Can someone tell me which 24V battery fits the Cat 303SR or alternatively, where I can find specs for the machine? www.Cat.com is useless and googling "Cat 303SR battery" results in numerous vendors selling used machines but nothing in terms of machine specs.
If it's 24 V there will be two batteries. If it only has one battery, it is only 12 V. Unless where you're from you have 24 V batteries. If so, my apology in advance.
According to CAT it's a single 12V, the 303CR shows a standard BCI group 24 battery, might be the same.
Thanks lantraxco. I'm afraid my non-US machine is definitely 24V. Interesting that even a global giant like Cat changes machine specs according to territory (Asia-Pacific in my case). Why they would build a 12V machine for the US and 24V on the other side of the puddle is beyond me.
Appreciate your reply Shimmy1. My old battery is a single 24V original Cat product with lifting straps but no markings other than the CAT logo. I was hoping someone might have specs for the 303SR but if not, I will try to source a new battery according to the dimensions of the old one.
I have to be skeptical and ask what leads you to believe your machine is 24 volt? I can't swear there is no such thing as a 24V battery but with the exception of material handling units which are essentially deep cycle I have never seen one and can't find any with a quick search. CAT shows nothing but 6V, the odd 8V, and 12V in the listings I can find and I am quite familiar with them. Can you post up a picture or two of the battery, and anything that might indicate it's a 24V machine?
Coughed up $5 USD for a look at 777parts.net, all the mini's seem to be about the same, all 12V. The Cat # for the battery on these is 153-5656 just for giggles.
How many cells or caps does your battery have? 6 cells = 12 volt; 12 cells = 24 volt
I'll be very interested to see pictures of this. I've never seen a 24volt battery in a Cat machine. I can't understand why they would make a 24 volt version when they're 12 volt here. 24 volt would be good here when you're starting at - 40.
Wonder if someone installed a 24V starter on the machine which is making someone think the battery is also. Do know if it is even possible just spit balling
I think the OP is confusing a Group 24 battery with the idea that it could be a 24 V system.
One thing I have learned in my thirty plus years of messing with yellow iron, never say never! If some engineer can wet dream it up, somebody will build it! LOL :beatsme
:witpic
Rude, but cute! LOL
Well, he hasn't come back since the group 24/24 V discussion has taken place, could probably assume he's not coming back
He's in New Zealand, probably nursing a New Year's hangover? :drinkup
I'm black, I mean BACK and I'm PROUD--to receive so many knowledgeable comments during the brief interval I was away. This time of year, it's all relative(s) including my favorite, the forever drunk and salacious Auntie Babe knocking over the wine glasses with her scientifically perfect ****. Clearly, the consensus here is that my machine is a puny old 12 volter. I do not discount that given the fact that I used the expertise that is always on display here to buy my D-21 Komatsu. That lovely machine built the road up the mountain to my place and saved me US$45,000 in the process. Attention all D-21ers here: Lunch is on me... Conversely, I have now confirmed that at least in my neck of the woods, 303CR, 304CR, 308CCR, 313CCR and 320CU are all listed with two 12V batteries. Of course, that does not necessarily mean they are connected in series. Among the 303CR specs are the following: 85D26R x 2 and I am going to assume the same two batteries fit the 303SR, which, oddly, is not listed. So: in series or in parallel? CAT's response after the holidays should prove electrifying to all of you who have generously give your time to help (or disparage or whatever--Hey, it's a forum). On a personal note, I have a bit of Maori blood so according to the American one-drop theory, I'm black. And I'll be back. How could I leave you in the dark as to whether my machine is 24V (cue oblique insouciance) or 12V (cue ribald "I told you so" gang-banging).
Almost forgot. To kshansen, sorry mate, there will be no battery porn as the dead volts have been laid to rest by the filthy rich recycler.
To lantraxco, I don't drink alcohol but Colorado and Washington are very "high" on my list among renowned US travel destinations.
