Batteries for my Dozer

[EddieWalker]

I don't remember why, but I bought two Continental batteries for my dozer in May of 2011. I'm pretty sure they are what was recommended by the sales guy. They worked great for three years, but since fall, I've had to jump the dozer to get it started. I checked the alternator and it's putting out 26 volts, so I think that's fine. After running it for awhile, it will start up easily for a few days, but if I let it sit for longer, I have to jump it again.

The dozer has a Cummins 8.3 engine with 170 hp.

First question is who makes the best battery for a dozer that might go months without being started? I have a disconnect for the batteries, so there is no draw on them when not in use. It just sits for long periods when not needed.

Second question concerns what to have under the batteries. Right now, they sit on a metal tray. Would a rubber mat under the batteries help?

And last, what advice do you have to prolong the life of my batteries? Is 3 1/2 years normal for battery life under my conditions? Very hot and humid in the summer, freezing temps at night in the winter.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have never yet found the answer about the importance of what you place your batteries on, but more important, the all time batteries on a concrete floor will ruin them rumour.

Maybe, just maybe you have a leaking diode (in the alternator) that slowly discharges your batteries.

I don't attend to my batteries as often as I should. I have a friend that has this elaborate system of harnesses and cigar lighter plugs with which he keeps all his stuff always on a maintainer. A little too **** for me!

I do check the water level in my batteris at least once a year, clean them and maybe give the ones that arn't used a trickle charge for a day or two through the winter. If batteries wouldn't last five or six years I would be upset.

I would not trust a battery salesman as far as I could throw his batteries. They all say they are the best and the others are crap! I know JD has their strong box line of batteries or I think the "hibernator" for applications where equipment sits for long periods. Don't know if they make them in a 6D style. Always wanted to try them.

What about a solar charger that might keep your batteries up but not boil them dry?

 

[3930dave]

A decent maintenance charger that can de-sulphate is always a battery's friend. An appropriately sized solar panel + regulator would help in a Back 40 spot.

Battery life in heat can be tough - checking and topping up cells with distilled or DI water is critical - meaning olde school flooded plate batteries.

Any decent AGM battery (like Optima) should perform well in your application. Tough design, and the self-discharge rate in storage is very low. Takes vibration well.

Rgds, D.

 

[hosspuller]

You might add a disconnect between the pair of batteries. L/A batteries connected in parallel can discharge each other if unbalanced. That's why it's good practice to buy them in matched pairs.

 

[radioman]

before tossing them, have you checked the plates to see if they have sulfated over ? If they did , have you tried the old school trick? with epsom salt ? a tiny teaspoon worth in each cell and put em on a charger till the water clears up This works wonders on batteries. it helps the sulfated white stuff not to bridge the plates. Make sense?

As for what to put under the batteries, I am not entirely sure why you are concerned? nearly all equipment I seen have mostly metal brackets, plates, etc. Some might have plastic bottom, but this is a dozer you are talking about. What I dont like is that area under batteries like to rust first before anything so its gets repainted everytime battery is removed. I just use whatever metal paint I have on hand -- after all who gonna look under a tied down battery to see you used bright yellow or pink paint just because its what you had on hand leftover.

I cant comment on battery life for you as you dont use it daily. One thing I learned that in northeast states, batteries doesnt like to sit for 6 months not being used and go at it like new for 5-7 years unless its on a maintainer or its pulled to be used in something else.

 

[3930dave]

Eddie - with your Alt at 26v, sounds like your batteries are in series ?

I like to see something like 14v out of 12v Alt.

Any chance that 26v is just a little light for full charging ? I'm allowing 2.3v/cell for standard Lead/Acid.

My latest Schumacher charger will display % charged. It might be interesting to hook up something like that to your battery after you've had the dozer working for a morning or so.

I've never worked on 24v systems - We need Brain55 or another HD equipment guy in here....

Rgds, D.

(Edit - one more long shot.... No Idea what your soil is like, but believe it or not you can get low current discharge between battery terminals, with dirt/debris on the battery case. It's not a high current drain, but is present 24x7x...... Can spot it sometimes by connecting one meter probe to a battery terminal, and touching the case with the other probe, while measuring DC volts).

 

[Industrial Toys]

If you really wanted to know, disconnect one side of the battery and put a voltmeter (an older analogue one would be better) between that lead and the place you took it off. With everything shut off, you should see no voltage if no current is flowing. You may have to reverse the leads if an analogue meter is used.

 

[EddieWalker]

26volts on the gauge is just a close guess. the gauge isn't as nice as what most cars have, it's just something cheap that my dad found to monitor the voltage. It could easily be a bit more or less, it's just too hard to be sure since the arrow isn't on an actual number.

I was thinking that a rubber mat might help protect the batteries from getting cold from the metal of the dozer. Isn't that why batteries lose their charge sitting on concrete? it's actually fairly clean in the battery compartment, which is at the back of the dozer, fairly high up.

I've been looking at a trickle charge solar system for the batteries, but so far, haven't found anything for 24 volts

I have two 12v batteries that are connected to each other to get 24 volts.

Eddie

 

[3930dave]

26volts on the gauge is just a close guess. the gauge isn't as nice as what most cars have, it's just something cheap that my dad found to monitor the voltage. It could easily be a bit more or less, it's just too hard to be sure since the arrow isn't on an actual number.

I was thinking that a rubber mat might help protect the batteries from getting cold from the metal of the dozer. Isn't that why batteries lose their charge sitting on concrete? it's actually fairly clean in the battery compartment, which is at the back of the dozer, fairly high up.

I've been looking at a trickle charge solar system for the batteries, but so far, haven't found anything for 24 volts

I have two 12v batteries that are connected to each other to get 24 volts.

