Long-lived batteries

[Chief USA]

Well..... going into 2012 I am still running on the ORIGINAL OEM batteries that came in my truck. They are beginning to get a little tired on cold mornings but still manage to start the truck. The date label on the side of both batteris says 11/01. I am amazed that these batteries have lasted this long. I would like to get another set just like them when the time comes. Probably will end up with the Walmart specials.

 

[Mark31]

Lemme figurlate a little hyur: If'n battries las 9 yurs, and dey cos 2 humfred dolerz, my clackulater say dats . 061 a day. I shore wuz dum to wase me little bit o dus by buyn battries afore dey quits. Why, if dey lassed 6 mo months, I cudda save 11 dolerz an a dime! Tink of de joy I cud git walkin in de col er rane er puttin sumbuddy to the truble to cum jump me off! Boy I is eat up with de dum***!

 

[STEVEBROOKS]

I've a 2008 and my batteries only made it to 3. 5 years (one cell in the passenger side battery brought them both down). It seems it was a bad year for batteries based on other threads posted.



Also, I've heard the new OEM batteries are AGM (absorbed glass matt). They're supposed to last longer but not have as deep cycle life (discharge capacity). Can anyone from the dealers confirm this?

I'm at 9+ years on the original batteries, and the truck still cranks as good as when they were new. Since new, when not being driven, the batteries have been connected to a Battery Minder-brand charger/maintainer (often for months at a time), so I'm sure that's helped their longevity. As a preventive measure, I'll be changing them out within the next week or so. I'm tempted to go with the Diehard Platinums, but their cost is a negative [in addition, I'd need to invest in a new Battery Minder made for AGM batteries (approx $150)]. Today, I was quoted $108 each for two new OEM batteries from my dealer. I'd like to hear any positive/negative comments from anybody who's replaced their original batteries with OEM ones. Also, can anybody confirm/deny the quoted comment that the new OEM batteries are AGM-type?



Thanks,



Steve

 

[rscurtis]

I replaced mine with OEM batteries in September of 2011. They were $80. 00 each at the local dealer who is not known to give anything away. So far, so good.

 

[ak.sparky]

I got 11 yrs 3 mos out of mine all Fairbanks winters. Replaced them with Interstates before they failed . Always garaged at home. Sparky

 

[Prairie Dog]

Twice in 34 years of driving I have had an older battery suddenly short internally. At that point you can't even jump start it so you are stuck where ever. A load test will not show this is about to happen.

 

[Mark31]

Twice in 34 years of driving I have had an older battery suddenly short internally. At that point you can't even jump start it so you are stuck where ever. A load test will not show this is about to happen.

Prairie Dog, I have twice seen suddenly dead internally shorted batteries explode when jumper cables were attached. I guess the voltage from a good system was enough to make the current jump the shorted gap and the gas exploded? I don't jump a graveyard dead battery off for ANYBODY unless I can why it is dead, like the lights being left on. Stuff like this reminds one to make sure the last connection made is the ground to the good battery, with one's back to the dead battery! Mark

 

[Chief USA]

Well guys, the OEM batteries were getting kinda tired. If I let the truck set for any length of time they would get low but still start the truck. With Winter just around the corner, I felt it was finally time to replace the old girls. Almost 11 years of service out of the original OEM batteries that came with the truck when I purchased it new is not bad at all. I replaced them with a set of 27N Maxx Walmart batteries that I had to charge on my CTEK charger for almost 2 weeks before they would reach and retain a full charge. They are working great now. Anyhow, I thought I would pass along my experience. I think the CTEK battery charger/conditioner played a BIG part is way these batteries lasted so long. Oh, and thanks for your well considered and logic/fact based comments above Mark31. :-laf

 

[DZink24]

great thread. i have been thinking of this recently, as my early 2004 w/ 70,000 miles (original batteries) is now my only vehicle, i recently sold my car. i will start shopping around, NAPA, John Deere, and maybe some heavy truck shops in the area. last i checked, two would run me about $450, i believe it was for the "red top" (i can't remember the brand). the sight glass still shows green, but, i have noticed a skip and erratic starting sometimes, and am not sure if it might be the batteries, or the infamous fuel pump.

 

[seafish]

great thread. i have been thinking of this recently, as my early 2004 w/ 70,000 miles (original batteries) is now my only vehicle, i recently sold my car. i will start shopping around, NAPA, John Deere, and maybe some heavy truck shops in the area. last i checked, two would run me about $450, i believe it was for the "red top" (i can't remember the brand). the sight glass still shows green, but, i have noticed a skip and erratic starting sometimes, and am not sure if it might be the batteries, or the infamous fuel pump.

