Baaaaaaaateries!!!!! - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

EZFEED · 02-24-2007, 21:16

Heya guys!

Got a quick question. I need to get some batt's for my deuce and would like to get your recommendations.

Do you guys use 2 12V's or do you use one of those big truck batteries? Is there a 24V available? What's the best and most cost effective way to go?

if youre using 2 12V's then how are you guys hooking them up? Any pics?????

thanks!!!!

bottleworks · 02-24-2007, 21:36

The stock battery setup uses two 12 volt batteries wired in series. You could get replacement 6TL batteries or just get some walmart batteries. I am using three batteries... Two in series for the 24 volt system and one for the 12 Volt. All cheap Walmart's.

OPCOM · 02-24-2007, 21:45

Same here, I bought two of the largest "car batteries" that would fit and they have done very well. There may be some issues for fording where the 6TL's would be better, are they not submersible to a degree? -but I don't plan to ford.. Since the box is much larger than two car batteries, some plastic materials such as pieces of PVC pipe can be laid or placed in the box to keep them from sliding around.

FreightTrain · 02-24-2007, 21:46

Yea,what they said.I just used the small cheapest car batteries I could find.Used cut up 2x4s to space everything out so it didn't flop around.To hook them up you hook the positive up to battery one,then you have a jumper from battery ones negitive to Battery 2s positive,then hook the Ground wire to battery 2s ground.Key thing about Electricity.Series doubles voltage,Parallel doubles Amperage.Works for any battery.Those 2 D cell flash light use 2-1.5V to get 3 Volts to the bulb.The big 4 cell lights are 6 volts.A 7.2V Radio Control Battery(the classic Long oval shaped sticks) use 6 1.6V cells(basically C size batteries soldered together)

EZFEED · 02-24-2007, 22:56

Thank's guys! I was curious as to what y'all were using so it looks like I'm going to wally world tommorrow to snag some Batts!.

papercu · 02-24-2007, 23:38

If you are not in cold weather most any batteries will do. I buy mine from the local junkyard 10.00 ea.
If you use smaller batteries and have a metal battery box BE SURE to block them so they will not fall over, they could short and you will lose the battery at the very least.
Easy way to remember the hook up, there is only two wires coming from the truck one hot, one ground. The hot will go to the + on one battery the ground will go to the - on the other battery, dogbone goes in-between.
Always disconnect the ground first when working on the system, and it is the last to hookup when finished.
One last thing REMOVE any rings or jewelry before working around batteries.

houdel · 02-25-2007, 00:13

Negative on the car batteries. I bought U6TLs from my local Interstate sealer for just under $105 each. Maybe in LA you don't give a rat's behind, but the U6TLs have much more hot cranking amperage and CCA so they will last a lot longer and perform much better than Wally Worlds best batteries, which are still going to cost you at least $50 each for the bigger ones anyhow. Go to the Interstate battery web site and do a search for your local distributors, call each of them and ask for a quote. I got prices anywhere from the aforementioned $105 to $165. While you are at it, ask for prices on blems. They are perfectly fully functional batteries with some sort of imperfection on the outer case, They work fine, I could not find any locally, but other SS members have gotten them for as low as $40 each.

Forget the one ground and one positive connection as well. My truck came with a NATO slave adapter, a solargizer, and I haven't been able to figure what all else, but I had three connections to both the ground and +24V terminal. Just wire brush or crocus cloth all the terminals and connecting wires well, apply a light coating of plumbers silicone grease to everything, wrench it up tight, and forget about it for the next 6-10 years.

The U6TLs fit the battery case just fine, and you don't have to spend half of a day cutting wood, PVC pipe or whatever to get your el cheapo batteries to stay in place. Plus the el cheapo batteries are not going to last as long as the U6TLs, they are not designed to provide the cranking amperage that your multifuel engine requires. When was the last time you saw a semi tractor at Wally World getting a new set of batteries installed? Do you think there is a reason for that?

papercu · 02-25-2007, 01:07

If you don't know the main cables will look like welding leads, large black cables. The ground is the short cable bolted to the frame, the rest shouldn't be too hard to figure out.
My M816 had 4 batteries when it was in service now two car batteries will crank it just fine. I'm in Southeast Ga. so the weather is the big factor.
The military has it reasons for using what they use. Wayne

EZFEED · 02-25-2007, 01:43

Hmmmm....So how many cold cranking amps is needed for the deuce? What do each U6TL rate at?

JDToumanian · 02-25-2007, 03:49

It's my understanding that 6TL/U6TL batteries are very durable - The plates are thick and well supported so the batteries can take a beating and survive. Normal el-cheapo batteries will not stand up to the vibration and jarring of off-road usage, and you can get shorted cells... Not something you want to happen on a battlefield, and one reason why Optima batteries are so popular with off roaders, and the military these days... Optimas a're very durable, too.