May need to bid farewell to the yellow top

[gmcman]

Granted the battery is from 4/07 but I think it was my error that shortened it's life. I had left some accessories plugged in overnight a few times and ran it down recently requiring a jump start. In doing this it was followed by driving and not a slow charge, and from what I understand these batteries don't like the quick charge.

Now it will take a slow charge and work fine, just each day it will crank slower and slower. I also just recently replaced the alternator, it holds 14.2-14.5V and reacts to all the loads so it's working fine.

I have a .12 A draw with everything off which is another question....what is the normal parasitic draw with everything off?

The battery I have been looking at is the Northstar AGM. Seems this is a company that has broke off from Exide and these are made in the USA, impressive specs and a 4 year warranty. seems no matter where I go for a decent battery I am looking at $130 easy. Walmart or Costco seems too hit or miss and if I'm paying upwards of $200 then I want to make it count. Curious if anyone has used this battery or knows anything about them.

BCI Group Number
78
Height with Terminal
7.12 in
Width
7.10 in
Length with Rib
10.87 in
Weight
49 lbs
Terminal Configuration
Side
Pulse Cranking Amps
1,500 A
CA/MCA Rating at 32°F
1,050 A
Cold Cranking Amps at 0°F
880 A
Cold Cranking Amps at -20°F
585 A
Reserve Capacity
133 min
Capacity - 20 Hour Rate
63 Ah
Capacity - 10 Hour Rate
61 Ah
Internal Resistance
3.1 mΩ
Short Circuit Current
3,100 A
Warranty
4 years full

 

[blazinlow89]

I stopped using my Optima a long time ago. The first one just stopped holding a charge after a year, took it in for a replacement at Advanced and the machine said it was all fine. Threw it back in the truck and drove around for a day or so and I heard a hissing noise from under the hood, thought the truck over heated but it was the battery. Had a large crack develop on the side. They replaced it under warranty. Next one lasted about 3 years before having similar issues.

Been cheap MAXX batteries from Walmart since then. Only had to buy one in the last 5 years for the TB.

That Northstar on the other hand looks nice, and Exide makes good stuff.

 

[Playsinsnow]

I bought a two year battery at Walmart four years ago because (at the time it was the CHEAPEST battery around) it was actually closer to me when it died. Told myself I would buy a "nice" one when this one failed. Best money I never spent. I turn off all accessories before shutdown so there is minimal draw on startup. Kind of anal about that and the wife will do the same! Now if only she would want to learn how to pop start her manual.

 

[The_Roadie]

Typical parasitic drain is 25-50mA (0.025A), but you have to be sure your meter is accurate down there, and (more importantly) you're making your measurement after all the napping modules actually go into their deep sleep mode. This can take an hour or so. If you turn the switch off and immediately check for drain, it won't be accurate. If you turn the ignition off, pull a fuse or a battery wire, then insert the ammeter in series, you just woke up a module or two with the power interruption and that isn't a valid test either. It's actually difficult to get a good clean measurement of parasitic drain without a way to open the battery wire or fuse while the ammeter is already in place keeping the voltage steady.

 

[CaptainXL]

Typical parasitic drain is 25-50mA (0.025A), but you have to be sure your meter is accurate down there, and (more importantly) you're making your measurement after all the napping modules actually go into their deep sleep mode. This can take an hour or so.

Tested this extensively last year. Amps on my vehicle dropped to near zero or .01 amps after approximately 1 minute. Of course if you take Onstar and add that to the equation then it will come to life around the 15, 30, 60, 120, 480 minute marks. Its something like that. It never really shutsoff completely until after a few days. There are some technical briefs out there on the web that explains Onstars operation. If you remove the Onstar fuse and any other fuses such as aftermarket remote start or alarms or accessories then you can be pretty certain after only a minutes worth of testing.

 

[gmcman]

I stopped using my Optima a long time ago. The first one just stopped holding a charge after a year, took it in for a replacement at Advanced and the machine said it was all fine. Threw it back in the truck and drove around for a day or so and I heard a hissing noise from under the hood, thought the truck over heated but it was the battery. Had a large crack develop on the side. They replaced it under warranty. Next one lasted about 3 years before having similar issues.

