Battery recommendations (Page 2/3)
theogre DEC 20, 12:48 PM
eti engineer,
Isn't just about CCA...
Better units has more Reserve Time making battery run longer to backup ECM and so on w/o car being run everyday or if alt dies while driving so car can get home or parked somewhere safe. Turn off everything you can when that happens and often drive 1/2 hour or more w/o damage to the battery. Charge the battery ASAP on a "slow" charger {Charger rated 6 to 10a max} and make sure dead alt isn't a leach now. Dead SI and some others a famous for drain a battery. I've had the alt die several times over the years on different vehicles and drove home because I use better batteries.

See cave for meaning of CCA etc.

And not just size of plates but many other plate details make better starting battery vs Deep Cycle or some "hybrid" in between both class.
Is why Optima batteries has/had 4 types of AGM. Standard Wet batteries have about same regardless case color. Many "Marine" batteries have always been a "hybrid" that start engine and safely run some lights w/ engine off besides having different terminals.
theogre DEC 20, 01:07 PM
Others,
Battery Tender and a very few others "turn off" when battery is full charge. For Fiero and others, If battery is in the car and good, Battery Tender LED will turn solid green and switch to monitoring the battery. If LED never turns solid green then battery has issues or have battery leaches.
But be careful w/ Newer vehicles w/ OE AGM batteries because often more crap to run w/ engine off and may never get Battery Tender Junior LED to turn solid green.

You often don't need or want "Trickle charging" for a long time. Constant "Trickle charging" is part of why many UPS and other batteries die in as little as 18-24 months.

Note: current Battery Tender® Junior page says Maintains car batteries.
I've never had problems charging a somewhat low battery, ones over 12 but not full charge.
I have a "real charger" 10a rated to charge battery under 12v and use that first when needed.

I buy BTJ at other local stores to save some $ or find them at flea markets etc. They last for years but I got several for other reasons.

Deltran now adds "WiFi dongle" to Battery Tender product line. Never tried one but maybe handy for those don't drive often for whatever reason.
pmbrunelle DEC 20, 07:10 PM

quote
Originally posted by cvxjet:
The smartest thing Pontiac could have done is to just make a plastic platform with a drain tube to down below the chassis......



In building the perfect project car, Pontiac did the next best thing; they left the fun of making the plastic platform to the car owner!

Plastic platform with drain channels and drain holes:


Installed in the car with tie-down rods and a steel flatbar over the top:


Yes, my Fiero has a drain tube, and it terminates about 1/4" below the rocker panel.
steve308 DEC 20, 08:15 PM
Find a place that sells 'branded' DEKA.
theogre DEC 20, 11:18 PM

quote
Originally posted by steve308:
Find a place that sells 'branded' DEKA.

Deka is made by East Penn Manufacturing near Philly PA. https://www.eastpennmanufacturing.com/
Good product but hard to get in many places for several reasons... highlights:
1. few stores carries them and many open "9 to 5" or less or closed for a given day.
2. many of those are independent stores and not listed if use Google et al to find Deka batteries.

Example: Only 2 near me I know of...
One not shown in Google has/had very short hours. Don't even know that store is still operates. "Recently" got new signs so maybe.
Other is listed by Google but open 7:00 am - 5:30 pm Mon - Fri, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Saturday, Closed Sundays. I go there to buy other battery types.

Now I could go to East Penn locations but have to drive a lot more and have same open hours issues. Both "here" are in other states and 50 to 100+ miles round trip.

So if/when in a hurry then often out of luck.

That's why I said Walmart above. Yes, AA AZ and others also have more hours and open 7 days too.
But Walmart sells A Lot of batteries so very rarely you get one sitting on a self for Several Months or even longer. Last one was made 1 month or little more before I got it.
If one those stores is out of stock, others near by often will have right battery.
Means often can still get one in 1 to 3 hours to go to work late or next day. (Often faster then calling AAA or other "road assistance" people too.)
skywurz DEC 20, 11:23 PM
Late to the party but I put an interstate from Costco in mine... The first one was defective they swapped it out 6 months later no issue or hassle. Been great since.
gatorfrey DEC 21, 10:15 PM
I just mounted a battery tray from Archie up front.
Stay with the Fiero size battery with a V8 coming later, or go larger.
I have tons of room for much larger battery.
Or, should I ask, any disadvantage ?
George P Wood DEC 21, 11:36 PM
I have three vehicles with optima batteries and am very happy with them.
One is about a year, another is 4 years and the one (on my fiero) is 7 years.
cvxjet DEC 21, 11:52 PM

quote
Originally posted by gatorfrey:

I just mounted a battery tray from Archie up front.
Stay with the Fiero size battery with a V8 coming later, or go larger.
I have tons of room for much larger battery.
Or, should I ask, any disadvantage ?



I went with the stock (Group 75) battery up front in same setup; I did not like having a welding cable energized running next to the fuel tank, so I installed a Ford-style separate starter relay so the wire is only energized when starting. To run the car, etc I ran a AWG 8 wire....I actually ran it in the Schedule 40 tubing with the GROUND wire- and installed a 40 amp fuse up front...If I ever got high-centered it would (Hopefully) short that wire to the ground wire and blow the fuse (Rather than me and the car)

Added note; The spare tire (Actually from a Subaru to fit 12" brakes) holds the battery in place- any larger battery and the spare wouldn't fit.

Here is a diagram of what I did;
theogre DEC 22, 05:25 PM
Most People putting battery in front never watch Fiero crash test videos on YT for years or don't understand what happens.
In super short, The entire front compartment is a Crush Zone.
Especially Watch view from the bottom and see Spare Tire and wall/well attach to getting Crushed to the front firewall... And that's just hitting a Wall...

But other vehicles have Front Mounted batteries when made...
And those setups have been design and tested to resist battery shorting out in a crash.
Even with them, many tow operators remove the battery cable(s) on wreck cars to avoid fires during towing or storing after. SOP for many "junk yards," not just one open to public, is disconnect or remove the battery on everything. (And for many years now also prevents many Airbag and related problems too. I bet someone is publishing data for properly disconnecting E-car batteries for same reasons.)