Group 31 Battery Recommendations

[TheBryceIsRight]

Hey y'all!

So my bus came with two Group 41 batteries.
Centennial Battery Systems C-31-9ST CCA: 950 to be exact

Don't know if those are good or bad but basically they died. Went too long over the course of the winter and below freezing temps and discharged. Took them in and they wouldn't hold a charge any longer. So buying new ones.

First question is where are y'all buying your batteries? It seems Group 31 are a little trickier to look up than 8D.
Second, some people were floating around 1200+ CCA. Is that true? I couldn't see anything beyond 1125. Is that necessary? I mean clearly 950 didn't hang in there or help. (Of course no clue how old the batteries were to begin with)

So any recommendations on where to purchase and what to go for?

Appreciate it!!!

[rossvtaylor]

We've had good luck, especially for the great value, with $75 Group 31 Napa batteries which our local Napa stocks. They only have a 1-year warranty, but we've found them to last as long as the more expensive ones. Our Napa doesn't have them up front, with all the other batteries on display behind the counter, but they have 2 pallets of them in back. Granted...we *do* have a business account there, but it's worth asking about them whether you have an account or not.

[Iceni John]

My local NAPA gave me a hefty discount when I bought two Group 31s because I was a AAA member! It's always worth asking. Large truck and bus dealers also sometimes have great deals on Group 31s: ABC Bus just down the road from me had them last year for much cheaper than anywhere else. And they're commercial batteries, so often there are no warranties!

John

[EastCoastCB]

I go for the Rural King G31's if I can. They're cheap and last me as long as any other battery.
For me a starting battery isn't something I pay name brand prices for.

[TheHubbardBus]

You can kill a great battery in a day, or milk a 'meh' battery for years, all depending on how you treat it. If it dies prematurely due to defects that's what the warranty is for. Only thing I'd pay more for are additional CCAs when the application calls for it. At least with a bus. Other applications may benefit from more expensive technology (glass mat / gel / etc) but unless you're running your bus in the Score 400...

Lots of rebranding in auto batteries. Very likely you're comparing prices on two identical batteries with a different sticker slapped on.