Battery Question

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Jun 20, 2013 | 07:05 AM

#11

42gunner

Cruiser

Joined: Mar 2013

Posts: 201

Likes: 4

From: newark

Quote:

Originally Posted by btsom

One of the guys either on this site or on another I frequent made a visit to the factory and watched the same innards going into all of the batteries regardless of the label ultimately stuck on them. Never had any reason to doubt his story, though you are free to do so.

So people just think its better because it has a "famous" label on it.

Jun 20, 2013 | 08:23 AM

#12

Rick06

Tourer

Joined: Oct 2006

Posts: 274

Likes: 0

From:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

This Deka battery is made by the same company that makes H-D batteries. Anybody ever try one?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DEKA-AGM-BAT...06e468&vxp=mtr

Put this DEKA in my 08 RK 2 yrs ago. No issues, starts the 103 every time I hit the button.

Jun 20, 2013 | 08:34 AM

#13

vegashd

Banned

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 4,341

Likes: 0

From: Dover, Oh

Quote:

Originally Posted by btsom

im sure he maybe visited the site but they are not going to be running the same batteries different brands at the same time. the runs are so large that it does not happen that way.

The specs are different... and a Harley battery will test higher CCA almost every time then all other "SAME" batteries.

HD has many parts made by companies who make their own products. but 9 times out of 10 its a proprietary part to their specs..... research their oil filters... not your everyday 5 micron filter. Before HD came out with one there was not a tested 5 micron oil filter in existence.

Jun 20, 2013 | 08:39 AM

#14

grbrown

Club Member

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 45,429

Likes: 2,898

From: Bedford UK

Geoff, it is likely that to find any date sticker on your battery you will have to remove it from the bike. While out you can take it to a local auto store and get it tested. If it tests OK, then stop worrying! Life is too short and there are a lot of other things that can go wrong out there. If you can't sleep at night, then get a new AGM battery and put the topic to bed.

Jun 20, 2013 | 08:55 AM

#15

cass

Road Warrior

Joined: Apr 2010

Posts: 1,833

Likes: 35

From: Southern Maryland

ok, here is a simple suggestion.....take the bike off the tender while its at home and see if you have any problems. if not cool, if you do, go buy a new one. just a thought.

Jun 20, 2013 | 09:06 AM

#16

tibadoe

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 2,217

Likes: 53

From: Gladys, VA

Best way to tell is to put a load test on the battery. Easy to do and only takes a few minutes. If you don't have the tester take the battery to a parts house and have them test it. If you do decide to pick up a battery, I would get the Deka or other branded names they sell under and save some coin. It's not the same battery - it has a different color case!

But it's made to the same or better specs.

Last edited by tibadoe; Jun 20, 2013 at 09:08 AM.

Jun 20, 2013 | 10:21 AM

#17

Geoff

Thread Starter

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 10,946

Likes: 818

From: Nevada

I plan to replace my battery to be safe. Just have to decide if I want a Deka ETX30L or HD 66010-97C.

The ETX30L is rated at 400 CCA. The HD site does not provide CCA info., but I think it's 365 CCA.

Besides price, the only difference I can find between the two batteries is the cable attachment. The post on the EXT30L is set back just a bit from being flush with the front face of the battery. For this reason the battery comes with a small (.080-.090") spacer for front cable connections.

Oh yeah, according to the HD web site, the 66010-97C has a "Distinguished H-D® Bar & Shield is molded into case for quick, confident recognition". Nice, huh?

Like dino and synthetic oil, if you Google this topic, you'll find an endless debate on HD and Deka batteries. This most interesting comment was from a guy who worked at East Penn Manufacturing, maker of HD and Deka branded batteries.

"I used to work there and I know that when they change the line over from Harley to DeKa, the only change is the case, everything inside the battery stays the same. The cover which has the terminals already molded in is added later on a different line."

More: http://harleytechtalk.org/htt/index.php?topic=22371.0

Last edited by Geoff; Jun 20, 2013 at 04:06 PM.

Jun 20, 2013 | 10:35 AM

#18

grbrown

Club Member

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 45,429

Likes: 2,898

From: Bedford UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

Like dino and synthetic oil, if you Google this topic, you'll find an endless debate on HD and Deka batteries. This most interesting comment was from a guy who worked at East Penn Manufacturing, maker of HD and Deka branded batteries.

Best not to do that! The more time you spend looking, the more you will lose! That 400CCA sounds fine to me.....