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Good Batteries

G

GoJDpuller

Member
What batteries have you had good luck with? Im in need of new ones for my 01 ford f-350 diesel. I live in Minnesota and its seems like im always having a hard time with batteries. The last ones I bought were napa brand and they didnt seem to last. Thanks for the help
 
I use Walmarts best batteries. I 've 3 of them over 8 years old. They cost about $80.00 with exchange and tax. Hal
PS: They have a 3 year free replacement and they don't quibble if you have a failure. Be sure to keep all receipts.
 
There's only a few manufacturers. I have a local Interstate dealer that I buy factory blemishes from. Always had great luck. About $50-$60 a battery with one year warranty.
 
I can't get a full year out of the yellow Wally-World batteries. So far they are good to deal with when I go in there to exchange. I had to buy a jumper box to carry just because thier batteries are so poor, but they always give a fair amount of warning when they go bad. My Suburban is on its fourth battery in just over three years. Wally-Worlds old "ever start" batteries used to be the best there was. I always got at least 7 years out of them and they were $35 each. Those were the days.
 
I had a 4455 with Delco batteries that were 10 years old. I have had excellent luck with interstates over the years. You get what you pay for.
 
I've got Walmart MAXX batteries in three diesel trucks - 83 Chevy with a 6.2, 87 Chevy with 6.2, and a 94 Ford with 7.3. Two pairs are 5 years old and one pair is now 8 years old. Zero problems - but - I keep a battery maintainer hooked to them in the winter.

NAPA is a crap-shoot. They've changed battery companies twice recently. They had many failures with the batteries made by Exide, but the Deka batteries they sell now are very good. My Dodge with the Cummins diesel uses one big single commercial battery instead of dual automotive batteries - and Walmart doesn't sell a battery for it. So, I've got the NAPA-branded Deka in it.
 
I'm with chevyta, spend the money and get Optima gel batteries, They won't leak or corrode your connections, they do not discharge from setting and will charge easily when cold, there easy on your alternator. They will cure all your battery problems, two year free replacement, they will last forever. Got over ten years on some, even use them in my tractors. There about $140 for the heavy duty and worth every cent!
 
Have had real good luck with Interstate.The Interstate battery in my 93 Dodge PU is 12 years old,have never had a battery last close to this long.
 
Can't recall problems or short life with any Interstate I've ever used. Besides, they are a REAL battery shop as far as technical knowledge, availability and service and installation and parts parts parts versus a big box store that sells everything under the sun with some pencil necked geek pimpled kid trying to offer advice or testing YEAH RIGHT........

John T
 
As we speak, I'm in the middle of a confrontation with Walmart over one of their yellow "Maxx" batteries. It won't take a full charge, and my own load tester shows it weak. It won't start my pickup.

Yet Walmart insists there's nothing wrong with it and all it needs is charging. They had it on their charger for 90 minutes last night, and immediately after taking it off Walmart's charger, my load tester (which I'd carried into the store) said it was weak. Walmart's load tester said it was OK. The Assistant Manager on duty was a total a$$hole about it, and it was obvious he was totally clueless about anything automotive.

The battery is 28 months old and is supposed to have a 3 year free replacement. One Walmart Customer Service Rep so much as told me to my face I was just trying to scam them out of a new battery before the free replacement expired.

As I said, I'm in the middle of it as I write this. My next step will be to write a detailed email to Customer Service at Walmart corporate in Bentonville before the day is over. They came through admirably a year ago when a local Walmart tried to short change me.
 
Right now, Johnson Controls makes all the bigger batteries for Interstate and Walmart.

I've had good and bad batteries sold by Interstate. Like most companies that don't actually make any batteries themselves - it all depends on what manf. Interstate is using at the time. They switch around just like Sears and NAPA.

I just went through a royal run-around with Interstate, tyring to determine the age of my Subaru-branded battery. Subaru brand name, but sold by Interstate, and made by someone else. Hopefully Johnson Controls.

