Freightliner batteries

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by steelbird312

Cali, from owning essentially the same chassis you have for approx 20 years, I can tell you that your coach DOES NOT charge the starting batteries except while the alternator is running. I had the 330 CAT Freightliner too. When you park your coach for any extended time, even for a couple of weeks, it isnt a bad idea to plug a battery maintainer to them.
Various brands available for minimal costs allowing them to remain maintenance free and carefree for the most part.
As for brands, there too is another money pit. Much as mentioned above, maintenance free lead acid batteries by reputable manufacturers give great bang for the buck. I am partial to DEKA batteries, manufactured by East Penn.

The OP has a 15 year old coach, no comparison to a 20 year old one.

Things do change over time.

[asuperheat]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Odyseey batteries are marking hype to the MAX.

There is no capacity in the air between the round cells.

.

I think you may be confusing Odyssey with Optima battery's. Odyssey's don't have "round" cells.

I agree Optima battery's are a lot of hype. I don't agree that Odyssey's are. I believe they are good battery's and I have owned them.

However when the time comes I will buy maintenance free group 31's from the Freightliner dealer for my starting battery's. Good price, good service life.

[Cali life]

Originally Posted by steelbird312

Cali, from owning essentially the same chassis you have for approx 20 years, I can tell you that your coach DOES NOT charge the starting batteries except while the alternator is running. I had the 330 CAT Freightliner too. When you park your coach for any extended time, even for a couple of weeks, it isnt a bad idea to plug a battery maintainer to them.
Various brands available for minimal costs allowing them to remain maintenance free and carefree for the most part.
As for brands, there too is another money pit. Much as mentioned above, maintenance free lead acid batteries by reputable manufacturers give great bang for the buck. I am partial to DEKA batteries, manufactured by East Penn.

That is good info to have at this point. I will hook up a trickle charger when in Storage and now I know when I was plugged why my starter batteries still are dead. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Now I can put an action plan together. might start with new batteries and maintain them the was you suggest.

[Cali life]

Originally Posted by Cali life

That is good info to have at this point. I will hook up a trickle charger when in Storage and now I know when I was plugged why my starter batteries still are dead. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Now I can put an action plan together. might start with new batteries and maintain them the was you suggest.

Update. I had the starter batteries on a charge for 48 hours in storage. Once full my charger will switch to trickle charge. The charger showed abort. Showing bad batteries will not take charge. I decided to buy the interstate batteries sealed at 140$ a piece. I was smart enough this time around and took a lot of pictures and zip tied all cables and wires for each post prior to removing them. New batteries did not break the bank and one hell of an improvement in starting power. 950 cca. Thank s to all for input.

[PanJH]

Originally Posted by Pusherman

My original start batteries in my Freightliner chassis were about 11 years old when I replaced them 2 years ago with the same OEM brand, Alliance. I think I put in 2-1000 CCA Alliance batteries for about $100/ea. I found the Freightliner dealer had about the best price for batteries around (I replaced them myself).

Same with me-- found that the local freightliner has the best price