Marine Battery vs Reg Battery

Kelly in tx · Dec 1, 2023

My Farmall 504 has a distributor ignition. The charging system doesn't work. I don't need the generator fixed as I only use the tractor for a short time each time. I'm thinking of buying a battery made for trolling in a boat and then recharging it periodically. Whaddya think?

DeltaRed · Dec 1, 2023

I think I'd fix the generator.

rustred · Dec 2, 2023

Just using a standard auto battery will last a long time if its an easy starter. The generator might only need brushes and bushings and thats a cheap fix.

john in la · Dec 2, 2023

While not as good as a normal cranking battery. Also not a good as a true deep cycle battery. What you are looking for is called a dual purpose marine battery. You can usually find them anywhere marine batteries are sold.

Kansas4010 · Dec 2, 2023

I had a Farmall C that the wiring was nonexistent. It started several times before the battery needed recharging. It had a regular 6 volt battery from Tractor Supply.

Steve@Advance · Dec 2, 2023

Buying a specialty battery is going to run up the cost more than the benefit. Personally I would buy the cheapest battery that would fit.

Or change out an old battery from a more important vehicle and give it the new battery. That way if there is a warranty issue it will be resolved and less chance of being stranded out on the road.

MarkB_MI · Dec 2, 2023

There's little advantage to using a deep cycle battery for this application. They're not designed for high-current starter loads. There are marine starting batteries which differ from automotive batteries primarily in their construction: They're designed to take the repetitive shock of a boat bouncing off the waves. So-called 'dual purpose' batteries don't do anything particularly well. Just get the largest automotive battery that will fit in your tractor and keep it charged with a battery maintainer.

John T · Dec 2, 2023

Mornin Kelly, based on my knowledge and experience (have used ALL of them over many years) for a battery to start an engine I WOULD NOT USE A DEEP CYCLE OR A QUASI DEEP CYCLE DUAL PURPOSE RV/MARINE BATTERY. Instead, use a battery designed for STARTING applications.

A Starting battery (often specified in Cold Cranking Amps CCA Capacity) is designed to deliver short term high current to power a starter motor,,,,,,,A Deep Cycle battery (often specified in Amp Hours energy storage capacity) is designed more for lower current longer term deeper discharge use such as a Golf Cart or in an RV,,,,,,,,,,An RV/Marine quasi Deep Cycle is designed to Start (short term high current) a Marine Engine and then later used for example to power a trolling motor (lower current longer term)

See if others agree or can add to this, this is my opinion based on my own personal experience

John T

Geo-TH,In · Dec 2, 2023

Most marine batteries come with a one year warranty.
For the same money you can buy a large battery that comes
with a 5 year warranty. You decide. It's your money.
I don't buy marine batteries for tractors.

grandpa Love · Dec 2, 2023

My favorite cub has a distributor ignition and no alternator or generator. I use a lawn mower battery. I use the cub a couple hours a week all summer. I only have to put that battery in to charge overnight once every 6 months......

WNYBill · Dec 2, 2023

Our Club John Deere 420 has an 8 volt battery, you don't replace them $$$$. Generator quit working so we just charge the battery periodically and make sure we have a battery pack with us. We do remove the (-) cable between uses.

Hemmjo · Dec 2, 2023

When I am faced with needing a battery for something like this, I buy a new battery for my truck. Move the truck battery to the tractor.

There is no point having a new battery just sit most of the year.

Papaw8 · Dec 2, 2023

Which ever type battery you use be sure to recharge it after it is used each time. If it is left sitting under charged it will sulfate and loose capacity. A low amp charger maintainer (1 amp or close) should do fine.

jm. · Dec 2, 2023

while you are doing all that just stick a one wire alternator on it and any kind of old battery .

BarnyardEngineering · Dec 2, 2023

I agree, a straight up marine battery doesn't offer any advantages.

If the existing battery is fine, just keep it and put a battery maintainer on it every time you park the tractor. It will always be charged. Since you don't want to spend any money, don't spend any money at all.

I have a couple of marine/starting batteries but only because there was a pallet of them in the local Farm/Fleet store for $59 each last year.

herk · Dec 2, 2023

I bought a Moline G706 years ago it had 2 6 volt batterys on it , it cranked slow , but it cranked a long time .When they died I put regular batterys on it , night and day differace , cranked fast stated a lot better. Bryan

ss55 · Dec 2, 2023

Have you tracked down the root of the problem? If the tractor has a sixty plus year old voltage regulator that might be the problem, easy fix. A one wire alternator is also another easy fix, a three wire alternator charges better.

If you go with manually charging the battery, a $10 battery disconnect switch will be a good investment.

Caryc · Dec 3, 2023

(quoted from post at 19:28:17 12/02/23) Have you tracked down the root of the problem? If the tractor has a sixty plus year old voltage regulator that might be the problem, easy fix. A one wire alternator is also another easy fix, a three wire alternator charges better.

If you go with manually charging the battery, a $10 battery disconnect switch will be a good investment.

I don't have any battery problems. But, I have that $10 battery disconnect switch on both my tractors. My question is "Why Not"?

This post was edited by Caryc on 12/03/2023 at 08:28 am.

Texasmark · Dec 3, 2023

I had one of those too, exactly like that. It didn't fit the neg. terminal onto which I was attempting to attach it. In attempting to open
it up to fit, one of the ears broke off. It probably fit the pos. terminal, but the pos terminal on this battery wasn't easy to get to and
the neg. was right in front of me. First and last one i bought.

Texasmark · Dec 3, 2023

I've heard rumors concerning trolling motor batteries having fewer plates and that they were thicker to resist deep cycling and as a result don't have the surface area required for high currents associated with engine starting......not to be confused with the newer start/troll type of which I have no idea as to the internal construction.

I bought a JD 4010 with about 4k hours on it and it had a very well used old style 12v trolling motor battery for starting power and it would start the tractor winter or summer here in N. TX. with no assistance. I continued to use that setup for over a year before having to purchase a new battery. Considering the cubic inches of the 4010, I'd say that not being able to crank a car or truck is a myth! Size was 27.

Marine Battery vs Reg Battery

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