Battery replacement

h2opdler · Feb 5, 2015

I have a 2006 DK35 and the battery has finally gave up. I live in northern NY and in the winter it can get -25. Even though I have had good results with the OEM battery I was wondering if I put a bigger battery with more CCA's would it help.
What do you guys think ?

rd_macgregor · Feb 5, 2015

I think the higher CCA capacity would provide greater reserve in the cold, but I don't know that it would mean a significantly longer life for the battery. You did a year better than me; I replaced the battery in my 2006 DK45 last winter.

h2opdler · Feb 5, 2015

rd_macgregor said:
I think the higher CCA capacity would provide greater reserve in the cold, but I don't know that it would mean a significantly longer life for the battery. You did a year better than me; I replaced the battery in my 2006 DK45 last winter.

I was surprised it lasted this long, but when it quit it quit.

DK35vince · Feb 5, 2015

h2opdler said:
I was surprised it lasted this long, but when it quit it quit.

That's what my original battery did.
When it quit it quit.
Original battery went 11 years, so I couldn't complain. (2001 DK 35, replaced original battery in 2012)
I got a replacement battery with the highest CCA they had in that size.

coobie · Feb 5, 2015

h2opdler said:
I have a 2006 DK35 and the battery has finally gave up. I live in northern NY and in the winter it can get -25. Even though I have had good results with the OEM battery I was wondering if I put a bigger battery with more CCA's would it help.
What do you guys think ?

I have a battery tender(trickle charger) on my equipment during the winter months when not in use.The batteries seem to last longer using the charger.IMHO go with the most CCA you can afford.

PILOON · Feb 5, 2015

I always suggest that you go for the largest and highest CCA battery the will fit the space.
Generally costs pennies more than OEM (sometimes less) and will last longer as it is less stressed.

A tractor is not like many cars that need a computer controlled robot to insert that battery in that miniscule space.

m1greg · Feb 6, 2015

I replaced my original equpment battery last fall after 10years of service. IMHO 10yrs is not bad. It gave no warning signs prior to failing.
Started up normally and I cut grass for 2hrs. When I went to restart I had nothing / no dash lights or relay clicks.

PILOON · Feb 6, 2015

"Started up normally and I cut grass for 2hrs. When I went to restart I had nothing / no dash lights or relay clicks."

That sounds like a break somewhere, like a ground perhaps, that or the alternator simply quit.
If battery has voltage remaining that would suggest a ground break and after 10 yrs service it is rather normal to develop those type of glitches.
For all you know you may still have a year or two left in that battery.

m1greg · Feb 6, 2015

PILOON said:
"Started up normally and I cut grass for 2hrs. When I went to restart I had nothing / no dash lights or relay clicks."

That sounds like a break somewhere, like a ground perhaps, that or the alternator simply quit.
If battery has voltage remaining that would suggest a ground break and after 10 yrs service it is rather normal to develop those type of glitches.
For all you know you may still have a year or two left in that battery.

It turned out to be the battery. No load voltage was 12v but turning key dropped it to just below 10v.
Ten years of use in both warm and cold / high vibration / physical shock took it toll on the internals of that batt.
I would have been happy to get 5 years on it.