Replacing my Group 27 battery with Group 31 battery. Is that ok?

[PetitFrereArmada]

If you are stuck on that 31P-MHD, that size is common for tractors of all colors. If you have any ag dealers or repair shops around they will probably stock them.

Maybe construction equipment dealers too... construction stuff is usually weird though.

Lol, that is funny and interesting.

These are my choices:

1st choice: Interstate Group 27. Too bad not easily found.

2nd choice: Walmart Group 27. Easy to get a replacement if it fails. 3 years free replacement.

3rd choice: Traveller's Group 31. Only $10 more than walmart. Only 1 year warranty. Attractive specs: CCA 950, RC 195, CA 1188. Rated as Heavy Duty. So, I am hoping if I buy this, it is truly heavy duty enough to last atleast 3 years. Now I just need to find a 10% discount code that could help me if I wanted to buy this Group 31 Traveller's battery and try it out.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

I just checked my OEM battery this night. I bought it in 7/2016. The specs say it has only 675 CCA. I am quite impressed that it has lasted almost 4 years now. You can see the connections to my lights. 3 switches for 3 sets if offroad lights. And using it without the engine running is what has greatly reduced my battery's life. But 4 years is also a good lifespan for the oem battery.

The replacement Group 27 battery from Costco or Walmart is 810 CCA. That sounds a lot better than OEM with 675 CCA. Pus it comes with 3 years free replacement. I wish I could easily get ny hands on the Interstate battery. I have to figure something out about getting that before I settle for Walmart or make the jump to Group 31 battery with 950 CCA.

I will check the measurements and see if it will be an easy fit or not. If it is an easy fit, I may be tempted to go for the 950 CCA battery with only a one year free replacement warranty. While hoping it last me more than 3 years before dying on me.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It kinda sucks you are caught by the warranty thing.

The group 31 is intended to be violently abused cold starting diesels, it is rare to warranty one but battery companies know they are generally not going to see an easy life. OEM most tractors have two of them BTW.

So that is why they have the one year warranty, not because they are not made as well or whatever. If your connections are good and your charging system is good you shouldn't have an issue with battery life.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

It kinda sucks you are caught by the warranty thing.

The group 31 is intended to be violently abused cold starting diesels, it is rare to warranty one but battery companies know they are generally not going to see an easy life. OEM most tractors have two of them BTW.

So that is why they have the one year warranty, not because they are not made as well or whatever. If your connections are good and your charging system is good you shouldn't have an issue with battery life.

Good info. I started this thread mainly because I wanted to experiment with the Group 31 battery. Yeah, I do not like the 1 year warranty.

But since I will not be abusing it like those diesel engines abuse it, I think it could last me a while. So, I am probably going to buy the Group 31 battery this weekend and have a little project trying to install it myself.

Fitment might be an issue in the stock battery plate. My battery tray is for a Group 27. So, I do not know if it will fit well enough. Also, I don't know how much modification I would need to do for the cables to reach the terminals.

I will give it a shot this weekend. If it does not fit, then I will return it and probably try to get my hands on a Interstate Group 27.

We shall see how it all works out.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You might cut out a piece of cardboard to size for mock-up with before you drop the coin on a battery that might not fit.

Once the dealer date codes the battery you are stuck with it.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

You might cut out a piece of cardboard to size for mock-up with before you drop the coin on a battery that might not fit.

Great idea. But I plan to go in store and ask them return policy. Particularly if I can return it if when I have already actually installed it but changed ny mind. By then the battery would have visible scratches here and there from trying to make it fit, if it does not fit on its own easily.

So I will pay for it and if it does not work, I take it back.

 

[1stDeuce]

Looking at your pics, I can't see how a 31 wouldn't fit. It's only ~3/8" taller and 1/8"wider than your 27. Your truck won't know the difference in terms of charging them, and the extra 10% capacity will help 10% with your draining issue with the engine off.

FWIW, running batteries down below about 50% capacity is really hard on them. If you must run high draw accy's, leave the engine running. If you are using high draw lights as camping lights, do your battery a favor and get some cheap led's. They'll put out plenty of light for camping, and they won't drain your battery nearly as fast...

