Batteries

Comments

• bretfraz Member Posts: 2,021

  September 2000

  Check out the Oct '00 ish of Consumer Reports. It has a comparison of car batteries.

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• meldenton Member Posts: 6

  September 2000

  Anyone have any experience these new batteries like the Exide orbital or Interstate's extreme performance batteries.

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• meldenton Member Posts: 6

  September 2000

  I just got some advice back from a couple of battery manufacturers. They said I should use a dual-battery setup with a deep-cycle battery. Anyone know anything about doing this?

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• nrd525 Member Posts: 109

  November 2000

  I seem to have more problems than most people with batteries in cars/trucks I've had. I NEVER can get a battery to last three years! If I try to keep one that long, I get stuck every time! This started in a 72 Olds Cutlass, and has continued through various GM and Chrysler products I've owned over the last 25 years, inluding the replacement batteries from Delco, Sears, Penny's, and others.
  I keep the water toppped off if possible, don't have anything drawing much or any power plugged into the lighter, so I don't know, I guess I'm just unlucky. My last "getting stuck" was in my 93 Grand Cherokee. It died without ANY warning on a Sunday morning. The battery was a next to the top of the line Diehard, and was about 30 months old. I was sitting there listening to the radio (not loud), and it suddenly got all distorted and then died totally. I got a jump after sitting there a while, and had to wait until Sears opened up to swap a battery. It's kind of funny, I had just replaced the serpentine belt on it, and had checked the battery and starting/charging system and everything was fine.
  Anyone else have trouble with batteries like this? I have a friend who has a 90 Ford Taurus with the original battery, and who normally gets 7 or 8 years out of one. I don't get it.

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• bobs5 Member Posts: 557

  November 2000

  I usually get 5 or more years on a battery before requiring replacement. The last one lasted 9 years.
  
  The replacement batteries I try to get are the biggest ones that will fit. These are typically 60 month rated. I use whatever brand the local parts store carries.
  
  If your drive is short, the battery may not be getting fully recharged with each use.
  
  Lots of electrical devices (heated seats, power windows, etc.) can drain a battery quickly.
  
  Keeping an eye on the water level is a good way to prolong battery life.
  It is usually a good idea to use DISTILLED water when adding to a battery.
  Tap or well water may contain minerals and stuff which could reduce battery life.
  
  The worst battery I had was one of those "maintenance-free" sealed ones which you could not add water to. Got about 2 years out of that one. Sealed or not, it ran out of water and died.

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• nrd525 Member Posts: 109

  November 2000

  I always get the biggest one I can get in there, but it still doesn't matter. I used to use the distilled water in them, but again, it made no difference. I've had batteries that were sealed amd ones with caps so the water could be checked and STILL, all I get is less than three years. I don't do that many short trips, no more than a friend who goets 5+ years on a battery, so I guess I'm just unlucky.

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