The only battery seller I know of that has been consistent for almost 10 years now is Walmart - because they are still using batteries made by Johnson Controls. Of course, that could change.

Interstate has changed several times over the years.
 
I'm not sure which is the best battery. Autozone has the best deal as for warranty on car batteries.
 
About good batteries. I bought A new 2000 G M
mercury 2/16/2000. Drove it 6 yrs. No problem
with battery. Bought another car, 2006 G M mercury. I gave the 2000 mercury to my son.
He drove it almost 4 yrs.with the same battery that came on the car. He found A good deal on A new battery, and got it. The old battery was still good. He gave it back to me, I put it on my farm truck, 1994 F250 gas Ford.I run it almost another yrs. It last till 11/17/2010
It was good for: 10 yrs, 9 mo. 1 day.
One more good motorcraft battery.

E R Hammer Man
 
If you were the employee which tester would you go by,the customers or your own company tester.

I'd check a few more things before getting to carried away.

How many volts is your alt putting out?

Gary
 
Over on a a Powerstroke forum I use to go to they HIGHLY recommended NOT using Optimas. They apparently are rated high enough for a Powerstroke or something like that.
 
The Best batteries I found are Cat batteries. We run all our farm tractors and trucks on cat. As I'm speaking I know there is 4 over 10 years old. Walmart bat. or the worst here. I've bought 3 and all never lasted past a year. My father in law bought the yellow maxx one back in Feb and I just replaced it for him last night after dinner for him with a deka from his local parts store.
 
The pickup is putting out 13.8 volts. The charging system on the pickup checks out, and the pickup has been running great on a battery borrowed from another vehicle since the Walmart battery was removed. You said "I'd check a few more things before getting too carried away". I'm not that stupid. You sound like a Walmart employee.

Yesterday I had the battery on my own charger at 80 amps and 13.6 volts for an hour. Immediately after removing the charger, the battery showed 12 volts and the needle on the load tester showed "weak". Last night, Walmart had the battery on their own charger at 15.4 volts and 18 amps for 90 minutes. Again, my load tester showed 12 volts and "weak". My load tester is almost new and I have no reason to suspect it. Coming right off their charger, the battery would not start my pickup. How much more evidence do you want?
 
Far as I know there are only a few major battery manufacturers (regardless if sold at Wally World or anywhere) guess I've been lucky in getting "good ones" over the years at Insterstate (and as a tractor dealer and farmer thats been a tonnnnnnn). Regardless of all that, when you go there the selection is great, far more knowledgeable sales reps (Batteries and related products are their ONLY business unlike 1,000,000 items at Wally World) then the pencil necked pimpled geek at Wally World and if they do a test or offer an opinion, I have far more faith at Interstate then if the kid at Wally World told me something (Yeah right Kid)........

Id say there need to be TWO questions:

1) Whats the BEST BATTERY (a matter of experience and opinion)

2) Whats the BETTER PLACE TO BUY A BATTERY (again experience and opinion, but Interstate has to beat wally world there "generally" speaking in the "majority" of cases

Funnnnnnnnnnnnnn discussion, take care up New York way now

John T, back home again in Indiana
 
I can't comment on Interstate "battery stores" since they don't exist where I live in New York. Every hole-in-the-wall repair shop aournd here has Interstate batteries for sale.

For myself, I have no need for a battery store anyway. When I need a battery, I already know what I want and don't trust anyone else to do any work on my vehicles.
 
I sell and install Interstate. I have had the best success with them over many years. Their dealer support is the best. They floor plan the batteries so I don't have to pay until sold. They also manage and rotate stock. I do not use or recommend Optima batteries. On occasion I have had Optima batteries "trick' charging systems into overcharging. This problem seems to be more prevalent with Chrysler products. I was in a Chrysler class years ago and I asked the instructor about it, and he said he didn't know why, but he was aware of the problem. Other techs in the class spoke up and said that they had run into the same problem. Hope this helps.
 
