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Battery Requirement

Old Jan 27, 2019 | 12:13 PM
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Default Battery Requirement

1993 Dodge Dakota, 5.2L

I currently have an Advanced Auto Parts GOLD battery in my truck (Group 27, 810 CCA). It's more than five years old and I'm going to replace it. Been buying batts from Advanced for a long time and never had any problems. Advanced shows it on their website but no one carries it in stock and say it is unavailable to ship, blah, blah, blah. What they now have available is the same GOLD battery but it is Group Size: 24 and only 700 CCA. Supposedly fits my truck. I'm sure it will work but am I getting a lesser battery? I'm no battery expert. I live in North Carolina.

Thanks Ed
 
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Old Jan 27, 2019 | 12:21 PM
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According to Interstate, possible batteries would be a Group 27, Group 28, or Group 34.

I'd get one of those.

My 1988 has a Group 34 850CCA, and I live in Louisiana.

(Check Interstate and Amazon; you can get some good batteries shipped in for not much more if any than the local battery store.)

Shucks, I got a Duracell AGM (!!) for the wife's Cougar with 60 month warranty on it.

RwP
 
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Old Jan 27, 2019 | 12:25 PM
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That's what I thought. I am leery of that Group 24 battery. How did you deal with the core charge on an Amazon battery?
 
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Old Jan 27, 2019 | 01:27 PM
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I just got the Silver 27.
 
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Old Jan 27, 2019 | 03:45 PM
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There wasn't one - but let me correct myself. I bought the DuraCell AGM from a local store front, Batteries Plus.

The one on Amazon was no core; if I'd bought that, I'd've taken the old battery to a shop a friend of mine used to run.

(Only reason I didn't buy there is that they kept trying to tell me the battery in my Dakota was fine, when I could prove it wasn't.)

RwP
 
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Old Jan 27, 2019 | 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by RalphP
There wasn't one - but let me correct myself. I bought the DuraCell AGM from a local store front, Batteries Plus.

The one on Amazon was no core; if I'd bought that, I'd've taken the old battery to a shop a friend of mine used to run.

(Only reason I didn't buy there is that they kept trying to tell me the battery in my Dakota was fine, when I could prove it wasn't.)

RwP
The scrap yard here pays good money for batteries. They are 98% recyclable.
 
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Old Jan 27, 2019 | 08:38 PM
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They do; but the battery shops pay better.

Since the scrapyards tend to sell to one of the four big battery stores in town ...

RwP
 
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Old Jan 27, 2019 | 10:08 PM
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Most scrap yards will pay from $7-$10 for a junk battery, at least around here. Not sure what you will find where you are but you used to be able to find people who would come and buy your junk batteries and pick them up, but that was back before the whole scrap market went way down several years back. I do know that most places will charge a hefty price on a new battery if you don't have a core. The scrap yard I buy stuff from wants $10 extra on a used battery if you don't have a core.

I was looking at local JY for batteries, they sometimes get really new ones. They had a group 65 Walmart maxx that has the correct post configuration and although it's wider, it's not taller, and it will fit in the tray. This tray can accommodate a battery up to 12" length and a width of about 7.125-7.25". The production date on the 65 was 02/18 so I'm comfortable with it not being too old. I typically maintenance charge my batteries a couple times a year just to make sure they're up to snuff anyway. I have been running a group 43 in it because that's all I had at the house, even though the terminals are the wrong side and face away from the engine.

I found this handy pdf here that lists battery sizes and aprox output. The nice thing is they list a reserve capacity too.

Steve
 
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Old Jan 27, 2019 | 10:19 PM
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Originally Posted by glenlloyd
Most scrap yards will pay from $7-$10 for a junk battery, at least around here. Not sure what you will find where you are but you used to be able to find people who would come and buy your junk batteries and pick them up, but that was back before the whole scrap market went way down several years back. I do know that most places will charge a hefty price on a new battery if you don't have a core. The scrap yard I buy stuff from wants $10 extra on a used battery if you don't have a core.

I was looking at local JY for batteries, they sometimes get really new ones. They had a group 65 Walmart maxx that has the correct post configuration and although it's wider, it's not taller, and it will fit in the tray. This tray can accommodate a battery up to 12" length and a width of about 7.125-7.25". The production date on the 65 was 02/18 so I'm comfortable with it not being too old. I typically maintenance charge my batteries a couple times a year just to make sure they're up to snuff anyway. I have been running a group 43 in it because that's all I had at the house, even though the terminals are the wrong side and face away from the engine.

I found this handy pdf here that lists battery sizes and aprox output. The nice thing is they list a reserve capacity too.

Steve
Yeah, when I go for a replacement battery, I just cruise up to battery wholesale, and tell them to put in the meanest battery they have, that will physically fit. Generally, I only replace the batteries in my vehicles once. In my 96, I bought a new battery for it a few days after I bought it. (discovered the battery sucked......) That battery was still in it when I sold it 7 years later. It sat over the winter, discharged, and froze though, so, I suspect it would be replacement time again. Had I continued driving the truck, I have no doubt that battery would still be in there, and still working fine.

 
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Old Jan 28, 2019 | 08:16 PM
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the group 24 is the same length and width as the 34 but about an inch taller. It is the same width and height as the 27 but about an inch or so shorter lengthwise. The 24 will fit and work just fine.
I too like the old group 27s because I am a fan of putting the largest battery that will physically fit into a vehicle. regardless of what the "fitment guides" say. Lately because I can't always find a group 27 I have been using the group 65s. a little wider, about the same length as a 27, a little shorter. because within a given price point of battery the larger case will almost always yield more CCA and more reserve capacity than the same brand and model battery in a smaller size.
I have sold and dealt with batteries for years, and I see others mentioning Group 28 and a Group 43 above, never heard of either.
 
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