160 D31A Yellow Top Dual Purpose) with will be much appreciated. Note all the previous sets were also Optima but smaller.

Thanks, Robert
Rob & Di
2001 U270 34'

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #1 –
Whatever you choose for start batteries make sure you have a smart battery (multi step) charger hooked up to them that is on when the coach is plugged in. It will help them last longer.  My original yellow tops lasted 10 years.  I am at six years on my second set.

Batteries seem like tires.  They are not cheap and they are going to last about 7 years.  So in my annual budget set-aside for expected expenses I have added in some for batteries.  Almost as much tires.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #2 –
We put in 3 new Autozone 34 series Duralasts (Johnson Controls) toward the end of 2009 so we could drive our new to us coach home from Love Valley, NC. About $100/ea then and still working like new today summer or winter. Always keep trickle charger on them.

For not much more money, you can get 31 series commercial batteries from Autozone, etc.

Pierce

Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #3 –
I replaced my starting batteries with a single 8D battery.  It has more than enough for the Cummins recommendation at 32F but not quite enough at 0F, at which point I can turn on the boost switch to give it some help.  Also has enough reserve capacity to meet the Cummins spec which I don't think the smaller batteries did.  Fits perfectly in the original tray, almost like it was designed specifically for a 8D. 
Robert
Build # 5304
1998 34' U270 Cummins 6CTA8.3

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #4 –
I replaced two (our 99' U270 only came with two engine batteries) Optima Red tops with a single 8D AGM Oreilly Super Start. It does require a cabling change, but as it is a simplification having only a single positive and negative terminal, it reduces the possibility of corroded terminals causing a voltage drop. At $450, not the cheapest option but likely a bit cheaper than three Red Tops...
Don
The selected media item is not currently available.
Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #5 –
IMHO batteries perform differently based on year/batch.  Was a particular batch stored in a warehouse in unusually cold weather for a longer-than-usual period before shipment?  Was there a new employee who didn't correctly perform the initial charge of a certain batch of new batteries?  We'll never know.  People seem to have good and bad experiences with the same batteries, if you ask a sufficient number of people.

You'd probably be fine throwing another set of the yellow tops on there, despite the bad performance from this batch.  Most important thing, as others have alluded to, is preventing draw / extended periods of low voltage during long periods of storage and/or cold weather.  Many on the forum have installed a trik-l-start or some variant (I use a Magnum Smart Battery Combiner).  Almost as effective would be to simply disconnect the battery cables before leaving in storage for long periods (provided the batteries are fully charged at that point).

Worth noting - 1.5 yrs seems unusually poor performance.  There is a chance this is unrelated the batteries themselves.  Whatever batteries you use - I would recommend just doing a basic voltmeter measurement to check for some basic problems.
Check voltage upon storage.
Then, check voltage again when you come back to the coach before starting up (Low voltage here might indicate you have an unintended draw on the start batteries).
Then check voltage again after driving the coach around for a few hours (Low voltage here might indicate you have an under-performing alternator/charging system.
James
w/ DW Erin, sons Gideon and Tobias, cats Oscar & Oliver
Fulltime 1999 U270 34' #5508

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Don & Tys (AKA acousticart) –
I replaced two (our 99' U270 only came with two engine batteries) Optima Red tops with a single 8D AGM Oreilly Super Start. It does require a cabling change, but as it is a simplification having only a single positive and negative terminal, it reduces the possibility of corroded terminals causing a voltage drop. At $450, not the cheapest option but likely a bit cheaper than three Red Tops...
Don
Two 34 series or one 8D will work great on the 8.3 Cummins but the 9 liter Detroit comes with three batteries and in the fire service, we got a hesitation using just one 8D so flipped the switch to the both position.

The O'Reilly 8D ( http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/SSBL/AGM8D/N2493.oap?ck=Search_N2493_-1_-1&pt=N2493&ppt=C2389 ) will give about 1450 CCA compared to 1980 CCA for three Duralast 34 series Duralast Battery 34-DL - Read 3 Reviews on Duralast #34-DL  batteries so Detroit or larger Cummins might think about two of the 8Ds.

For extra CCA, check the Duralast 31 series with 950 CCA each or 2850 CCA for three batteries. Check the reviews here: Duralast Battery 31-950 - Read 1 Reviews on Duralast #31-950 Only $117 so a pretty good deal.

The O'Reilly 8D is an AGM so an advantage in a closed compartment.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #7 –
Not to get too far afield I'm not understanding why buying Optima batteries on Amazon would void the warranty?
Steve & Sandy
2003 U320 4220 WCDS, build#6160
Motorcade #17794
USMC '67-'71

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #8 –
Wow, are we lucky. We are Amazon Prime members and I just called their 800 number. They are replacing all three of the batteries at no cost and I should expect them on May 4. No need to return the old ones and probably two are still good. I'm ecstatic.

Rob & Di
2001 U270 34'

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #9 –
Boy, am I cheap--or dumb!
I replaced a bad 8D ($190 + one year warranty) that took two young guys on $20 adrenalin to remove & replace with a 1000CCA truck battery-with 7 year warranty (two years full free replacement) at $127, and I could lift it in & out with one arm.
Battery was weak after one winter in the garage so I took it in & got a brand new one--free. Probably do it again this year.
Trying to lift those 8D batteries mounted crosswise under the steps in our GV is a real pita.
Just how many CCA does the Cummins engines take, and if the engine battery isn't enough when it gets cold why not use the boost feature?
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #10 –
Sounds like Steve & Sandy are the real heroes of today!  A little second guessing never hurt anyone!
James
w/ DW Erin, sons Gideon and Tobias, cats Oscar & Oliver
Fulltime 1999 U270 34' #5508
 

Re: Engine Batteries

Reply #11 –
Quote from: nitehawk –
Just how many CCA does the Cummins engines take, and if the engine battery isn't enough when it gets cold why not use the boost feature?

Cummins manual for the C8.3 states that at 32F, it requires 1280 CCA and 480 minutes of reserve capacity and at 0F, it requires 1800 CCA and 640 minutes of reserve capacity. 
Robert
Build # 5304
1998 34' U270 Cummins 6CTA8.3