Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

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vping
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Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by vping » Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:17 pm

Need some help determining which battery I will need. I saw a video recently showing an Optima 8010-044 used in a '25 T.

Will this battery work for me?

Are there other/better options?

I currently have an Optima in my Bugeye and after a year in the body shop sitting dormant, it started on the first crank.

Once I get the car home, I figure this is the first thing I should have ready to go in order to go thorough the checklist to getting it started.

Cheers,
Vince

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DanTreace
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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by DanTreace » Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:40 pm

Yes on the 6v Optima. 800 cold cranking amps. Never needs a drink, and lasts for years. This one in the '24 touring is dated 2014 and still gives starts, starts, and starts!



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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by DHort » Tue Oct 20, 2020 10:19 pm

I have the same battery in my Speedster that Dan has. It has a distributor and no starter so I have to crank it. 6 volt Optima. I do nothing to it all winter long and the car starts without a problem every spring. I think mine is about 5 years old. It isn't cheap. I think I found it through Amazon. Maybe if I have to replace it I will look locally and see how good a price they can give me. $188 on Amazon today.

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TRDxB2
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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by TRDxB2 » Wed Oct 21, 2020 1:08 am

vping wrote:
Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:17 pm
Need some help determining which battery I will need. I saw a video recently showing an Optima 8010-044 used in a '25 T.
Will this battery work for me? Are there other/better options?
The answer to your 1st question is Yes. The answer to your second question depends on several factors related to the type and amperage requirements
1. How and how often will it be charged?
If you were to drive it every few days and you were able to rely on your T's charging system (cut-out/voltage regulator and generator) then a standard flooded (lead acid batter) should work.
For infrequent use, the recommended type is either an AGM (Optima) or Absorbed Glass Mat design for modern automobiles having low drawing electric devices running while the car is off (theft devices, clocks, etc). These designs are also well suited to handling vibrations and bumpy roads.
There are also Deep Cycle batteries (think golf carts) that can handle the frequent spicks of starting and stopping
NOTE: Cheap Trickle chargers when left on for long periods of time can damage and type of battery. Ones that can sense a full charge and turn off automatically when sensing a full charge.
2. Amperage requirements
All a standard T has to power is the starter and lights; Coils if so configured. There are a couple of Terms used to indicate how powerful a battery is
CCA - Cold Cranking Amps is a rating used to define a battery’s ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. A CCA rating of 800 amps means that the battery at subfreezing temperature when applying a discharge current equal 500A will keep the voltage above 7.2V (1.2V/cell) for 30 seconds. It does not reflect how often it can do that.
RC - Reserve Capacity Rating is the time in minutes that a new, fully charged battery will deliver 25 amperes at 27°C (80°F) and maintain a terminal voltage equal to, or higher than, 1.75 volts per cell. This rating represents the time the battery will continue to operate essential accessories if the alternator or generator of a vehicle fails.
AH - Ampere Hour is the measure for a battery’s electrical storage capacity, obtained by multiplying the current in amperes by the time in hours of discharge. (Example: A new battery at room temperature with 100 amp-hrs of capacity can deliver 10 amperes for 10 hours.
NOTE: The RC value is more important than the CCA. Ads stress CCA because its something people can relate to, starting. RC is a value that relates to how long your headlights will stay on before they dim. AH is how long the battery can continuously supply 20amps relates to how long you can drive without charging your battery.

Price
Group Class 1 (size to fit battery box) 6 volt battery I could find was a "DuraStart 6V Heavy Duty Battery, MFG#HD-1 $59
Specs Cold cranking amps: 625 Cranking Amps: 750 Reserve capacity: 160 mins Ampere Hour: 86ah 1 year warranty
-
An Optima 8010-044 6v RedTop Battery price about $188
Specs Cold Cranking Amps: 800 Cranking Amps: 1000 Reserve capacity: 100 mins Ampere Hour: 50ah 3 year warranty
15 times more vibration-resistant Virtually spill proof Mountable in virtually any position Maintenance-free Faster recharging

Bottom line - Which is more important to you CCA or RC . How important is price. What are your charging plans.
Last edited by TRDxB2 on Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by Norman Kling » Wed Oct 21, 2020 1:18 am

I buy 6v group 1 batteries from Auto Zone. They last a long time. I have no experience nor knowledge of Optima. Is the Optima lead acid or some other type? Does the Optima need charging? and if it does, is the standard T 6 volt generator without a voltage regulator satisfactory for charging it?
Norm

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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by DanTreace » Wed Oct 21, 2020 8:45 am

Norm


The Optima is an AGM (absorbed glass-mat) battery, with special spiral shaped lead in the 3 cylinders, giving the Optima Red Top 6 v a different shape.

It will fit in the T battery carrier if you make a side board to keep it from rocking. Have installed it too in a metal repro battery T box, and used a spacer board cut like a wedge on two sides to keep it still in the box. Also made a thin plywood liner to the metal battery box top to keep from any contact of the terminals.

What is nice about the Optima is no care. You don't have to check to add distilled water, as it is sealed. Plus you can lay it on its side or upside down!
Any charger will top it off. On mine are placed pigtail quick connect leads from the posts to outside the battery tray, laying under the rubber floor mat. Easy to hook up a charger to top off the battery if needed. For me, don't leave the trickle charger or maintainer on for long times, only to top off the battery.

The modern little maintainer chargers have LED light to tell % of charge, then disconnect from the pigtail quick connect lead from the battery.
And yes, the T generator is fine to keep the Optima in tip top condition, my T's use the Fun Projects voltage regulator to much satisfaction.

The initial cost is about $190, but will last for a decade or more, before the Optima, a wet-cell group 1 6v battery @ $69 would last about 2-3 years, maybe less if forgetful to add water as if you let the battery water get lower than the lead plates, the battery will die and cannot be bought back to life.
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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by Original Smith » Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:29 am

I tried an Optima in my original Ford battery box, and it fits on an angle like Dan posted. As I recall, I had to put a piece of plywood under it to bring it up to the height of the original Ford Battery.


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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by Allan » Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:34 pm

An extra benefit with an Optima is it can be laid on its side when fitted. This allows it to be used under the back set of the earlier cars.

Allan from down under.


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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by RFH » Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:48 pm

I found this optima battery box to look like an old style battery.
I had to enlarge my battery holder in the car,
Looks original in the car and performs Great,
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JohnH
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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by JohnH » Wed Oct 21, 2020 7:18 pm

Having installed a Red Top Optima, I won't be going back to flooded lead acid batteries. Expensive, yes, but it's worth it. One thing I noticed was a higher cranking speed than from my previous three flooded batteries. It would appear the Optima has a lower internal resistance.


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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by Allan » Thu Oct 22, 2020 7:19 pm

The only drawback to the Optima is the rather steep initial cost, but there are other considerations which help to ease that pain. My only gripe is the small margin of price difference between the 6 a 12 volt Optimas. The 12 volt ones have twice as many cells as the 6 volt, but there is little difference in cost. It would suggest that the material/mnufacturing costs dwarf the supply chain costs.

Allan from down under.


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vping
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Re: Battery options - 1925 Tudor Sedan

Post by vping » Thu Oct 22, 2020 9:42 pm

TRD great response and detailed info.

Appreciate all the input from everyone.

Knowing I'll have a million things to address and keep track of, getting a battery I don't necessarily have to worry about is piece of mind. At approximately the $20-30 a year for a battery is cheap insurance.

Vince

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