Been cheap MAXX batteries from Walmart since then. Only had to buy one in the last 5 years for the TB.

That Northstar on the other hand looks nice, and Exide makes good stuff.

I understand that Optima has moved factories to Mexico and the quality has been questionable. I have never had any issues with this one, and it was still cranking hard until I ran it down 3 times within a month, that's when the troubles started.

I believe Northstar is separate from Exide but originated within their factory, now it's an independent factory in the USA.

I forgot about what you all have said about the electronics going to sleep. I was using a clamp meter so it isn't as accurate as an inline reading in which I will try also. The pic I showed was the dual-terminal group 78/34 and I am after the side-terminal only group 78....I want to retain the brace that rests over the battery and I think the top POS+ terminal will restrict this.

 

[kickass audio]

Just to chime in on what I use. I have all XS Power batteries in my truck. I have the s3400 (group 34 battery that is as big as you can fit in the stock tray) and I have 4 D3100's (group 31 batteries) with a 270 amp Mechman Alternator. XS Power did a video showing the difference in output and quality between Optima, Kinetik and XS power and XS by far wins. They have far larger terminals, thicker internal buss bars, way more output under load and from my experience they are great batteries to play music at full tilt and barely even get down to 12.8v when they rest at 13.3v give or take a few millivolts. They do cost more but I put my S3400 under a ton of abuse when I had it in my old car. I drove an 98 olds 88 and the alternator on it crapped out so when I revved the engine it would make the alt shut off and make me run on just battery power. I drove home from college which is 30 miles away on just the battery doing 65mph with the vents on full blast, defroster on, all lights on and didn't even sputter or act up one bit. I checked my voltage when I got home and it was at a nice 12.95v. I have had that battery for going on 4 years now and it has never failed me.

Check out these vids of them testing the d3100 with the side ripped off and comparing different brands for the quality:

[video=youtube;M4djhCiXbHQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4djhCiXbHQ[/video]

[video=youtube;Tg7qpY9JCU4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg7qpY9JCU4[/video]

 

[gmcman]

That's good to know about the XS, my local dealer has them and is definitely an alternative. My main issue is the top brace and part of me want's to keep it there primarily from a safety standpoint. I will go down today and test-fit a 78/34 with the dual-terminals and see if it clears the brace. Also depends on proximity, I wish the NEG terminal was on that side and a 24 is likely too large for the tray.

 

[CaptainXL]

My dual terminal Duracell AGM is tight but it fits with the box and brace over it.

View attachment 31386

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Got Duracell AGM battery couple weeks ago. (78DTAGM) Rebranded Deka that is made by East Penn. Made in US with US parts.

Specifications

•20 amp hour rate:55
•BCI Group Size:34/78
•CA at 32 degrees F:955
•CCA at 0 degrees F:775
•Reserve Capacity:120
•Volts:12
•Core Charge may apply

Warranty

36 months Free Replacement

Features:
Superior starting power, high reserve capacity, and long lasting life, there’s no match for these intimidating AGM BATTERIES. Advanced AGM technology with dual purpose design makes it great for quick starts and plenty of competition-quality accessory power for • stereo systems • boats & RVs • hydraulic lifts • winches • on-board electronics • and many other power demands. The tight-pack plate and separator construction provides added power for resistance against hard-hitting stereo, competitive racing, or off-road wear and tear vibration. Along with a more efficient design, it also has the same case/cover configuration used by original equipment manufacturers for an easier fit into more applications. No elaborate marketing gimmicks or hold-down retrofits, just decades of experience to provide a better fit, more power and longer life.

Was about $120 at Sam's club. Has great reviews with the RV, boat, and offroad crowd. I really wanted the vibration resistance and dual terminals for the winch. I removed a perfectly good Everstart MAXX and stuck it in my dads S-10.

I had it out playing music by a campfire playing music with subs on and interiors on and prolly hit the remote to turn on headlights a dozen or more times(looking for firewood) over 3 or 4 hours and it started like it had not been running anything. I figured that would at least phase it a little, but it did not.

I am quite satisfied so far.

It has been a year since that post and I am still more than satisfied with this battery. Left the PIAA offroad lights on overnight and no hesitation starting. Does fine when winching. I would buy another and have not seen anything I could point you toward that would be better for the price.

