Battery Advice needed

[BIG_RED]

and I have 3 RED TOP Optima 1000 CCA's for my 12 volt accessories and my 2500 Watt 110 volt inverter

Aren't "Red Tops" Starting batteries? Starting batteries generally don't last very long with Inverters or any other "high amperage for a long time" loads (Hydraulic power packs, winches, ton's of lights, etc). Might want to find some deep cycles (my favorite are golf-cart batteries) to run your toys and put those red tops into other vehicles as starting batteries (or add 2 of them to the starting battery box).

 

[3dAngus]

Red tops are not Red tops, which are not red tops.
Same for yellow tops.

They are hybrids.
I have 4 yellow tops in my golf cart that are high current for starting, and slow drain for deep cycle. You have to do your research when you buy optima batteries. My yellow tops are specifically for starting high powered diesels WITH LOTS OF ELECTRONICS to tool around with.
They also make yellow tops simply for high powered diesels and very little electronics.

I'll take them over all the fishing deep cycles I've ever had over the last 35 years.
Sooooo much better!

 

[Cycletek]

They are adequate for the load, I am using a 2500 Watt Xantrex Inverter programed for the demands of the optima Batteries not one of those cheap Chinese Copies. My loads on the inverter are measured and light. In my bus I have 10 T105 Trojan 6 Volt Deep Cycle Batteries with 2 3000 Watt Xantrex Inverters which are charged off my 24 volt system through a Vanner Equalizer when traveling, I flip to the 1100 Watts of Solar on the roof which is controlled by a Morning Glory controller when stationary and I have a 200 watt Wind Generator to add when it is windy. My home is run off of 5000 Watts of Solar and 2000 watts of Wind generation, I have 30 T105 Trojans to store power. I have not paid an electrical bill in 5 years.....I have a bit of experience in designing and maintaining a stand alone electrical system....but you are correct on the Yellows having a better recovery cycle, but my Red's never dip that far because of the efficiency of the Inverter, which is 97%....besides I had the Red's in my shop and I was going to our SoCal SS Rally so time was an issue, I only used 4 tenths of a volt all weekend off those 3 Reds anyways......

 

[6x6TRex]

Clarification: They are the same batteries each having temperate and cold weather ratings:
Group 34
Cranking Amps (CA) 1000/ Cold Cranking Amps @ (32° F) (CCA) 795
The ratings are listed on the red portion of the batteries in my pic.

I wouldn't pair up dissimilar batteries.

An additional note, they are also wired up to a Solargizer.

Ok that makes better sense! Your first post had me confused.

 

[MyothersanM1]

Ok that makes better sense! Your first post had me confused.

Sorry. I must've been typing with marbles in my mouth...or I lost my marbles...or something.

 

[Hammer]

A pair of 8D blemishes from the local Interstate truck. About $70 each (used to be $40 each a few years back...)
The plates are very thick in these batteries, and they are STURDY!

 

[bogshotrods]

2 8D batteries, easy to wire in, slight mods for battery tire down. You will like them. We are using them in several trucks. Glen

I like the idea of usng 2 8D batteries instead of 4 AGM batteries in the M923A2, could you post a pic of the install or email that to me direct at bogshotrods@charter.net. I'm not real good with electrical connections so wiring to get 24 volts might be a challenge so a diagram would be greatly appreciated also,

Thanks,

 

[Smckerigan]

I went out to the local Napa store and got 4 new batteries with 1100 cca each and i think they were $99.00. Went out today after setting for a week and my m939a2 fired right up at 6 degrees.

 

[bogshotrods]

Wow, thanks I'll have to look into that. Were the NAPA batteries maintenance free , not that I mind checking em from time to time ,but at 99 bucks that's great . Much better than the Hawker batteries

 

[simp5782]

Positive to truck/slave to positive battery # 1. Negative battery #1 to positive battery #2. Negative to truck/slave to negative battery # 2



http://www.steelsoldiers.com/attachm...0&d=1340244104

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=420870&d=1340244104

 

[Smckerigan]

Yes there maintenance free and it's been cold here and I can go out and she will start up. And they had a 18 month free replacement and then prorated.

 

[Guyfang]

I have only seen a handful of HAWKERS not come back to life. Emmando has the right advice. The army has special battery chargers for HAWKER's. Pump up the amps, 99.5% of all HAWKERS come back to life.

 

[bogshotrods]

Thanks for the help, greatly appreciated

 

[joesco]

I brought my four Hawker Batteries back to life using what I believed to be is one of the best and intelligent chargers available, the NOCO Genius G7200 Smart Charger. It took four days to do all four batteries after a bad PCB had toasted my Alternator. Now they work like new!

 

[bogshotrods]

Thanks, I did read an article posted here about how to re-generate the hawker batteries and found a charger that has an option for AGM batteries and had to tap into a neighbors 110 outside outlet ( truck sits on undeveloped property across from my residence) and will try to being em back. Got it fired up yesterday and drove it around for about an hour so hopefully that will help also so time will tell. It doesn't help that I live at 7100 feet in the mountains and it's bee in the teens over night

 

[bogshotrods]

Thanks for the heads up on the Noco charger, just ordered 1 on Amazon Prime for 99 bucks and it will be here Tuesday . It shows 12/24 volts so did you charge each battery individually or all 4 at the same time , thanks again

 

[MWMULES]

bogshotrods do them one at a time at 12V till you get them all back up, then to maintain them go to 24V and do them all at the same time.

 

[bogshotrods]

Got it, thanks everybody for the help, these Hawker batteries are expensive and if I can save em that's even better

 

[emr]

Hawkers and the large batts, need a minimum of 13.6 volts to charge fully, or you will only charge the top half of batt with the small charger maintainer desulphators being used a lot , one finds the batts will not start these trucks in cold, Not a bad batt, just not a fully charged batt . it seems they are being brought back to life by charging them with the proper rate, but in actuality they are just fully charged for the first time. The chargers in the trucks are not smart chargers and only fully charge the first batt in line fully, The resistance when close to full on the others shuts charging down so not to over charge the first batt . These batts in series and parallel need to be pulled fully charged and rotated annually to get maximum life. The hawker company reps have told me this, Look up there web site and call a rep. Its easy and as for the Army having special chargers, It just means they are chargers that are adjusting the charge rate the batt needs from say 12 to up to almost 15 volts at times to fully charge the batts. that means they are " Smart chargers, Easily purchased by civilian's, This is the short fast answer on how to keep your batts running for up to 10 years like I have been doing since using the advise and knowledge of the company's who make em. Good luck . Oh one more thing, slow chargers suck on these big batts . One must fully charge with proper rate and then top off and maintain with the smaller desulphators maintainers. AFTER that ))))