School me on batteries,cheap ones

[Andy D]

The Rat is killing me on parts. Latest is the freaken Valu Craft battery. It has had a hard life and is at the end of it. It is holding voltage around 11.8. I'm thinking its a bad cell. Since I've quieted down the exhaust, all I can hear is the poor ol' alternator whining "Help meeee" I am gonna need another battery. The Rat isn't a daily driver, so a 500 CCA is fine. I'm gonna spend the bucks on a battery minder, rather than a battery. They are all around 100 $ for the cheapest. The Harbor Freight cheapie 1/2 amp maintainer gets very warm trying to get the voltage to float. 4yrs I got from it and they weren't easy yrs.

Somebody said that the cheaper batteries in a group will last better because the plates are spaced wider than a battery that with more CCA that has more plates closer together. So I want to find the cheapest battery I can find. TIA

 

[4x4junkie]

The best (read: best value in) batteries I know of are probably the Kirkland/Interstate batteries at Costco.

It seems the days of buying a battery, sticking it in the vehicle and simply forgetting about it for four years or more are over... No matter the price or type, even $$$ AGM stuff, they all seem to succumb to sulfation if not given some nurturing in the way of overnight (or even day-long) absorption charges nowadays, I suspect due to the recycled lead most use because of environmental reasons.

I can tell you Valuecraft (anything) is pretty much junk. Most of it is made in china and is bottom-of-the-barrel. If you're buying from Autozone, maybe try their higher-end Duralast units.

 

[truckfan]

Try Delco Voyager deep-cycle battery. It is a popular choice among jeep and truck owners. It can last up to 9 years or more.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Go to a Interstate dealer (I work at one) and ask about an Econo battery. They might have check around a little, we don't stock them but see what the truck has on them when they stop.

Same exact thing as the ones on the rack but with a reduced warrenty because they sat on a shelf too long.

My $30 700CCA MT-34 is still whipping over my 302 just fine after 4 years.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yea, I don't recommend bargain batteries. I'm not even all that excited about the better ones. But I do know that Autozone sells "used" batteries which are often new ones that have sat on the shelf too long. I suspect that other places do the same thing.

 

[shane96ranger]

The best (read: best value in) batteries I know of are probably the Kirkland/Interstate batteries at Costco..

I am Shane, and I approve of this message. Their warranty is awesome. They have a 42 month, that's right FORTY TWO month warranty. If your battery dies, and you get it replaced, the warranty renews.

 

[4x4junkie]

Try Delco Voyager deep-cycle battery. It is a popular choice among jeep and truck owners. It can last up to 9 years or more.

Unfortunately that isn't the case anymore (I know, I've been buying Delco Voyager batteries myself since the 1980s). About 7 years ago Delco switched to a different battery supplier, and of course they went right to shit afterward (a pair of Voyagers I bought in '09 lasted just short of five years, they were the very first Voyagers I've owned to last less than 8½ years).

So now I just buy whatever is available (short of anything bottom-barrel) and hit them with a 12-24 hour absorption charge @ ~14.6V every 3-4 months to fully nurture the battery back to a 100% charge.
Costco's deep-cycle batteries look to be the same as the current Voyager, but are about 40% cheaper at $80 a pop... If I can get 5 years out of them too, then I guess that's good enough for now unless I happen to come across something better/needs less attention (that also isn't quadruple the $$$).

 

[Mightyfordranger]

What about optima solid state batteries I have heard nothing but good news from those.(never owned one tho couldn't afford it)

 

[Mazda]

I have and will always use Autozone Duralast Batteries. Bought one for the B2300 on 12/05/2002 and lasted till 6/22/2012. Yes that's right 9½ years!!!!!!!!! New one in for 3 years and also no problems.. Just check the water level every two weeks or so.


No problems with it at all. and I will tell you I leave the radio on all the time washing/working on it and used to listen to the radio for at least a hour a night on lunch 5 night a week.

Never by a Exide battery. They are crap !!!!!!!!

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Do you have a volt meter in your truck? Putting the battery on a trickle charge will keep it alive longer. Running the battery down and then starting the motor also makes the charging system work harder. A volt meter telling you battery voltage with the key on and when running will tell you when something aint right. Any battery is only as good as the charging system.

 

[Andy D]

The alternator is fine , It puts out 14.5 volts .Its a bad battery,it just doesn't hold float voltage and anything I use to charge it, is just turning electricity into heat. I am gonna get a new battery and put it on a trickle charger. I like the suggestion of a "used" Interstate.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yea, I don't recommend bargain batteries. I'm not even all that excited about the better ones. But I do know that Autozone sells "used" batteries which are often new ones that have sat on the shelf too long. I suspect that other places do the same thing.

I have one in a tractor and one in my truck, tractor is 3 years old and truck is like I said 4. No issues at all.

 

[Andy D]

I have one in a tractor and one in my truck, tractor is 3 years old and truck is like I said 4. No issues at all.

So, I can go to my local AZ and ask for an old battery and get it for a discount? How much of a discount? Hmmn, I need some some odds and ends, I'll give it a try.

 

[4x4junkie]

What about optima solid state batteries I have heard nothing but good news from those.(never owned one tho couldn't afford it)

Nope, Optima went downhill as well. They were sold off to the same company that Delco went to (Johnson Controls). Just do an internet search for "Optima battery problems"... You'll find at least one multi-page thread about this subject (more likely several) on just about every vehicle-centric web forum that exists (one of our own is right here).

I will say I have seen somewhat less activity on these threads in the last 1-2 years or so... Maybe they've improved some, I don't know. But I still ain't paying triple for a battery that I don't know whether it'll last 3× as long as one I can buy from Costco (that is also ~40% smaller Ah capacity).

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

So, I can go to my local AZ and ask for an old battery and get it for a discount? How much of a discount? Hmmn, I need some some odds and ends, I'll give it a try.

Mine are Interstates, selection varies with what is on the battery delivery truck.

I have never been in an Autozone.