Batteries ?

[Uncle Skip]

Omni sealed cell or regular lead acid?
I'm getting ready to buy a new battery and I want to get the best one I can.

[jkimbrel65]

Had a optima red top in the uni for 10 yrs.Still going strong

Mike

[Toyz]

Don't know about Omni, but the Odyssey sealed cell has set in the back of the Cyclone for many months, uncharged, and still showed almost 1000 amps recently. I ran Optima for years; their quality seems to have declined since Johnson Controls bought them. Even the Yellow Tops don't seem to hold up well, and the warranty is now for a flat period (3 years on the Red Tops) with NO pro-rate after that. Optima insisted that my problems were the result of using a standard charger; purchasing a high-dollar AGM charger resulted in a "bad battery" reading when the majority of my discharged Optimas were hooked to it! I started using the conventional top line batteries from Walmart until recently this year, when the prices skyrocketed to the point I could buy Optimas for a few dollars more. I "think" Walmart's batteries are also from Johnson Controls, go figure!
Back to basics, for a project truck I intend to keep, and want it to start even after extended setting, first choice would be the pricey Odyssey, followed by an Optima Red Top ordered on line at the commonly available discount from Advance Auto, with local store pick-up. Walmart would be the third choice (maybe with a Motorcraft or Autolite cover) Walmart's top line batteries have proven a dependable choice, and of course, readily available exchange 24/7 plus competetive pricing, is a positive.
My usual disclaimer: YMMV
EDIT: if the Odyssey interests you, ( and it will!), check out DirectCycleParts.com. They offer a considerable discount.
Paul

[ICEMAN6166]

i have an 8 year old napa gold battery in my 66. getting to be time for a new one as it does not seem to have enough power on cold mornings anymore. plugging in the block heater for 1/2 hour to an hour helps a lot.

[F7BIGJOB]

I've installed a wet Interstate about 5 or 6 years ago, 3K miles +/- never had it go dead or need to charge, stays hooked up year round, truck sits from about Oct thru April or May never an issue, Had to move truck out of garage a few weeks back, 1/2 choke, 3 pumps, cranked and started fine.
I sell Interstates at work, we are also a NAPA autocar store/shop, I will not sell Napa batteries, never had any luck with them-we use them as warranty for Winnebagos as that is what they install at the factory [ deep cycle ].
Brian, glad to see you're having good luck with yours.

[Toyz]

Kinda OT, but: one of my late 60's toys was a '63 Custom 300 with a roughly 12 to 1 nominal compression ratio. It sometimes took everything a DieHard could produce to get it started. JC Penney at that time had a copy of the Diehard that they offered with a "lifetime" warranty. I ran that battery for over eight years, then had it replaced at no charge. The replacement lasted probably just over a year; I didn't drive the car much then, even when it ran. JCP had "exited" the automotive repair concept by that time and had contracted with Firestone stores for any warranty items. Firestone gave me a POS battery as a replacement, so I ended going back to Diehard batteries. If JCP had continued, I probably would have kept that car, just for the free batteries!
I've been told the current Diehard Platinum is a re-badged Odyssey; I do know both are manufactured by Enersyn ( if Johnson Controls haven't bought them, too), and the specs are the same.
Paul

[ezernut9mm]

i go to the recon battery guy down by my work when i need to buy one, but i usually don't own a vehicle long enough to have to buy one. lol

[charliemccraney]

The one in my truck is a Die Hard that has to be 11 or 12 years old. It's doing the stuff ice is talking about so I'm going to replace it with another Die Hard. Hopefully the quality is still as good.

[bmcgc]

WM sells a 8yr warrenty battery. Thats what I would go with, and whichever one has the most cca that will fit the tray.

[ICEMAN6166]

i had an optima red top at one time,but ended up putting it in my van and then i wanted to take it out and trade it for another when i sold the van but the cables were too short to reach the other larger size batterys i had.

i have had fairly good luck with reconditioned batterys too,

[bmcgc]

I dont cut corners on things like batteries. If I get in and turn the key it better start 10 out of 10 times or Im getting rid of it. I dont waste my time stranded in a parking lot or on the side of the road. Life is short, as you get older you understand this.

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

In my wrecker it's a motorcraft going on 8 years now avalable at all Ford Dealerships, + Big Slick has 2 motorcrafts...

