Battery

[jafo]

I decided that with the extreme cold weather, the mystery battery from Wally World needs to go. Staying away from Optima, read too many bad things on them. Odyssey sounds like a good option but not many dealers around. Read on here that the Sears platinum is a basic Oddyssey rebadge. Did a search for a price and Sears says it's unavailable? What are you guys running?

Also, thinking about doing a dual battery setup also at some point. What info can you guys give me on that?

 

[hole]

Have had very good luck with Napa batteries. Dont know who makes them. Do a internet search for Jeephammer Dual Battery and you will get all you want to know about the subject

 

[jafo]

Will do, thanks! Which napa battery did you go with? I seen one there that has like 800 cca.

 

[jafo]

Just at a glance, man that's almost too much information. Better to have it than not though. Holy cow! I'll have to take some time and just read through it all.

 

[hole]

JeepHammer (also goes by TeamRush) is a wealth of information and doesnt mind passing it along. The amount of time and detail he puts into his posts is amazing to me.

 

[hole]

Not sure which one , been about 5-6 years. I know it was the one the book said fits it

 

[Dan77CJ7]

I’m using a Duracell 78DTAGM from sams club there made by east penn (US made)and have a three year free replacement warranty for $140 can’t beat that price and the reviews are all good but I’m sure someone has had issues.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Not had any issue WW batteries in our 'street' cars and they sit out side. We have been seeing mid 20*'s now 30*'s in the AM.
Have a red-top optima in the Jeep now, and have had such(3 batteries)for the last 25 yrs.
I'll stay with 'red'.
LG

 

[elwood blues]

I've had a red top Optima in my CJ for 5 or more years, before that I had a yellow top that I transferred out of an XJ that I owned. That being said, I think Optima when through a rough stretch when they moved their production to Mexico, but I think for the most part they've gotten everything back to where they were.

There really are only a handful of places that make car batteries, they just make all of the different brands, Johnson Controls (DieHard, EverStart, NAPA), East Penn (DEKA), and Interstate are some of the biggest ones. Do some research, the standard size for a CJ is BCI Group 24.

 

[jafo]

Thanks for the input. I went up and talked to the counter man at napa few minutes ago. I decided to go with the Legend premium with dual terminals. $118. They are also made by East Penn. I haven't bought one yet because they have their Commercial batteries on sale for $80 right now. They offer like 1100 ca's upper 900 cca's. The one I'm leaning towards has 770 cca's and 925 ca's. But the price on those commercial batteries has my interest. They're a bit bigger though.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Make sure you run the main GND(-)from your battery to the top mounting bolt of your starter.
Check the warranty on the commercial batteries. Many times it isn't much......
LG

 

[Torxhead]

Adding to what Lumpy stated, good battery connections are just as important as the battery. That way the current can travel with less resistance. Along with making sure that the fusible links are up to snuff also. That #10 charging wire from the alternator is one weak example, adding a ground wire from the alternator can help also.

 

[jafo]

LG,
I redone the cables some time back that included what you're talking about. I had also ran extra geohnd straps for the engine block to firewall linked to the battery ground.

That's one reason I haven't leaned that way. The counter guy, who seems knowledgable, said that the commervial batteries have less warrenty and they won't last as long.

Ellwood, the battery we looked up is a bci 34 group. I wouldn't mind an optima, but I have just read too many recent complaints. Oddyssey seems to be the direction former optima owners are going these days. There is enough there for me to avoid them. Don't get me wrong, not every owner has had negative experiences. I also talked to the napa guy about optimas as they has the red and yellow tops. He really didn't have much to say other than confirming what I have read to the letter.

 

[elwood blues]

I think we're both right in this case, both a 24 and 34 will fit, I just went through NAPA's online store and NAPA shows they both fit a '78 CJ7

I can not refute any of the bad stuff you've read about optima's, I can only speak for the one that I have. I also can't complain about getting anything from NAPA, out of all of the big box parts stores, they usually have the best customer service and warranties on stuff.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Jafo-If you are a member. Costco and Sams Club have great Optima battery prices.
YES-Optima did have major QC issues a few years ago. That has been corrected. The ones made today are outstanding.

LG

 

[Hedgehog]

I feel he need to play devils advocate here. Are you running a lot of electrical stuff that will draw a lot of electricity? If not why go with some super duper deluxe battery? If the battery in your car, the one that gets used every night and day in the hot and yes, in the cold without trouble will get the job done, why would you need more in your CJ?

Yes, it's different for the guy with all the goodies running off the battery, big lights, winch, the biggest stereo money can buy and has the need to pound their CJ over every rocky road in existence. Generally batteries are suprisingly tough. I've run regular old yellow/gold top batteries from Autozone for many years, none have prematurely failed me yet. .... Well, non have given me a full 7 years, but many have gone years without problems.

 

[Dan77CJ7]

I feel he need to play devils advocate here. Are you running a lot of electrical stuff that will draw a lot of electricity? If not why go with some super duper deluxe battery? If the battery in your car, the one that gets used every night and day in the hot and yes, in the cold without trouble will get the job done, why would you need more in your CJ?

Yes, it's different for the guy with all the goodies running off the battery, big lights, winch, the biggest stereo money can buy and has the need to pound their CJ over every rocky road in existence. Generally batteries are suprisingly tough. I've run regular old yellow/gold top batteries from Autozone for many years, none have prematurely failed me yet. .... Well, non hae given me a full 7 years, but many have gone years without problems.

Lol come on are you calling out those of us who use our cjs like god intended lol hit the trail hard and bringing her back home for a good scrub and a couple hammer wacks just to do it all over again


Jafo what ever you choose just go with AGM unless you only mall crawl... then acid filled will do just fine lol

 

[Hedgehog]

I don't know if our jeeps were actually made to be beaten up every weekend. I live where nothing is gentle, the ground is hard and the two tracks are full of rock. My CJ's have been rattled every weekend, but my use is more to get somewhere than it is to challenge my driving ability. I know that for a lot of guys driving their jeep is more of a sport than transportation, but I bet for most every dent hurts, every scratch is a scar. As I wrote, if you have a lot of draw on your electrical system or drive like everyday is part of a run down the Baja having the best battery is sensible. But most guys don't drive like everyday is a hardcore off road race. Even the guys that use their jeep more like a trials rig than a trail rig don't actually jar their CJ's that hard .... but come to think about it, with all the restarts and slow moving the battery might be drawn down excessively. A good reason right there for a very deep battery. That's not to say that I haven't worried about my battery every time the winch cable is drawn out. So, a CJ like mine might not beat a battery to death, but it just might suck the juice out of the battery making for an early death.

 

[jafo]

Hedge, it's about reliability. I have been on the receiving end of craptastic batteries as well as parts. I like to make sure when it comes to things like batteries, I want it reliable and dependable. I believe in if a little is good, more is better even when not necessary. I plan on doing the dual battery setup for a couple reasons. One, I don't plan on running two oem headlights, tail lights, and two aftermarket pod lights for ever. There will be upgrades to lights and other electrical stuff in the future. Two, I just like to be prepared. Biggest reason is I'm a tinkerer. I tinker as much as possible. Tinkering is a great way to learn stuff, couple that with access to people like you and LG and others, it's like attending a school for old Jeeps. I like to learn as much as possible.

 

[jafo]

I hear you LG. I'm a member of COSCO, and didn't even think about them. I will be sure to check them out.