Good source for batteries for 450C Crawler

[philztoy]

The manual lists the battery as a 12 volt AT29160 30H with 570 cold cranking amps.

I tiied to search the internet for an equivalent battery and came up with nothing. What batteries are people using in their 450C crawlers? Right now I have 1000 CCA industrial batteries and they are going bad. I think they cost me around $200 a piece and I am looking for a cheaper alternative.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks
Phil

[Tigerhaze]

I have had really good luck with an Energizer Group 31 battery on my 2010 crawler- I believe it is close to 1000 CCA. I bought it at Sam's Club for a little over $100.

[440 iron popper]

Caterpillar # 115-2421 950 CCA maintenance free or 115-2422 for 1000 CCA. If You want to know how good is a battery, look for the weight! The better the conception, heavier it is... my rule of thumb! hehehe. Believe me I change many 8D 1500CCA on generators (because we have to every 5 years) and Cat batteries strech my elbows a bit...

[shinnery]

If you have an Interstate Battery Distributor nearby they have real good prices on slightly used batteries. The batteries they put out on floor plan at various shops, when they get a year old they cannot be sold as new, or batteries they warrenty when it is actually the alternator or something else. They test them and deep charge them. If good they relabel them as Econopower and sell them for less than $30. plus other charges. Six mo. warrenty. A group 31 is what Dodge used (single battery) on the first generation Cummins Turbo Diesels. I think I have only had one not make it out of the warrenty. I have one in my 96 Dodge V-10 that has been in there six years.
Bryce

[philztoy]

Thanks for the tips I found an interstate battery dealer not too far away.

I may look into my alternator to make sure she is charging.

Thanks for your help.

Phil

[CatD8RII]

Caterpillar # 115-2421 950 CCA maintenance free or 115-2422 for 1000 CCA.

Some of the best batteries out there.

[Jack-the-Ripper]

I've gotten good service with Napa commercial truck and bus duty batteries in my tractors. I think priced around $100-120.

If your alternator is working you will measure about 14 volts at the battery with the engine running at operating speed, if not at idle, as well. This is a quick alternator test.

A fully charged battery seems to measure about 12.7 volts when disconnected. If it won't hold this voltage, its probably has plates shorted internally and draining itself.

Its easy to get in a hurry and use the 20 or 200 amp setting on your battery charger, but batteries seem to recover well and last longer, even (or especially) if fully discharged, when slow charged on the 2 amp setting and left for about 24 hours.

Note: I inadvertently left a car battery charging at about 3-5 amps for several days and found it had EXPLODED (as in parts all over the place) when I returned. I had it on the hood of my truck, whose paint had been removed by the escaped battery acid; the charger had burned up, and where the charger connected into the heavy duty extension cord, its plug had burned off! Its "zip cord" supply wire was not damaged, nor the extension cord. The shop circuit breaker was not tripped. I've left batteries on charge for years and never had such a thing happen. Now whenever I jump or connect batteries I try to appropriately shield my eyes and face, just in case. I still haven't figured what went wrong.