[65TremecGT]

I usually get the kirkland ones from Costco, occasionally you will see interstates in the costco rack when they are out of the kirkland branded ones. The sales guy said that most kirklands are made by interstate. Having just bought a group 65 for my motorhome chassis yesterday, the kirkland was $93, walmart was $103 and champion at walmart was $109. I also replaced the two coach batteries a few months back, the giant 6 volt golf cart batteries were $89. I have replaced all my vehicle batteries this year except the jeep!

[kelwar]

X2 on the kirklands that's what I run in my 7.3l it always starts even in our Canadian winters with out pluging it in. They also have a great warranty and it's hassle free to replace them.

[Toyz]

IBC Battery Corporation, nee Johnson Controls,: Most Interstate, Kirkland, Motorcraft, Ford, Optima, Die Hard, Delco, Delco Remy, Duralast, and the list goes on! This doesn't indicate all their products are of similar quality by any means, nor that all batteries sold under those trade names are manufactured by IBC..
Paul

[grump]

I just replaced the battery in my 99 f150 last year. It was the stock battery and it was 13 years old, it didn't die it just struggled a little when it got cold. I replaced it with a used Motorcraft battery. I've also had really good luck with Duralast batteries, 8 to 10 years and a lot of setting time between starts. Just my two cents worth.

[SLICKCOLLECTOR]

the walmart batteries only last about 3 years around here. the warranty is 3 years with free replacement and shortly after the warranty expires you can count on the battery going down. i have read the hotter the weather the shorter the life of the batteries. i buy 10-15 batteries a year and if you leave them where the theives can get to them they disappear as fast as you can buy them. granted the batteries set a lot but it appears to me that walmart has it figured out. the last one i took in just prior to it expiring the idiot behind the counter reminded me that the remaining warranty on the battery being replaced was all the warranty being provided on the battery i received. they used to be the best price but now i don't know. i am always looking for options to save a buck or 2. they have gone up 20 to 30 percent over the last year or so.


jim

[Toyz]

Jim,
I've also had that situation with Walmart batteries in KS. I suspect they may be from a different source. I also agree they are no longer the bargain they were previously. As far as warranty, that situation is also becoming more common, especially with Optima. I had one recently rejected because AutoZones' records showed it to be a January 2012 replacement for a battery purchased in 10/09, thus ineligible for warranty, regardless of a failure after less than 10 months service. A search of my receipts found that the particular battery was one I purchased online for pickup at Advance. If I had not found that receipt, or AutoZone had been correct, (that particular battery is still in service, and will receive close scrutiny!), I would have been SOL, since Optima no longer has a pro-rated warranty.
I have had Ford products with the "insulating material surrounding the battery; I'm not sure it was any help. My problems seem to be with the more seldom used applications. I have an English vehicle which is notorious for refusing to fully "seat" the windows against the rag-top unless it has fully optimal battery voltage. It really pisses me off to find the windows cracked enough to let rain in, but still enough available voltage to easily start the vehicle
Wal-mart's receipts seem to be printed with disappearing ink, so they usually rely on the batteries alpha-numeric code to determine date of purchase; (actually date put in stock).
If you have an Advance Auto in your area, you might check into their batteries. I have not used their conventional batteries, but have talked with people who insist they have had good luck with them. They seem to nearly continously run online "sales" offering 20/25% off online purchases for store pickup.
As for myself, I'm leaning more toward Odyssey, although it's a bit of a pain to order them online and wait for the "free" delivery! If I have to pay more for a replacement battery than what I in some cases paid for the vehicle; I much prefer to have a dependable one!
Paul

[Uncle Skip]

Paul.
If you're going to order a new Optima, give me a call. I need to pick your brain.
If I don't hear from you I'm seriously considering the premium Autocraft battery from Advance Auto.
We will see what we will see.
Thanks everybody for the opinions. I appreciate the input.

[ICEMAN6166]

i have read the hotter the weather the shorter the life of the batteries.

after 16 years in Alaska i can tell you cold kills batterys. they have 1/2 the cca at 32 as they do at 70 and 32 is a heat wave in the winter there.most batterys only last 2 years there,after that they are undependable and if you happen to get one that lasts longer you are either darn lucky or park in a heated garage.