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batteries in lmtv?

spankybear

Well-known member
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Location
WA
I think you would be better off getting group 24 battries. That is what I installed They will fit in lengthwise and with a little work the cables will fit. I got blems from Interstate batteries.
 

Aernan

Member
510
19
18
Location
San Jose/California
I am in a different situation. I am going to fly in a retrieve a truck with a 1000 mile trip ahead of me.
The truck will jump start but I want to replace the batteries with group 31s for the long trip. Is this a straight forward to replace 4 original military batteries with 4 group 31s?
Thanks
The batteries will fit in just find but be a bit low from what I'm told. You will also need some ratchet strap or something else to hold them down. The main battery cable is very flexible and you should be able to route it easy enough.
 

deshet

Active member
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35
28
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
Will the group 24s or group 31 be more straight forward install.
If I go will group 24s is it 4 of them also?
I am tempted to go with group 24s from Walmart because I can return the cores to any location. (and the Walmart warranty)
The interstate batteries locations all seem to be independently owned and will not except cores from others stores. They also want a $60 core fee for each used battery (not blem)...a waste of $240 in cores since I will be 1000 miles from home.

Thanks for the help
 

spankybear

Well-known member
880
904
93
Location
WA
Will the group 24s or group 31 be more straight forward install.
If I go will group 24s is it 4 of them also?
I am tempted to go with group 24s from Walmart because I can return the cores to any location. (and the Walmart warranty)
The interstate batteries locations all seem to be independently owned and will not except cores from others stores. They also want a $60 core fee for each used battery (not blem)...a waste of $240 in cores since I will be 1000 miles from home.

Thanks for the help
Yes you will want to go with 4 group 24 batteries. I believe I got group 24F batteries. Everything is the same but the - and + post are swapped. Should not make a difference as long as they are all the same (all 24 or all 24F). I believe Johnson Controls makes Walmart batteries. In my opinion Johnson Controls makes the best batteries. They also make interstate... I tend to stay away from any battery made by Exide as I have had nothing but bad luck with them.

Another idea would be Costco... they have interstate batteries and I believe they have the best warranty in the business and nation wide also.
 

deshet

Active member
146
35
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Location
Virginia Beach, VA
I just want to confirm that the 24F has the terminals on the correct side versus the group 24.
Does anyone know for certain? I plan to get the Uber to take me to Walmart directly from the Airport before getting to the truck.
Thanks again
 

spankybear

Well-known member
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Location
WA
I just want to confirm that the 24F has the terminals on the correct side versus the group 24.
Does anyone know for certain? I plan to get the Uber to take me to Walmart directly from the Airport before getting to the truck.
Thanks again
The 24F was made for Ford since the positive post on the 24 would be next to the body and could short out. So they had the post swapped so the negative would be next to the body. The post are not centered front to back. It makes no different in the LMTV battery box as the post will not be next to the body. You just need to make sure they are all the same either 24 or 24F. The size of the battery is exactly the same. The positive posts will be towards the inboard or center of the truck. There is room to slide the battery front to back in the truck. If you have a 24 you can more the battery one way or if you have a 24F you can slide the battery the other way front to back. The reason I went with the 24F was that is what Interstate had blems of and at 35 bucks a piece and 15 dollar core charge it was the cheapest way to go.

I can say with 100% certainty that 24F batteries will fit with no issue... I am 99.5% certain that a group 24 will fit. You will have to play with the cable routing a tad. I bought new termail bolts and extenders to help... like these here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CQBNJ4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bolts https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00030CPIM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good luck and God speed!
 
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spankybear

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WA
20180607084201_IMG_1211.jpg

They are just sitting there at the moment. I will be building a hold down but it's lower in the list of stuff I want to do...
 

scottmandu

Active member
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Location
Texas
24 should work as well as they are the same dimension the only difference are the terminals are flip flopped. I think I used the 24F because walmart had a sale for $40 each.
 

spankybear

Well-known member
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Location
WA
Thinking about it I think it may work better is you used 2 24 and 2 24F batteries. It would space the post farther apart and you would'\n't need to bend the cables as much... Maybe next time.
 

spankybear

Well-known member
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Location
WA
devils advocate..... what is the advantage?
of the group 24s?... well price for one I got all 4 including the core charge for the price of one 6TL. Also availability... you can get the 24s anywhere the sell batteries...
 

mechanicjim

Member
90
40
18
Location
Chicago il
sorry my bad.. poor communication. Let's try again

What is advantage of six 24's over four 24's?
the advantage is to for a general reason of adding more capacity to the system that's the short answer.
the long answer is Reserve Capacity and Cranking Amps, when you run batteries in series the voltage adds but the amps stay the same, when you add batteries is parallel the voltage stays the same but the amps add, so in this case for every two you add to pack you get more amps while maintain the same voltage.

the math for simplicity lets say 12v battery with 1000 Cranking Amps
so two batteries in series 12+12=24volts 1000amps total,
two batteries in parallel 12 volts 1000amps+1000amps= 2000 amps (this is how you would jump a dead battery adding the needed amps but not change the volts.)

so two in series 24v 1000 amps . two of these sets in parallel is 24v 2000amps (this is your 4 battery setup in a 24v truck)
add two to this set up and you get 24v 3000amps( this is your 6 battery setup in a 24v truck)

this also works for Reserve capacity theoretically you can run engine off loads longer with more batteries in the system as you have more amps to play with.
 

coachgeo

Well-known member
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Location
North of Cincy OH
the advantage is to for a general reason of adding more capacity to the system that's the short answer. .....
wellll..... There is always a point of diminishing returns which is the Devil's Advocate point I was leading toward... what practical value is there in the increased capacity/reserve; except being able to drive further if your alternator goes out? (that is if the alternator does not direct power some things) I guess if you had a 24v air conditioner it might be of value as well? Am sure there is something that makes it a value tham am just not seeing.
 
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spankybear

Well-known member
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Location
WA
wellll..... There is always a point of diminishing returns which is the Devil's Advocate point I was leading toward... what practical value is there in the increased capacity/reserve; except being able to drive further if your alternator goes out? (that is if the alternator does not direct power some things) I guess if you had a 24v air conditioner it might be of value as well? Am sure there is something that makes it a value tham am just not seeing.
Adding a AC unit really will not effect Reserve Capacity or Cranking Amps. It's more for if you want to run things when you are not running the engine. If you have a camper on the back you can run on battery longer and still get your truck running. It's like a fuel tank... the more capacity you have give you longer run times... Also with cranking amps you will start the truck easier in cold weather. More will make the truck turn over eiser on a very cold day...
 
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