Convert to single battery or stay with two

JD3020 · May 9, 2014

As of right now my shortbed has 0 batteries and cables, so trying to decide what route i want to go. Really wanting to clean up the engine bay, and drop as much weight as possible so i'm thinking of going with a single battery. But i've had this discussion in the past and some guys swear that one battery will not work with a PSD. This truck will be a play rig/DD, but hopefully will never be ran in the winter. Also not planning on running a ton of lights or anything off of it either.

Any thoughts?

PsRumors · May 9, 2014

The glow plug system really puts a strain on the batteries.

Bugman · May 9, 2014

You can get by with one battery as long as it is warm enough out. Now after saying that I'll also say that they put two batteries in these trucks for a reason and it wasn't to inconvenience us when we need to replace them. Between the glow plugs and the starter you need a lot of amps.

What you need to look at if you want to go with just one battery is one that is large enough with enough cold cranking amps to start your truck. It is a lot easier to do this with two batteries vrs one since the two batteries will give you between 1500 and 2000 CCA's depending on the battery that you choose.

Zmann · May 9, 2014

consider relocating the 2 if your only after a clean engine compartment ?
one will work when everything is ideal but its a big loss in amps

RiVerBum01 · May 9, 2014

Zmann said:
consider relocating the 2 if your only after a clean engine compartment ?
one will work when everything is ideal but its a big loss in amps

I'd say you'd have about half huh LOL

Zmann · May 9, 2014

I am no engineer but you may be close
unless u got a smokin deal on mismatched batteries

LOL

TERRCO · May 11, 2014

If I remember right the guys running one battery preferred the Odyssey brand. That's all I remember. I ran with just one motorcraft for a year at least.

Sent from my Nuclear iPhone

mustube · May 11, 2014

I only had one battery hooked up for a couple if months, and didn't even notice. I'd say unless you have a lot of audio power or a winch or something then one battery would be fine.

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

Bugman · May 11, 2014

If you live in a area that the glow plugs might be necessary and it looks like the OP does since it says Ohio for his location, I would say stick with two batteries. Now if you live in Texas where you very seldom see real cold temperatures then you may be able to get away with only one battery.

Where I live I wouldn't even consider it.

JD3020 · May 11, 2014

I understand why all the pick-up diesels come with 2 batteries, they are designed to be started in sub-zero weather with no worries. I really really hope that this truck is never ran below freezing, as i don't want it out in the salt so i'm not too concerned about cold weather performance.

V-Ref · May 12, 2014

I say one high capacity battery, and use the block heater for the few times you operate at below 32F.

Bugman · May 12, 2014

V-Ref said:
I say one high capacity battery, and use the block heater for the few times you operate at below 32F.

Don't forget that if you do this to disable the glow plugs.

But then you better hope that you don't let your truck sit in a cold parking lot for a extended period of time and actually need the glow plugs.

jschildm · May 12, 2014

I wouldn't disable the glow plugs, they still help even if its not below freezing. I think you will be alright with one big battery, since your expectations seem reasonable. I have never done it for an extended period, but I had a dead battery on a boat a couple times and just pulled on of the batteries from my truck to run it. The truck started after sitting there all day with no difference from normal. Granted that was only 6 or 8 hours, and it was warm out.

Fordguy100 · May 12, 2014

Dont limit yourself to the standard group 65/31 battery either, if your wanting to go one. Perhaps finds yourself a good 8D battery.

Here's one from Sam's club

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/duracell-commercial-battery-group-size-8d/prod3590261.ip

mustube · May 13, 2014

JD3020 said:
Really wanting to clean up the engine bay, and drop as much weight as possible so i'm thinking of going with a single battery.

Fordguy100 said:
Dont limit yourself to the standard group 65/31 battery either, if your wanting to go one. Perhaps finds yourself a good 8D battery.

Here's one from Sam's club

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/duracell-commercial-battery-group-size-8d/prod3590261.ip

Are you just googling big battery options? That's a terrible idea. OP asked about using one battery for weight savings and to clean up the engine bay. An 8D battery is literally 3 times as big and heavy as a group 65 battery, and only offers a few hundred more cranking amps than a single group 65. That thing weighs 145 pounds!

JAP · May 13, 2014

I live in south Mississippi, I had no issues with one battery, but I put my GPR on a switch so I could turn it off if I wanted to.

rat49f6 · May 13, 2014

^^^ this was my plan on Swagger ... i made locations for 2 batteries but money and build time are tight so It may run with one for a season

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2

zarrinvz24 · May 14, 2014

Not sure if it helps here, but I used to own a '93 Dodge W250 w/ the cummins. The 1st Gen dodge's only had 1 Large Battery, 1350 CCA if I recall correctly. I had to go to the local Rush truck center to buy the battery, and I was told it was the same one used in the big rigs. While it is not a powerstroke I think the need for lots of CCA is the same. Dodge switched to 2 batteries with the transition to the curved 2nd gen body (1994).

Fordguy100 · May 14, 2014

mustube said:
Are you just googling big battery options? That's a terrible idea. OP asked about using one battery for weight savings and to clean up the engine bay. An 8D battery is literally 3 times as big and heavy as a group 65 battery, and only offers a few hundred more cranking amps than a single group 65. That thing weighs 145 pounds!

I know what your saying, and was just throwing it out there. It could potentially make it easier to mount somewhere (or harder because of size). Besides, those kinds of battery's have huge reserve capacities, its not all about the CCA's.

Just came to mind because I was having to replace my parents coach's batterys (starting, 2 group 31's). You could flip a switch on the dash and use the house batteries to start it up. One 8D started that POS Cat (*idle problems, hopefully just ICP sensor*) up just fine.

PSD715 · May 14, 2014

I definitely say go for wiring the glow plugs to a switch. Mine only work off of a switch, and it def makes a huge difference. Without them the draw on startup is significantly less. I don't use mine probably at all over 30* which is basically never here anyhow. My truck had no problems on one battery for quite a while, before the stereo.