battery discussions

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Nothing like your wife standing in the rain waiting for a tow truck or AAA to install a battery in those conditions. I couldn't care less about the $30 or $40 extra I might pay, if my wife (or worse, I) avoid getting stranded.

Nothing worse than getting stranded. I took my Corvette to the supermarket and the battery conked out on me. Dead as a door nail.

Trouble was. It was a really hot day and the car was full of perishable groceries (cold/frozen stuff) and AAA said it would be an hour. I imagined all my stuff melting in the back of the car.

It was weird because the market was my third stop. I had already driven to the bank and the drug store without any problems at all. I had no warning.

Well AAA showed up in about a half an hour and got me home. But they had no replacement battery. But they saved my groceries. I don't remember what battery I got. But it was a pain to install.

[Andy4639]

I buy many batteries for the golf carts, 6 @ time adds up quickly! 6v & 8v though they last up to 7-8 years. I want waist my money on blem for them it's not worth it.


Car batteries are not nearly as good as the 6-8volts for whatever reason which to me is more than likely money for the companies. I've had good ones & bad ones and have had every brand you can think of over the years. I use to buy nothing but the Delco replacements but now I buy the one on sale battery at O-Reilly's when I need one.
Just because they are the local store to me.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by '63GENIII

The Blue top has been fully discharged at least 4-5 times a year up until last year when I started trying to take better care of it (battery tender). I keep waiting for it to crap out as well as the Red top but they keep chugging along.

Isn't that the point of deep cycles? To be used until dead then charged again vs constant charge like a normal car battery with an alternator?

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by Tom

Isn't that the point of deep cycles? To be used until dead then charged again vs constant charge like a normal car battery with an alternator?

No! You do not discharge a battery til it's dead, this will killl it faster than any other thing. Golf cart batteries want last very long if you ride the cart until the batteries are dead every time. Same thing for a car battery.


Another thing people do that is bad for a battery is letting the alternator charge the battery. Yes if you stranded it's the only choice you have but if your battery is dead at home you should never let the alternator charge it. It's not made for that it's made to keep it fully charged.

A car battery is 12 volts right. Well a fully charged battery that is new should read about 12.7 when fully charged. So if you battery is only reading 12 volts it's dead.
Same in a golf cart. A 6 volt battery new should be around 6.3 fully charged.
6-6 volts is 36 volts total. When a golf cart is reading 36 volts is considered dead @36 volts and shouldn't be rode until charged. If you keep riding it you are doing more damage to the life of the battery.

[davischevy]

There is no right or wrong in this discussion

I have 2004 Silverado that I rarely drive. I keep a tender on always. The Delco battery crapped the other day. It was 7 years old.

We put Duralast Gold in most of our company trucks and have good luck, and the local Autozone takes good care of us.

I have never had any luck with Interstate. I'm not saying they are not good, just I haven't had any luck.

That said, My granddaughter left her key on the other day and ran the Interstate battery into oblivion. It would not charge with my charger. I took it to the Interstate dealer. He confirmed it dead and out of warranty. He asked me to leave it with him and let him put it on his Interstate charger. I thought, oh yeah. I went and got my winch battery out of the shop and put it in her truck. A couple of days later I called the guy and he said it was ready to go. He wouldn't let me pay him for charging it.

Damn guy made a customer out of me on my next battery purchase.

[Andy4639]

I bought one like this off craigslist several years ago. The fuse was blown. It's a 50 amp charger. I have brought batteries back to life with it several times. It' was a great buy at $150.00.
Normally in the $700.00 range new are even more. It has paid for it's self.

[Custom 68]

As expected my battery was dead once I got my other projects finished on my truck. I also couldn't charge it. Since it was going on 10 years old I figured it did good. I purchased a Delco for it this time. Mainly out of convenience but it did seem hit or miss. Hopefully this one will last, I will do like like you Larry and try to keep the tender on it if it is going to sit much.
Thanks again for the input
Dave