I have a 1978 or 1979 IH 86 Hydro. It has the U.S. built diesel engine rather than the German diesel. I really like this tractor for my use as I have a WL-42 Westendorf loader on it and I use it on a 7 foot McKee snowblower. My only criticism of this tractor is that I feel it is rather lacking with respect to the single battery used for the electrical system. I do plug the block heater and the transmission heater in before I need to use it in the winter time. I also use blended fuel with the Power Service anti-gel product mixed in. I have been told the engine on this tractor tends to be rather cold blooded, and I tend to agree with that statement based upon my experience thus far. I have also been told IH did offer, what has been described to me as a "Mickey Mouse" setup, an optional additional battery providing a two battery electrical system. I have looked for this type of extra mounting bracket on-line but have found nothing. I am leaning towards making a shelf type bracket that would allow the use of 2 of the large, long, and narrow type of 6 volt batteries wired in series for this. It looks like I could build this bracket on the left side of the tractor and attach this bracket to the place where a step would be mounted. I would have to have new battery cables made for this, too. Any thoughts by the experts out there?
 
Yep two 6's in series will have a lot more 'poop' than a single 12. Make a battery tray and set it in any convenient place. I put a tray on the right frame rail of my 706. The 'new' cab would not allow for the batterys in the normal place.You can see in the photo. A neighbor has a 3020 with a loader with 4 6v batterys suspended under the oil pan. Now,that tractor will start!
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Those long skinny 6 Volt batteries typically have about 875 CCA, and when you put them in series, CCA's are NOT additive, so you still only have the CCA's of a GOOD, big 12 Volt battery and you have added two connections to the circuit, with the resistance that goes with them!
 
Total cranking power is the result of cell structure and total plate surface area on 6 cells. I do not care where the cells are located, in 2 batteries or one. I agree the CCA will not increase, but the total available cranking energy (over time) will be greater than one 6v's rating. Thin modern plate construction, with modern separators and deep plate design, will make power. Connection losses is an issue if they are marginal, but 0gauge clean jumpers will suffice. In reality AGM and Gel type batteries are the best solution (opinion) Jim
 
I would buy your batterys of choice first, then buy your metal for your battery shelf,then add 30 inches to the length of that, so u have a step to stand on every time u put in fuel,I did it something like that 706, but i started lower and further back by the brakes.You will thank your self every time u put in fuel.
 
My point was that the ling skinny batteries that work well on row-crops do NOT have the CCA that some other HD 6-Volt batteries have.
 
(quoted from post at 00:46:53 11/29/15) I have a 1978 or 1979 IH 86 Hydro. It has the U.S. built diesel engine rather than the German diesel. I really like this tractor for my use as I have a WL-42 Westendorf loader on it and I use it on a 7 foot McKee snowblower. My only criticism of this tractor is that I feel it is rather lacking with respect to the single battery used for the electrical system. I do plug the block heater and the transmission heater in before I need to use it in the winter time. I also use blended fuel with the Power Service anti-gel product mixed in. I have been told the engine on this tractor tends to be rather cold blooded, and I tend to agree with that statement based upon my experience thus far. I have also been told IH did offer, what has been described to me as a "Mickey Mouse" setup, an optional additional battery providing a two battery electrical system. I have looked for this type of extra mounting bracket on-line but have found nothing. I am leaning towards making a shelf type bracket that would allow the use of 2 of the large, long, and narrow type of 6 volt batteries wired in series for this. It looks like I could build this bracket on the left side of the tractor and attach this bracket to the place where a step would be mounted. I would have to have new battery cables made for this, too. Any thoughts by the experts out there?

Late 686 and Hydro 86(D310) were sold with two 12 volt group 24 parallel batteries. This allowed about 1300 to 1400 CCA. Early ones(D312) were sold with two series mounted 6 volt batteries that were worthless in cold weather. I have a 686 D312 which had the series 6 volt batteries originally. Back in the early 1980's, I bought the cables for the D310 engine from the parts book to convert to parallel 12 volt system along with the angle iron bracket and rods to hold the second battery tight and never looked back. It starts like a champion in 10 F weather. The one battery is in the enclosure in front of the driver. The other is mounted on the left side of the platform behind your foot and the angle iron bracket and rods hold it in place. 1300 CCA will start the D312 unless you are below 0F and then you would need the block heater.
 
I've used a Hydro 86 since 2002. It had two 6s which didn't seem to be too whoopie so I tried two 12s. That did not seem to improve things much so I now use one big 12 setting on the floor in the cab with big new cables. Plugged in it will start unless it gets way below zero. Then all bets are off. If it's 20 below I leave it plugged in constant (no timer) And it might start but don't count on it.
 
I have a 656 hydro diesel that I got rid of the two and just put one group 31 battery into. It sets on the floorboard behind my left foot. Less cables and connections to deal with. Seems to start just fine even after running the glow plugs. Has plenty of poop.
I also changed my 856 over to one group 31 as well. I made a tray for it on the left side where one of the old batteries sat. Seems to work fine on that as well.
 
Get a pair of group 31 (1,000 to 1,100 CCA each) and put them in parallel.
Just looked it up, at O'Reilly's, a 2E (6 volt used on the 06 and 56 series) is $170.
A group 31 is $111-$130.
You will need the same amount of cabling for both.
If a group 2E goes bad, you've got 6 volts and no start.
If a group 31 goes bad, you still have 1,000 CCA at 12 volts.

A 3E (used in the 66 series) is $112, but you still have the disadvantage of the 2E.
A 3EE (they list it as a 3ET) at $114, is the same dimensions as the 3E but 12 volts, but only 460 CCA. Put in parallel, you still only have 920 CCA, less than one group 31.
 

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