Topic: Battery Life

[Squishy]

To be fair, the General used to be at the forefront of automotive innovation with things such as air bags, HUDs, and even concrete highway barriers.  Their R&D department needs to get back to work.

[anonymoss]

I would think that whether you own / buy an Interstate / Kirkland / Eliminator / Delco / Orbital etc. etc. and keeping the luck or lack thereof out of the equation there may be some usefull things we could all do to keep the charge ship shape.  I think Safristi mentioned the battery tender which is probably a good idea or any similar device which will automatically maintain or keep the charge at optimum level.  When the battery has been charged it stops charging.  Some may call it an automatic trickle charger.  If the battery is removed from the vehicle it's best to probably keep it somewhere that will not go below freezing and just keep it connected to the auto trickle charger until you need to use it.  Connecting an auto trickle charger to a battery already in a vehicle is also a good idea from time to time as it keeps it topped up on a regular basis so that your alternator does not have to work as hard.  I am not sure how often or the optimum interval between trickle charging a battery already in a vehicle.  Perhaps someone with more knowhow can enlighten the rest of us.  Should we trickle charge daily / weekly / monthly etc.  assuming the vehicle is used daily mixed with 25% long trips (over 30km) and 75% short trips? Checking and maintaing the fluid level with distilled water is also a good idea on a regular basis assuming you do not have a sealed unit.  Another point to ponder is .. will a sealed unit need to be trickle charged as often as a unit with open cells or vice versa?

[safristi]

There was a thread recently about the newer Spiral Celled Batteries...twice the PRICE but take twice the abuse.....running flat is no problemo as is tipping etc....if YOUR BATTERY is your Lifeline for WORK..may be the solution for U...sure $150 or so may seem RICH..but then in the grand scheme of Auto fiddly bits it pretty cheap insurance.....

[Trainman]

There was a thread recently about the newer Spiral Celled Batteries...twice the PRICE but take twice the abuse.....running flat is no problemo as is tipping etc....if YOUR BATTERY is your Lifeline for WORK..may be the solution for U...sure $150 or so may seem RICH..but then in the grand scheme of Auto fiddly bits it pretty cheap insurance.....

Saf may be thinking of this post, the one that started this all.  If it is another, then maybe he can point us in the right direction?

Just replaced the battery on the Pathfinder, for the second time.  The first one (the OEM I think) lasted 3 years, the second not quite.  On the Mystique, the OEM battery was replaced under warranty, so less than 3 years for that one.

Hopefully this one will be better:

Motomaster Eliminator Spiral Cell Battery

770 cold cranking amps



How long do your batteries last (vehicle batteries, not other electronic/personal pleasure devices)?  And I know that there are different factors that impact battery life but I am just wondering.

and this one, a review of the spiral battery from CD:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,55464.msg461298.html#msg461298

[safristi]

I'm only feeling slightly CRANKY ta nite..so i'll let Trainman lead the class dis evening.....".so ya put tha positives on yer tongue and the neg on yer geritols ..AND THEN...ask the tough Questions....Okey dokey....."

[Schmengie]

Replaced the '00 Neon's battery once, in '04. Had the car from Sept.'99 to Sept.'07.

[Trainman]

This must be a record for the longest a topic has actually remained on topic   

So far, no issues with my new battery   

[Squishy]

Just replaced the 9 year old battery in our Escort, original Motorcraft.  Still started the car, but I noticed it being sluggish even with the small four-banger.  Failed a battery test, and I had it replaced to save the alternator from having to charge it all the time.

[Bubba]

Oops.  This past weekend, I somehow managed to leave my trunk lid open just enough to keep the light on.     Needless to say, the car's battery wasn't up to the task of starting the car when I turned the key yesterday.  As far as I know, the original battery is still in the car, meaning it's nearly 6.5 years old.  I put a charger on it overnight and the car fired right up this morning.  Lucky me, the battery didn't freeze.

My mechanic suggested I look into replacing the battery since it might be on borrowed time.  I'll be in Fargo, North Dakota in a few weeks and will look into replacing it then, maybe with a DieHard or Interstate.

[sailor723]

  I'll be in Fargo, North Dakota in a few weeks and will look into replacing it then, maybe with a DieHard or Interstate.

Maybe you spoke too soon Trainman

Is this where we convert this into a US vs CDN pricing thread? 

[safristi]

Trust yer NOT feelingCHIPPER Winkie.........

[Bubba]

I'm doing great.  Why do you ask?   

[bizzy928]

Kirkland Signature is Costco's private brand. A private brand is usually made by another manufacturer for cost savings reasons.

Johnson Controls makes Kirkland Signature batteries. Johnson Controls also makes Die Hard (Sears), Interstate, Optima (Sprial), etc.

For the price, you can't go wrong with the Kirkland Signature which most likely has more CCA than your oem, and is the LOWEST price around. The built in HANDLE and battery "stool" is also an added bonus!

I used to use Eliminator batteries, but they are double the price, and DO NOT last twice as long...

[Squishy]

I heard somewhere that Johnson Controls has started applying Optima technology to the top-of-the-line Die Hard battery(ies), but they also improved on it and didn't use Optima's distinctive spiral shape.  The result is a battery that both lasts and performs better than an Optima.

I haven't looked into this to either confirm or refute what I heard, I'm just posting it as a rumour.

[Bubba]

I finally replaced the Sebring's battery today with an Interstate Mega-Tron 75 - 650 CCA.  The original battery, in the car for 6 years 9 months, had 510 CCA.

[Rupert]

Have had great life out of Chrysler batteries...5 or so vehicles with mostly over 8 years and still going when sold. The batteries always looked a bit small but this may not be a bad thing...less plate distortion perhaps. They ceratainly did the job.
Mercury sable was a different story though. Big battery but life was not great but it may have been the alternator that was at fault. Guy up at a Sauble beach garage fixed it. He came out to the camp site when we called and had an alternator in his garage. The replacement lasted till the car was sold...three batteries on that one. Funny...the alternator was checked on at least two occasions.

[Bubba]

I finally replaced the Sebring's battery today with an Interstate Mega-Tron 75 - 650 CCA.  The original battery, in the car for 6 years 9 months, had 510 CCA.

I replaced the battery in North Dakota.  Do I dare mention it when I cross the border tomorrow?

[wing]

Haha that would be silly.

I think I need a new battery on my S2000 -- 8 years old but cranks slower and I let it completely die a few times.

I would hate to get stuck on track after a spin and not be able to start it -- right now if you crank twice and it doesn't start the battery is dead and it needs a good boost to get it going again.  I've had it a few times on track where I spun and it requires a few good cranks to get it going because it stalls and spins backwards a bit.

Wish me luck this doesn't happen tomorrow!

[dr_spock]

Good luck.  You could take one of those battery power packs along for the ride in case you need to boost in the middle of the track. 

[ilovecables]

I got 6 years out of the OEM batt, replaced it last fall with an Energizer from WalMart.