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My battery has been going down and is at least 5 yrs old.Charging system is good.What size,kind and rating of a battery is best for running and using a winch?
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
Get an Optima battery.
Since you have a winch I would recommend a yellow top Optima.
The Optima Yellow top battery is considered a "dual-purpose" battery. Although it is a deep cycle battery and works well with a winch or other accessories that may discharge the battery, but it is not harmed if you don't discharge it all the way on a periodic basis.
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
Good point. You ask for a good battery and I give the best. But in all honesty I don't even run an Optima. There's a trade off with price and I think the Sears Die Hard batteries are very good. So are Interstate Batteries.
1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
For a winch it is good to have a deep cycle battery.
Most starting batteries do not like to get drained. It's not good for them.
On the other hand a deep cycle battery (sometimes called a marine battery) is better off if it drains completely every once in a while.
A winch will use draw so much current that it may drain the battery. The best situation is to use 2 batteries: one for starting and a 2nd deep cycle battery for the winch. This entails a battery isolator. Now we are once again talking about more than $100.
I would just go to Sears and get a Die Hard battery. Since you only have one battery be careful not to run the winch too much without letting the battery charge back up. This also prevents the winch from overheating.
'85 CJ-7, 258/4.2L 6cyl. Bought new in 1985. Full cage, Warn 8274 winch, Ford 9" rear, front/rear Detroit Lockers w/4:88 R&P. T-5 tranny and 4:1 t'case. 33X12.50-15 BFG/AT, MSD ign, on board air---
Dang-They sure are 'proud' of them-
I run a single, red-top Optima and a Warn 8274 winch. Never any issue.
HINT: When you put the Jeep away for more than a couple of days. Attach a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged.
Your battery will also 'live' longer. Battery Tender Junior Charger - Walmart.com
LG
In my opinion, there are a lot of good 12v batteries. What kills them sometimes is poor maintaince. Keeping them charged and having good connections seem to make them last longer. If you are going to get a winch, the size battery, or how many you get, depends on how much you use them. My last Optima in my not much used CJ lasted over 11 years, and I changed it because I thought it was time. In my DD pickup, an Optima only lasted only 5 years, so I replaced it with one from N.A.P.A. and it has lasted beyond what the Optima did.
IMO Batteries are not what they used to be. My first red-top lasted 7 years with lots of abuse. The second one only lasted three years almost to the day. I am on four years with the one in my truck and it needs to be on a tender unless I drive it once per week. The last one I bought was an Interstate because I could get it for $99. We'll see how long that lasts.
The longest warranty I could find was 3 years. I remember when Sears Diehards were lifetime...
You would think with all the money we are throwing at green energy development they would be getting better (and cheaper). HA!
73 CJ5 4.0 head on a 258, HEI, Holley Projection w/ 4.56, Detroit lockers Narrowed D44 front and full float D44 rear T14 w/ D20 4 wheel discs, 38.5 Boggers
'85 CJ-7, 258/4.2L 6cyl. Bought new in 1985. Full cage, Warn 8274 winch, Ford 9" rear, front/rear Detroit Lockers w/4:88 R&P. T-5 tranny and 4:1 t'case. 33X12.50-15 BFG/AT, MSD ign, on board air---
For many years I've been hooked on Duralast yellow tops from Autozone. But there was an article some where that started me thinking about heavy duty batteries like those found on farm equipment. Supposedly they have everything a jeeper could ask for. Long lasting, even with inconsistent use like most farm tractors live with, you can draw them down deep almost as much as a deep cycle battery, rugged construction and a decent price. There were quite a few choices at our new Tractor Supply Co. For my next battery they might be my choice.
Two of the key factors on battery life are heat and electrical accessories. Heat shortens the life of batteries quicker than anything. Next is how many electronics are running off the battery at a given time. Today's new cars are more likely to max out at 5 years with 3 being closer to the norm as everything has become electronic. I replaced 2. OEM batteries this winter my wife's 2010 Mazda CX-9 with every possible electronic gizmo went 5 years. My 2005 F-AMC 150 went 10 years. Both had mileage within 5k of each other in the same climate.
Be careful if you buy an AGM battery and use any type of charger that isn't specifically made for an AGM. You can ruin them easily with an inappropriate charger.
Two of the key factors on battery life are heat and electrical accessories. Heat shortens the life of batteries quicker than anything. Next is how many electronics are running off the battery at a given time. Today's new cars are more likely to max out at 5 years with 3 being closer to the norm as everything has become electronic. I replaced 2. OEM batteries this winter my wife's 2010 Mazda CX-9 with every possible electronic gizmo went 5 years. My 2005 F-AMC 150 went 10 years. Both had mileage within 5k of each other in the same climate.
Be careful if you buy an AGM battery and use any type of charger that isn't specifically made for an AGM. You can ruin them easily with an inappropriate charger.
For many years I've been hooked on Duralast yellow tops from Autozone. But there was an article some where that started me thinking about heavy duty batteries like those found on farm equipment. Supposedly they have everything a jeeper could ask for. Long lasting, even with inconsistent use like most farm tractors live with, you can draw them down deep almost as much as a deep cycle battery, rugged construction and a decent price. There were quite a few choices at our new Tractor Supply Co. For my next battery they might be my choice.
I totally agree. Implement batteries typically have a deeper recess beneath the plates that allow for the settling of corrosion and thus don't create shorts inside lengthening the life of them.
'85 CJ-7, 258/4.2L 6cyl. Bought new in 1985. Full cage, Warn 8274 winch, Ford 9" rear, front/rear Detroit Lockers w/4:88 R&P. T-5 tranny and 4:1 t'case. 33X12.50-15 BFG/AT, MSD ign, on board air---
Two of the key factors on battery life are heat and electrical accessories. Heat shortens the life of batteries quicker than anything. Next is how many electronics are running off the battery at a given time. Today's new cars are more likely to max out at 5 years with 3 being closer to the norm as everything has become electronic. I replaced 2. OEM batteries this winter my wife's 2010 Mazda CX-9 with every possible electronic gizmo went 5 years. My 2005 F-AMC 150 went 10 years. Both had mileage within 5k of each other in the same climate.
Be careful if you buy an AGM battery and use any type of charger that isn't specifically made for an AGM. You can ruin them easily with an inappropriate charger.
I don't know the how's or the whys of it, but its well known down here in the desert regions that battery's die when the weather changes. Mostly in the spring and fall when it goes from hot to cold or the opposite in the summer, generally if your battery is going to fail it will do it then. I've seen so many battery' fail that it became hard or more accurately harder to find a replacement. Both changes in seasons seem to be about the same as far as lost batteries are concerned.
Batteries are like shocks (and frankly a lot of products nowadays), a few places make them and sell to all the others who then re-brand them as their own. I did a little research on this last summer while looking for a battery and it seem most of the common brands (which varies per your area) are made by the same manf. and re-branded for others. If I recall correctly, for example, AutoCraft, Durolast, Delco, Everstart, and DieHard, among others are all made by the same manf. And I know that a NAPA battery is a Deka cause that's what I went with.
So it comes down to a marketing thing. I had found a recent list online but I don't have time right now to look again for it. It's out there though.
