Battery Maintaining

[AH64ID]

I have a slightly different question. We will be driving from South Florida to North Carolina at the end of this month. I am in my second set of OEM batteries. My experience is that 3.5 years is the expected life of OEM batteries. My concern on the trip is that I don't want to have to waste time not being able to get the truck started. So far the batteries have performed fine. But I know how quickly these batteries become toast. I am inclined to just ditch these batteries and spend $350-$400 in 2 new batteries. Looking for opinions on if I am being alarmist.

How old are the current batteries?

As far as new batteries my experience is that Costco batteries are as good as it gets without breaking the bank. Great price and great, easy, warranty.

You have to get into the $400/ea or higher range to get noticeably better quality batteries these days and that’s not worth it in the pickup, IMO. I do think it’s worth it for my 5th wheel thou.

 

[Newsa]

How old are the current batteries?

As far as new batteries my experience is that Costco batteries are as good as it gets without breaking the bank. Great price and great, easy, warranty.

You have to get into the $400/ea or higher range to get noticeably better quality batteries these days and that’s not worth it in the pickup, IMO. I do think it’s worth it for my 5th wheel thou.

Thanks, John for your question and advice. You gave excellent advice when traveling to Illinois from South Florida about possible fuel gelling of Florida fuel during winter. We saw colder Temps than I expected in KY (-5 F) and Illinois (- 17 F).

These batteries are 3 5 years old. My first set lasted 3.7 years. I am concerned they will crappp out on me if we experience a colder than expected holiday season in NC.

My plan to just go ahead and replace these batteries us because, I don't know if the cold will cause immediate issues.

 

[Tuesdak]

@Newsa Heat and cold kill batteries. The summer heat and high underhood temps do them in, but, they are walking dead. (if they made it through the summer.) As soon as the cold CCA demand goes up is when weak batteries show up as bad. In any high heat you can't be faulted for simply replacing batteries. Here, Phoenix where its over 115 a lot, we generally replace them at 2 years old IF they didn't die in the 1st year (summer). 3 year old batteries are simply asking for a failure in daily drivers. "Yay! It made two years: time for new ones..."

Frugal: I would recommend you have the batteries tested. Pull the ground off one of the batteries and test each one separately. This will let you know if they are weak at all. I have had longer battery life in the Dodge RAM as none outright failed on me.

Sadly I have had many simply burn a connection open and die sudden like, but, the other battery usually gets me going although I hear the slower cranking and know the next stop is the parts store. Sometimes I get a "bang!" when this happens and gas engines everything is D E A D or slow spinning on a diesel dual bat setup. This is why in the extreme heat we don't care how they test at 2 years they get replaced.

 

[Newsa]

@Newsa Heat and cold kill batteries. The summer heat and high underhood temps do them in, but, they are walking dead. (if they made it through the summer.) As soon as the cold CCA demand goes up is when weak batteries show up as bad. In any high heat you can't be faulted for simply replacing batteries. Here, Phoenix where its over 115 a lot, we generally replace them at 2 years old IF they didn't die in the 1st year (summer). 3 year old batteries are simply asking for a failure in daily drivers. "Yay! It made two years: time for new ones..."

Frugal: I would recommend you have the batteries tested. Pull the ground off one of the batteries and test each one separately. This will let you know if they are weak at all. I have had longer battery life in the Dodge RAM as none outright failed on me.

Sadly I have had many simply burn a connection open and die sudden like, but, the other battery usually gets me going although I hear the slower cranking and know the next stop is the parts store. Sometimes I get a "bang!" when this happens and gas engines everything is D E A D or slow spinning on a diesel dual bat setup. This is why in the extreme heat we don't care how they test at 2 years they get replaced.

Yep. These batteries were installed June 2017. Summer 2019, they took us through some very hot weather cross country through Louisiana, TX, NM, AZ, CA to Oregon and back. Not going to be frugal. Not even going to bother testing them.

Thanks for the advice, I will replace them before our departure. I will sleep better knowing I have fresh batteries. Might try the die hard brand at Advance Auto. Advance Auto is the closest.

 

[DeansRedRam]

Yep. These batteries were installed June 2017. Summer 2019, they took us through some very hot weather cross country through Louisiana, TX, NM, AZ, CA to Oregon and back. Not going to be frugal. Not even going to bother testing them.

Thanks for the advice, I will replace them before our departure. I will sleep better knowing I have fresh batteries. Might try the die hard brand at Advance Auto. Advance Auto is the closest.

