Replacement Battery Question (Non Valkyrie Related)

[carolinarider09]

I know I should be able to find this stuff out for myself but I have tired, using on-line stuff, and it has not resulted in a reasonable answer.

The question.....   I have. Kohler 20KW generator.  We purchased it because of the many outages we have here were we now live.  I think the small town just does not maintain the power line rights of way but....

So, I purchased and installed a new battery a few years ago (not sure where and that is part of the problem).  I have been told by the Generator Installer, who also services the generator once a year, that it is time for a new battery. 

The battery was last replace by me two years ago.  I don't mind buying and installing a new one. 

The currently installed battery is, as shown in the image below, a Duralast



The original battery (which I still keep on a Battery Maintainer) is show below:



The question: 

I have searched the internet using "Startpage" and searched sites like NAPA and Autozone for a Duralast Gold 51-DLG and I cannot find a store that sells one.  I have found 51R's but none that match the installed battery.

So, the question.  (well two questions).  What am I doing wrong in my searches?  And secondly, is a Duralast 51R an equivalent replacement? 

Here is the most common result (it's from Batteries Plus).



Thanks for reading. 

[Pluggy]

Battery size 51 is the same as I just installed in a 2017 Honda CRV.  From NAPA it was $199.  BJs just opened here and they had Interstate for $119.

Oh well...

[carolinarider09]

Thanks Pluggy. 

My major concern was the 51 vs 51R and I just decided to do a search on that and found what I sort of figured but was not sure.  That is the "R" stands for "Reverse".  That is the battery terminals are reversed.  I cannot imagine that will be an impact on installation but it might hide the "name plate" data from view if I have to turn the battery around to align the terminals with the connectors. 

Just did not have this problem when I did the first replacement.  So, alarm bells went off.

[GiG]

Yes, an equivalent replacement @500 CCA. You are not concerned about size ; there is plenty of available space. I have a different brand, but that battery is  for starting the generator, 500 CCA to ensure starting when cold & likely needed.(other values could be used without causing harm, as long as generator starts)
R- does not matter in your application- Red to Red / Black to Black 

[carolinarider09]

Yes, an equivalent replacement @500 CCA. You are not concerned about size ; there is plenty of available space. I have a different brand, but that battery is  for starting the generator, 500 CCA to ensure starting when cold & likely needed.(other values could be used without causing harm, as long as generator starts)
R- does not matter in your application- Red to Red / Black to Black 

 

The older I get the more I tend to question things I think should have a logical answer just by "looking".

However, things tend to change and one never knows. 

Red to Positive.. Got it.   

[ridingron]

If it is an R battery, just be sure the battery cables fit before you buy.

[LadyDraco]

Looks  like  auto zone  carries  them

https://www.autozone.com/batteries-starting-and-charging/battery/p/duralast-gold-battery-bci-group-size-51r-500-cca-51r-dlg/330111_0_0?msockid=200a1ea836906464398c13b0372e6566

[Pluggy]

My recent experience is NAPA and Walmart had both Group 51 and 51R available to take home.  The Walmart cost less but NAPA was a lot closer.

[h13man]

A 51R is a reversed terminal variant. Your Kohler battery says 51 thus I'd stay with that and probably more common also. Been using Walmart Ever Start for 35yrs. as there is Walmart everywhere if failure occurs. I'm using one in my 76' 4600 Ford tractor as I've had 2x failures with Ag store junk.

[Challenger]

A 51R is a reversed terminal variant. Your Kohler battery says 51 thus I'd stay with that and probably more common also. Been using Walmart Ever Start for 35yrs. as there is Walmart everywhere if failure occurs. I'm using one in my 76' 4600 Ford tractor as I've had 2x failures with Ag store junk.

Thats exactly why I've been using Everstsart batteries in my vehicles. Wal-Mart batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls which makes OEM batteries for several auto brands and are rated #1 for reliability and performance against the name brand batteries.

[Rams]

A 51R is a reversed terminal variant. Your Kohler battery says 51 thus I'd stay with that and probably more common also. Been using Walmart Ever Start for 35yrs. as there is Walmart everywhere if failure occurs. I'm using one in my 76' 4600 Ford tractor as I've had 2x failures with Ag store junk.

Precisely, the R indicates the poles are reversed.   If your cables are long enough to reach the opposing poles, then either the 51 or the 51R will work but, I'd be looking for a reversed pole battery because I don't think those battery cable will reach.  Manufacturers don't tend to use any more cable than they absolutely have to.

Rams

[GiG]

The cables did not change. Simply rotate the battery 180’       OP realizes this…

[Rams]

The cables did not change. Simply rotate the battery 180’       OP realizes this…

Wholeheartedly agree but, cable length could still be an issue.

Rams

[carolinarider09]

I truly appreciate all the information and comments. 

I guess what sort of bugged me the most was that I was pretty sure that a 51R size battery was the same as a 51 size battery but the poles were reversed. 

However, almost every website I visited only sold the 51R.  None showed the size 51 alone.  Now I will admit that I did not visit a store to actually see the batteries and probably should have done that. 

I went back to my files for the generator and found a picture of the installed battery (below).



It would seem that since a 51R just has the positive and negative terminals reversed, and given the way the cables are installed and connected, I should not have an issue using a 51R battery.  However, if the cable length is an issue due to positive and negative terminal locations, I will simply rotate the battery.

Also I am a firm believer in making sure that the battery I will install in my Emergency Whole House Generator is top of the line.  Last thing I need is to have the battery fail early and need the generator.

Just a short story, the wife and I were on a bike ride up to VA and back, late September last year. 

However, we did not count on Hurricane Helene being an issue on our return home.  When we checked into the hotel in Dobson, NC on September 25, 2024, as we were unpacking I got the notice on my phone that our home was under Generator Power. 

It happening while we were away and working as expected saved everything in the refrigerator and freezer.  And the generator (because of issues in my home town) ran for about five days. 

So,  I try to make sure it is well maintained and serviced. 

So, this coming week I will head out to the NAPA store and then the Autozone Store and pickup a new battery, size 51 or 51R, knowing that it will work.

[Rams]

I truly appreciate all the information and comments. 

SNIP

So, this coming week I will head out to the NAPA store and then the Autozone Store and pickup a new battery, size 51 or 51R, knowing that it will work.

Don't forget to take your old battery with you to trade back in.   Last one I bought there was a $20 value for the old battery.   May be more or less where you are.

Rams