The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (DON'T make it a sticky!)

[Jlawsen]

Re: The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (make it a sticky!)

Re: The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (make it a sticky!)

+1

on bruceb58's recommendation to get your battery info from a good internet website. The one he recommended is excellent.

I'll buy into that to the point where I know that the info is current. A lot of the info on the internet is put up by people who have no desire to maintain it after the fact. You really need to make those phone calls to get up to date info.

So how many of you will debate this here with post after post, how many of you will make the phone calls and how many of you will just say the heck with it, I know what I'm doing and go buy a decent battery at Wallmart. Admittedly, I probably fall into the later category except that Interstate is closer than Walmart and I'd go there. Out on the road, Walmarts are easier to find so I'd probably go there. Odds are pretty good (not 100% sure) the batteries at Walmart are made by Johnson Controls just like the ones at Interstate.

Marine batteries are supposed to able to withstand the rigors of marine use but how many of you have cut one up and actually verified the difffernce. I haven't nor do I intend to. Is it re-marketing of basic auto batteries, I don't know, you sure as heck won't be told that by the manufacturers.

Do you really want a true Deep Cycle battery? Nah, not unless you're a fairly large boat with a genset onboard to maintain them.

So what is it that makes the difference? In my opinion, the basic Marine start/deepcyle (as marketed) battery is the best choice for 90% of you. The next thing I look at is the RCA (reserve cranking amps) which is a rating of how many minutes the battery can be used when the load is a constant 25amps. That gives me an idea of about how long the battery will go without me damaging it. The final thing I try to determine is how many charge cycles it will handle. Most are 150-180 but the better ones are now boasting 200. That number will give you an idea of how many times you can put a charger on it provided you also properly maintain the battery.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Whether you read and agree or agree to disagree is your option.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (make it a sticky!)

Re: The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (make it a sticky!)

I know what I'm doing and go buy a decent battery at Wallmart. Admittedly, I probably fall into the later category except that Interstate is closer than Walmart and I'd go there. Out on the road, Walmarts are easier to find so I'd probably go there.

After seeing how WalMart has been "playing" with battery warranties the past couple years, they have lost my battery business.

First, they stopped warrantying Marine batteries a couple years ago. I had one in the cart ready to purchase, and when I asked the clerk about the warranty and found out there wasn't one, I pulled it out of the cart and put it back on the shelf. As I understand it, they now have the warranty back, too bad if you bought one during the non-warranty period...

Second, they changed the warranty on their automotive batteries and won't honor the length of the warranty on the original battery. I took in a dead 3.5 year old battery, and while they did replace it (eventually), they ripped all the stickers off the battery. Absolutely no warranty on the replacement battery, even though the original battery still had 4-6 years of warranty left on it.

Third, you are guilty until proven other wise. They treat you (at least my store did twice, bad clerks?) like you are trying to rip them off while warrantying a battery. It wasn't worried that they had to test the battery, they should test the battery, but the attitude, like I was trying to rip them off? I was under the impression that they were trying to drive customers away. Maybe,,, drive away all customers that will warranty a bad battery... All the other customers that don't warranty bad batteries, were cool with them... Keep bringing us your stacks of money... :facepalm:


As for the battery selection, flooded, AGM, gel, deep cycle, marine, automotive, Professor's coconut battery on Gilligan's island, cheap, expensive, brand loyalty... I buy the best "bang for the buck battery" as I think it's far more important to maintain the battery properly, than it is to buy a high dollar battery.

 

[KX6D]

Re: The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (make it a sticky!)

Re: The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (make it a sticky!)

One controversy that gets a lot of attention is whether you can use a deep cycle battery as a starting battery. The Op stated it can't be done while others states it does not matter.

Although I thought it was pretty shallow the first time I read it, the best recommendation I've read is to buy the biggest hunk of lead that will fit your battery compartment and still fit within your budget.

Thank you sir. I generalized my comment about not using deep cycle batteries as starting batteries. What I should have added is "there are exceptions". Those exceptions were beyond the basics of my post, which were to get people to understand the FUNDAMENTAL differences between batteries. Thanks for the kudos on my recommendation of what battery to consider.

Dino - KX6D

 

[bruceb58]

Re: The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (make it a sticky!)

Re: The TRUTH about BATTERIES! (make it a sticky!)

One thing I do agree with you on is the Odyssey battery. Very resistant to vibration and does not lose its charge while sitting. They are expensive and worth it. Have used them in other applications besides marine. They are deep cycle batteries as well as being able to produce a lot of current for starting.