batery size: whats big enough?? flathead

hey guys,

never realy thought about this until recently when i took a batery from one car and swaped it to a similarly motored and weighted car and had it fail on me because although they are similar cars one car has power EVERYTHING, digital gauges, power windows, locks everything you can think of. and the car the batery was originaly in had power NOTHING, like nothing nothing.

so what im wondering is if i have a completly stock 1953 ford customline tudor with the v8 and three speed. running basicly what ever a stock one would run ---head/tail/brake lights blinkers, motor stuff, later when its cold i suppose ill get the heater stuff figured out, and ill be putting in a tiny amp to plug my ipod into to power one 6x9

so for all relative purposes what is the smallest batery you could get away with running in this car? i realy dont want to end up stranded with a more then dead batery.

oh side note, im running a 12 volt generator not an alternator

thanx
tim

 

For about the past two years I've been running a ten year old battery I took out of a Honda Civic in my SBC powered truck.
It's got Halogen headlights and a Lo-Fi c***etteplayer/radio.
And an electric heater fan!
The battery is about the same size as the one that was in my XLCH kicker-only Sportster, but it gets the job done.

 

The battery you took out of the first car probably would have failed in whatever car you had it in. I have been running a group 24 battery in my '51 Merc. with all the power goodies. No problems.

 

Generally, battery "capacity" is only important if you run the accessories with the car not running. Your real issue is with charging capacity. Your generator (or replacement alternator) should be sized to maintain the battery charge with all your accessories turned on at full-power. Actually, it should be able to do more than that, becuase it needs to recharge the battery from the discharge that happens when you start the engine. If you want to find out if your generator is sufficient, you need an ammeter (ampmeter). Compare the drain on the electrical system with everything turned on with the output of your generator.

 

I run a 12 volt tractor batter in the Beater., It has halogens, 'lectric fan and fuel pump. Generator and all work great. It's rateed at 410 cca.

 

As your '53 is 12v now, size shouldn't matter if it's a good battery ... if it were still 6v, it sure would.

 

size means nothing dimensionally
most v8's need
cold cranking amps 450 -700 (cca)
dimesions are based on under hood room and battery post location.. top ...side and +- reversed

check where your cables lengths and try to keep the +post away frrom the side that would touch first

most batterys need charging new (always check first)
warm-hot batterys won't charge up well
a alt or gen won't recharge a dead batt ever
remove caps when charging to evacuate the gases . cover with a damp papertowel
do not remove a running chargers clamps turn off or unplug first ..sparks and the gas is explosive

hope this helps and always remove ground cable first and replace last should not spark ever when done right(unless there is something running dome lite or hood ,trunk or radio .. key on)

oh ya clean post and inside terminal real good too