|
05-27-2017, 12:32 PM
|
#1
|
New Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 8
|
Where do you get giant starter batteries
I have an E-450 based cutaway shuttle bus. I was having trouble getting it to start and finally solved the problem. My other starter battery has a bad cell. Unfortunately this thing is HUGE. The size of 3 or 4 normal vehicle batteries.
specs: C8D3, CCA 1300, CA 1560, RC 435
How does one go about replacing such a thing. Will they just order one for me at advanced auto? Sorry if this is kind of a silly question.
Thanks in advance!
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 01:02 PM
|
#2
|
Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheStinker
I have an E-450 based cutaway shuttle bus. I was having trouble getting it to start and finally solved the problem. My other starter battery has a bad cell. Unfortunately this thing is HUGE. The size of 3 or 4 normal vehicle batteries.
specs: C8D3, CCA 1300, CA 1560, RC 435
How does one go about replacing such a thing. Will they just order one for me at advanced auto? Sorry if this is kind of a silly question.
Thanks in advance!
|
If it were me, I would consider the possibility of replacing it with a pair of "Group 31" batteries (the common truck-style batteries typically grouped together). These Group 8 batteries like you have are adequate, but very heavy and awkward to manhandle, and as you found out, one dead cell will leave you stranded.
Not many places will have a Group 8 battery. The group 31's are fairly common. Not sure if Advance will have these (or Wal-Mart, for that matter). I generally use a local mom-and-pop battery shop, he keeps dozens of odd sizes in stock and usually beats chain-store prices.
If you go this route, you'll probably need to change the battery cable ends, and get the short cables to wire the second battery to the first.
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 01:02 PM
|
#3
|
Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
|
You have an 8D battery. They're very heavy, so most of us prefer using two 31s or some such setup.
Go to your local farm supply store to get a good deal on batteries.
__________________
Robin
Nobody's Business
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 01:15 PM
|
#4
|
New Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 8
|
Thanks. That sounds like a good plan, but can somebody direct to some information to figure out what to get and how to wire it? Parallel? series? Is there such thing as too much power? I know there's such a thing as too little. I'm not very good with this electrical stuff, just need my bus to start every time.
thanks
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 01:25 PM
|
#5
|
Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheStinker
Thanks. That sounds like a good plan, but can somebody direct to some information to figure out what to get and how to wire it? Parallel? series? Is there such thing as too much power? I know there's such a thing as too little. I'm not very good with this electrical stuff, just need my bus to start every time.
thanks
|
Wire the 31's in parallel. Do *NOT* wire them in series (you'll get 24 volts to your system than way, likely destroying fuses and sensitive electronics!).
Red-to-red, black-to-black.
Given that you're running a Ford van, presumably with a 7.3 diesel, two group 31 batteries should be fine for starting. One strong battery would probably do it for a few weeks.
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 01:29 PM
|
#6
|
Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 1,497
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins 24v
Rated Cap: 72 pax
|
To keep 12v, wire all the positives together and all the negatives. See illustration below.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 01:55 PM
|
#7
|
New Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 8
|
Thank you so much!
So here's what it originally had: 850cca battery and a 1300cca battery totaling 2150 cca
I now have two 850cca batteries in good shape totaling 1700 cca.
Is there a reason not to just get a battery with 450 cca to round it out? That would make for a three battery starter system. Is that rational?
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 02:08 PM
|
#8
|
Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
|
No, it's not really rational to have a three battery starting system. It's overkill. Two batteries is great. It starts well now, doesn't it?
__________________
Robin
Nobody's Business
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 02:09 PM
|
#9
|
Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 1,497
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins 24v
Rated Cap: 72 pax
|
If you have the room and the funds, more is better.
When I bought my bus it had 2 dead 8d (the big ones). I know I won't need them, they will run the starter and body/head lights. There won't be the 8 ways or the strobe. I won't be driving a bus route with lots of idle time. But I got a good deal on 2 8d Batts, so I put 2 in. A Cummins 5.9 would have been just fine with 2 group 31 batteries.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
|
|
|
05-27-2017, 02:39 PM
|
#10
|
Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
|
Quote:
So here's what it originally had: 850cca battery and a 1300cca battery totaling 2150 cca
I now have two 850cca batteries in good shape totaling 1700 cca.
Is there a reason not to just get a battery with 450 cca to round it out? That would make for a three battery starter system. Is that rational?
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396
No, it's not really rational to have a three battery starting system. It's overkill. Two batteries is great. It starts well now, doesn't it?
|
Nah, I wouldn't mix-and-match batteries like this. Some big trucks use 3 batteries and many road tractors use 4. The reason isn't so much because they need 4000 CCA, but because as the batteries age, they don't provide as much power. I had a Volvo last year with a Cummins ISX engine that wouldn't start during a cold snap. When I went to the battery shop, it was determined 2 (of the 4) were completely dead, 1 was weak, 1 was fair. So we established that I had been starting on 2 batteries for some time. Also, the dead batteries "felt light" compared to the others, they were "dry", so to speak.
|
|
|
05-28-2017, 12:30 PM
|
#11
|
New Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 8
|
so maybe i should just use the two 850cca batteries I have and not worry about it? It's seems like a relatively small power loss (450cca) considering I don't need to run the wheel chair lift anymore.
|
|
|
05-28-2017, 12:59 PM
|
#12
|
Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheStinker
so maybe i should just use the two 850cca batteries I have and not worry about it? It's seems like a relatively small power loss (450cca) considering I don't need to run the wheel chair lift anymore.
|
That's what I feel. I can't see that 7.3 needing more than 700-800 amps to start. If you ran 1600 amps through the battery cables you likely have, they'd probably melt fairly quickly anyway.
I had one battery going in my IH 9L (and the hot post wasn't even tight, it was merely making light contact) and I was able to start it up. Then again, the 9L doesn't have much of an electrical system either, no glow plugs or preheater.
|
|
|
05-28-2017, 02:08 PM
|
#13
|
Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,848
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
|
my T-444E (7.3) seems to need very little power to start... even in 0 degree temperatures, i used one glow plug cycle and it started up just like a warm day .. it didnt hardly swing at all.. (and thats with 15W40 rotella regular oil). my ammeter charged heavy for less than a minute before backing way off showing mew that I didnt use a lot of battery power.. I have 2 group 31 Batteries dated like 2013 or something so they are old and still work fine.
-Christopher
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|