The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Battery life.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on a battery that is made for extended storage. My truck sits alot more that it runs and the battery is needing replacement. its about 2 and a half years old and is a cheapy so when I replace it I would like to put something good in there. I will add a battery maintainer at the same time. I thought maybe there was something out there. Thanks any tips.

no battery is made for, or happy with, extended inactivity, the maintainer is indispensible to keeping any battery alive - your best bet for a long life is a gel cell or AGM [still with a maintainer], but they're spendy and with the maintainer you may do as well with an average quality lead-acid battery, 3 or 4 of them will be about the same price as an AGM

Bill

Ditto- - - - -nothing makes a battery last a long time better than using it, regularly. I'd suggest starting the engine at least a couple of times a week, followed by a 30-minute run at fast idle to recharge it after starting. The maintainer will keep the battery from self-discharging and sulfating, but nothing beats a heavy discharge like a starter load to keep the cells capable of supplying the large amounts of current necessary for cranking. It's sort of like the difference in doing yoga for exercise, as opposed to doing a few reps of presses or squats with a heavy barbell. Both are technically "exercise", but they work different muscle groups.
Jerry

10 years ago, or so, I bought some battery tenders from Harbor freight for about $7.50 each. They still sell them and they are made by Chicago Electric. I have been using them ever since and they have been working great for my batteries. I always see battery tenders for $30-$50 and more and just shake my head. I swear by these cheapies for tending a battery.

thanks guys. thats why I asked before I spent the money. I may try a maintainer before I replace the battery and see how it hold up.

My brother swears by the Odyssey Batteries. He works overseas and has to leave his truck at airport for extended periods.
http://www.odysseybattery.com/batteries.html

Ya, nothing shortens a battery's life like letting it sit idle for extended periods.

Here's a shocker... Last week I was cleaning up my old van cause I'm selling it and I noticed the date on the battery, the mid-line Walmart battery. Installed July/03.
I certainly got some years out of that battery, but then that vehicle was always driven and the battery well cared for by keeping it clean.

Dan

What do you guys think of the Orielly Batterys? I have a 6v in my 46 that seems to be doing well. I'm using a 6v alternator and starting it every week. I need to buy two batterys for my Diesal F-350.

.... I have not checked lately but most batteries now are made by one or two suppliers and they build the battery based on the customers standards.... there are some better than others and naturally they cost a little more.
I prefer the Optima and the Diehard.

My daughter just changed out the battery in her Toyota Camry and it has been in the car for just over 6 years and was still starting. I just advised her, since she hauls two kids, to go ahead and change it before getting stranded at a bad time!!

I suspect O'Reilly's battery is the same as some at Auto Zone or Advance Auto if you check the "numbers" on them. They are all slick at advertising so take it slow!!
Many times its just the labels.

Just judging from the case, O'Reillys batteries are sourced from Deka. Autozone and Advance are JCI, as are Interstate, Farm and Fleet, and Die Hard. Napa, John Deere, and Wal Mart source theirs from Exide.

I used Diehards for years not knowing they were Exide. I looked at the Everstart Max bats at Wally World and noticed the were Exide, but are they the same quality as Sears? I used the old Diehard Weather Beaters for years in multiple truck and cars and I don't have one bad thing to say about them.

With all this desire to find the best battery which I did for years, I've settled for this idea. I put the biggest battery I can cram in there, I prefer the best price, but more importantly I look for the warranty and how easy it is to get the battery adjusted or replaced if that comes up.

By easy I mean, do I have to wait till Mon. to get it serviced and how easy it is to get there, like the number of miles I got to drive to get there or where I'd have to go if it died on the road somewhere.

Dan

That's the way I feel Glasman.

I'm not an Electrical expert by any stretch, however I've heard from different sources for years that in many cases the Alternator can cause a battery to go bad if its not working correctly, I'm not sure if they meant "Not Charging" or something else was wrong? I agree that exchange location is a big plus when buying a battery and I can only think of one place that's normally 24 hrs and just about everywhere!

Looking for new battery and thinking of Optima...more $$ and different technology. Are they worth it? Do they tolerate periods of non-use better?

Wayne

How long a period of non use?

I let my three 6v Optima batteries (3 to 6 years old) sit for 6 months unused over the winter and they start my engines without charging them up.

hayekfan, I've ran optima's for years. I did have one to conk out on me after 2 years and they cheerfully replaced it no charge. I have not let it set for any length of time......
But the Diehard in my 37 has held up well for 5 years now and still going strong even after its been sitting for a few weeks and I have to "grind" on the starter for a minute until the fuel get to it.
Just my observations.

I've heard the Sears Diehard Platinum is the same as oOptima. True?

Wayne

I had a problem with a truck a while back. It always stayed charged, but my batteries kept going bad. I found my alternator was putting too much voltage out and overcharging.

When an Alternator is going bad, won't they sometimes put out too much Juice toward the end? Didn't another thread say that the Optima's are made by a different company now and they are not as good?

Been using the everstart walmart stuff for years now with a battery tender on the vehicles that don't get driven daily. Works well. Honda 4 wheeler bought in 2000 and with the battery tender it is still going strong. The everstart in my z28 is 7 years old as well. Google battery tender and check ebay for the best price.

Yes, people have commented on Optima batteries being built by a USA company in a Mexican (?) factory. I have a USA 6v Optima from USA factory and two 6v Optimas from non-USA factories.

It seems that people who have Optima batteries swear by them; and, people who sell non-Optima batteries swear at them?

Also, if an Optima battery is drained down, a special charging technique is supposedly required. We had to use a professional charger in non-automatic-charge-mode to charge a 6v Optima that had been drained to "nothing".

Hank, to comment on the battery tender you mentioned..... there ia a really good article in the Old Cars Weekly magazine about the tenders. Its almost convinced even ME to buy one!! But hey, I drive mine enough that the engine rarely gets cold

I have used cheapie battery tenders from harbor freight for 10 years or so and they work fine. I actually use them all the time. Probably only $8 each.

I'm with Builder, I've been using a bunch of these for a long time with no problems.

I have also used this HF float charger and it works fine - 12v only.

I have not used this HF 6v/12v battery maintainer but I'll probably buy/try one when it goes on sale.

My last battery was from NAPA, and lasted 10 years. My Panel gets driven at least weekly May/June/July/August/September. When it goes into storage in October I pull the battery, put it in the basement on a wood block, charge it in April, put it back in the truck. Naturally, I replaced it with another from NAPA, as I figured 10 years is exceptional service life for an automotive battery. I get about 4-5 years out of NAPA batteries in my winter beaters/daily drivers, so go figure!

tcelderman - It's on sale now.

Thank you.

I checked the labels at the local WalMart in K.C. and they said Exide. I just got to Biloxi MS today and while at Walmart here they said JCI. I'll bet all these stores and auto chains get supplied depending on where they are located throughout the country. I do know that Walmart is giving a total 9 year warrenty and a 3 year free replacement for the Maxstart.
I may buy two while I'm here since they are JCI.