New Starter Battery time

[doyta]

I also run a marine for deep cycle. a bosch

[Stu.wrf450]

I went to coda batteries in sylvania. Been there a very long time probably more years then the oldest guy on the forum.
I picked up a marine deep cycle battery. American made. 100ah 2 year warranty. $250. If I have a problem straight back there, touch wood I don't but.. Bring on more 4wd,camping n trips.

[Ryno77]

With my ARB dual battery bracket they recommended a suitable battery was the Century N70ZZLH. I didn't get it as the price was obviously more then what I could get from any battery shop.

After a small amount of research, the Century N70ZZL4WD appears to be a decent cheap option but for my purpose which will be solely for accessories such as fridge and lighting I am thinking of the N70T deep cycle. Jump starting only in dire situations.

I was going to lean away from acid batteries but for the price of the other types I think medium priced, deep cycle, acid is the way to go for me anyway.

[MLTZER]

I just got a Century Marine Pro 730, fits in the ARB tray, and super cheap auto have 20% off store wide today!!!

[88DJP]

WARNING! Do not install Century Marine Pro before reading this... In August Century released a new style Marine Pro 720 which has raised plugs to keep the acid in instead of screw in maintenance caps as well as increased fluid levels causing acid to leak out of the poorly sealed plugs. As I discovered today these batteries are no longer suitable for 4x4 deep cycle application (hence their marketing slogan - made for boats , just boats!) unless you like the idea of having battery acid all over the inside of your engine bay and wheel arch (dual battery) area. Yay for me, new hilux ute with battery acid corrosion everywhere.
See attached marketing promotion with details of changes they have made to the battery design.

http://www.carlinemortdale.com.au/files ... mpaign.pdf

Please let me know if you have come across this or know of any ways to beat corrosion on my paintwork.

[MLTZER]

WARNING! Do not install Century Marine Pro before reading this... In August Century released a new style Marine Pro 720 which has raised plugs to keep the acid in instead of screw in maintenance caps as well as increased fluid levels causing acid to leak out of the poorly sealed plugs. As I discovered today these batteries are no longer suitable for 4x4 deep cycle application (hence their marketing slogan - made for boats , just boats!) unless you like the idea of having battery acid all over the inside of your engine bay and wheel arch (dual battery) area. Yay for me, new hilux ute with battery acid corrosion everywhere.
See attached marketing promotion with details of changes they have made to the battery design.

http://www.carlinemortdale.com.au/files ... mpaign.pdf

Please let me know if you have come across this or know of any ways to beat corrosion on my paintwork.

Ugh great..... I'll keep an eye on mine

[88DJP]

The older style Marine Pro 720 is fine cause it had a flip up lid with screw in caps underneath it, however the new 730 has push in plugs under the raised box covers. I originally went to BCF to buy the 720 but they didn't have any but sold me the 730 and stated they were the same battery. Figures out last night the design differences.

Now out to buy the old 720 design style and get my paintwork repaired.

[Richiesupercharged]

The older style Marine Pro 720 is fine cause it had a flip up lid with screw in caps underneath it, however the new 730 has push in plugs under the raised box covers. I originally went to BCF to buy the 720 but they didn't have any but sold me the 730 and stated they were the same battery. Figures out last night the design differences.

Now out to buy the old 720 design style and get my paintwork repaired.

How long have you had it installed?
I have a 730 and I've done a lot of rough beach work, ruff rocky terrain and corougated Dirt roads.
My batt looks fine too me
I'll just have to keep an eye on it.

[MLTZER]

Could be just a faulty battery, the caps on my 730 are really tight

[Richiesupercharged]

Just had a real good look at mine .. There is a little bit where it looks like it leaked. .
This to me is a design flaw then.. I reckon it would be worse in a boat

[88DJP]

Yeah mines been in for 3 days have driven on 7 km of corrugatuon and the rest highway.

[Richiesupercharged]

Yeah mines been in for 3 days have driven on 7 km of corrugatuon and the rest highway.

