batt question

[CrownVic 15]

If you follow my build log you'll see I'm gonna be running an aq 2200 to an 18 btl at 1 ohm. My car has a 135 amp alt but I'm pretty sure ill need some batts. I have room for 2 large batteries but I'm unsure of what kind. Would 2 of the everstart maxx batts from walmart work? Or do I have to use a deep cycle battery? Also do I have to replace my batt under the hood? Also do I have to match my batteries in the trunk with my main battery? Big 3 will be done all wire will be 1/0 also. Thanks if more info is needed please let me know.

Edited June 7, 2010 by CrownVic

[bassahaulic 155]

If your not looking to spend a whole lot of money.

I am LOVING my Optima Blue Top G31, and all my friends with them love them as well. And only $230 from any local Auto-zone with 2 year nationwide warranty.

[dvalue 17]

If your not looking to spend a whole lot of money.

I am LOVING my Optima Blue Top G31, and all my friends with them love them as well. And only $230 from any local Auto-zone with 2 year nationwide warranty.

I like my XS better

[CrownVic 15]

Thanks. So do I need a G31 type? What specific type of batt would be best or does it matter because if not ill just get 2 of those big ass everstart batteries from walmart for $80 each.

[CrownVic 15]

Also do i need an Isolater?

[mr.sagat 10]

From my experiences, regular lead cell d31's do better than the optima d31's. For some reason when spiral cells are discharged they are tempermental at accepting a high amperage charge where lead cells could care less. Downsides of lead cell d31's are that most of them have to be vented, they don't take as much vibration as spiral cells, and failure from internal plate corrosion is inevitable over a few years....

To put it in perspective, I can get optimas for $30, and D31's for $35. My nissan used to be 2 optimas, but now I run 2 D31's.

[audiolife 14]

If your not looking to spend a whole lot of money.

I am LOVING my Optima Blue Top G31, and all my friends with them love them as well. And only $230 from any local Auto-zone with 2 year nationwide warranty.

Just because a battery has a warranty does not at all mean that it is warrantied just because the battery no longer works. If you over discharge it, overcharge it, leave it undercharged and or allow it to sulphate you would not be covered under a warranty as those are not manufacturer defects and are generally specified under warranty NOT to be covered. You might think it is no big deal but those situations are the reasons why about 85 to 95% of why batteries fail. About the only situation where this might not hold true is with long term wet flooded cell warranties where you pay 2x as much as the battery used to cost just so you can end up with a "pro rated" warranty down the road where you basically pay a sale price to replace your old "X" many years down the road..

[CrownVic 15]

From my experiences, regular lead cell d31's do better than the optima d31's. For some reason when spiral cells are discharged they are tempermental at accepting a high amperage charge where lead cells could care less. Downsides of lead cell d31's are that most of them have to be vented, they don't take as much vibration as spiral cells, and failure from internal plate corrosion is inevitable over a few years....

To put it in perspective, I can get optimas for $30, and D31's for $35. My nissan used to be 2 optimas, but now I run 2 D31's.

Where are you gettin optimas for $30?

I found a stinger SP2150 on Clist the guy is asking $300 I think its 91 ah Is that even a good buy used for $300?

Edited June 7, 2010 by CrownVic

[slim2fattycake 85]

If you're strapped for money. Get deka 9a31s. I know someone selling them for 100 plus shipping. I got two in my trunk and 1 9a34 under the hood.

[CrownVic 15]

If you're strapped for money. Get deka 9a31s. I know someone selling them for 100 plus shipping. I got two in my trunk and 1 9a34 under the hood.

That sounds like a great deal. I gotta water the money tree for a little bit before i cant get one though.

[slim2fattycake 85]

Just let me know and I'll give you number or email. He's got a bunch of them. They just don't have the deka label.

[mr.sagat 10]

From my experiences, regular lead cell d31's do better than the optima d31's. For some reason when spiral cells are discharged they are tempermental at accepting a high amperage charge where lead cells could care less. Downsides of lead cell d31's are that most of them have to be vented, they don't take as much vibration as spiral cells, and failure from internal plate corrosion is inevitable over a few years....

To put it in perspective, I can get optimas for $30, and D31's for $35. My nissan used to be 2 optimas, but now I run 2 D31's.

Where are you gettin optimas for $30?

I found a stinger SP2150 on Clist the guy is asking $300 I think its 91 ah Is that even a good buy used for $300?

$300 for a used battery?? You can get a new one for $340 shipped.

Anyway, the cheap battery trick has to do with the manufacturing date. All batteries made by Johnson controls will have a round sticker on them showing the date of manufacture. Find one at an Auto part store that is one year old or older in manufacture. Most Auto chains will not sell you this battery at retail if the worker is educated in any type of business practices.

When the battery is over a year old, they have a choice of sending it back, (just to be rebuilt) or selling it as a "used" battery. Instead of losing out on all money, they will change the sku number on the "old battery" to a used battery and sell it to you. I know for a fact Autozone does this (I was store manager at 2 stores) and O'Rielly's too.