 

[gmcman]

It has been a year since that post and I am still more than satisfied with this battery. Left the PIAA offroad lights on overnight and no hesitation starting. Does fine when winching. I would buy another and have not seen anything I could point you toward that would be better for the price.

Great battery for sure, I believe that's the previous Platinum series Die Hard if I was informed correctly.

 

[htseat2000]

we bought our envoy in April of 2012. the battery started going out in June of 2013. didn't know how long battery had been in there since we purchased the envoy used. when I replaced the battery the date said 10/07 so it was probably time for it to go. don't remember what it was, but ended up installing an energizer battery from sams into the envoy. it was 92 and some change. well the duralast went out in my 2000 Monte Carlo last month so I went back to go get an energizer for it from sams and they now carry Duracell so I purchased a Duracell for the Monte Carlo at a cost of 92 and some change. guess we will see which lasts longer. energizer or Duracell. thought it was worth a shot since I had been getting Duralast for years and it is a hit and miss with those.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Great battery for sure, I believe that's the previous Platinum series Die Hard if I was informed correctly.

I did not see that in my research. I found Odessey makes the DieHard Platinum. The Duracell is East Penn/Deka.

Good read from Ih8mud....

"What brand of battery is the best?

That is like asking what the best dinner is. There are three major manufactures of batteries in the U.S., Johnson Controls, Exide, and Eastern-Penn (Deka), which are then labeled by different distributors/retailers. (Note that Johnson Controls has moved most of their production to Mexico). There are also several small manufactures, the best known one of which is Enersys, the manufacture of the Odyssey brand Absorbed Gas Mat (AGM) batteries. A newer manufacture of AGM Batteries is Northstar, which are becoming more available. Some models of Odyssey are also relabeled as the Sears Die Hard Platinum. If is is a Die Hard Platinum, it is an Odyssey.

Who makes my battery:
Sears- Diehard: Lead Acid- Johnson Controls, Platinum AGM- Odyssey, Gold Advanced AGM- Eastern- Penn.
Interstate- Johnson Controls.
Walmart Everstart- Johnson Controls (Exide Contract Cancelled).
Autozone Duralast- Lead Acid- Johnson Controls, AGM- East-Penn.
Pep Boys (including Bosch)- As of Aug 2012 Exide
Napa- Lead Acid- Johnson Controls; AGM- East-Penn.
Optima- Johnson Controls.
Varta AGM- Fall 2012- Johnson Controls in a new US plant.
Costco-Johnson Controls.
Northstar- Northstar and also distributed by Batteries Plus as the X2Power and Exide under the Northstar label.
Duracell- East Penn (Deka)
Rayovac (Batteries Plus)- Lead Acid- Johnson Controls; AGM- East Penn (Deka)
Deka- East Penn

What is the difference between a lead acid and AGM battery?

A lead acid battery (traditional) uses liquid mix of acid and water that submerges the battery plates. An AGM (Absorbed Gas Mat) battery uses a membrane that suspends the acid mixture. The advantages of an AGM battery are they produce no gasses unless overcharged, are totally sealed so they don't evaporate, and the big one is they can handle more deep discharges. Typically an AGM battery can handle twice as many discharges to 50% of capacity as a standard lead acid battery. Additionally, AGM batteries have lower internal resistance so they can provide more instant current.

For those that want a better understanding of AGM batteries, here are a few links that provide excellent technical explanations of Lead Acid v. AGM:

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/file...1_0411_000.pdf

http://www.showmetheparts.com/BIN/do...s (VRLA).pdf

http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/manual.pdf

Should I pay extra for an AGM Battery?

It depends. If you are going to be winching, camping where you draw down the battery a lot, or have other special needs, then the extra cost is potentially worth it. For regular starting, they don't serve much purpose in these trucks.

It is worth noting that AGM's are being used more and more in new cars which put much higher draws on batteries while sitting and before starting. As a result many new cars will draw down the battery deeper than older cars and the extra cycle life of an AGM helps.

Who makes AGM batteries?

