That isn't a Clarios battery, the marine Clarios batteries still have the removeable caps.
Who makes these batteries, and which would you recommend?
- Thread starter jieiku
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That isn't a Clarios battery, the marine Clarios batteries still have the removeable caps.
I have 2 of these https://www.amazon.com/Automotive-100-2000-Cranking-Alternator-Motorcycle/dp/B0B9SKJJMC/
they're a few years old now. might be better/cheaper ones out there now. you can also get them cheaper on aliexpress
they work well, but are best used for tracking performance/capacity over time or comparing 2 or more batteries. the results are temperature dependent, so you'd want to test the battery(s) under the same conditions to get meaningful results that can be compared to each other or over time, etc.
Ancel BA-101. I sold my Solar battery tester and bought the Ancel.
Needed a marine battery and bought an AGM on NAPA on sale.
just to further clarify how to use/interpret these conductance testers.... you can't take a cca measurement with it and compare it to the rated cca on the battery label to judge whether the battery is still good, for a couple reasons --- 1) the battery's actual cca when new is never the same as the rated, they usually start out much higher and 2) these testers are estimates based on an algorithm and some measurements that are very sensitive to slight changes in testing conditions - even how you attach the clamp to the battery terminal makes a difference.
so, you have to measure the battery when it's brand new to get the beginning cca. then measure it again some time later with the *same tester* under the *same conditions* (and state of charge). only then can you make any inference as to the health of the battery. once the measured cca falls to about 70% or so of the beginning cca the battery is about done. I think the "official" standard might be 80%. at that point you should start shopping for a new battery. the "rated" cca is pretty much meaningless in this decision, as are the "good", "fair", "poor" ratings that the testers spit out --- you have to go by the measurements.
now obviously if you're measuring 180cca on a 750cca battery then you don't need a starting value to know it's toast. but you get the point.
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Thanks, that is helpful, I ended up buying a similar one to yours: https://www.amazon.com/MOTOPOWER-MP0515A-Automotive-100-2000-Alternator/dp/B08K3885C4
I measured my diesel truck batteries 2017 everstart (Johnson Controls), that were rated for around 850 CCA, and the tester reported 1,050 CCA with 3 milliohms resistance.
I will definitely use it to compare more than a couple batteries to get an idea of what I should be seeing.
If you really want an accurate testing, an electronic tester is a quick way to find if a battery is dead and not in need of any additional testing, a carbon pile tester that you crank the load up to around half the CCA very quickly then fine tune the dial up a little more until you hit the voltage drops to the temperature adjusted 9.6v over an approx 15 sec period and record the amperage an double it is probably more accurate, the most accurate way would be to chill the battery to 0F and then use a calibrated carbon pile tester and quickly move the load up to the rated CCA and then fine tune it until you hit 7.2V over an approx 30 sec period and then record the amperage would be the most accurate way but impractically expensive for the home gamer because those testers likely cost thousands of dollars vs like $100 for a 500A carbon pile tester designed for 15second testing periods.
I'm an Interstate batteries guy. My local A+ shop recommends them. No complaints so far through several installs.
Isn't that a hybrid marine batter, the health looks fine to me for the type of battery it is, that tester estimates CCA not (M)CA so the reading will be lower than the MCA on the label.
If it's a hybrid marine battery that would explain the fixed caps. A deep cycle battery shouldn't have fixed caps because a deep cycle battery is supposed to have lead-antimony plates, which use more water compared to a lead-calcium maintenance free battery.
It's either a hybid or a deep cycle battery, either way neither will have very good CCA, the higher the CCA on something that's supposed to tolerate deep cycling may be more indicitive of a hybrid battery more biased towards cranking than deep cycling.
I meant dual purpose as in meant for both starting and deep cycling. There's sort of 3 types of marine batteries, True deep cycles, straight starting batteries, and the dual-purpose batteries.
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OK, my 5 year old Everstarts, test higher than rated for CCA, same with my truck. so the Oreilly battery is certainly less than those for the CCA. Both my 5 year old JCI Everstarts and the Oreilly battery say Marine Deep Cycle on the label, even the new hyundai walmart battery says "Deep Cycle Power in small text"
Here is what my 5 year old EverStarts look like on the tester:
Here is what my 5 year old EverStarts look like on the tester:
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When I was comparing the Oreilly to my 5 year old batteries from Walmart I was a bit sour about it, but now that I know a lower CCA could be an indicator of a battery that handles Deep Cycling better, I am ok with it. Thanks brianl703 and Bluefeb95, learn something new every day.
I wonder if there is a general rule of thumb for converting MCA to CCA... like a percentage lower that you should see.... the walmart battery really did test low on the CCA to my untrained eyes.
I wonder if there is a general rule of thumb for converting MCA to CCA... like a percentage lower that you should see.... the walmart battery really did test low on the CCA to my untrained eyes.
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Just wanted to follow up on the Oreilly Batteries I bought. I did a lot of reading about batteries. Apparently brand new batteries can really benefit from a bit of a break-in. I got a lot of good info on this page: https://www.cartsunlimited.net/battery-break-in-.html as well as this youtube video:
But the basic idea is this, charge a battery up to full with a slower charger 2-10 amps. Then put the battery on a float charge, I did this to let the battery rest. waited until the next day.
