The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Battery question

I’m in the market to replace the 12V battery for my 1956 235 pickup. It isn’t a daily driver and does sit for most of the week until the weekend. Just wondering what battery to buy considering the discharge happening while the truck sits the rest of the week. Should I be looking for an AGM battery? Die Hard, AC Delco etc?? Any preferences?

Thanks.
Mark

I just bought a Dura-Cell battery at Sam's today. $20 off until Jan 22nd. Only $109 + tax. It's the best deal in my area.
They have a 3 year full replacement warranty.

Obviously it's a little late now but the AGM batteries last 7-10 years or more.

Brand names seem to be meaningless these days.

I would keep your battery on a Battery Tender, however. They do work and significantly prolong the life of batteries.

A friends of mine has had the same battery in his 1955 T-Bird since the mid 1990s and it's always connected to a maintainer when not being driven.

I get a new Walmart battery about every five years and I'm happy.

I buy the cheapest one year walmart or autozone battery for my vehicles that usually sit a lot and keep it on a tender.

The battery tender seems like a good choice for me right now. I've got a charger but it does shut off when fully charged. The tender should keep the battery at a good charge for starting after the off days.
Thanks!

I've been without my '48 for 3 months and have used a terminal switch to disconnect the battery. (I once or twice left the Walmart battery connected for 3 months and it started immediately.)

When connecting a battery tender or charger, is it best to connect it after removing the battery cables or does it matter? I’ve been connecting my charger to the battery terminals with the cables connected.

I have all of my vehicles on tenders at all times. I have a quick disconnect with male and female bullet connectors permanently attached to the battery posts.

With the Deltran Battery Tender, they include both alligator clamps and ring connector cables so you can use whichever method makes the most sense for you.

Battery stays connected to the vehicle at all times.

The Deltran Battery Tender ring connectors look a little small. (Amazon photo) Did you have any problems getting those around the battery terminals? I'm looking at the Deltran tender Plus.

No. All of my vehicles have the ring connectors permanently attached to the battery cables at the posts. They fit on the bolt that clamps the lead or spring steel connector to the post.

I feed the quick connect end through the grill. If your battery is under the floor, you'll have to make a longer pigtail to run it into the engine compartment or wherever. You can also attach the pigtail to the hot stud on the starter and ground strap bolt under the hood.

I've got one hooked up. It works great! Thanks!

Deltran is a good battery tender but I question what is causing your battery to drain? Do you have a modern radio installed?

I am not sure what the difference is but I have the basic Walmart battery in my 54. It is a 12v conversion and it can sit for 1-2 months in the winter and holds the charge. My 47 is still 6v and it has a noticeable discharge and loss of power after just 1-2 weeks. I put a tender on the 47. I don't do anything with the 54.

From what I have read that 6 volts are a weak source, to begin with, and the long storage exacerbates the situation.

My 6v Optima sealed battery holds a charge over the winter "rest period".
That Optima 6v is over 17 years old (I bought it in 2014).
I have used a 6v trickle charger on that one (when I had not started the engine in a year)- I do not know if that was needed.

One of the trucks I sold/traded has an Optima 6v that still holds a charge - it was bought in 2006.

I have an updated radio with a clock in my truck. That's probably part of the battery drain when not driven for a week or so.

My last Walmart battery lasted 11 years, I have shut off switch and use it every time I get out of the truck, no matter how long it's going to set. Mine stays in a garage, not heated, but never below 50 degrees. Shut off switch also makes a pretty good theft deterrent. I make sure if I start the truck, to drive it enough to charge the battery back to full capacity.

MarkT your battery should be able to stay up for a week, can't think your system can leak that much in a week. Modern vehicles have several things that use current while setting even so they'll last a week or more.

JoeH I got a lesson on Walmart batteries,bought one 106$ had a date sticker on it put the charger on took 6 amps kept taking 6 amps for 3 or 4 hours. Never did catch up to an amp or 2 like a new battery should,makes me suspect those date stickers ! Went to my local woods junk yard bought a 40$ aug. of 21 battery about 14 months old at the time,whipped the charger on it took 6 or 7 amps came right on up to an amp or 2. Batteries in service I think shed lead sulfate from use and from the action of riding in their vehicle (kinda banged around a little) so gotta watch out !!

Joe H Well dump truck needed a battery went to the woods junk yard,found one that showed 12.7 volts was a take-out Staabe. There power was out so couldn't my charger on it,it took about 7 amps came up to 2 amps in an hour. Truck alternator said it's fine ammeter centered right up. They had a bench load of these take-outs. So guess it's my new walmart for batteries,it also fit right in the 48 battery hole,was from a smaller car. Whipped it right over !! Well u learn.

What do they charge for used batteries?

The Pull-A-Part yard by me charges $20 each for batteries. The good thing is that they have them already pulled and lined up in the checkout area.