There are three large AGM manufactures- Odyssey, East-Penn- Deka Intimidator, and Optima (Johnson Controls). It is worth noting that the first two are U.S. manufactured, Optimas are now manufactured in Mexico and there have been many complaints of quality since production for the Optimas was moved.

The market is changing rapidly for AGM's with demand increasing new products are being released. Northstar, a Swedish company is pushing distribution in the U.S. (batteries are manufactured in the U.S.), distributing batteries directly as Northstar, through Exide as Nothstar, and (Shh) through batteries plus as the X2Power. Johnson Controls announced in July 2012 that they will start producing flat plate AGM batteries (as opposed to the Exide Orbirtal) in the U.S.. The new batteries will be produced in a new U.S. plant capable of producing 6 million AGM batteries a year. It is unclear if they will be under the Varta name or another brand.

Do I need to take special care of an AGM battery?

No. The only caution that needs to be exercised is if you use a battery charger. In that case, you must use one that has a specific AGM charge mode to prevent overcharging. AGM batteries are very sensitive to being overcharged. Also, unlike lead acid batteries, a deeply discharged AGM battery may need a larger charger to get the charge process started.

Does an AGM Battery have a different voltage than a lead acid battery?

Slightly. The resting voltage of a fully charged lead acid battery is approximately 12.7 volts. A fully charged AGM battery will have a resting voltage of 12.8-12.9 volts.

Is my current alternator/voltage regulator compatible with an AGM battery?

Yes. As set forth in the Deka whitepaper on AGM batteries, this maximum voltage is between 13.9 volts for temps over 120f and 15.4 volts for temperatures under 40f. These voltage limits are very close to typical lead acid batteries. Unless there is something wrong with your alternator, it will not harm an AGM battery, in which case it would almost certainly have also damaged a traditional lead acid battery.

It is worth noting that some newer cars (specifically BMW's in the last 10 years) actually have a programmable alternator. When you replace the battery in these cars, you set the type of battery (lead acid or AGM) and reserve capacity. The charging system then tracks the age and type of battery and its charging of it to maximize battery life. This combined with the fact that BMW places batteries under the seat or in the trunk lead to regular reports of batteries lasting about 6 years.

What specs should I look for in a battery?

Three- Warranty, Cold Cranking Amps (CCA), and Reserve Capacity.

Cold Cranking Amps tell you the current a battery will put out for 30 seconds at 0F without dropping below 7.2 volts. Don't get too hung up on this number for the 80, the factory batteries were in the 450-625CCA range depending on the market.

Reserve Capacity- This tells you the number of minutes at 80F the battery can put out 25 amps before it is drawn down to 10.5 volts. The higher the number, the longer you can run accessories and still expect your vehicle to start. Personally, I put much more importance on this number than CCA.

How long should my battery last?

It depends. Heat kills batteries. For every 22F above 77F you can expect your battery to last half as long. Many people are mistaken that cold kills batteries. This incorrect. What will often happen is the heat will cause a decrease in capacity which then shows up when it gets cold and extra demand is put on the battery. If your battery has removable caps, check it once in a while to make sure there is sufficient water, especially if you live in a hot climate.

Sears has some great charts in their faq that give an estimate of how long batteries last in different parts of the U.S. I have attached the photos from the chart at the end of this.

How often should I replace my battery:

I agree with Sears on this which says: "Even if your battery appears fine, you should replace it before the 4th winter season of use. Cold temperatures can reduce your battery's ability to perform at its peak." Modern batteries don't slowly die, they just fail to work one day leaving you stranded. A failing battery also puts more stress on an alternator which can cause premature failure. I replace my batteries every four years, trying to stretch an extra year to save $20-40 on the life of the battery isn't worth it to me.

Environmental/Nationalistic/Religious Comments (I have put these here in the interest of full disclosure because some of the below information is important to people in their purchase decisions)

Note that the majority, if not all of Johnson Controls lead acid batteries (which include Interstate, Die Hard, Duralast, etc.) are now made in Mexico. While I personally don't have an issue with foreign products, I do have concerns that there have been articles concerning lead pollution (and the resulting harm to workers and their families) from improper recycling near these plants.

Exide only has plants in the U.S., so all of their batteries are U.S. made. They also state that they do not export used batteries to Mexico and perform all recycling in the U.S.