Sometimes the peace of mind knowing that there won't be any issue is worth the price.

 

[John Jensen]

Battery testing isn't all that reliable. My brother had his 2016 3500 HO batteries load tested at the Battery Store. They said all good, should last another 2-3 years. 3 months later they didn't work. Wouldn't even take a charge, probably bad cells.

IMO Newsa, you are wise to replace yours before your trip.

 

[Newsa]

Battery testing isn't all that reliable. My brother had his 2016 3500 HO batteries load tested at the Battery Store. They said all good, should last another 2-3 years. 3 months later they didn't work. Wouldn't even take a charge, probably bad cells.

IMO Newsa, you are wise to replace yours before your trip.

Yup. Thanks for the advice. I changed them 2 hours ago. I did notice slightly slower cranking today. But no issue starting. Battery testing is likely just a snapshot of time even with load testing. I doubt it is an accurate predictor of battery life.

 

[seafish]

Battery testing isn't all that reliable. My brother had his 2016 3500 HO batteries load tested at the Battery Store. They said all good, should last another 2-3 years. 3 months later they didn't work. Wouldn't even take a charge, probably bad cells.

That's is exactly why if I am not running a top quality AGM made by Decca or CAT (both made domestically by East Penn) then I will only use a NON-SEALED lead acid battery simply so that I can use a battery hydrometer to check specifc gravity of each individual cell.

While I also will load test battery in a quick pinch, or if the case is sealed, IMO the ONLY way to get a decent picture of overall battery condition is by using a BOTH a hydrometer and a load tester.

Just my .02

 

[Cummins12V98]

East Penn = quality.

 

[Tuesdak]

top quality AGM made by Decca

Heat is their only weakness. Testing one the voltage drops then comes back up. I quit testing and considered the battery dangerous to test again. FWIW Deka AGM even failed Consumer Reports heat testing. Didn't make it one year: July '14 to May '15. 90% sure these were relabeled Deka. The case bulging on both was impressive.

 

[AH64ID]

While I don't look at the Lifeline's in my camper often (in the TT they were installed in 2014 and not seen again until spring 2020) I pulled them out with impressive case bulging. It was gone then next day thou. I did a little research and found it was normal. The vents on them aren't open normally and take a pressure differential to open, so some bugling is normal.

 

[seafish]

Heat is their only weakness. Testing one the voltage drops then comes back up. I quit testing and considered the battery dangerous to test again. FWIW Deka AGM even failed Consumer Reports heat testing. Didn't make it one year: July '14 to May '15. 90% sure these were relabeled Deka. The case bulging on both was impressive.

Yup...too true... heat also kills AGM batteries.

...so glad that I live in a coastal cool zone...those Diehard Platinum P2 I have in my 2005 are still going STROMG going on NINE years already(knock wood !!! ) and theyd be WAY too costly too have been replaced THREE times already even IF Oddyssey still made them for Sears!!!

Which, since, ,like you point out too many poeple were running them in Arizona and/or Texas like climates, is EXACTLY why Sears stopped carrying them about FIVE years ago !!! LOL!!!

 

[Newsa]

Just thought I'd post which batteries I went with.

There were 2 Diehard options at Advance Auto. Both had the same CCA. The $200 per battery option had the 4 year warranty, but since I have had difficulty with Advance Auto honoring their 3 year warranty, I went with the $170 per battery option.

I suspected that DieHard had changed the company that sourced their brand of battery. I see Odyssey no longer is the source of Diehard brand batteries.

Have no idea if this "cheaper of the 2" option is any good and have no knowledge of if the $200 battery is really any better in the heat. The guy in front of me was buying a battery that had AGM stamped on it. I doubt mine are AGM.

 

[JR]

Just thought I'd post which batteries I went with.

There were 2 Diehard options at Advance Auto. Both had the same CCA. The $200 per battery option had the 4 year warranty, but since I have had difficulty with Advance Auto honoring their 3 year warranty, I went with the $170 per battery option.

I suspected that DieHard had changed the company that sourced their brand of battery. I see Odyssey no longer is the source of Diehard brand batteries.

Have no idea if this "cheaper of the 2" option is any good and have no knowledge of if the $200 battery is really any better in the heat. The guy in front of me was buying a battery that had AGM stamped on it. I doubt mine are AGM.

3 year warranty 100% replacement? Any pro rated warranty?
Until recently they were made by Johnson Controls who also makes the Interstate brand. Johnson controls quality has seriously tanked over the last several years.
The Die Hard brand is now made by the same company that makes the Duralast brand, Clarios.