I have hadgood luck with interstate,diehard,and i got a john deere battery in the old oliver it doesnt seem to mind the wrong green color... you get what you pay for I used to get the fafco batterys from fleet,farm and those darn things alwayse drop a cell only way i would buy one of the cheep ones is if i was selling the unit the el cheapo was going into
 
I like AUTO ZONE Batteries. I have heard they are made by BOSCH. I took my old 1967 Dodge 400 to town two weeks ago to pick up some aluminum. It was cold that morning and she had not been started in a couple of weeks. I got her started and when to town, 20 mile drive. I got the aluminum and the truck would not start. Just barely turn over. I knew it was the battery. Got a boost and went to AZ to replace the AZ battery. I ask them how old the battery was? From the date code it was 10 years old. I saw this same service with some AZ battery in a stand by generator. They lasted 10 year. This is why I use AZ bateries.

Kent
 
how can it show 12 volts and weak??????

something is wrong...

when load testing, you test it at 10 volts at max current,, not 12 volts... its got to hold at 10 volts during cranking or load tests... no wonder walmart thinks your an idiot..
 
I even use Walmart's best battery in my garden tractor. I have a starter/generator and you don't get the benefit of the gear reduction as with an electric starter that engages the ring gear on flywheel. I use 30wt oil year around and use a dipstick heater if it get real cold. You can see the yellow top battery in the picture. Hal
a26757.jpg
 
What are the specific gravity readings? Were all the cells gassing while you were charging?
A current draw of 80 amps. on 13.8v is about 0.2 ohms load. That sounds like a short to me.
Arm yourself with the SG readings and let them check those with their hydrometer and disprove you have a bad cell(s).
Good luck!!
 
Caterpillar batteries are made by East Penn/Deka. You can buy the same at NAPA in the northeast, or from a Deka dealer. I've got over 20 Deka batteries that will be 10 years old in few months.
 
To be technical, AGM batteries are supposed to have their charging regulated differently then conventional flooded lead-acid batteries. Many companies that make auto-alternators make special internal regulators for cars and trucks with dedicated AGM batteries. More common in Europe then in the USA.

From what I've seen, Optimas are a huge waste of money - unless you're driing a rig that rolls over a lot and you need a battery that won't spill.
 
Something is wrong. After sitting in the trunk of my car overnight, this morning the battery tested in the green at 13 v. What the heck?

Also, Walmart never said I was an idiot. We had a difference of opinion, and differences of opinion are what makes horse races. YOU said I was an idiot, and if you call me an idiot, you better be ready to back it up bigtime.
 
Autozone Duralast batteries are made by Johnson Controls, who also makes batteries for Interstate, Walmart, Sears Diehard, Subaru, and Ford-Motorcraft.
 
I've watched the longevity studies of batteries for years - for auto, truck, and deep-cycle.

One major fact with auto/truck batteries. Most companies make "southern" versions and "northern" versions and there's quite a difference.

Some companies have the best reputation for nothern batteries that make high CCAs in very cold weather, but those same batteries sometimes do poorly in sustained hot weather.

In a nut-shell, northern batteries are designed for extreme cold weather and high cold cranking amps. That since 1/2 battery power is lost at zero degrees F.

Hot weather batteries sacrifice some cranking power, but endure extreme hot weather better.
 
Why I first tried AZ batteries was because one of out Lieutenants on the fire dept works on the local hospitals ambulances. The WERE using another auto chain store batteries in the ambulances and having all lot of battery problems. They changed to AZ batteries and their problems WENT AWAY.
The price of AZ batteries are in line with other brands that do not last as long.

Kent
 
Don't know who makes them, but I've used Wally World batteries on everything from lawn tractors to crawlers to trucks, both diesels and gas, and have had excellent luck with them. Never had a problem with warranty as I don't recall any not lasting several years.
 
