[Mgs] Price Of Two 6 Volt Batteries

[Councill, David]

And this is why the 6 volt batteries are so expensive. Too many people
have converted to the 12 volt, usually the Group 26 battery, thus making
the 6 volt batteries scarce. I suspect the low demand also drives up the
manufacturing cost.

I prefer the two 6 volt batteries. They have always proved more reliable
and durable during extreme cold weather starting. I also seemed to
squeeze more service out of them, typically getting seven to eight years
of life out of them. The last set was at least that old when I tried to
replace them in my 67 BGT last year. After a few months, Sears claimed
they couldn't get them even through special order. NAPA claimed they had
them but I found they were substituting the larger 19L battery (used in
VW Beetles) at a cost of about $75 USD. A local battery shop here in
Montana had sold me the 17HFs for the past few decades and last time
they were about $45 USD each. Now they no longer have them in stock and
could order them in at $90 USD each. A search on the Internet also was
not helpful - the 6 volt batteries are now part of the antique/specialty
shops and expensive.

After all that, I decided to finally give in and convert my 67 BGT,
positive ground, to the 12 volt battery. I stand by my advocacy of the 6
volt batteries, cited above from personal experience. I don't buy the
old technology argument. But at less than half the cost and
availability, the 12 volt battery cannot be beat and its performance is
as good as the 2 6 volt batteries most of the time (more now since I
usually don't drive my MGs when temperatures get below 0 F; that's what
my land Rover with better heat is for).

David Councill
67 BGT
72 B
01 Land Rover Discovery II
74 Toyota Landcruiser FJ40

-----Original Message-----
From: mgs-bounces+dcouncill=msubillings.edu at autox.team.net
[mailto:mgs-bounces+dcouncill=msubillings.edu at autox.team.net] On Behalf
Of Oliver
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2007 7:17 AM
To: mgs at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Mgs] Price Of Two 6 Volt Batteries

most people that i know buy a single 12 volt.  is there a reason you
wanted
to stay with the old ones?