Battery Availability

[Jimntempe]

Didn't check the dimensions, yah that would be a deal breaker.

The only battery I've found that's got more CCA (600) and which looks like it would fit is a group 50. But it's got the terminals reversed but that should be something that can be dealt with.
Group 51R looks possible too but it's CCA is only 500 so not that much bigger but the terminals are right.

[ward 57]

I don't understand the desire for more CCAs if you have standard equipment. Unless you have amp drawing accessories like electric fans or huge amps the 450 CCA batteries should be good enough. After all they were used Throughout the line as standard equipment.

[55blacktie]

I think it comes down to Good Enough vs Better, but bigger isn't always better.

[ICON 1956]

I don't understand the desire for more CCAs if you have standard equipment. Unless you have amp drawing accessories like electric fans or huge amps the 450 CCA batteries should be good enough. After all they were used Throughout the line as standard equipment.

This one i'am looking at has 1000CCA !

[Rusty57]

So let’s go back to my original post.

Interstate Battery offers a group 50 commercial battery that is the correct width and height wot( just little more length. The posts are reversed. It has lots of cranking power.

[Jimntempe]

So let’s go back to my original post.

Interstate Battery offers a group 50 commercial battery that is the correct width and height wot( just little more length. The posts are reversed. It has lots of cranking power.

Yes. It's on my list for when my 29N bites the dust. My 29N tests out good.. my battery tester says it's got about 440 CCA when fully charged. I managed to flood the engine yesterday and it acted like it was getting no spark at all. I cranked and cranked. You could hear it slowing down after quite a bit of cranking. Voltage was dropping down to about 7.6 during crank. I was about to give up thinking the ignition had a problem and thinking it could not possibly be flooded because I had only pumped it a few times on a completely cold engine. Decided to give it one more try with the pedal to the floor. Spun moderately slowly for about 1 or 2 seconds and then fired up and the excess gas cleared out. It didn't seem like I was getting all that much crank time from the 29N's 420 CCA's.

To find the Group 50 battery in online lookups put in Ford E-350 Van with the 7.5L diesel V8.

[Rusty57]

That usage is why Interstate distributors have it in stock. It is used in a lot of models for Ford Econolines. So demand is pretty high

[TJSHEA]

Here's is the update...so far. I was able to get a Die Hard 29NF battery from Advance Auto Parts. I had the SG32NPP battery I bought from the Battery Central Mall in Feb 2021 tested. It showed fully charged, but when the tester put a load on it said the battery needed to be replaced. So it lasted 3 years to the date. I kept it on a Deltran Battery Tender when the vehicle was not being driven, It just suddenly died 10 minutes after I had been driving the car, only about 5 miles, and had shut the car off in a parking lot. It was so dead I could not even get the car to jump start. I put a spare 4 year old Interstate 29NF-VHD on and charged it to show a full charge. I left it on the car overnight, and it was still charged in the AM, so I would guess the alternator is not draining the battery when parked. Also, I drove the car, and the battery was ok when I shut it off, so It appears the alternator is working (That is next, getting the car to a place and have the Power Master alternator checked). The new Die Hard started the car just fine. Back in the day when I lived in the Seattle area and the local Sears had an auto repair facility, I always had very good experiences with Die Hard batteries. Hopefully, they are still as good.

I do miss having the period look of the Battery Central Group 32 battery. But spending almost $400 every three years on a battery just does not seem like a good idea. But It did look good and it was what the car had when originally ordered. I may just breakdown and give it another whirl as car show season gets into swing. Perhaps trying to stay with a Group 29 may go the way of trying to get a Group 32. I did not know we could put a different group size in the car. I thought it had to be either the 29 or 32. So, thanks to you all for all of the info. Maybe I will try to put a list together, unless someone has already done so, of battery sizes we could use, if the Group 29 goes the way of the dodo.

[ward 57]

I also have the battery box for the group 32 and a standard lead acid battery in that size can be found but very expensive. I installed a # 29 and it lasted almost 8 yrs using a battery charger that could recondition it. The 400+ CCA was standard equipment for Ford across the whole line so they will be around a while. It's plenty to handle all the standard equipment with no issues.
Old school still works and this desire for 'more power' is just obsessive unless you added so much stuff it is needed. Doesn't fill the battery box all the way but works just fine for a driver. I have an old saying when people complained about batteries in cell phones 20 yrs ago and still do, 'that if they knew how to build batteries we would all drive electric cars'. Some do but in small amounts where it works for them. Hmm how is that working out? You can rebuild an ICE engine and get 100s of thousand miles out of it but a battery for them? Almost the cost of the car. We will look like Cuba with old cars still on the streets. Buyer beware.

