The battery in my S220 is at the end of the line with 2 dead cells and another 2 marginal cells. It is the OEM battery and only lasted 2 years. Needless to say I wont be replacing it with another OEM battery. I could just go buy a generic size 31 truck but was thinking about a sealed AGM battery like Odyssey since those batteries dont spill acid and dont self discharge anywhere near as much as wet batteries. The only problem is that ideally they are charged at a voltage around 14.5 volts with a float voltage of 13.7 and the Bobcat regulator charges and floats well below those voltages. Has anyone had success with an AGM battery in a Bobcat or is everyone using generic truck batteries for replacements?
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2 yrs out of a battery in an offroad app is not bad. In my 843 ,no matter what battery i got, it lasted only 1 yr. I think with all of the shakeing the battery gets the lead plates come apart and settle to the bottom shorting out the cells. I thought about useing a "gelcell" battery like the dune buggys use but the cost was about 4 times a regular battery and i didn't think it was worth it.
skidsteer.ca
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I've had reasonable luck with Insterstates batterys. There commercial line has better resistance to shock and vibration. I had one of there car battery brake plates loose (was in a loader i bought) and get week but not with there comercial line.
Ken
I use a bonded element battery for mine. Its a bit more than the *standard* batteries but its made to take the vibration and impact of earth moving equipment.
As for the 2 years, thats actually pretty good. These days batteries only last 2 or so years. They sure don't make them like they used to. They used to slowly get weak and die, these days without warning they just stop working all together!!!
I just replaced the origonal in our 2002 773G. The positive post turned and came out while trying to remove the terminal to clean. My wife said that this week she had to jump start it sometimes so i think it was a vibration failure. 5 years for a battery is ok with me. Ireplace with an advanced auto high end battery.
how many hrs did you put on the machine since 2002 ,i don't think it's age that kills the battries it most likly the beating it takes in a bobcat .
total hours 366. bought used in the spring of 2005 with 249 hours.
skidsteer.ca
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If your in a application that see "shocks" like running a concrete hammer, running solid tires, perhaps tracks on firm ground. Anything that shake the machine, will be harder on batterys, fuel tanks and on and on. Personally I have never had trouble getting 4 to 5 years.
I know on our skidders we used to bust the battery plates anually, until we lifted them so the frames quit hitting the bedrock and bolders so often. At the time we were'nt thinking about improving battery life (more concerned abut all the powertrain parts we were breaking) but it definitely helped that to.
Ken
