Help wanted need better bigger battery

[TahoeTroubles]

Hey everyone I have an ‘02 Chevy Tahoe. I am not running a whole lot but my battery is giving me problems. Soon as a car guy saw it he said get a bigger battery, and top posts. So, I have a handicap lift in the back that the VA commissioned a shop to install. Idk if that’s my issue but it does pull a lot of power when being used. It’s a hydroloc lift. I only rly use my ac, and sometimes all 3 cigarette lighters to run a dash cam car charger and hot plate. But, I need reliability and extendable life from my next purchase.

Is lithium better? Which brands and what size ect would you suggest? I cld have to evacuate
if a storm comes and that would mean using and running my truck more. I’m disabled so I also have a service dog and him and I both can’t take much sun, heat or cold. So reliability is what I want… any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks God bless

 

[swathdiver]

Can I assume that you are not driving the truck much or making short trips to the store and back?

If so, that is happening is that the battery is not receiving a full charge because you don't drive it enough. Even while sitting for days, computer modules wake up, do their thing and go back to sleep. They will run down a battery after about a month if you do not drive it.

The cure is not a bigger battery or rearranging your electrical system, simply purchase a battery tender which will keep it charged up and desulfated when you're not using it.

There are lots out there, this is what I use:

BatteryMINDer® Model 1510: 12-Volt 1.5 Amp Maintenance Charger/Desulfator Including a 10 Year Warranty

Battery MINDer's 1510 12 volt desulfating battery charger maintainer can extend the life of a battery up to four times its normal span.

www.batteryminders.com

If you are due for a new battery, we've been running ACDelco batteries for years and are well pleased with them. Yours would do well with a 78GHR or 78VGHR140 or the 78VPG, all 42 month warranted batteries.

Keep us posted.

 

[bill1013]

Hey everyone I have an ‘02 Chevy Tahoe. I am not running a whole lot but my battery is giving me problems. Soon as a car guy saw it he said get a bigger battery, and top posts. So, I have a handicap lift in the back that the VA commissioned a shop to install. Idk if that’s my issue but it does pull a lot of power when being used. It’s a hydroloc lift. I only rly use my ac, and sometimes all 3 cigarette lighters to run a dash cam car charger and hot plate. But, I need reliability and extendable life from my next purchase.

Is lithium better? Which brands and what size ect would you suggest? I cld have to evacuate
if a storm comes and that would mean using and running my truck more. I’m disabled so I also have a service dog and him and I both can’t take much sun, heat or cold. So reliability is what I want… any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks God bless

Optima Yellow Top works great for me. Drain it and it recharges no problem.

 

[Fless]

Based on an experience I had with a neighbor I have found that it helps to have the engine running when operating the lift; they do take a lot of current. Is there a way for you to start the engine before operating the lift?

And short trips won't fully recharge the battery as @swathdiver noted, so you may need to get it out on the highway from time to time and run it to charge it up, especially if you're not using the tender.

 

[Doubeleive]

Hey everyone I have an ‘02 Chevy Tahoe. I am not running a whole lot but my battery is giving me problems. Soon as a car guy saw it he said get a bigger battery, and top posts. So, I have a handicap lift in the back that the VA commissioned a shop to install. Idk if that’s my issue but it does pull a lot of power when being used. It’s a hydroloc lift. I only rly use my ac, and sometimes all 3 cigarette lighters to run a dash cam car charger and hot plate. But, I need reliability and extendable life from my next purchase.

Is lithium better? Which brands and what size ect would you suggest? I cld have to evacuate
if a storm comes and that would mean using and running my truck more. I’m disabled so I also have a service dog and him and I both can’t take much sun, heat or cold. So reliability is what I want… any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks God bless

if it is a 02 you should have the available 2nd battery tray in the passenger left rear corner of the engine compartment, you can run a parallel dual battery setup and switch to top post.
just takes a little elbow grease on someones part. the tray if not present, a battery holder and cables. and of course a second battery.
in parallel that would give you double the amp hours and more reliability.