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Old 06-22-2017, 06:23 PM   #1
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Is it worth it to invest in the higher priced 8D batteries?

My batteries are .... old. Really old. I have to check the dates on them but I am sure they are ready for replacement, just in case. I'm not having any problems starting yet but I don't want a dead battery in the middle of the desert.

I invested in Crown's for my house bank. I spent 1300-1400 on them. Looking at the price of Trojan 8D's .... ugh. I'm tempted to a buy a set of THESE Duracell batteries. They're 1400CCA and $180 a piece. Thoughts?

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Old 06-22-2017, 07:03 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by warewolff View Post
My batteries are .... old. Really old. I have to check the dates on them but I am sure they are ready for replacement, just in case. I'm not having any problems starting yet but I don't want a dead battery in the middle of the desert.

I invested in Crown's for my house bank. I spent 1300-1400 on them. Looking at the price of Trojan 8D's .... ugh. I'm tempted to a buy a set of THESE Duracell batteries. They're 1400CCA and $180 a piece. Thoughts?
Why not just a couple $80 group 31 batteries?
Mine are holding up GREAT.
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Old 06-22-2017, 08:14 PM   #3
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I second the AGM 31s. Two of these make about one 8D, and they're easier to move around.
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Old 06-22-2017, 08:16 PM   #4
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I second the AGM 31s. Two of these make about one 8D, and they're easier to move around.
2 31's is often better than one 8D. And much easier to move.
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Old 06-22-2017, 08:38 PM   #5
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Yeah, I've got to be in a very good mood to pick up an 8D. Lots of lycopene.
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Old 06-22-2017, 10:50 PM   #6
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The only advantage of 8Ds is their much greater Reserve Capacity for repeated cranking, but if you can temporarily connect your house batteries to the start batteries then you don't need all that RC. A pair of Group 31s are half the price, half the weight, and will start any engine just fine unless you're in Alaska in the winter.

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Old 06-22-2017, 11:18 PM   #7
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Go with the cheap 8d or 31s like others have mentioned. Don't swing for the high end Trojans. You already spent a mint on your awesome Crown house batteries.. call it good.
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Old 06-23-2017, 12:08 AM   #8
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I get my batteries from a local mom and pop battery shop and they serve me just as well as any chain-store batteries (usually better), not to mention being quite competitive on price.

I'd switch from 8D to a pair of group 31 batteries if it were me.
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Old 06-23-2017, 07:17 AM   #9
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I would have done 31 if I didn't get a great deal when I bought the bus to have 2 8d for 375 installed. I've had the bus since April and I keep it on a float charger... Even if I forget to put the charger on for a couple of weeks like I did just recently it has plenty of power to crank right over

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Old 06-23-2017, 09:25 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by warewolff View Post
My batteries are .... old. Really old. I have to check the dates on them but I am sure they are ready for replacement, just in case. I'm not having any problems starting yet but I don't want a dead battery in the middle of the desert.
Jumper cables and AAA? Mine is parked in an RV lot and I jumped with the car when needed. 4 yrs old but got tired of waiting for 15~30 minutes to get it to fire.

Quote:
I'm tempted to a buy a set of THESE Duracell batteries. They're 1400CCA and $180 a piece. Thoughts?
Just bought 2 of these a month back. No problems yet unless you count the strain of the back when taking the cores back. I am NOT on a trickle charger. Fires right up. Got mine from Batteries & Bulbs. 10% discount with online ordering.

https://www.batteriesplus.com/replac.../us-battery/8d

Crap!!! Looks like they are $150 now plus 10% off. I paid $180; time for a phone call.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:34 AM   #11
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Just got off the phone. They don't price match themselves but I figured it out. That isn't the battery I bought. The ones I have are 1400 CCA, those are "only" 1100 CCA.

