Battery Suggestions and Load Requirements For Our Vans

Looking to purchase a new battery for my van since everything else is set to be new.

Planning to have an amplified stereo system with at least two amps and a subwoofer.

My alternator is new but pretty standard and I will have a Taurus fan that runs after the van shuts off until temps cool down.

Was looking to purchase an Optima battery or something comparable IF necessary.

Do I need an extra battery/fuse block/etc for the application I am describing?

I don't want my headlights dimming when using a stereo since they aren't great in the first place.

I've heard that the new optima batterys aren't as good as ones from 7-10 years ago the company was sold or traded and haven't had the longevity they used to. they're nice being non serviceable. tbh I have a refurbished battery that's in the 700cranking amps range in my van, I don't have an electric fan but I do run a 3000watt sub amp with 3 woofers and a 500watt mid-hi's amp for my 6.5's and I run a standard delco 10si 60 amp alt on my van and I have a rear reduction starter to help me out but no starting issues I did have an electric fan installed with the previous engine, at that time i had a Volvo 16"fan that drew 30-40amps on hi setting with manual control and I was burning up alternators. I took out 4 before I got rid of the electric fan. I felt with the factory electrical and 60 amp was plenty even with my stereo I can run the same 60amp delco alt but a 100amp 1 wire alt would most likely do everything you want. My headlights don't dim when im running my stereo at night, with the exception of when the stereo is about 90% volume, but that's also severly distorting the speakers, so I don't use it that far up my loud is prob 60-70%volume.  just for a little bit of info from a fellow vanner with the loud stereo.. you could probably do some math and calculate your fan draw, lights, ign sys, etc. and figure out the total load and of course oversize the system 25% and be safe

no shouldn't need an extra battery the one should be fine,  would recommend building a harness for the added elect. fan, not adding it to the oe. for my fan I ran 10gauge wire to supply it. also never connect to the back of the alternator, always from source. and for the stereo I don't have any capacitors either to help with lights dimming so that could be added for extra protection. the only thing I couldn't speak for is the fan running after the van is shut off, mine didn't do that-manual control. ive heard its the thing to do and run on low for 5-10min to help cool and evac the doghouse area, with my rear reduction starter it will crank up my high comp motor with a dead battery and a little booster pack jump starter so maybe 11 volts and at 14.7 it whirrs the motor over effortlessly so maybe even with the fans running on after you wont have a starting issue.

If you are going with just one battery and you have room for it, I'd suggest one of these bad boys. Sears has similar one that is around $260 when it's on sale.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/duracell-agm-deep-cycle-marine-and-rv-battery-group-size-31dtmagm/prod3590232.ip?navAction=push

I really like AGM batteries. No danger of acid fumes or leaks.

Thanks, guys. I had heard the same about the Optima batteries not being as good as they used to be.

I believe I purchased a 100a amp.

Fan will be controlled by Hollister Road product that triggers automatically at temp for hi/low function. I has a probe that goes into the head, I belive and the other somewhere I can't recall.

I appreciate all the help. Someone recently gave me a hard time (same guy that sold me what turned out to be this project van) because I don't do my own work and referenced my mechanic. I'm learning, but some of us just have to admit others have the skills we don't. I love the vans all the same.

I've used optima batteries in many vehicles for years.  They are great batteries and I personally have not noticed any decline in performance from a decade ago till now.  If you can afford a new Optima, I say go for it.  Keep in mind that an Optima, just like all other batteries these days, lasts for about 5-6 years before replacement is necessary.  There are other gel-cel sealed batteries of other brands that are also good. My dad bought an "Orbital" from Napa and its been a great battery for years.

It is not the battery that will cause headlights to dim while using other accessories, that is due to having an alternator that is not putting out enough juice and then also needing to put the headlights on relays to get full power to them.  

The battery is simply used for starting, when the vehicle is running the alternator is taking care of actually powering the vehicle's systems and also charging the battery.  

The only reason you'd need two batteries is if you want to be able to party at a campground and run your stereo & lights, and drain down the 'house' battery, while you have a 'starting' battery that is isolated so you can start your van in the morning.  

Some diesel trucks have two batteries that work together to crank the engine, but this is just because they have such high compression that sometimes trucks need two batteries wired together to turn the starter against all that compression.  I had a Ford Powerstroke that was like that.

kookykrispy wrote:I've used optima batteries in many vehicles for years.  They are great batteries and I personally have not noticed any decline in performance from a decade ago till now.  If you can afford a new Optima, I say go for it.  Keep in mind that an Optima, just like all other batteries these days, lasts for about 5-6 years before replacement is necessary.  There are other gel-cel sealed batteries of other brands that are also good.  My dad bought an "Orbital" from Napa and its been a great battery for years.  

It is not the battery that will cause headlights to dim while using other accessories, that is due to having an alternator that is not putting out enough juice and then also needing to put the headlights on relays to get full power to them.  

The battery is simply used for starting, when the vehicle is running the alternator is taking care of actually powering the vehicle's systems and also charging the battery.  

The only reason you'd need two batteries is if you want to be able to party at a campground and run your stereo & lights, and drain down the 'house' battery, while you have a 'starting' battery that is isolated so you can start your van in the morning.  