Drove semi in the winter subbing for sick drivers. The truck company"s freight is about 80% Exide. All Walmart and Napa batteries(at least last Jan and Feb.of 2010) where Exide batteries. Even though Exide they are built to the customers specs. The heavy battery plant for Exide is at Manchester,Iowa. There are hundreds of different lead mixes used in the batteries they make.
What I have found is that the cranking amps is not only the best measurement factor on batteries. Many companies are upping their cranking amps because that is what every body looks at. You need to look at Cold Cranking Amps at 0ª then the reserve rating.
You need to also watch how the plates are anchored. Tractor and combine batteries plates are anchored at the bottom to resist vibration. Car and truck battery plates are anchored at the middle to handle the stop and start motion. That is how come some car batteries will not last long in a tractor.
As for good brands. I have had good luck with the John Deere heavy batteries but not their car ones. I have had great luck with Car Quest"s car batteries. I have one in a 1990 Olds 98 that is seven years old. That is good here in north-east Iowa. My diesel pickup has just one battery. I just replaced it after five years with another John Deere combine battery, TY6128. $132.00 exchange.
This JD battery is a good example of not just looking at the CCA. It is rated as follow: CCA @ 0ª F- 925amps, Reserve 25amps @ 80ª is 265 minutes. It also weights 72 lbs. when full of acid. The CCA rating is not as high as many car batteries but the reserve is very good. That reserve is what you need for extended cranking times when the engine is cold.
 
Here's a link to a lengthy but informative discussion on batteries.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2001165&page=1
 
(quoted from post at 07:26:13 11/27/10) What batteries have you had good luck with? Im in need of new ones for my 01 ford f-350 diesel. I live in Minnesota and its seems like im always having a hard time with batteries. The last ones I bought were napa brand and they didnt seem to last. Thanks for the help
Click to expand...

I stock interstates and have had good luck with them,,, the warranty prorating deal suchs... I believe across the board all battery's have got'n better,,, At one time not many yeas ago advance and AZ battery's were junk,,, in the last few years its rare to see one bad :cry: ,,, when I sell out of a # and need a bat I call Adv. are AZ for one and think nuttin of it,,, one advantage they have is they sell 1000 to 1 of what i sell so I spec they turn their stock over and keep it fresh,,, I just asked the interstate bat man what he does with the bats he rotate from my stock,,, he says they recharge them and blem'em out...

Everone should ask how to chiffer the date code that's stamped into the bat when they buy it to keep from get'n old stock,,, I also would not buy a bat that has the code marked out and re-stamped with a new'n (i'v seen it a few times),,, Who ever makes motorcraft bats makes a good'n, they seam to live forever,,, when it comes to a marine bat and I think I have tried them all AC delco can not B beat...

Those P.O.S. optima's,,, well they are a P.O.S.,,, one more time a P.O.S.,,, I do some contract work for USPS,,, they use those P.O.S. Optima's,,, I never get to sell them a bat,,, those P.O.S bats last forever :cry:,,, Sometimes they diagnosis their own problems and tell me to drop a new bat in their truck sooo I have optima's as a back up power supply for my puter :D its not my money its yours,,, I would not buy one cuzz I am to cheap...

My bat tips,,, I run a bead of dielectric grease around the base of the bat terminal to seal it off were in protrudes tru the case,,, sometimes coat the hole terminal,,, for clean up I keep a few dawn dish wash detergent bottles around,,, add some bake'n soda and water and squirt down the bat when i see corrosion,,, fast and simple,,, I keep my old tooth brushes also to scrub'em with.... I buy bake'n soda in a 5 lb bag,,, its magic dust,,, will take the squeak/chirp out of a belt in a heartbeat...
 

I think I know well how to check a bat,,, load test a bat,,, nuttin you said made since to me,,, wanna confirm I will listen....
 
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