If you live by a low volume store just go in one day, ask them about used batteries, look at some manufacture dates, see what you can come up with. Another neat battery that chains have you could get "used", is the Mazda Miata battery. Really cute, really small, perfect for a clean simple install with little power.

I'm actually buying another D31 from O'reilly's today and will gladly take pics and post a receipt if people don't believe companies do this....

Edited June 7, 2010 by mr.sagat

[CrownVic 15]

I believe you that's just one of those things I never would have known if someone wouldn't have shared it. I'm definately gonna call and ask all the local part stores.

Another thing I was wondering was if I get an isolator for playing music with the car off will the battery automatically recharge when the engine is running? Is an isolator really necessary or should I just wire the extra batts to the main batt and wire my amp to the batts in the trunk. I plan on purchasing 2 extra batteries to put in the trunk and keep the original main batt. Also space really isn't an issue because there are two large battery shaped spots on eitherside of the box.

[mr.sagat 10]

You want to hook the battery up to your main battery under the hood. Run a power wire or two between them. Ground the trunk battery on something solid, like a strut tower bolt. Make sure it's on bare metal too, sand it, grind it, whatever it takes. Then primer over what bare metal you're not using, rust is a bitch...

[slim2fattycake 85]

Don't get an isolator. Get a battery relay.

[CrownVic 15]

Ok so battery relay not isolater. Im guessimg im going to need around a 200amp relay? Also what size fuse should I use for the power wires 250 amp?

Edit: I just called literally 12 autoparts store with no luck they said as soon as they take em off the shelf there gone.

Edited June 7, 2010 by CrownVic

[CrazyKenKid 64]

here is an interesting read! i don't know if it is true or not but I would like some input on this!

battery isolator vs relay - MP3Car.com

....I've got a question about using a relay (cheap) vs a battery isolator/diodes (expensive!)

Before I go any further, I know about the "reason" why you should never use a relay, namely once the relay closes the drained battery will draw 47 billion amps from the charged battery, damaging both batteries and melting wires and causing large fires in the process.

But instead, what if the relay was attached to close only about 5-10s after the engine was started?

Then the power will be provided by the alternator instead of draining the primary battery, this should work, no?

Alternatively, can I just build a battery isolator using a couple of diodes? Hell, even those diodes are much more expensive than a relay. You'd need what, probably 100-120A diodes, or 2x60? At like $10 each you'll need what, 4 of them? Still not a very cheap venture.....

[Julian 641]

IIRC optima's aren't very good for car audio. From what i've read they tend to burn up under the high stress. I would suggest the Deka's or if you wanna spend a little more go with the Xs batteries.

[Dictator1992 6]

Im about to run the aq 2200 also crown vic and im going to throw three yellow tops in the back of my car already have one under the hood. The one yellow top i have i love it so much im just going to run some more idc what anybody says. Im yellow tops 4life. When i purchased my yellow top they tested it and showed 1100cold cranking hours rating on battery (said 750 on the specs of the battery) So right there its showing their product is better then what they say "Underrated" , your getting more then what you payed 4.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Dictator1992

[jcarter1885 995]

Im about to run the aq 2200 also crown vic and im going to throw three yellow tops in the back of my car already have one under the hood. The one yellow top i have i love it so much im just going to run some more idc what anybody says. Im yellow tops 4life. When i purchased my yellow top they tested it and showed 1100cold cranking hours rating on battery (said 750 on the specs of the battery) So right there its showing their product is better then what they say "Underrated" , your getting more then what you payed 4.

To each its own but that is a waste of money when you can just get one battery for the back that will have plenty of power for less money then you would spend on the 3 yellowtops plus you will be using less room.

[jonbearsmt 919]

dont use everstarts maxx .. for alot of reasons..

yellow tops suck... red tops blue tops what ever... i have had problems witrh them all.. and for the money you have to drop to pick one up the AH rating is small anyhow.. so why even mess with them....

and why do you need a issolater or a replay?

issolators are only needed when playing the system with the car off... NEVER a good idea...

[jonbearsmt 919]

Im about to run the aq 2200 also crown vic and im going to throw three yellow tops in the back of my car already have one under the hood. The one yellow top i have i love it so much im just going to run some more idc what anybody says. Im yellow tops 4life. When i purchased my yellow top they tested it and showed 1100cold cranking hours rating on battery (said 750 on the specs of the battery) So right there its showing their product is better then what they say "Underrated" , your getting more then what you payed 4.

thats prolly cause you have never used a better battery... once you do you will never touch one again.. unless your given it.. or get them for 30 bucks.... either way i can tell you .. you will never pay full price for one once you use somthing better.

[audiolife 14]

Cranking hours? I thought that a CA test was a 30 second test that ran a battery down to 7.2 volts with the majority of the time the battery drops lower than 10v in under 1 second. Hell even the pulse tests are 5 second tests that are ran down to 7.2 v or 6v. Those voltages are unusable.