Some diesel trucks have two batteries that work together to crank the engine, but this is just because they have such high compression that sometimes trucks need two batteries wired together to turn the starter against all that compression.  I had a Ford Powerstroke that was like that.

+1 i agree entirely. all light duty diesel trucks run twin batteries for that reason, also one of the pair degrades faster because of the side that is being drawn from a good habit it cycle batteries IE. left to right to keep aging similar, my 69 headlights are standard through the light switch no relays and I have no brightness issues, just installed new sealed beams though

kookykrispy wrote:I've used optima batteries in many vehicles for years.  They are great batteries and I personally have not noticed any decline in performance from a decade ago till now.  If you can afford a new Optima, I say go for it.  Keep in mind that an Optima, just like all other batteries these days, lasts for about 5-6 years before replacement is necessary.  There are other gel-cel sealed batteries of other brands that are also good.  My dad bought an "Orbital" from Napa and its been a great battery for years.  

It is not the battery that will cause headlights to dim while using other accessories, that is due to having an alternator that is not putting out enough juice and then also needing to put the headlights on relays to get full power to them.  

The battery is simply used for starting, when the vehicle is running the alternator is taking care of actually powering the vehicle's systems and also charging the battery.  

The only reason you'd need two batteries is if you want to be able to party at a campground and run your stereo & lights, and drain down the 'house' battery, while you have a 'starting' battery that is isolated so you can start your van in the morning.  

Some diesel trucks have two batteries that work together to crank the engine, but this is just because they have such high compression that sometimes trucks need two batteries wired together to turn the starter against all that compression.  I had a Ford Powerstroke that was like that.

Thanks, again. So what does the relay do for the headlights from a technical standpoint.

it allows "more" current to flow to the headlights instead of running through the light switch in the dash, like relay power would come from source to the relay and the interior headlight switch power out to the headlights is the switched actuation for the relay, once the main headlight switch is on it closes the relay and allows direct current from where ever your pulling from to the headlights and thus giving more direct current to the lights for a brighter headlight, instead of running through the factory wiring and switches to the headlight ,it also removes high load from the main switch as well, help with overheating that switch, even though its not a real problem to have the high load running through the switch

Here's a great article about using relays to get brighter headlights.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/brighter-headlights.shtml

Bud switched his Jeep over to StaNill LED head lights (about $80 on Amazon I think). Says they draw a lot less and light more than the HID's that were always burning out in less than a year. Don't know how the draw compares to sealed beams but I'm sure most of it has to do with the efficiency of their ballasts, so keep an eye out for that. Had good experiences with the Optima of old but nothing new. Even without a diesel I got in the habit of running a two battery set up, mainly so I could isolate one for normal use and one for parking with music playing and some intermittent light use without getting stranded. Depends on where you roam. For my ultimate travel van I may go with three, one to start and two deep cycle like I run on my boat, AND a solar charger for just in case (old Boy Scout). If you're always around other vehicles or never leave the city maybe just one and some jumper cables will do.

I don't know anything about Optima--I'm too cheap to buy something like that unless I know it is going to way outlast a regular battery. I run two batteries, in steel battery holders (all the hot rod places and ebay have them) bolted to my front fenders so the ride next to the frame. I've seen as used many a battery isolator over the years and most are too complicated. I get a new battery (primary) well before I need to and use it as my secondary. I use about a 12ga wire and an auto resetting fuse of 15 amps. That way, the battery is always connected except under a big load like a surge or starting. Got the batteries low and if somebody hits me so what, battery leak from fender benders too.

As for the auxilliary fan, I have redundant thermostats and relays running parallel. The Bosch style 30 amp "continuous" really run hot at 15 amps. All wired at the same time it took about 10 extra minutes and $15 extra dollars to have it all redundant. Has yet to overheat or fail since.

As for me, I like to KISS like the old van is already, happy motoring!

i put a napa 900 amp cranking batery put a replacement alt 98 amp running a electric fan n distributer on a 69 327

98 amp alternator that is

i really need info on a front disk brake conversion on a single axle 64 g10

ChevyVanMan1 wrote:I don't know anything about Optima--I'm too cheap to buy something like that unless I know it is going to way outlast a regular battery. I run two batteries, in steel battery holders (all the hot rod places and ebay have them) bolted to my front fenders so the ride next to the frame. I've seen as used many a battery isolator over the years and most are too complicated. I get a new battery (primary) well before I need to and use it as my secondary. I use about a 12ga wire and an auto resetting fuse of 15 amps. That way, the battery is always connected except under a big load like a surge or starting. Got the batteries low and if somebody hits me so what, battery leak from fender benders too.

As for the auxilliary fan, I have redundant thermostats and relays running parallel. The Bosch style 30 amp "continuous" really run hot at 15 amps. All wired at the same time it took about 10 extra minutes and $15 extra dollars to have it all redundant. Has yet to overheat or fail since.

As for me, I like to KISS like the old van is already, happy motoring!

Just seeing this comment. Can someone explain this redundancy scenario? I don't understand the point of it or what it accomplishes. Same for relocating the batteries.