If it says East-Penn, it is made in the U.S.

For those that wish to support a Christian focused distributor (I am Jewish so I have no stake in the game), Interstate is privately owned fundamental Christian company that supports Christian organizations. "

 

[kickass audio]

I have the s3400 with the ibar 551 and it fits with the support bar. I do not have the dumb plastic cover for the battery installed and the vent pipe I tucked it down into the upper radiator location. I still have the bracket installed though it is useless because it is so flimsy and tends to rust to all hell.

In all honesty there should also be a support bar on the passenger side that goes diagonally from the front brace to the fender. The XL's have that bar. It isn't needed at all.

This d3400 is the same as the s3400 without a heavier case but I know plenty of people with the d series under the hood and have 0 issues. I would get it from here unless your dealer can give you a better price. XS Power 12V 3400 Group 34 AGM Battery - 12 Volt AGM Batteries - AGM Batteries - Electrical Steve is my man and I buy so many things from him especially his install tools.

 

[gmcman]

I did not see that in my research. I found Odessey makes the DieHard Platinum. The Duracell is East Penn/Deka.

Ok, could have been the silver series Die Hard....not sure. I thought I discovered they made the Duracell you and Cap't have....apparently not.

I like that XS Power batt.....I can get it shipped for the same price as the Northstar+ tax so it's a tough call. Nice thing about the Northstar is the side posts are steel thread, but still surrounded by the high-density lead.

I did a test fit and the top posts clear the brace, and fits fairly snug and cramped under the cover. I also checked out my local Sam's Club and they have that Duracell AGM and it's going for $139....however the freshest battery they have is stamped 12/12, I definitely don't want a battery that's been sitting for 11 months..

I don't like spending $240 on a battery but with the Northstar or the XS it just may be worth it. Bugs me the Northstar looks nearly identical to the Odyssey but they are different, especially since Northstar has their own factory.

I will sleep on it though.

 

[gmcman]

It's all a bunch of lies anyway. They just figured out how to make this battery last longer.

Good price at the dealer on the POS+ harness so I figure I will change that out also. I don't want any possible hidden corrosion giving me fits.

 

[kickass audio]

i wouldn't bother with anything but XS. You will need to get the ibar 551 with the d3400 battery so don't forget that. The ibar has the ability to put top terminals on like the duracell one has for where they clamp around the top post. The d3400 will include the hardware for top mount of a ring terminal so if you want to when you upgrade the stock wires you can just get a set of ring terminals and do the big-3 upgrade to them with it. If you look at my youtube the first 16 seconds I show the wiring under my hood. [video=youtube;HCD4h2OuZms]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCD4h2OuZms[/video]

I myself left the stock wiring in there and put 1/0 OFC on top of them for the alternator charge, alternator ground and frame ground. Also when you replace the battery clean your throttle body as it will reset itself and i never tried to do the relearn of having the key left to on for a few minutes after reconnecting the battery. Also the XS ibar is solid as well with lead on the outer part where the stock terminal bites into it.

 

[gmcman]

Kickass....don't get mad.. but I had to go with the Northstar. This is the Batt Plus clone, the X2 and for the price I had to do it....$229 out the door and if anything happens they're local. I spoke with wcca and they praised the 3400 but for the $$$ this was the better deal for me, thanks for the link.

I wish I had jumped on the Duracell last year at Sam's but water under the bridge unfortunately.

 

[kickass audio]

I won't get mad because you got something else. Its your money, what you do with it is all up to you. I was just providing you insight on the differences in brands as all. Yeah Steve is pretty cool, I had him test some of my amps on his dyno and I bought a battery charger, distortion detector and crossover calibrator and 2 jugs of sunflash UV activated resin. Real stand up guy.

I know you were going to upgrade the wiring but when you do it I strongly recommend doing the big-3 upgrade. bigger cable to go from battery negative to engine negative (it is better if you can get a bolt off the alternator and connect it to that), bigger cable to go from the alt charge wire to the battery positive and a bigger cable from the battery negative to the frame rail of the truck. Now go ahead and have someone start a fit of what I did but I drilled a hole in my frame on the under side of it and tapped the hole and installed a bolt to secure my 1/0ga OFC wire to the frame. I also used a wire wheel on a drill to grind off the paint on the frame and once the terminal was bolted down I painted over it. I did this for my front and rear ground where both banks sit.

