BATTERIES

Watch the warranties. Read them carefully. Most batteries use the pro rata adjustment method. When your batteries goes bad, list price what is used for figuring the warranty left. So if you got a great deal on your batteries and one drops, they figure list price times the amount of time you had the battery and subtract that from the price of a new battery. An easy way to figure is that if the battery is over half the warranty old, the adjustment for the new one won't amount to much. This means that the better the deal on the front side makes a worst deal for warranty on the backside once the battery is out of the free replacement time. Want the best deal, look for the longest free replacement.

 

Rafferty makes a great point about reading the warranties carefully. The administrators on this site have specifically asked me to refrain from posting a link to our warranty, but our consumer RedTops and YellowTops all come with three-year free replacement warranties with no pro-ration. As Rafferty mentioned, some pro-rated warranties will begin immediately, so even if a battery fails after two months, a consumer is still paying a pro-rated amount for warranty service. Some warranties also include numerous exclusions that void warranties, such as batteries discharged below a specific voltage level.

Many companies use warranties as marketing tools, because they know some people make purchase decisions largely or solely because of the warranty. Companies like Kia and Hyundai have done a pretty good job of catering to those folks. In addition to reviewing the warranty terms, it's also a good idea to review the return policy. Most batteries purchased online need to be shipped back to their original point of purchase for warranty service, while most batteries purchased at traditional retailers can be returned to those retailers for warranty claims.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.

 

What's better the one large battry or several small ones. I've bought the one large ones for my truck. Seems no matter how well I take care of them, after two year they crap out. Thinking switching to several smaller, but good batterys. Figure if one craps out I can repalce that one and keep going.

 

Never had any luck with those big dogs either, looks like you don't see much cold weather, go with three group 31, 750's .

 

What I found out on batteries is that the big CCA 1000's, batteries fail much quicker than the 760's also if you cycle the batteries a lot, so they are down to say 1/2 charge a lot they will die early, also if the batteries go dead about a dozen times they will fail. Using an unregulated charger will overcharge the batteries and they will fail early. Using the unregulated charger also will kill the alternator early, it puts a lot of stress on the diodes. When I charge batteries in a vehicle I have a 80 amp unregulated and will disconnect the batteries, and use it till the battery comes up to about 13.8 volts then I put it on the regulated charger, on it till it finishes I do not leave the unregulated charger unmonitored, if I can not watch it then I disconnect it.
Many vehicles will charge one set of batteries more than the other, if you disconnect the batteries and put them on a regulated charger, you can find this and swap the batteries positions.
The biggest killer of batteries is that you do not wash off the batteries. Take a volt meter and put it on the ground post then go around the top and watch the meter. You think how many times you wash your truck, and do you remove the battery box cover and wash it out. Also never ever acid was the truck. When I assemble the very clean, battery connections I use die-electric grease.
Most of the trucks in my area go with four batteries, The less stress you put on the batteries the better.
Just a thought!

 

Expensive but worth it, I put 4 of them in my big truck 4 years ago and have put them in all my duallys and class 8's since then. Spins the starter so fast and never lets me down, fridge, lights diesel bunk heater on for 2 days in sub zero weather, no problem! Typical service life: 6 to 8 years

ODYSSEY PC 2150 / 1150 CCA

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc2150series.htm

 

I use the battery switch and turn off all power. Then use a 1.5amp trickle charger that shuts off when full. If longer, I disconnect for a few days and then reconnect. Still the same. No matter how careful the battery craps out after two years. I think I'll switch to several than the one large one. Should be easier on the back when lifting them.

 

I was shopping at costco the other day and walked thru the battery section. Has anyone tried the deep cycle 6volt batteries wired In series to get 12volts. I was thinking If these would give better power/cranking reserve? These are the type used in electric golf carts.

 

That sounds like about $30 too much per battery to me.