Make sure you pop the vent caps open, and fill distilled water until it reaches the bottom of the vent plastic, the water should go from looking flat to looking concaved, if it was low and you filled it. Once the water looks concaved STOP, thats the spot you want it, you don't want it overfull.
Now put a load on your battery and drop it to like 10.5 - 11 volts (use a resistive load, you can leave your headlights on to drain the battery, but what I did was use a DC power inverter and hooked up a space heater to it on its lowest setting, this saw a 50-90 amp draw depending on state of battery) Make sure to watch the battery voltage closely, DO NOT DRAIN IT DOWN TOO FAR!!! The MP0515A also has a "wave button" this shows the voltage as well as a line graph for the voltage, I used this to monitor the voltage. I drained mine down until my voltage meter said 10.6, the moment I turned my space heater off it shot up to 11.5 or so.
Now you want to IMMEDIATELY start charging the battery, use a 6-10 amp charger for the bulk of the charging (8-12 hours) Once the bulk charging is done you should be around 14.5-15 volts.
Once the bulk charging is done, you want to switch to an Equalization charge. For this I switched my charger from 10amp setting to its 40 amp setting. My charger is a very heavy (on wheels) battery charger, it has a 40amp continuous or 200 amp start. This is the type of charger you want to use, it will get the battery up to around 17-17.4 volts, and the liquid in the battery will begin to bubble. I also used a non contact lazer thermometer to measure the temperature of the outside of the battery, mine never got to hot, under 100, and to feel the outside of the battery it only felt warm. If you are in a hotter climate in the middle of summer then this could possibly be more of an issue than it was for me. I ran it at the 40 amp until the amp meter on my charger dropped down to about 12 amps, meaning the battery was now taking less of a charge. (it was about 2 hours I think) One way you can be sure it has finished is by checking with a battery hydrometer every 30 minutes, if the readings stay the same 3 times in a row then its unlikely its going to charge any farther. I read this tip somewhere too.
Once you are satisfied with the equalization charge, you can either put it on a float charger or leave it unhooked and let it rest.
I still need to do the other batteries, and I think I will equalize charge them once a year before winter (the rest of the year they have a float charger on them). I only did one battery so far, after I equalize charged it, I completely unhooked it from the charger and let it rest for 8 hours, here is the result:
I found my charger used locally, but if you cannot find one of the old style heavy chargers, then you might be able to use a welder, obviously you would need to be more careful with the welder:
But the basic idea is this, charge a battery up to full with a slower charger 2-10 amps. Then put the battery on a float charge, I did this to let the battery rest. waited until the next day.
Make sure you pop the vent caps open, and fill distilled water until it reaches the bottom of the vent plastic, the water should go from looking flat to looking concaved, if it was low and you filled it. Once the water looks concaved STOP, thats the spot you want it, you don't want it overfull.
Now put a load on your battery and drop it to like 10.5 - 11 volts (use a resistive load, you can leave your headlights on to drain the battery, but what I did was use a DC power inverter and hooked up a space heater to it on its lowest setting, this saw a 50-90 amp draw depending on state of battery) Make sure to watch the battery voltage closely, DO NOT DRAIN IT DOWN TOO FAR!!! The MP0515A also has a "wave button" this shows the voltage as well as a line graph for the voltage, I used this to monitor the voltage. I drained mine down until my voltage meter said 10.6, the moment I turned my space heater off it shot up to 11.5 or so.
Now you want to IMMEDIATELY start charging the battery, use a 6-10 amp charger for the bulk of the charging (8-12 hours) Once the bulk charging is done you should be around 14.5-15 volts.
Once the bulk charging is done, you want to switch to an Equalization charge. For this I switched my charger from 10amp setting to its 40 amp setting. My charger is a very heavy (on wheels) battery charger, it has a 40amp continuous or 200 amp start. This is the type of charger you want to use, it will get the battery up to around 17-17.4 volts, and the liquid in the battery will begin to bubble. I also used a non contact lazer thermometer to measure the temperature of the outside of the battery, mine never got to hot, under 100, and to feel the outside of the battery it only felt warm. If you are in a hotter climate in the middle of summer then this could possibly be more of an issue than it was for me. I ran it at the 40 amp until the amp meter on my charger dropped down to about 12 amps, meaning the battery was now taking less of a charge. (it was about 2 hours I think) One way you can be sure it has finished is by checking with a battery hydrometer every 30 minutes, if the readings stay the same 3 times in a row then its unlikely its going to charge any farther. I read this tip somewhere too.
Once you are satisfied with the equalization charge, you can either put it on a float charger or leave it unhooked and let it rest.
I still need to do the other batteries, and I think I will equalize charge them once a year before winter (the rest of the year they have a float charger on them). I only did one battery so far, after I equalize charged it, I completely unhooked it from the charger and let it rest for 8 hours, here is the result:
I found my charger used locally, but if you cannot find one of the old style heavy chargers, then you might be able to use a welder, obviously you would need to be more careful with the welder:
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