If you are willing to spend that much on batteries, you might want to consider the Diehard Platinum Group 65, which are rebranded Odyssey AGM batteries. While certainly Cat/Deka batteries are also very good, consensus is pretty much that you can't get any better then the Diehard Platinums with their 930 CCA, 135 reserve cap, 48 month replacement and 100 month prorate warranty. They retail at $220, but sometimes go on sale, for limited (ie SHORT) periods of time for $175 or even $154 each. In fact, right now, you can get $35 off of two of them by using the code AUTO35-- buy em online, pick em up at your local sears, no shipping charges--

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/ProductDisplay?partNumber=02850065000P&storeId=10153&catalogId=12605

 

[AH64ID]

If you are willing to spend that much on batteries, you might want to consider the Diehard Platinum Group 65, which are rebranded Odyssey AGM batteries. While certainly Cat/Deka batteries are also very good, consensus is pretty much that you can't get any better then the Diehard Platinums with their 930 CCA, 135 reserve cap, 48 month replacement and 100 month prorate warranty. They retail at 219, but sometimes go on sale, for limited (ie SHORT) periods of time for 173 or even 153 each. In fact, right now, you can get $35 of two of them--

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/ProductDisplay?partNumber=02850065000P&storeId=10153&catalogId=12605

I agree completely. I wouldn't spend that much and not get the Platinum's.

 

[tkirkpatrick]

My batteries lasted 11 years and 6 months . I replaced them after the right one went dead in July.

 

[DZink24]

while we are on the subject, how about some tips for people when it is time to replace both, as far as installation goes. does it matter what order the terminals are hooked up?

 

[JR]

Ive always hooked the grounds up first on both batteries and then the positive last.

 

[Wertles]

I replaced mine last fall with Duracell batteries from SAMs club. They are made by Penn, which make DEKA. I put the Duracell right next to the DEKA and not only were all the specs exactly as the DEKA, every ridge and molding mark was the same. Only the label was different. $81. 00 a piece compared to the $122 DEKA. I can replace them 3 times for the price of the Die Hard.

 

[mwilson]

Ive always hooked the grounds up first on both batteries and then the positive last.

Only for the sake of presenting another viewpoint, I was always taught to hook all positive cables up first.

That way if your wrench touches the vehicle while tightening the cable nothing happens.

Then start on the negative cables after all positives are connected for the same reason, touch the vehicle while tightening the cable and nothing happens.



Very, very important when working on 3 and 4 battery systems in trucks and heavy equipment in tight spots.

If you get a wrench hung on a hot terminal you can blow up a battery which as luck would have it is right close to one's face.



Mike.

 

[seafish]

Only for the sake of presenting another viewpoint, I was always taught to hook all positive cables up first.
That way if your wrench touches the vehicle while tightening the cable nothing happens.
Then start on the negative cables after all positives are connected for the same reason, touch the vehicle while tightening the cable and nothing happens.

Very, very important when working on 3 and 4 battery systems in trucks and heavy equipment in tight spots.
If you get a wrench hung on a hot terminal you can blow up a battery which as luck would have it is right close to one's face.

Mike.

ABSOULUTELY right... . I have never even heard about doing it the other way around!!!

Also clean the cable terminals and battery posts, even on a new battery.

The other thing to do is to CAREFULLY check the positive crossover cable between the batteries for corrosion just behind the terminals.

 

[RBellah]

Let us know where you were at when they end up going dead. Maybe you will be in the Wal-Mart parking lot. NAPA has some good batteries made by DEKA.

 

[pjorlando]

Replaced my OEMs with batteries from Costco a few months ago. I've had bad luck running batteries much past 6 years. I wasn't eager to test their limits. Costco batteries have more CCA than stock. The price the batteries was about 90 each, which was a deal. I use batteries from Costco in all my vehices, including the boat. So far, so good. As far as which terminal to attach first, I always hook positive first. I learned this many years ago when turning wrenchs on VWs as a teen. It was explain to me then it prevented a voltage surge that could damage the fuel injection system's fragile electrics. Back then, FI was 12 volts, today everything being computor controlled and running low voltages, the concept of preventing a voltage surge is more important than ever.

 

[JMetzger]

Dumb question, why can't you change one battery at a time so as not to loose programing etc. I know that you have to be care full not to let the loose cables touch anything.