 

[gmcman]

I actually did the big wire upgrade when I first installed the yellow top, but only 2...ALT to BATT and NEG to chassis. The wire harness I'm changing is OEM to fresh OEM, but keeping the two extra big wires. Do I need them in stock form, prob not, but when using the remote winch I don't want to load up any of the stock wires too much.

Also I keep telling myself I will add some HP to the stereo but daycare always trumps it.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Drill a hole in the frame...pfft. I cut chunks out mine, welded plates n tubes to it, drilled plenty of holes in the cross members. Its boxed n plenty strong.

I should do the big 3 upgrade myself.

 

[xtitan1]

i wouldn't bother with anything but XS. You will need to get the ibar 551 with the d3400 battery so don't forget that. The ibar has the ability to put top terminals on like the duracell one has for where they clamp around the top post. The d3400 will include the hardware for top mount of a ring terminal so if you want to when you upgrade the stock wires you can just get a set of ring terminals and do the big-3 upgrade to them with it. If you look at my youtube the first 16 seconds I show the wiring under my hood. [video=youtube;HCD4h2OuZms]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCD4h2OuZms[/video]

I myself left the stock wiring in there and put 1/0 OFC on top of them for the alternator charge, alternator ground and frame ground. Also when you replace the battery clean your throttle body as it will reset itself and i never tried to do the relearn of having the key left to on for a few minutes after reconnecting the battery. Also the XS ibar is solid as well with lead on the outer part where the stock terminal bites into it.

Did you notice a difference going from stock wires to big three? What about the aftermarket alternator? MAY03LT was telling me he was chasing down a dimming lights issue forever and did both of those and didn't change a thing.

 

[CaptainXL]

There are people that like to dress up their trucks and impress. There are also those that prefer to be a bit more practical. Judging by the size of those wires it would seem more dress. Our 4 gauge wiring can handle up to a 250 amp alternator without much in the way of parasitic losses. It looks nice though.

 

[gmcman]

Did you notice a difference going from stock wires to big three? What about the aftermarket alternator? MAY03LT was telling me he was chasing down a dimming lights issue forever and did both of those and didn't change a thing.

I wonder if he had the factory lead-acid battery? The AGM batteries tend to act more like a capacitor and are better suited for sudden surges. The dimming lights when high-wattage stereo's or accessories are involved are best handled by a higher current alternator. The big-3 upgrade opens up the current flow and can sometimes make the dimming worse.

There are people that like to dress up their trucks and impress. There are also those that prefer to be a bit more practical. Judging by the size of those wires it would seem more dress. Our 4 gauge wiring can handle up to a 250 amp alternator without much in the way of parasitic losses. It looks nice though.

I agree the factory cables handle the loads fine, unless you have a big stereo where the amps basically receive "sloppy seconds" or the leftover available power. One other thing to consider is the resistance in the smaller 4 gauge wire and with only that wire handling most of the current for the vehicle, it gets tough on the alternator's electronics.

I personally feel that by using the larger wire from the alternator that it relieves some stress on the internal electronics of the alternator which was one of the reasons I did my upgrade, mainly for the receiver-mount winch.

 

[CaptainXL]

I wonder if he had the factory lead-acid battery? The AGM batteries tend to act more like a capacitor and are better suited for sudden surges. The dimming lights when high-wattage stereo's or accessories are involved are best handled by a higher current alternator. The big-3 upgrade opens up the current flow and can sometimes make the dimming worse.

I have read that. It can sometimes make the dimming worse.

Its funny. My voltage coming from the alternator used to be below 14 volts with the truck running. Now after the upgrade to the AGM Duracell it charges over 14 volts all the time. Its been consistent like this since I installed it. My volt meter on the dash never moves now.

Also had a local installer tell me they buy out the Duracell AGM's all the time. Audiophiles use them in their cars for sound systems. They are well made for that purpose.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

My volt meter on the dash never moves now.

You don't believe that is a real accurate gauge do you? Most of our gauges are just dummy and not a real accurate portrayal. Comparing to my Scanguage has led me to believe little from the stock instruments.

