[T3] Battery options

[Jens Vagelpohl]

Thank you for all your help!

So I looked at all the group sizing charts I could find and decided to go with a Group 90 - thanks to Jim for the detail about the flanges.

The Group 90 has the same exterior dimensions and post locations as the original Group 42, but it has beefier flanges at the bottom. The “rear” where the flange slips under a fixed metal strip can fit up to .75” and if needed I can bend it up a little. The “front” is flexible with the bolt-down clamp bit.

The old one in there is an obsolete Interstate model and I couldn’t find out what group it is. The dimensions are close to a 42, but not quite. It was not held very securely, either, because the flanges are much less pronounced. It wasn’t sitting tight at all.

Speaking of how hard they are to get, I looked at an O’Reillys nearby and they don’t have the 42 in stock but available within 24-48 hours. The 90 is in stock.

jens


> On 22. Apr 2019, at 11:46 , Jim Adney <jadney at VWType3.org> wrote:
> 
> Our original size was a Group 42, but I understand that these are now 
> obsolete. I think it was superceeded by another Group, possibly Group 92, 
> that has all the features of Group 42 plus hold-down lips on the ends as well 
> as the sides.
> 
> For a microbus, you have more options, since you don't have to worry about 
> headroom or, maybe, length. There are a number of Euro style battery 
> Groups in the 40s (43, 44, 45, 48...) that might work. That's probably where 
> you could find whatever the 63 Ah version was. Maybe those are all 90s 
> now.
> 
> I'll check later this week when I'm at my FLAPS.
> 
> Jim
> 
> On 22 Apr 2019 at 7:03, Jens Vagelpohl wrote:
> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> Fair warning - not Type 3 - but probably applicable there as well.
>> 
>> I have a 1978 Westy camper, all stock, and I am looking for a new battery. I´m from Germany but currently living in the US and the terminology here (Group XX) is all gobbledygook to me.
>> 
>> The stock battery is 12V/54Ah, for the Canadian market they had a slightly bigger 63Ah battery.
>> 
>> I want to make sure to get something that has the posts in the right place (top posts, both on the same side), that the posts fit the standard VW clamps, and that the battery is held down safely by the stock battery clamp that hooks over the protrusion at the bottom of the battery. I´m not looking for anything special (gel, etc), just a good reliable battery that fits and is held down safely.
>> 
>> I am sure all that applies to Type 3s as well ;-)
>> 
>> What would you recommend?
>> 
>> Thank you!
>> 
>> jens
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> *******************************
> Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
> Madison, Wisconsin, USA
> *******************************
> 
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