 

[Newsa]

3 year warranty 100% replacement? Any pro rated warranty?
Until recently they were made by Johnson Controls who also makes the Interstate brand. Johnson controls quality has seriously tanked over the last several years.
The Die Hard brand is now made by the same company that makes the Duralast brand, Clarios.

Good question. When I had an Advance Auto battery (not die hard brand) die a few months before the end of the warranty period years ago, I only expected pro-rate. The store manager said they don't do that. I was disturbed by that and took my spent battery to Autozone. I haven't bought a battery at advance auto since then until yesterday.

The internet says DIe Hard gold has free replacement for 3 years if i am reading it correctly. That is better than I thought if they honor the warranty.

 

[AH64ID]

Costco has a 4 year full replacement warranty which they have no issues honoring.

Yup...too true... heat also kills AGM batteries.

...so glad that I live in a coastal cool zone...those Diehard Platinum P2 I have in my 2005 are still going STROMG going on NINE years already(knock wood !!! ) and theyd be WAY too costly too have been replaced THREE times already even IF Oddyssey still made them for Sears!!!

My P2’s didn’t make 4 years and looking back were aging fast at 2 years. I was very disappointed considering the cost.

It’s why I switched up to Costco.

 

[JR]

Costco has a 4 year full replacement warranty which they have no issues honoring.



My P2’s didn’t make 4 years and looking back were aging fast at 2 years. I was very disappointed considering the cost.

It’s why I switched up to Costco.

Good luck getting one to last that long....

How does costco honor the warranty once you replace one? Does the warranty start over or does it continue from the original date of purchase like Interstate does?

 

[AH64ID]

Good luck getting one to last that long....

How does costco honor the warranty once you replace one? Does the warranty start over or does it continue from the original date of purchase like Interstate does?

I’ve only done it once, but I walked in with 2 batteries and told them they didn’t hold a charge. They checked my account and sold me 2 new ones for $0.00, 4 year warranty started over. They were only a couple months shy of 4 years old.

It was painless, and their price point is excellent.

 

[lpennock]

Yup...too true... heat also kills AGM batteries.

...so glad that I live in a coastal cool zone...those Diehard Platinum P2 I have in my 2005 are still going STROMG going on NINE years already(knock wood !!! ) and theyd be WAY too costly too have been replaced THREE times already even IF Oddyssey still made them for Sears!!!

Which, since, ,like you point out too many poeple were running them in Arizona and/or Texas like climates, is EXACTLY why Sears stopped carrying them about FIVE years ago !!! LOL!!!

The Platimums in my 06 lasted over 6 years in Phoenix but that truck didn't get drove much, just weekend trips to the high country. The one in my Van lasted 2 years and when it failed sears refunded the difference between it and a Gold and gave me a gold as the warranty replacement. The gold only lasted 2.5 years and by then sears was no more in the Phoenix area.

 

[JR]

I’ve only done it once, but I walked in with 2 batteries and told them they didn’t hold a charge. They checked my account and sold me 2 new ones for $0.00, 4 year warranty started over. They were only a couple months shy of 4 years old.

It was painless, and their price point is excellent.

That's definitely better than what Interstate does but it doesn't change the quality of the product.
I just looked at Interstate website site, it's still the same warranty as when I had them. Their lead acid for my 14 is only rated for 30 months free replacement, then the pro rating is 45% up to 4 years then drops to 25% for the last.

https://www.interstatebatteries.com/products/mtp-94r/h7/2014-ram-3500-l667l-dsl?search=true

To find IB’s SRP for your replacement battery model when you return your original battery, ask your dealer or check IB’s website at www.interstatebatteries.com. The SRP in effect on the date you return your original battery will not be the same price you paid for your original battery, and the SRP may be different than the dealer’s actual selling price for your replacement battery. In some cases, dealers may have different pricing structures and voluntarily offer to sell you a replacement battery during the Discount Period for a lower price. You will still need to pay any taxes and legislatively imposed fees on your replacement battery, and you may also need to pay labor and installation charges. Any warranty coverage that remains on your original battery (when you return it for a replacement battery under this Performance Warranty) will carry over to your replacement battery. Your replacement battery will not have any new or separate warranty coverage.

https://www.interstatebatteries.com...E13&_z=z#b35b7a94-d8d8-41ce-be40-0facb1dd6ae3

I'm really surprised Costco can afford to offer a better warranty than their supplier. I'd be surprised if it lasts long term based on all the failures I've seen.