Battery Recommendations
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
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Most "brand" batteries are made by Johnson Controls and just have different stick on labels. Walmart probably has the best prices for the Group 24 you need. Peel off the labels and you have a plain, black, unobtrusive battery.
I have one that's 16 years old... killed it twice, and it's still going strong.
Duke
I have one that's 16 years old... killed it twice, and it's still going strong.
Duke
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
The "cheap" Walmart batteries are three bucks more than Rural King made by Exide with the same warranty. Most WM batteries are at least twice that price. Or triple.
I don't believe you have a "cheapy" WalMart as they have been on the market only a couple of years. Around here, anyway. But batteries were a lot cheaper 16 years ago than they are now at WalMart and elsewhere.
I don't believe you have a "cheapy" WalMart as they have been on the market only a couple of years. Around here, anyway. But batteries were a lot cheaper 16 years ago than they are now at WalMart and elsewhere.
Last edited by MikeM; Mar 18, 2018 at 10:15 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,357
From: Santa Ana CA
"Many thousands" is easy to do when the car sits for 6 months or more at a time.
I also use the green disconnect switch and on the few occasions when the Optima went dead is when I failed to disconnect it. I usually let the car cool before doing that.
As some have said, Optimas may not be what they used to be, but mine has been great.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
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From: Greenville, Indiana
"Many thousands" is easy to do when the car sits for 6 months or more at a time.
I also use the green disconnect switch and on the few occasions when the Optima went dead is when I failed to disconnect it. I usually let the car cool before doing that.
As some have said, Optimas may not be what they used to be, but mine has been great.
I also use the green disconnect switch and on the few occasions when the Optima went dead is when I failed to disconnect it. I usually let the car cool before doing that.
As some have said, Optimas may not be what they used to be, but mine has been great.
I believe a better choice than a disconnect would be a battery maintainer.
Last edited by MikeM; Mar 18, 2018 at 05:20 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
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From: Santa Ana CA
Deep cycle batteries, like the Yellow Top, don't need charging every month and can be left disconnected for long periods without consequence.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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then Mike what am I doing wrong in my Chevelle with a battery I bought in 2009. the first six years it sat in my dads garage that never got below 50* and two of those years I used a battery tender in the winter for a max of four months. then I moved the car to my garage thats not insulated and I leave it sit for four months. I do use a cut off switch. and last week I started up my car after sitting and it cranked right up
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
then Mike what am I doing wrong in my Chevelle with a battery I bought in 2009. the first six years it sat in my dads garage that never got below 50* and two of those years I used a battery tender in the winter for a max of four months. then I moved the car to my garage thats not insulated and I leave it sit for four months. I do use a cut off switch. and last week I started up my car after sitting and it cranked right up
My comment was directed at the statement that the clock is a continuous drain on the battery. It isn't.
Cutoff switches are great if there's something wrong with your car.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Various places in Southern California.
I've got a Duralast in the car that performs well, even after it was completely drained a few times while I chased a parasitic current draw. Now, the car can sit for a month and it still starts right up (and that's with a quartz clock running).
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,469
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From: Southold New York
In addition to eliminating parasitic drain, cut off switches are the first line of defense against short circuits and fires caused by animals gnawing the wires in unattended vehicles.
Last edited by ejboyd5; Mar 19, 2018 at 01:42 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Any luck finding a new battery? Did you get a NCRS original 1965 style battery? I am going full Restro-Mod with my car in the shop with new electronic A/C and FULL power. I will need a strong good battery in the near future. Thinking Sears Die Hard or AC Delco for my ride. Not doing NCRS for $300+ just want it to be black in color.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 253
Likes: 21
From: Kingston, TN, Denham Springs, LA & Agoura Hills CA
[QUOTE=babbah;1596811972]Odyssey - Simply the best! 10+ year service - 
[/QU
In the early nineties used 14 HD Odyssey in series to test the prototype contactors/power relays for the international space station. These batteries were the best. We built 3 sets of 14 batteries and never had any failures. Of course, some of the early relay prototypes failed during hot switch testing.
For a battery dead-face contactor I would recommend a Bubba relay from kilovac. It had a contact resistance of 80 micro-ohms. Translates to about 60 millivolt drop across the contact when starting your engine.
[/QUIn the early nineties used 14 HD Odyssey in series to test the prototype contactors/power relays for the international space station. These batteries were the best. We built 3 sets of 14 batteries and never had any failures. Of course, some of the early relay prototypes failed during hot switch testing.
For a battery dead-face contactor I would recommend a Bubba relay from kilovac. It had a contact resistance of 80 micro-ohms. Translates to about 60 millivolt drop across the contact when starting your engine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2017
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From: Michigan
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
I have a 1965 with an OEM 327 / 300, and I drive the car an average of one time per week (during the winter) and probably 2-3 times per week in the summer. The car sits in a warm garage in sunny Southern California year round and never goes near cold weather. I have no A/C in the car.
My battery is dead and I need a new one. Based on above, is there any clear cut leader for a replacement battery? I am not trying to score NCRS rating points.
Thanks.
My battery is dead and I need a new one. Based on above, is there any clear cut leader for a replacement battery? I am not trying to score NCRS rating points.
Thanks.
If your still looking for a car battery Menards has AC/Delco brand for sale at just $100.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,984
Likes: 494
From: Michigan
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist