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Battery & On Board Air Compressor


RainGoat
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Okay, this is alot of info....

 

The core of this question is about installing onboard air & engine bay space with an unnecessary and excessive amount of information regarding batteries.

 

Battery History:

The OEM battery was replaced with an Optima Red Top 3/27/04 (back when they were good & I only had to pay $100. That battery was still going strong when I replaced it with an Optima Yellow Top 11/20/09. In fact, that old Red Top is still going in my brother's roadster. I installed a cheapie float charger from Harbor Freight years ago and just started using it last summer to keep my Yellow Top alive. If I left it a week or two without plugging it in or using the truck, I would need to jump it. It would, however, start right up after that, even if it was only for a quick run to the grocery or hardware store. Finally, when my truck sat idle from Thanksgiving until February during its engine rebuild/replacement, the old Yellow Top gave out. I even tried the Optima Charger as it's supposed to recover deeply discharged batteries-it brought some life back but not enough.

 

As an aside, I have a 2nd Optima Yellow Top in my wife's MDX that I bought 1/2015. I did not do the research I should have done and I would say that battery demonstrates the decline of Optima with its purchase by Johnson Controls. I replaced her OEM (which I still keep on a float charger to jump cars as needed) because the OEM couldn't handle having the radio on while I cleaned the car for even 30" without requiring a jump. The Optima was better but still can't handle much longer which is a travesty by comparison to my old Optima's. I won't buy Optima again and my research has convinced me that for regular vehicles I will replace them with Costco Interstate Batteries as they cost <$100 and come with Costco's bombproof 42mo warranty which gives you a new battery with a 42mo battery.

 

Now it's time for a new battery & I'm thinking about capability vs space. The Pathfinder, however, is a different story. It doesn't run as much electronics as these modern cars but I have historically run a lot of incandescent auxiliary lighting. I plan to switch a lot of that to LED which will reduce drain but I will be putting on a winch. After much research, it seems like my finalists are the Northstar Group 27 (produced as an X2 Power@Batteries Plus) and the Odyssey Extreme 34. The Northstar comes in a Marine Version which is identical in specs but has the additional top low amperage mounts, costs $30 more and only has a 4 year warranty as opposed to the standard awesome 5yr warranty. The Odyssey, however comes in a 34/78 which would give me side terminals. I know some people like to use these for their winch but I read on Optima's side that these side terminals are low amperage & shouldn't be used for that application (doesn't make sense to me as I thought these were alternate terminals for vehicles which needed a side mount Group 78). I'll post the specs below in another post.

 

I would go ahead & buy the Northstar Group 27 (well, the BatteriesPlus XS Power version) but, after examining my engine bay, it looks like I could possibly mount a Group 34 longitudinally along the vehicles axis & free up 3.5-4" along the outboard side of the battery to possibly mount a compressor. I even found a relatively inexpensive (~$30) Odyssey mount tray that I could likely fit in this orientation. I have a Q Industries MV-50 compressor that I would like to mount in the engine bay for onboard air. I have seen it done with, with Stioc from ExPo if I recall correctly. I’m curious to hear input?

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Battery

Yellow Top

Odyssey

Northstar

X2 Power

Group

34/78 / 75-25

25 / 34 / 34/78

27

27

PHCA

1400 / - / 1500

1750

CCA

750 / 620

850 / 792 / 850

930

930

CA

870 / 775

990 / - / 1250

1080

Ah

55(120AH)/-

65 / - / 68

92

90

Reserve

120” / 100”

130”/ - / 135”

195”

Weight (#)

/ 38.81

50 / 46.6 / 49.5

68

69.75

Length (")

10 1/16 / 9 1/16

9.46 / 10 1/4 / 10.86

12.44

12.46

Width (")

6 13/16 / 7 1/16

6.84 / 6 13/16 / 7.09

6.77

6.77

Height (")

7 7/8 / 7 5/16

8.69 / 7 7/8 / 7.88

8.86

8.75

Warranty (yr)

3 / 3

4 / 3 / 3

4

5

Cost

282 / 272

290 / - / $262+t=289.18

350

330

 

Costco Interstate Battery Info (Same as regular Interstates, unlike cheaper version sold at WalMart)

$84@Costco for 24F (fits my wife's MDX)

Warranty 42 months, any problems during that time period & they replace it with a new one with a new 42 month warranty.

Item Number

850232

Group Size

24F

Cold Cranking Amps

700

Cranking Amps

875

Reserve Capacity (RC) @ 25 hr

130

Length

11 0/0"

Width

6 14/16"

Height

8 12/16"

Weight

42.1#

 

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Battery Yellow Top Odyssey Extreme Northstar = X2 Power Interstate (Costco)

Group 34/78 // 75/25 25 // 34 // 34/78 27 27 24F(Not Pathfinder Size)

PHCA 1400 // - - // 1500 1750

CCA 750 // 620 850 // 792 // 850 930 930 700

CA 870 // 775 990 // - // 1250 1080 875

Ah 55(120AH)// - 65 // - // 68 92 90

Reserve(min) 120 // 100 130 // - // 135 195 130

Weight (#) - // 38.81 50 // 46.6 // 49.5 68 69.75 42.1

Length 10 1/16 // 9 1/16 9.46 // 10 1/4 // 10.86 12.44 12.46 11

Width 6 13/16 // 7 1/16 6.84 // 6 13/16 // 7.09 6.77 6.77 6 7/8

Height 7 7/8 // 7 5/16 8.69 // 7 7/8 // 7.88 8.86 8.75 8 3/4

Warranty (yr) 3 // 3 4 // 3 // 3 4 5(4 Marine) 3.5

Cost ($) 282 // 272 290 // - // 289(262+t) 350 330 84

Online Order -10% = tax

Occasional $30 Rebates

 

This was super frustrating to get to post correctly. Ive edited it multiple times in an effort to clean it up but it repeatedly looks okay in the Preview Post then eliminates all the spacing once Submitted. I reported the above with the hope an Admin/Moderator will delete them. Sorry for the mess.

Edited by RainGoat
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Cleaned up part of your thread... not sure about that second post though...

Thanks, I wasnt sure either. Just leave it I guess. The information is all there, its just hard to read. Ive edited it at least half a dozen times & it just wont keep its form so this will have to do.

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I installed a dual-battery system in my Pathfinder. X2Power SLI34AGMDPM.

Photo here: https://xplorx4.shutterfly.com/437

 

My on-board air (photo: https://xplorx4.shutterfly.com/185) occupiesthe space formerly taken by the stock air intake box. If I had opted to keep the stock air box, I probably would have mounted the compressor outside of the engine bay, perhaps above the rear differential or on the back of the panhard rod brace. I find that the compressor gets quite hot for airing up duty when it's mounted in the engine bay - especially in the summer. I'm sure that its location there doesn't do any favors for the duty cycle.

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I was also looking at spots inside the frame rails for mounting mine. The wd21 just doesn't have much spare space under the hood.

 

Interstate makes quality products.

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Dean, Thats fantastic! Sooo glad I posted this! Was size the reason you opted for the Group 34 over the Group 27? I really like your dual battery solution as a reserve mini battery is perfect. I had been reading simple dual battery set ups in the T4R forum as I want to do this for my Moms 4Runner as well (shes now remote & solo a lot more than I am). I was considering a Group 34 & an Interstate but yours looks perfect!

 

Also, I note you have the Marine version & it looks like you used the auxiliary terminals. Do you think its worth the extra cost & decreased warranty (+$30 & -1 year warranty on the Group 27)? What do you have running from those auxiliary posts? Ill have to check the Group 34 Northstar/XS specs, any reason you chose it over a 34/78 Odyssey Extreme? The Group 27 specs & warranty are phenomenal but I dont think it will fit with another battery because of its length.

 

Ive already been eyeing your plumbed for air system but somehow didnt see your battery set up. Storing the compressor underneath sounds like a something to consider. Im going to have to think about climate a bit first. Overheating is rarely a problem here in the NE (though any engine bay gets hot); water exposure on the other hand is a chronic day to day problem here. Still, I like the idea of not cramming it into the bay. Also, my compressor only cost me $47 & Ive been thinking about wiring it into my Moms truck & just getting an inexpensive one from Harbor Fraught for myself - theres one that several knowledgeable T4R guys like & its easy to mount & even less expensive so who cares if I can swap it out with ease every handful of years.

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I was also looking at spots inside the frame rails for mounting mine. The wd21 just doesn't have much spare space under the hood.

 

Interstate makes quality products.

Curious where you choose & what your thoughts will be on exposure to the wet as I know you are more than familiar with our climate given you just moved from an area thats considered awfully rainy by other a western WAshingtonians.

 

As for Costcos Interstate, after my research, Im sold on putting that in my wifes car & my DD for their next batteries.

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Can't contribute to the battery questions, noting that a dual battery system is also on my mind.

 

I've installed my MV50 both in the rear cubby and under the hood where the cruise control stuff is on yours, all of which doesn't exist on 03-04 models because of the drive-by-wire setup. Mounting it where I've got it required a bit of modification to the compressor and brackets, and it's a tight fit. Surprisingly, I don't seem to have any pics handy of the setup.

 

I would also advocate finding a way to mount under the chassis. Too loud in the cab, too tight under the hood. I've only had it overheat once, and that was after starting inflation on a 7th tire during the stop (did my 32's and then buddy's 33's). Can't say I've tried in a typical AZ summer day, but for sure haven't had a problem going from 15psi to 34psi with hood closed after the engine is warmed up.

 

Once you're able to do the tire carrier install, that'll free up a ton of space underneath. To defend against the elements, see if you can find an appropriately size Rubbermaid or other plastic container that has a snap-able lid. Then just drill some holes to match the mounting pattern, and some more for air input/output.

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I keep my compressor in the rear cubby. Too much salt on the winter roads for me to feel ok about an external mount. Already have to combat rust elsewhere on the truck regularly so I put it inside and havent had any issues. Also is in a great position for inflating camp gear like our air mattress and river rafts. I run a 5 way manifold with gauge that can simultaneously inflates all 4 tires. Its a bit of hose but all fits well in my recovery gear tote. Tire specific lengths with quick disconnects allows me to sit in the warm, dry truck and monitor PSI when its cold and wet out which is most of the time here.

 

HuHrGvd.jpg

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I keep my compressor in the rear cubby. Too much salt on the winter roads for me to feel ok about an external mount. Already have to combat rust elsewhere on the truck regularly so I put it inside and havent had any issues. Also is in a great position for inflating camp gear like our air mattress and river rafts. I run a 5 way manifold with gauge that can simultaneously inflates all 4 tires. Its a bit of hose but all fits well in my recovery gear tote. Tire specific lengths with quick disconnects allows me to sit in the warm, dry truck and monitor PSI when its cold and wet out which is most of the time here.

 

HuHrGvd.jpg[/quote

Good location for it I installed mine there a few months back I ended up cutting the lining a little and tucking it up on the wheel arch so I could keep all my air gear inside out of the way. I learnt the hard way with my compressor and fired it up for a while with my engine turned off and it killed the battery fairly quickly . 93e966cf3c837c157219dd1608a80b20.jpg

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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While the rear cubby looks like a great spot. I'm usually so loaded in the cargo area when camping that I wouldn't be able to get to it without a major inconvenience (plus the wife HATES loud noises). I think I might explore mounting it underneath but with some shielding to protect it from splatter. While I know TowndawgR50 has experienced rust issues, he has to travel the road through the pass every day, which I suspect may mean he has a much higher salt exposure. My truck has done 90K & 12 years in the PNW without any significant rust issues. Nonetheless, it gets wet under there nearly every time I drive it. I'm thinking a splash shield is probably sufficient but I may have to wait until I can move that spare to a rear tire carrier (which reminds me, if anybody runs across the swinggate release mechanism or even just the latch mechanisms below the hatch, I REALLY want and need them).

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