DieHard Marine Battery

WillTN

WillTN

Well-known member
Oct 14, 2004
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Franklin, TN
www.tnrovers.com
Is anyone using a DieHard marine deep cycle / starting combo battery? I have to pick up a new battery for the disco this weekend and the DieHard deep cycle batteries seem to be the same as the Odysseys but with a different label. Plus it seems like a lot of people have had problems with Optimas recently (I was going to go with the Optima until I saw this).

DieHard Marine Dry Cell Size: 31M:
Reserve Capacity: 205 min., Cold Cranking Amps: 1150, 3 year warranty, $250 on website ($230 something at sears in store)
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02850131000P?vName=Automotive&cName=Batteries+%26+Chargers&sName=Marine+Batteries

The DieHard has better specs the the Optima blue top 31M which has:
RC: 155 min. CCA: 900, 18 month warranty, $210-230 depending on store
https://www.expeditionexchange.com/optima/

It seems to be basically the same as the Odyssey PC2150 (or at least made by the same company). But the Odyssey only has 1 neg/pos terminals, only 200 min. RC, and 1090 CCA. The only advantage the Odyssey has is it's 4 year warranty, one year longer then the DieHard. But its is around $350, so $100 more then the DieHard...
https://www.expeditionexchange.com/odyssey/

What do you guys think? It seems like the DieHard is the winner to me, unless people have had problems with them or something. I've never used DieHard batteries, always Interstate or Optima, so I don't have any personal experience with them.
 
Jupiter Rover

Jupiter Rover

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2006
1,690
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South Florida
There was a battery thread not too long ago (search). Everyone loves the Odyssey and says the Diehard is the exact same battery for cheaper, but by the specs it looks like the Diehard is a tad better. When I need a new one I will just get a Diehard. Sorry no first hand experience.
 
skippy3k

skippy3k

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2005
1,483
0
Northern California
I got the DieHard 31M after my Optima Blue Top died on me. Truck starts, Engel runs for days, I'm happy. I especially like being able to walk into the Sears and pick it up off the shelf and buy it knowing that if anything goes wrong I can just reverse the process. Optima makes you send the freaking thing back to them.
 
gmookher

gmookher

Well-known member
Oct 30, 2004
5,201
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Grand Canyon State
I run the 31M platinum from Sears. Same as Odessey. Get it. you wont regret it. Had to do some trimming to the d2 batt tray to get it to sit the way it should; but then again, I havent used the factory jack ever since I got lifted.
 
L

lrsafari

Well-known member
Apr 19, 2007
163
0
Sacramento, Orig Phoenix
I have had the smaller Diehard /Odyssey for the last 3 months and it has been great. But I don't have a lot of acc running other than the Mk VIII fan. But so far it seems to start faster and no problems at all. I got the one that sellls for about $180, but it fits in the RRC spot well, whereas the larger is about 1" to wide.
YMMV
 
WillTN

WillTN

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Oct 14, 2004
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Franklin, TN
www.tnrovers.com
gmookher said:
I run the 31M platinum from Sears. Same as Odessey. Get it. you wont regret it. Had to do some trimming to the d2 batt tray to get it to sit the way it should; but then again, I havent used the factory jack ever since I got lifted.
Click to expand...

Did you have to extend the negative cable so it can reach the ground and the terminal or is it long enough? EE's web site says you have to extend the negative cable to get it to reach the the terminal with the Odyssey PC2150...
 
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gmookher

gmookher

Well-known member
Oct 30, 2004
5,201
0
Grand Canyon State
funny you should ask, I did it 'my way', it was fast it has worked while not by any means meant to be purty

http://picasaweb.google.com/NRGEyeCare/DiehardPlatinumPM1ISAnODESSEYPC2150#5084975486425963906


the stock wire can be cut and when not mounting the the body 'strap' via the bolt to the body you can get it to reach the 3 hole JL audio negative terminal also from EE.
I ran a separate lead to the body from the JL. the third JL lead goes to the winch.

my positive terminal is stock..there is a switch to kill the winch which is what the red wires lead up to
 
WillTN

WillTN

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Oct 14, 2004
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Franklin, TN
www.tnrovers.com
Alright... I guess I can get 1' or less of 2 gauge and bolt it to the spot on the negative cable and run it to the ground...

Does anyone know any places that sell battery cable (2 awg wire) with ring terminals already attached is various lengths, like say 1' / 2' whatever?
 
11b4v

11b4v

Well-known member
May 5, 2009
257
17
N. Alabama
The Durasomething that came with my truck finally died, justifying a trip to Sears. I made a two-inch spacer/extension from some aluminum flat stock laying around. It's temporary until I can fab a longer negative battery cable. Im going to try and remove that body support / body grounding tab thingy and re-crimp into a newer, longer negative cable.
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SGaynor

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
11b4v said:
The Durasomething that came with my truck finally died, justifying a trip to Sears. I made a two-inch spacer/extension from some aluminum flat stock laying around. It's temporary until I can fab a longer negative battery cable. Im going to try and remove that body support / body grounding tab thingy and re-crimp into a newer, longer negative cable.
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photo-7.jpg
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Click to expand...

Simple fix is to get a long enough negative cable at AutoZone, etc. and connect it directly to the block. Cut the exisiting negative cable at the grounding bulkhead (removing the terminal end), but leave the connection from the bulkhead to the block.

You need that body support/body grounding tab thingy for your electronics - leave it in place.
 
Some Dude

Some Dude

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2009
1,590
0
Boise, ID
And make sure you're running a substantial gauge cable from the negative terminal to that body electrical ground. I ran some shitty 10 gauge back to there when I installed the longer negative cable and I wound up melting it and nearly starting a fire.
 
DonC

DonC

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
144
9
The Woodlands, Texas
I went with the 31M last Sept when my battery died over a weekend. I went to sears right before they closed and was able to get a "friends and family discount" for something like 15% off the battery. I had already picked up a different neg cable on the way there after reading the other posting about the 31M. No issue placing it in the stock 04 battery box other then then coolant return hose got pinched. Make sure you pay attention to that return line when you place the new battery. I was lucky and had a length of vacuum line that I did a quick repair on it with until I was able to pick up a replacement that following Monday.
 
G

geoff

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
164
1
Austin, TX
I believe we have the 34Ms (small size than 31M) in our boat. They recharge almost immediately and seem to take repeated drains just fine.

The downside is that those types of batteries don't support "bursts" of amps, ie lead/acid batteries can act like a capacitor. Now on the boat with the stereo sub woofer going loudly, if I hit some additional electrical switch, boom, the system goes dark. It comes back a few seconds or minute or so later. If you have a big stereo or a winch, you could see this kind of thing.

I have been advised to add a capacitor to the setup now.
 
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