[Jimntempe]

I also have the battery box for the group 32 and a standard lead acid battery in that size can be found but very expensive. I installed a # 29 and it lasted almost 8 yrs using a battery charger that could recondition it. The 400+ CCA was standard equipment for Ford across the whole line so they will be around a while. It's plenty to handle all the standard equipment with no issues.
Old school still works and this desire for 'more power' is just obsessive unless you added so much stuff it is needed. Doesn't fill the battery box all the way but works just fine for a driver. I have an old saying when people complained about batteries in cell phones 20 yrs ago and still do, 'that if they knew how to build batteries we would all drive electric cars'. Some do but in small amounts where it works for them. Hmm how is that working out? You can rebuild an ICE engine and get 100s of thousand miles out of it but a battery for them? Almost the cost of the car. We will look like Cuba with old cars still on the streets. Buyer beware.

To me it's not about power to run stuff when the car is running. It's about reserve capacity so you can start the car if problems develop. The other day I almost ran the battery down trying to start a flooded engine. It's possible the headlights might get left on. Might get you home if the gen/alt craps out. There's no downside to a battery with more capacity except perhaps price.

[Rusty57]

Thought this was one of the better sites I have seen about how CCA is measured/calculated. This is very relevant to Jim’s recent experience with his hard starting scenario.

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/ ... easure-cca

[TJSHEA]

Well, thanks to you all I see there is much more to batteries than I ever thought. I think it may be like motor oils.

Anyway I was reading in another forum where folks were discussing the "best" battery for our year cars, mine is a 57 D code. I too am not sure what someone may mean by "best" ...performance, longevity, or since these cars seems to end up in shows, looks. For me it is the "best" of the combo I can get. Like most, my car is not even close to being a commuter, or even transportation, car; so some performance and longevity issues are diminished a bit. At an average driving of less than 1000 miles a year, I really don't take the car very far at a time. Las Vegas is almost like an island, only surrounding desert vs water. If the event isn't here, it is quite a distance away and I have not ventured for an extended road drive....yet.

I have had an Interstate group 29. Not too hard to get when Firestone sold Interstate. Now not so easy. Especially here. I have a Diehard that I got from Action Auto. Diehards worked well for me when I was in the northwest and I got them at Sears, Now, I don't know. This is my first non-Sears Diehard. And this one was not easy to get either.

I am not the brightest bulb, more like a medieval homemade candle among LED bulbs, but I really liked the look of the group 32 I bought from the Battery Central Mall. It was made by Jim's in Ohio. I have read some pretty negative comments on-line, but I take some of them with a grain of salt as not everyone who comments is trying to help each other out. Recently a new venue was opening here and a local NEWS report showed many online comments, mostly negative about services, broken fixtures, etc, before the place had even opened. It was a pretty interesting story about on-line comments. So, while they can be helpful, I don't use them as the decider.

My previous group 32 from Battery Central, lasted exactly 3 years. Not too unusual for batteries here in Las Vegas. On the other forum, others claim they have had them working well far longer than that. Again, who knows...When I looked in the box it came in, ( I had the Interstate Group 29 in there as a "spare" just in case), I did find instructions for charging every three months which I did not do..I just kept it on a Deltran Battery Tender when parked. It did work flawlessly for 3 years. So, as I noted I am not the brightest bulb, therefore, after giving it some thought, and a whole lot on on-line reading, I decided to give the ultra-pricey, but very good looking, period correct Group 32 another go. I have always been a sucker for a pretty face...and this is by far the best looking, plus it worked great with 1000 cranking amps at 32 degrees and 850 at 0. This time I will follow the instructions, and if it dies "early," well some lessons are a bit expensive to learn. My father is no longer alive to appropriately give a swift corrective well-placed posterior connecting kick, but I'll still get the message without it...just take a little longer to sink in.

The Battery Central site indicated that they expect to send all orders out by April 5th. However, they also caution that they are not in the driver's seat and the manufacturer is, and their timeline is their best estimate. Hopefully, this one will show up just as the one I ordered three years ago did. I think I hear a foot winding up behind me.

[ward 57]

Every body has an opinion and it is difficult sort the wheat from the chaff. At least you have a sense of humor and not get too wrapped up in it all.

[ICON 1956]

I'am in the same position, on the fence to whether to commit the $400.00 for the period correct battery. I also had EMail from "Alice" saying the battery will be sent in April and I can give them my credit card # when it's ready to ship. I'm going into this with my eyes closed, I hope to be lucky than some others... BTW I sent Amos Minter an EMAil asking where do they get their period correct batteries. The response was the Battery Central MAll. Go figure ?

[55blacktie]

Surely, regular, repeat customers who buy in volume receive preferential treatment.