I go with interstate batteries from Costco for 3 reasons. Great battery, price & customer service.

I used to go with Walmart until they made me wait 2 hours for them to "attempt" to charge the battery back to life. I told the dim wit I had it on a charger all night & its stone cold dead. In one ear & out the other, Long story short, great customer service with no hassle is worth it to me.

I put one of these solar trickle chargers on my battery (Harbor Freight) & it keeps it topped off. My battery is 3 years old & it never has a chance to discharge. Its outside all the time & they are cheap $15.

I do like the junkyard $20 battery idea , I'll have to check my local yard. I'm sure they'll want $50 since I'm in Ca.

Ya, I have a friend who makes regular stops at Pull A Part to keep his fleet going. He finds practically new batteries all the time. Of course we live in Atlanta so people are always smashing up new cars.

Otto The woods junkyard batteries are 40$ your choice,they have a shed full plus current take-outs on the bench. He just slapped the jumper pack on which tells you it's info. I've learned to slap the charger on...if it comes right up probably fine,if it's slow to come up to only an amp or 2 is probably sulfated,even walmart new ones !! You don't know how long it's been on the shelf and I don't trust those date stickers.

festerhairball On take-out batteries,if they will let you put your charger on them,you can see if it will come right on up which means it's probably just fine. Or if they put their charger on you can see how it acts. Made a mistake on my last one and ran it dead,so put the 10 amp charger on brought it back up ,just fine now is group 22 size fits the old 48 2-ton carrier 12 volt whips it right over. Probably be kinda hi in Ca. but check it lotta batteries and what else can they do with them ??

What does "woods junkyard" mean?

I'm guessing that it's a junkyard that's been there long enough that the trees are growing up thru the junkers.

I have the cheapest Walmart battery I could get. My truck sits 1-2 weeks at a time without being started. It has not had a dead battery since getting the new battery 2 years ago.

About a year ago Consumer Reports did a study on batteries and determined Walmart had best buy for the money.

If going to a junk yard I take my battery tester witth me. Check till you find one that checks good and looks new. Only takes a second .

Otto I told you guys about my local junkyard I've used for 59 years now. It's huge and yes trees have grown up thru some vehicles. Best part is at least I am allowed to shop there on my own. I remember when the operators now were just little kids and their Dad ran it,he was very strict on closing any hood you opened. They use a big forklift to pick up any vehicle to strip out the fuel tank and other items that may be sold,this is to get ready for the crusher. We now have a new young son who is a "junkyard dog" helping with the wrecker service. A lot of their vehicles come off of interstate 70 about 7 miles away near Casey (kazee) Illinois in Clark county. On the way there is a good burger joint just out in the wilderness,Harleys come there from all over !! It's where I swig coffee at 6 a.m.

Achipmunk My best battery test on used (and now new ones) is how well it comes up to only an amp or two using a simple 10 amp charger. Lately my charger has been stuck on 10 amps,it's old enough you can take it apart ,found a spider web holding the amp hand !! Yea for AMERICAN MADE stuff you can fix. Schauer brand I believe.

klhansen "woods junkyard" is Stutesman"s I told you about here a while back,good heatin' stove so you can thaw some ,then go back "out there" and try again !! Lot of mud at times too !!

Otto Those 20$ batteries sound like a haven for bolters,I would head right down there with my charger ,or use there charger if they will let you. Today's smaller cars generate batteries just about right for AD truck battery holes. I just cut a piece of cardboard that fits down in the battery tray then compare to their batteries to find a size that fits,then look for cold cranking amp size. Next see if it will charge right on up to only taking an amp or two and is fairly young in months.

Oops! They raised their prices! Batteries are now $28.50.

They have locations around the country, three in Atlanta. They'll send you emails to let you know if a particular make and model arrives at the yard. The nice thing about the one I go to is that they put all antique cars in one place and leave them there for a lot longer than the modern vehicles. The modern cars, on the other hand are organized by make and crushed after a specified time interval. They'll allow you to purchase the entire antique car whereas they will not permit that with modern cars.

I've never seen an AD truck there but you never know.

https://www.pullapart.com/auto-parts/used-parts-directory/car-battery/

Otto Even so 28.50$ is a hot deal ! If they will let you shop and try them with your charger.

Ye, they do. They let you return stuff, too.

I bought a brand new jack for 2002 Toyota Highlander for a little over $6.00.

They often have batteries already pulled and tested in the checkout area so you don't have to scrounge for them.

The place is like an amusement park. They charge you $1.00 to get in or free with a VIP card. I see entire families there strolling around looking for parts. There's usually some guy with a BBQ pit grill or hot dog truck in the parking lot so you can get lunch and drinks.

They have a huge trough outside with GOJO pumice to wash your hands and free wheelbarrows to haul your tools and parts around.

Otto Our woods junkyard is not quite an amusement park but still always action there !! Lot of old stuff.