Heavy Dutys are $180 and 1400 CCA.
https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli8da
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Old 06-23-2017, 02:32 PM   #12
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FWIW I don't even have a master cutoff or trickle charger and the CHEAPASS batteries I run crank my bus right up even after letting it sit for a couple months at a time.
If I had expensive batteries I'd care more, I reckon.
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Old 06-23-2017, 02:40 PM   #13
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Wow, thank you all for the input. EastCoast, I have a pair of cheapo batteries that are doing me fine right now. In fact, I've never had a problem. I have a lot of traveling planned though, possibly even Alaska in winter, and the extra insurance of new batteries would give me some peace of mind. As for the comment on AAA, they don't offer the RV package in my region (Northeast). Currently looking into other options. So the general consensus is two Group 31 batteries for all around starting and stick with the 8D's if I'm looking at sub zero temps?
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Old 06-23-2017, 02:46 PM   #14
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Wow, thank you all for the input. EastCoast, I have a pair of cheapo batteries that are doing me fine right now. In fact, I've never had a problem. I have a lot of traveling planned though, possibly even Alaska in winter, and the extra insurance of new batteries would give me some peace of mind. As for the comment on AAA, they don't offer the RV package in my region (Northeast). Currently looking into other options. So the general consensus is two Group 31 batteries for all around starting and stick with the 8D's if I'm looking at sub zero temps?
From what I've garnered two 31's is better.
My 92 started on one 31 in Kentucky. It was ten or 11 degrees, and icicles were hanging from the roof hatches and ceiling of the bus. Started right up.
For the ULTIMATE, imo, you could go with 3 of the 31's and that would end any worries you should have about having enough cranking power. If I'm spending big bucks on batteries I'd go with Deka's.
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Old 06-23-2017, 02:50 PM   #15
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Just for clarification I have two 8D's now. They are HEAVY.
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Old 06-23-2017, 02:55 PM   #16
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From what I've garnered two 31's is better.
My 92 started on one 31 in Kentucky. It was ten or 11 degrees, and icicles were hanging from the roof hatches and ceiling of the bus. Started right up.
For the ULTIMATE, imo, you could go with 3 of the 31's and that would end any worries you should have about having enough cranking power. If I'm spending big bucks on batteries I'd go with Deka's.
I have 2800 CCA out of 2 batteries. You aren't doing that with two 31s. My bus was built with 8Ds. My bus had 8Ds when I bought it. In the grand scheme of things, rewiring and reconfiguring the battery tray for three 31s would be easy but why bother? I count it as a +4yr investment.
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Old 06-23-2017, 04:08 PM   #17
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I have 2800 CCA out of 2 batteries. You aren't doing that with two 31s. My bus was built with 8Ds. My bus had 8Ds when I bought it. In the grand scheme of things, rewiring and reconfiguring the battery tray for three 31s would be easy but why bother? I count it as a +4yr investment.
2 31's > 1 8D. I thought that's what we were discussing, sorry. My bad.
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Old 06-23-2017, 04:57 PM   #18
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I'll tell you why. The 31s are much less likely to give you a hernia.
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Old 06-23-2017, 05:17 PM   #19
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both of my busses have old batteries in them... I know DEV has close to 5 year old no name brand batteries in it.. and it spun over without being plugged in when it was near 0f outside.. with a fully mechanical bus you have zero drain on the batteries when its sitting if they are good.. many like mine have a big Master cutoff switch on the dash that kills EVERYTHING.. if your bus sits for long periods oftime it might be worth installing such a switch or disconnecting the NEG lead when you park it...
-Christopher
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Old 06-26-2017, 08:32 AM   #20
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2 31's > 1 8D.
I don't remember. If two 31s were more, it wasn't by much. I might have been looking at regular 31s and not heavy duty like the 8Ds (1100 vs 1400 in the 8Ds' case).

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I'll tell you why. The 31s are much less likely to give you a hernia.
Where's the fun in that?

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many like mine have a big Master cutoff switch on the dash that kills EVERYTHING.. if your bus sits for long periods of time it might be worth installing such a switch or disconnecting the NEG lead when you park it...
-Christopher
I still need to buy one. Not sure where to put it. There's not a lot of room in the battery locker itself. And I'd rather turn it on inside the bus than outside. Being RE, I'm not running 2 or 4 gauge all the way up front. I suppose it would be fairly easy to go thru the rear bench. Problem is I don't know what will be covered by bed, water tank, storage, whatever else.
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