Even a "maintenance free" battery will cook off some electrolyte in a hot environment. I would suggest that you pop the caps and top off with distilled water every year, or even every 6 months if needed. They get low, and often that's one of the reasons that cranking and reserve power drop off on older batteries. My truck cooks the pass side battery, which is back at the firewall, while the front battery never needs water, even after 6+ years.

Heck, you might even just check your current battery, perhaps it just needs some distilled water added. If you have a charger with "recondition", I'd recommend running a recondition cycle every 6 months or so if you know you're hard on batteries because of usage habits. It really helps keep sulfation to a mimimum.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Looking at your pics, I can't see how a 31 wouldn't fit. It's only ~3/8" taller and 1/8"wider than your 27. Your truck won't know the difference in terms of charging them, and the extra 10% capacity will help 10% with your draining issue with the engine off.

FWIW, running batteries down below about 50% capacity is really hard on them. If you must run high draw accy's, leave the engine running. If you are using high draw lights as camping lights, do your battery a favor and get some cheap led's. They'll put out plenty of light for camping, and they won't drain your battery nearly as fast...

Even a "maintenance free" battery will cook off some electrolyte in a hot environment. I would suggest that you pop the caps and top off with distilled water every year, or even every 6 months if needed. They get low, and often that's one of the reasons that cranking and reserve power drop off on older batteries. My truck cooks the pass side battery, which is back at the firewall, while the front battery never needs water, even after 6+ years.

Heck, you might even just check your current battery, perhaps it just needs some distilled water added. If you have a charger with "recondition", I'd recommend running a recondition cycle every 6 months or so if you know you're hard on batteries because of usage habits. It really helps keep sulfation to a mimimum.

The length is what bothers me if it will fit or not. The other specs you mentioned should hopefully be fine. Look at this picture I just took from the internet. Stock length is 12.06. The Group 31 is 13. My stock tray seems like the 13 might not fit by a tiny bit. But I am eager to find out when next I am off.

This is the first time I have checked this battery ever since I bought it and the first time I recently added distilled water. So, the car still cranks fine so far, though Autozome claim to tell me it is slowly dying now. The battery still has warranty from dealership. Dealership is asking me to pay $8X.XX for a new replacement. But stock battery is 675CCA. Now that I have offroad lights and use them, I just thought it would be better to get a battery with more CCA.

The stock replacement with 810 CCA sounds more than enough, but I would like the Group 31, if it fits.

 

[ITTOG]

I didn't read every word in the thread but it sounds like you found a local source for interstate batteries. If not, I believe you live in the houston area and there is an interstate store in Conroe. They are all I use now. I have had two of their batteries last 8 years on my boat and one in my truck is now on year 6. I have two others but they are newer, 20 months and 3 years. Numbers are approximate except for the 8 years, I remember it exactly, almost 8 years and 2 months, because they lasted so long.

 

[1stDeuce]

The length is what bothers me if it will fit or not. The other specs you mentioned should hopefully be fine. Look at this picture I just took from the internet. Stock length is 12.06. The Group 31 is 13. My stock tray seems like the 13 might not fit by a tiny bit. But I am eager to find out when next I am off.

This is the first time I have checked this battery ever since I bought it and the first time I recently added distilled water. So, the car still cranks fine so far, though Autozome claim to tell me it is slowly dying now. The battery still has warranty from dealership. Dealership is asking me to pay $8X.XX for a new replacement. But stock battery is 675CCA. Now that I have offroad lights and use them, I just thought it would be better to get a battery with more CCA.

The stock replacement with 810 CCA sounds more than enough, but I would like the Group 31, if it fits.

Interesting... I looked up the specs for a marine version Group 31, and was surprised it was so close. I'd believe your numbers over the ones I quoted, as the 31's I've seen were more like 1" longer than the 27. Don't believe Oreilly marine battery specs, I guess...

Honestly, when you're using "offroad lights", the engine should normally be running, and your battery size should not matter at that point, as your alternator supplies the amperage necessary to run the lights. If you've got so many high draw lights that you're draining the battery at idle, a bigger battery isn't going to help you enough to make a difference, you need a bigger alternator, or you need to simply turn off some lights.