 

[The_Roadie]

The dash voltmeter lies less than the oil pressure and temp gauges, for instance. But the truth is that it's a data stream message from an A/D converter in the PCM. So the most misleading thing I've noticed about the dash gauge (besides a little lag and a small amount of filtering) is that it's not reporting the voltage as seen on any of the dash power wires. It's the voltage as seen at the PCM. If you're troubleshooting a ground problem in the dash area, this may mislead you.

If the dash gauge is wiggling a bit and the lights are also dimming, then I think it's telling enough of the truth that there's an issue. What people see as dimming is usually the voltage is in that transition band between around 14V (where the alternator is keeping up with the load) and 12.0 - 12.5V (where the alternator is giving its all and losing the battle, so the voltage drops enough to the point the battery takes up the rest of the demanded load).

 

[CaptainXL]

You don't believe that is a real accurate gauge do you?

My testing with a multimeter shows that its a fair representation unlike the oil pressure switch which isn't a pressure transducer.

Most of our gauges are just dummy and not a real accurate portrayal.

Hey I wasn't born yesterday. Electronics is my favorite thing. Actually went to school for it. I know exactly what Bill is talking about. I have even learned a few things over the past 4 years as a member.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

 

[CaptainXL]

Ok . Thanks

 

[jimmyjam]

The Northstar looks identical to my Diehard Plat

 

[kickass audio]

Did you notice a difference going from stock wires to big three? What about the aftermarket alternator? MAY03LT was telling me he was chasing down a dimming lights issue forever and did both of those and didn't change a thing.

I couldn't speak for a notice on going from the big3 with the stock alt. When I did my big-3 I had upgraded the alternator and battery in front and had a d3100 in the back so i upgraded a lot when I did it. I have a 270 amp Mechman alternator in there and have the s3400 under the hood and 4 d3100's in the back. I at the time of the big-3 had the 270a mechman alt, the s3400 and d3100 installed.

Idk what May03's dimming issue is but the only issue my truck has but it always had it is when I turn on the dome lights they have a flicker to them, its not insane but its noticeable. None of the other lights flicker but the dome lights. I did take off the ground bolt for the BCM when I had ran my DRL killer mod to ground the relay and I cleaned up the contact point and put some diaelectric grease on it. I did not touch the stock wires that go from the front fusebox to the rear fusebox or the connections that go from the battery to the fusebox. I left those intact.

What is dimming on your truck? How is your voltage when the alt and engine are cold? how about when its warm?

 

[kickass audio]

There are people that like to dress up their trucks and impress. There are also those that prefer to be a bit more practical. Judging by the size of those wires it would seem more dress. Our 4 gauge wiring can handle up to a 250 amp alternator without much in the way of parasitic losses. It looks nice though.

Mine is not for cosmetic, it is for the amps. I have a 5000w amp wired at .5 ohms for my sub and I have a 1300w amp for my mids and highs. I need that wire upgraded or I will melt and destroy the stock wire. Even though the wire I got at a damn good price I would not pay the money I did for the wire upgrade if it wasn't needed. And with Mechman, if you don't have at least 1/0 for the charge wire then your warranty is instantly void.

 

[tblazerdude]

My yellow top is dated 9/07. It has been a terrific battery, and continues to be. Just tested it with a interstate battery ed2 battery tester, and it's "good, recharge" 12.3 V and over 600 cca. I have drained this battery completely twice. I have drained it enough to prevent starting numerous times. I must have gotten one of the last good ones. Good things come and go. I don't trust a 6 year old battery. I plow in the winter, and work a full time job. I have strobes, a plow, an aftermarket stereo with 2 amps, a CB radio, a radar detector and cell phone charger. I need serious reliable power. I considered another optima, but all the plow forums were saying odyssey. All the people here were saying no optimas. The odyssey was $260 on amazon. Thats a little pricey for me, (my cost on a yellow top is $180) so I looked elsewhere. We sell interstate batteries at my shop, most of which I consider overpriced since its a basically a walmart battery. Why pay $20 more for the interstate name? But then I found their new MT7 Line, Their first AGM under the interstate name. Retail (what we sell them for) is $340 for a MT7-78 and I got mine for $210. It is the same battery as the Diehard P4-Platinum AGM, but is made in a different factory, which apparently, uses more lead in the construction, and has slightly more lead surface area, in efforts to supercede the diehard. It has a 4 year 100% replacement warranty after that it is prorated to 6 years. Since interstates warranty is "no questions asked" I could essentially get a new battery every 4 years. Here are some photos. I will post follow up's about the battery as time progresses.