I think a 85D26R is the JIS # for a group 24 battery. Bob
Sorry if I came off "rude" as lantraxco suggested, it was more intended in the "one picture is worth 1,000 words" thought. Any chance of looking at the starter or maybe the alternator or other electrical components to see if one has something on the tag saying 12V or 24V? :deadhorse Did a Google search for the 85D26R and come up with these dimensions, might they sound about right for what was sent to battery heaven? Product Specification/Models - Length: 258 mm - Width: 171 mm - Height: 200 mm - Total Height: 225 mm
Good sleuthing kshansen and Bob. Appreciate it. And I completely agree that pics (and CAD drawings) make vague stuff much easier to understand (no offense intended, no offense taken). Copy your suggestion to check the starter and alternator--I will do that first thing tomorrow. If memory serves, the old box was quite a bit longer although the other dimensions are probably pretty close. While 24V batteries may be a rarity in the US, they are not uncommon here, especially among truckers and boaters. Note: While diggers are of marginal interest to the ordinary man, boat ownership is obligatory and pretty much a rite of passage for all self-respecting male inhabitants of the NZ archipelago. Full speed ahead Mr. Parker...
Not ready to full engage (Captain Picard) on the single 24V battery, so I sent an email to a friend in Australia. I will say that I spend a lot of time on iboats, which is a boating forum. We discuss all kinds of subjects with folks all over the world. In these discussions I have never heard of a single 24V battery, not to say they don't exist.
I'm also doubting that there is a 24 volt battery for equipment. Even if there is the poster could put two 12 volts in series. You could pull a light bulb out and try it with 12 and 24 volts.
My guess is it is 12v , they had 2 12v in parallel , Look at the starter and see what it says , they most always have the voltage on them.
Since it's piling on time here, what are 8 volt batteries for anyway? I see them in stock so they must be used in something, but I've never seen a machine that uses one, except a crane scale but those were little gel cells. And I've never seen or heard of a 24 volt either:usa
I can't speak to OEM use of 8 volt batteries, but on the old 6 volt systems if they were hard starting we would install an 8 volt battery and adjust the charging system to suit. Gave the starter a bit of zip and the lights were that much brighter, but not so much they burn out quickly. Dating myself much? LOL
The a 8 volt batteries are mainly used on older large engines that have 32 volt starting systems. Cat engines like D349, D 398, and D399. As for 24 volt system on a 303, easy way to figure it out gets get the serial number, so we can look it up in SIS.
some old boats had 32 volt systems as well
I know its not equipment related but there is a big market in the USA that uses single 24v batteries. A lot of general aviation planes use one 24v battery, mostly in high performance cross country machines. And of course they are pricey, $1500-$2500 for one. Cessna, piper, Beechcraft they all planes that use them. Just my 2 cents. back to the heavy iron....
We had a D398 that used the 8 volt batts. Our D399 was set up with a 36 volt system so it used 3-8D batteries We do have an old 1955 Yale fork truck that has a flat head Chrysler 6 in it that has had an 8 volt battery in it since we got it back in the early 1970's, just had to replace it this summer for maybe the third time since then
Aha! I had forgotten the marine setups, sucks to get old. All the tugs I wrenched on had air starts, one 12V setup on only one auxiliary.
24v batteries get used in railroad locomotives. Beast of a size and weight though.
To anyone who may have fallen under the spell of this electrical intrigue and especially to those who have aligned themselves with the vociferous 12 volters, let me drop two knowns into the equation (thank you oarwhat) just to mess you up a bit. Prior to the battery outcrappage, the only trouble I had with the machine was breaking the digger arm light (on three separate occasions). Each time I replaced the damage unit with (go figure) a 24V light. (works fine until you bump into another tree--something I do with exceptional frequency). You may recall that I mentioned owning a Komatsu D21 bulldozer (that I sold after I built my road). That machine was also 24V (google "komatsu d21 24v") and had (I swear with my right hand over Captain Picard's heart) one big battery. Well, it's almost time to cut to the chase. Tomorrow, an acquaintance is bringing along a heavy equipment "heavie" who promises to hammer out a warning about the health hazards of mixing too many or too few volts with (fill in the blank)...