Also, most batteries won't test to their rating in my experience. But they should also not test too much lower each time you test them. Sulfation is likely with an older battery, and a reconditioner will restore some of the lost power and capacity.

A group 27 battery is HUGE for a modern car... Going to a 31 seems fairly pointless unless you're running a fridge, or something like that with the car turned off...

Good luck!

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

I don't know if I am just lucky or what.
For $35 I can buy good used one year old Group 31 batteries from my scrap recycler. They have a contract with a local company that cycles out their batteries every year. The recycler test each one and makes sure it is fully charged. The pair I have in the Bronco now are 3 years old and still kicking.

Yes it is a gamble for me, but if nothing else if one fails I can always make it out with the spare. I can easily pick up from Wally World something that will get me home.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

I didn't read every word in the thread but it sounds like you found a local source for interstate batteries. If not, I believe you live in the houston area and there is an interstate store in Conroe. They are all I use now. I have had two of their batteries last 8 years on my boat and one in my truck is now on year 6. I have two others but they are newer, 20 months and 3 years. Numbers are approximate except for the 8 years, I remember it exactly, almost 8 years and 2 months, because they lasted so long.

Yes, I do live in Houston. I have a Interstate battery dealer 5 minutes from my job and I also know the one in Conroe. But their prices for the Group 27 is so much higher than Costco. And Costco offers 3 years free replacement based on honor system since they never check if you are telling a lie that you need a new battery or not. So, no telling how many people have abused that system.

I would have bought the Interstate already if not that it is not available in any Costco within a 1 hour radius mile from me.

I am looking at really trying the Group 31. It is more like a little project I want to do now. If the fitment does not work and it involves too much work to try to make it fit, then I will not do it.

That is when I will probably wait until next I am going out of town and then I will buy a Interstate from Costco. I think they told me it is about $104.XX drive out for the Group 27.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

A group 27 battery is HUGE for a modern car... Going to a 31 seems fairly pointless unless you're running a fridge, or something like that with the car turned off...

Good luck!

Group 27 is indeed huge. But I discovered group 31 by chance and it is more heavy duty and costs about same, depending on which brand I am interested in. I realized that the cost of the Group 31 I want to buy is even less than a red top or yellow top group 27 that some people buy. So, it is not that the group 31 is going to be expensive.

The amount I wish to spend on a group 31 is about same I could spend on a group 27 at another auto parts store. So, I just want to experiment with the battery and see of it will work. It is going to be a small project to occupy myself this weekend since I do not have any big thing going on this weekend.

If it fails, then I will buy Interstate from Costco.

 

[NatersXJ6]

You appear to be really far down a path of diminishing returns at this point, but let me throw another thought or two into the pot...

It is hard to tell from your photo how much cable slack you have. It isn’t enough to compare outside dimensions of a battery from a group chart. They are not precisely the same from manufacturer to manufacturer. There is variation in physical size, hold down style, and terminal style and location. I’ve had to play lots of stupid games to shoe-horn a group 27 into my Jeep. One of the interesting issues was the width of the plastic top that is above the case where the handles connect. Another was cable length, a third was terminal shape/location. These are all trade-offs against cost and ease of install.

Also, you are frequently referring to CCA as a point of decision, then saying the draw from the lights is killing your battery... I believe these are unrelated. You are gaining reserve capacity by upsizing.

In addition, a final thought... have your battery tested somewhere more competent than AutoZone. Half the time their equipment is crap, half the time the operator is poorly trained. There probably exists a subset of percentage where a poorly trained operator uses crap equipment. At least get a second/different auto store opinion for confirmation.

 

[rayra]

I used to buy Interstate only as I have a local warehouse about 4 miles from my house. I have since moved over to Walmart Everstart Maxx as my thought process was, if I am out on a trip, I am likely to find a Walmart in more places than a Costco or Interstate battery outlet. Earlier this year I swapped out an old battery (came in the Jeep) with a new one in the Walmart parking lot, on my way out to the desert.

I chose Interstate on similar logic, there being something like ~450 Costco locations in CONUS, but also Interstate re-sellers all over. The OP's '300mi from a Costco' is surprising.

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