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[CaptainXL]

Mine is not for cosmetic, it is for the amps. I have a 5000w amp wired at .5 ohms for my sub and I have a 1300w amp for my mids and highs. I need that wire upgraded or I will melt and destroy the stock wire. Even though the wire I got at a damn good price I would not pay the money I did for the wire upgrade if it wasn't needed. And with Mechman, if you don't have at least 1/0 for the charge wire then your warranty is instantly void.

Understood. Should have noted that hot or melting power wires would be my concern. But with 5000 watts (rms?) I can see the need for all that. .Anyway nicely done.

 

[kickass audio]

Understood. Should have noted that hot or melting power wires would be my concern. But with 5000 watts (rms?) I can see the need for all that. .Anyway nicely done.

I got the wire for one hell of a price and why not upgrade it, oem wire is junk though our wires aren't too shabby for stock. I always upgrade wires on my cars. I did it on my old car before I bought my envoy. You actually can kill your alternator if you have a high output alt like mine with too small of a wire being used for the charge and ground. It will keep sending that current to it and make it drop down. I had clamped the current draw on my amp and it draws a TON of current if I play tones, usually its around 400 amps of current. The amp has dual 1/0 power inputs so its around 250-300a each wire. All my power and grounds are 1/0 after my recent 4 channel amp has the 1/0 terminals built in. But on music its sometimes around 250-300 amps max. a .5 ohm load on a 1 ohm amp that is not regulated can draw a decent amount of current. If I were to bump at idle the rpm would jump all over the place from that huge strain on the alternator. I do help it out by having so much reserve power with all the batteries but I still refuse to use anything less than 1/0.

 

[gmcman]

Installed new POS+ harness and of course I set the battery in and I originally had the big cables nice and neat and reached the Optima terminals just fine. However with this battery the terminals are at the edge so the large red cable I added from the alternator just barely fits, and that's with a slight tug so I will need to make another cable.

Once I had everything re-worked to fit the terminals, it was time to attach the POS+ cable so low and behold.....the Stinger bolt I had on the Optima is too short for this one since the steel threads of the terminal on the Northstar are recessed another 1/8" . Off to the shop (1hr round trip with a coffee stop) and all is good.

Good news is it starts..real fast. but no way I can leave it looking like this so I will need to tidy up the wires when it gets warm.

My yellow top is dated 9/07. It has been a terrific battery, and continues to be. Just tested it with a interstate battery ed2 battery tester, and it's "good, recharge" 12.3 V and over 600 cca. I have drained this battery completely twice. I have drained it enough to prevent starting numerous times. I must have gotten one of the last good ones. Good things come and go. I don't trust a 6 year old battery.

This one was 4/07 and never gave me a moments grief either....but again it's 6 1/2 years old so I can't be too upset...been a great battery. I agree these were nearing the last of the "good ones" for sure, numerous complaints on the new ones and even a few local retailers stopped carrying them because of this.

 

[FlyingFischer]

It has been a year since that post and I am still more than satisfied with this battery. Left the PIAA offroad lights on overnight and no hesitation starting. Does fine when winching. I would buy another and have not seen anything I could point you toward that would be better for the price.

How is the Duracel holding up? I want to upgrade my battery to a AGM to help with all my lights and other electronics I have in my TB.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Perfectly. Truck has had no issues in any weather and sitting for a week or so at a time it still cranks right over.

 

[FlyingFischer]

Perfectly. Truck has had no issues in any weather and sitting for a week or so at a time it still cranks right over.

Would you go with 2 Duralast AGM's at $180 a piece, or go with one higher end one X2power at $320?

I don't currently have a fridge and not 100% sure I'll end getting one, don't have winches, just the 6 AUX sets of lights and a sub. Should I just stick with one or two batteries?