I cannot disagree with you flat_earth, I can only say I've never seen a single 24V battery in dirt equipment service, but that's not to say it hasn't been done, just saying I'm not aware of it. What I do know, all lead acid batteries have 2 volts per cell, no exceptions, and battery manufacturers produce batteries according to demand. 12V batteries, of all types, common. 6V, less common, but still a market, scissorlifts and golf cart batteries to name a couple. 8V, common for golf cart applications. But a single 24V battery? That would be one uncommon chunk of lead. Even if your machine did, in fact, use a single (weird uncommon) 24V battery, the price you would have to pay to replace that battery would be nuts! You'd be better off, as far as price goes, hook up two (common) 12V batteries in series to get 24V. Just my humble opinion.
Where has Nige been in all this? He going to want the serial number though.
Thanks Willie59--I reckon you're right. One very important thing I have learned from you and other contributors is that the sum of the parts (12v + 12v) is less (expensive) than the whole (24V).
Can't be much different than this model...(12v operating system) http://www.ritchiespecs.com/specifi...&make=Caterpillar&model=303C+CR&modelid=92306
Well if I understood when I talked to him on the phone back in November he was only a few weeks from retiring from the mine he worked at and said he was going to be spending some time laying on the beach down there before heading home to that other island up north! Hopefully he will stop by once in a while to give advice to us!
Granted: I dropped out of school at age 16, sold my company and retired at age 33, paid cash for a large parcel of undeveloped land and soon after, having never owned or operated heavy machinery, I bought a Komatsu PC02-1A digger, a CAT 303SR digger and THE BEAST, a Komatsu D21-7 bulldozer. Now three years later, this is what I know after expert intervention online (thank you everyone) and off (thank you Vaughan). I will try to be concise for the benefit of those who use this forum primarily as an information resource rather than a social endeavor: Heavy machine batteries: 12V vs 24V 1. Genuine 24V batteries are rare and expensive if you can find one. It is much cheaper to buy two 12V batteries. 2. Some vendors sell cheap "24V batteries" that are actually two 12V batteries packaged to look (more or less) like one large battery. 3. Excavators built by Catepillar (and other manufacturers?) are mostly 24V, however, so-called mini excavators such as 303, 304 and 305 are 12V machines. 307 and bigger are 24V machines. 4. In some parts of the world, there is a strong bias for 24V machines which has resulted in conversions of some mini excavators such as CAT 303SR from 12V to 24V. As always, revisions appreciated... On a personal note, I confess that I am among those who prefer 24V machines (even small ones such as the 40hp Komatsu bulldozer I owned) and accordingly, I will sign off (amen) as a: Happy Convert
Oh yeah, I would always much prefer 24V given the choice :drinkup
Where has Nige been - On vacation, that's where. And you are asbolutely correct - forget the pics (for now anyway) - what's the machine Serial Number so I can have a trawl through the system and get the Cat Part Number for the battery/ies..? Hopefully I can then come up with a BCA Code for the battery that any good motor factor should be able to supply, although TBH although they are expensive I've never found a better battery than a genuine Cat one. Actually as a 2nd thought, isn't an engine as small as that fitted with a kickstarter....?
They don't advertise it much but Cat batteries are made by "DEKA" East Penn Manufacturing.
LoL, now THAT would be a PITA when an operator runs it out of fuel on a slope. :lmao
Not if you make the operator restart it!
Don't laugh, some of the old Bobcats had the rope start pulley on the engine, the 600's and 610's with the Wisconsin V4 engine had a spot for the crank but I don't recall you could actually get to it to use it!