I'm off to Fraser island in a couple of days so it just keep an eye on it .. thanks for the heads up mate

[Richiesupercharged]

We'll after all the bumps and stuff on Fraser Island my marine pro 730 has leaked
Appears to be just the front 3.. I had a look at the new century deep cycles and they seal the same way..
All push in plugs not screw in

[MLTZER]

Well that sucks, mine has still hasn't leaked but I haven't gone off road... I did put a post on their FB page regarding the change of style and leaks

[dave g]

hi wot chargers are you using you mite be over charging like I am and boiling the battery just reading the redarc book may need to not connect the battery config wire to back of the absorption voltage

[dave g]

WARNING! Do not install Century Marine Pro before reading this... In August Century released a new style Marine Pro 720 which has raised plugs to keep the acid in instead of screw in maintenance caps as well as increased fluid levels causing acid to leak out of the poorly sealed plugs. As I discovered today these batteries are no longer suitable for 4x4 deep cycle application (hence their marketing slogan - made for boats , just boats!) unless you like the idea of having battery acid all over the inside of your engine bay and wheel arch (dual battery) area. Yay for me, new hilux ute with battery acid corrosion everywhere.
See attached marketing promotion with details of changes they have made to the battery design.

http://www.carlinemortdale.com.au/files ... mpaign.pdf

Please let me know if you have come across this or know of any ways to beat corrosion on my paintwork.

Ugh great..... I'll keep an eye on mine

to kill the acid use bi-carb soda in water all over it then you will see it react to it then hose off dry and repaint damaged parts

[martynvella]

battery quality and luck are very closely related.
Short story.

I sold besco batteries for about 10 years where I did my apprenticeship and managed for a while after.
Moved tens of thousands of dollars worth a month and knew the local branch manager and rep reasonably well.

When I started my own business I used a van with a 202 holden motor in so I put in the biggest battery that would fit in it an N100, about 6 sizes bigger than was recommended in the day. lasted 13 months and guess what, the staff at the branch wouldn't honor the warranty. Had a busy day booked that day had no choice but to put in another battery so got the cheapest imported battery they had, a 7 plate minifit for things like minis ( the old ones) cant get them now nothing takes a battery that small any more, cost about 25.00. Had to tie it in because the holder wouldn't go that small.

That battery was still in there 6 years later when I sold the van.

Since then when people ask what a good battery is I just say no way of telling, buy the cheapest and use what you save for a box of beer.

Needless to say, I never sold a besco battery again.

[dave g]

hi wot chargers are you using you mite be over charging like I am and boiling the battery just reading the redarc book may need to not connect the battery config wire to back of the absorption voltage

still leaked it is going back

[tubbers]

Mine is the Century Deep Cycle (not marine - the 100ah car N70T) from BCF. It says on the battery "ideal for 4wd"

Well it has leaked everywhere (with the weak push on caps described in the posts above)

Totally unsuited to 4wd - acid all over the place on the first offroad trip.

Back to BCF....

[martynvella]

don't always believe what you read.

I used to work in a workshop in QLD, wont mention where, we stocked century batteries, kept all the common fast movers in our own stocks but seeing we were just up the road from the century depot when we needed anything from N120 up we would just pull the ute into the depot and have them load them up for us.

The batteries on the pallet had no stickers on them, except a tiny made in Taiwan sticker.

Above one of their benches was a long bar with rolls of all their stickers for the side of the batteries, we would be asked what we wanted these ones to be and they would put the appropriate sticker on to suit our needs, heavy duty, marine, severe service and so on.

Don't always believe what you read, even the people at BCF and the likes only know what the reps tell them, and have you ever heard a rep say not the best?

Just a question,has anyone ever asked a salesman what is the internal difference between a standard lead acid battery and a calcium battery, and then, what is a calcium calcium battery? ask 3 different salesmen and you can bet you will get 3 different answers unless they are honest and say they don't know. I will give you a hint, if they dont use the word antimony are making it up.