Crap Batteries

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Midwest Trucker, Jan 8, 2021.

  1. 86scotty

    86scotty Road Train Member

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    Same here, I think they are $69 at my local Worldwide Equipment. They are also the best batteries I've ever had by far on almost anything. I'll edit this post later with the brand. They aren't Deka or JC, though they could be made by Deka. Seems like I looked in to it when I bought them.

    @Midwest Trucker, I wouldn't shell out for AGMs for a tractor personally. They are about twice the price and I really doubt you get twice the life. I never have on campers, just marginally better than lead acid.
     
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  3. DUNE-T

    DUNE-T Road Train Member

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    I remember buying some batteries for $120, thinking they will be better. Nope, 2.5 years, that's all they lasted
     
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  4. sealevel

    sealevel Road Train Member

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    I have a 21 Cascadia with the same issues. Luckily it has a APU. Would never be able to run the bunk heater all night and start the truck in the morning without it. Even at 12.5 volts, cranking the truck will set off alarms on the inverter and kick in the LVD. Took it to a shop and the batteries tested out perfect.
    I am starting to think truck manufacturers are all going to these dual purpose low CCA batteries to be used with Apu's and Opti idle systems. These batteries appear to be useless unless paired with a auxillary power unit to keep them charged. Could be wrong, but something is wrong. Too many people having the same issues for it to be a bad batch of batteries.
     
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  5. 86scotty

    86scotty Road Train Member

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    How many batteries does your Cascadia have? I've noticed more people with 3 having issues with stuff than 4. Volvos, at least, have a spot for 4 but they don't all have 4. Mine has 4 and will always have 4. Hell, I'd put 5 on the thing if there was space.
     
  6. sealevel

    sealevel Road Train Member

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    It has 4 Allied dual purpose. Not sure what the CCA is but it doesn't seem to be enough. Even in warm weather it seems to spin over slower than what I'm used to.
     
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  7. SmallPackage

    SmallPackage Road Train Member

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    Exide is the third big manufacturer. They at one time made the paccar batteries. Maybe still do. I had along with others horrible service out of paccar or anything Exide.
    The Alliance worked well for us and I believe that some were Johnson Controls.

    I’ve used Interstate in the trucks and optima in all the cars both made by Johnson Controls. Great service. Some of the optimas are approaching 20 years old.

    I just had one Interstate out of three go down in my Pete the week of Christmas and it was a 2011. The shop I get them from has switched to Continental Batteries because Interstate was raising the prices so high and giving him back less then the core fees that he could not make a profit enough to make it worth his while to stock them anymore.

    I’m gonna try Contenental and see. They are out of Dallas since the 1930’s. They also make the Optima now for the company Johnson Controls sold that too.
     
  8. Midwest Trucker

    Midwest Trucker Road Train Member

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    I charged the truck for about 5 hours and still couldn’t get enough cranking speed for it to fire. I tested the batteries and 3 were basically junk and one was borderline.

    I pulled all 4 and took them to Kenworth. I asked about warranty and they said well, I don’t see where you bought these batteries in the past? I said yeah because it’s a brand new truck. They said oh in that case you have to bring the truck here, our service removes the batteries, tests them over 24 hours, and if they are bad then warranty pays for new batteries plus the labor. If it’s determined they are not bad then you must pay for the new batteries plus labor.

    I said well considering the truck won’t start, I’m not going to tow it, and I don’t want to bring it here and risk being charged a few hundred labor anyway, just give me 4 new batteries and I’ll be done with it. So, I did it myself.

    The pisser is now I’ve realized the other trucks batteries are essentially junk as well. See, the one truck towed the other truck from the factory to my yard. That is why it’s taken a little longer for the one that did the towing to show it has a problem as well.

    Then yesterday as one of my guys got back to the yard and started telling me about his low voltage disconnect is kicking in overnight it just took the cake for me. Not to mention another driver said the same thing is happening on a truck with 190k on it.

    JUNK ### BATTERIES.
     
  9. Midwest Trucker

    Midwest Trucker Road Train Member

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    That’s a #### good point about designing these batteries to basically be just good enough quality to last if you have an APU.

    :face palm:
     
  10. Midwest Trucker

    Midwest Trucker Road Train Member

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    Im at $148,750 with 5 yr 500k w/tow Cummins warranty. My local dealer was $158,000 so nearly 10k more. That’s just far too much difference to overlook. I still do parts and body shop business there but just not sales. I have a small oil leak on one of the engines so I’ll be trying their service next week. I normally would go to Cummins but it also has an abs/traction control problem so attempting two birds with one stone.
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2021
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  11. Oscar the KW

    Oscar the KW Going Tarpless

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    For lead/acid batteries I’ve always had really good luck with anything PennDeka makes. I prefer not to go over 900ish cca as the plates get to thin and are prone to breaking and shirting out the battery.
     
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