Eddie

No two batteries will charge exactly the same, so what I'd do is charge them separately.

Two solar panels, one for each battery. You likely have lots of sun, 5watt panels may work. If you want to be sure, use a higher output panel with a regulator between it and the battery - 2 panels and 2 regulators in that case.

A basic DMM will be helpful for diagnosing this and other power problems. I like Fluke DMMs, but a basic hardware store house brand is less money and should still give you better resolution than your dash gauge. Buy the Fluke if you want a lifetime meter, and esp. if you'll use it on 120/220VAC.

Rgds, D.

 

[radioman]

batteries on concrete. its a good idea not to leave batteries on concrete in case of a spill of acid, but not because of discharging THRU the battery casing. It just doesnt happen any more with newer plastics now a days. Here in NYS, batteries are exposed to -10 or so temps and it still can start a tractor. Granted it wont be like new, but once it warms up it will start just like new. I would say in texas winter, batteries are just fine the way it is, but you can wrap it around the side with foam battery wraps to help when exposed to winds as in the windchill factor, but I think you might be overdoing it. You just happened to have a battery that just didnt live up to your expectation for battery life or you might have a bad one.
As for batteries on concrete -- just check out snopes about that ...

 

[mrmikey]

I'd go with what Dave said, a couple of solar battery maintainers. Put a rubber mat down for the batteries to sit on, not for heat but for vibration which will kill batteries.
Not the same thing but I've had the same battery in my tractor for 5 or so years now, I don't use it much but I'm **** about keeping the maintainer on it when not in use, same with my lawn tractor and bike......Mike

 

[stathamj]

I will say that to me batteries ain't what they used to be. In most of my cars and equipment if I get a battery to last longer than three I'm happy. Five, I'm estatic. About the only batteries that I've had any luck with are the OPTIMA batteries. I have them in my plane 7yrs, RV 7 yrs and my diesel truck. I just put a new set in this past September. The others were in for 8 years. The only bad things about them are they're about twice the price of a good battery and they don't have them for some applications.
But, as others have said, they will last longer if you put a battery maintainer on them.

James

 

[TnAndy]

A decent maintenance charger that can de-sulphate is always a battery's friend. An appropriately sized solar panel + regulator would help in a Back 40 spot.

Battery life in heat can be tough - checking and topping up cells with distilled or DI water is critical - meaning olde school flooded plate batteries.

Any decent AGM battery (like Optima) should perform well in your application. Tough design, and the self-discharge rate in storage is very low. Takes vibration well.

Rgds, D.

I run a pair of Optima batteries in mine for exactly that reason....vibration tough, and able to sit a long time without use.

 

[rustyshakelford]

You can buy some interstate batteries that are reconditioned. They are cheap and we have had great luck with them in our case dozers. 450, 3-550, 3-850, 1150.

Brett

 

[Gary Fowler]

Likely a PIA but 2 of the 12 volt 15 watt solar panels hooked to each battery (disconnect the cables from the batteries) would keep them charged. I had two of those and gave my B-I-L one to charge his gate opener battery. It works fine to keep it up even with daily gate openings. I used the other one to keep my 332 JD garden tractor battery charged until I sold the tractor. Now it is just setting idle. Time to relocate it to the back shed for use on my lawnmower.

 

[jdtractor]

Hi Eddie I don't know if your batteries are held secure or not but Ive been around track tractors all my life big and small. one thing my dad always said and I agree working a track machine will kill a battery. The vibration and movement if not tied down will break and crack the plates inside. I always make sure mine are secure and tight along with good clean connections and cable. all my tractors have a master switch also to help with the disconnect and connect. I would be sure they are secure I may be full of **** but it cant hurt . I also have mine belt and rubber under mine also . Hope this helps . Jd

 

[Bob Rooks]

Sustained freezing weather for more than 24 hours will greatly shorten battery life, if not kill them. Figure on bringing your batteries into the barn for the winter. Batteries can, and do, freeze and split open. Batteries sitting in a metal tray is okay but would prefer it to be lead, plastic, or rubber lined - to save the tray and whatever is beneath it. You're having a disconnect switch is a good idea to cut transient draws, but does not eliminate battery polarity equalization through the air in dusty and humid climates. Make sure all the terminals are covered, ideally with a dielectric grease, or use "battery cookies" or battery terminal spray coating.

 

[Turbys_1700]

Eddie...
Dad sold his D4D dozer and 941B last year...
He always used reconditioned batteries in those units to save money...
He never kept a charger on them and we always had to jump them off...
I guess it is nature of the beast...
Anything that doesn't' get used much needs trickle chargers hooked up at all times...
Pop never did...
I guess that is why I am so good at jumping stuff off...
Lots of training...LOL

 

[Xfaxman]

I recommend AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries. Vibration resistant, no corrosion and never have to check or add water.

This old Dumper sets for months at a time and it fires right up. It has an Optima that is eight years old.

 

[Ken45101]

Sustained freezing weather for more than 24 hours will greatly shorten battery life, if not kill them. Figure on bringing your batteries into the barn for the winter. Batteries can, and do, freeze and split open.

Sorry but that's just wrong.

Cold temperatures reduce the available power in a battery (significantly) but do not shorten the battery life as long as they are fully recharged. Bringing batteries into the barn will not help unless it's a heated barn. Fully charged batteries do not freeze and split just because it goes below 32 degrees...or even zero or 20 below. Their cranking ability will decrease and the vehicle will be harder to turn over (due to thickened oil) but the cold will not kill them.

A fully charged battery sitting in equipment at -20F will be perfectly fine. However, if it is heavily used for cranking a cold engine and not given a full recharge, then it is no longer a "fully charged battery" is could be susceptible to freeze damage.