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My whole family has just been going to Walmart for batteries for the past several years and we've never had any issues. I know Walmart has a bad reputation (which is often deserved) but the batteries have been a non issue for us.
Interesting to see another poster with a poor experience with DEKA batteries.
I'd bought 2 ea for my JD 4020D tractor from Batteries Plus. The batteries were higher rated for CCA and reserve amp capacity than the Interstate batteries they replaced. $130 ea for the DEKA's.
Both batteries never performed anywhere close to their ratings from day one. While I didn't put an ammeter on the starter draw, it was obvious from the first start that the starter was turning a bit more slowly. When cold weather hit, I needed to plug in my block heater at higher ambient temps to get the tractor started than with the prior batteries.
Within two years, the DEKA's would not hold a charge for more than a few weeks. In my off-season from farming, the 4020 gets used to deliver round bales to our livestock from our hay yard, so it can sit for weeks at a time. I needed to put a trickle charger on the batteries between uses. By the third year of service, the batteries would barely deliver enough energy to crank the diesel engine over in warm weather, so I pulled them out and took them back to Batteries Plus for warranty. They pulled the "pro-rata" gimmick on me for the months of use I'd gotten out of the batteries even though they had a "3-year replacement" warranty and 5-year pro-rata warranty.
Went back to Interstate batteries and have had no issues in the last 3 years with them. Batteries Plus has not seen me darken their door ever since this experience.
I have been a big fan of Battery Tenders for years, any bike, car, truck, or tractor that I have BT on, seems to start right up even if it's been weeks since last run. Just wondering if you use these or similar smart chargers? Of course a vehicle that's run say once a week does not really "need" these, but in my experience the BT keeps the battery in not just "viable" but optimal condition. I typically get 10 years or more out of batteries. But I do keep them topped up with distilled water, and keep rigs in good enough tune that I don't need to grind on the starter for a long time to get them to start.
When did it become wrong to use"several" to mean 3. I did not know the exact number, so I chose the word several. I can't see what's wrong with my choice of word?
Sorry, I was taught several meant a lot & a few meant 3....
I have been a big fan of Battery Tenders for years, any bike, car, truck, or tractor that I have BT on, seems to start right up even if it's been weeks since last run. Just wondering if you use these or similar smart chargers? Of course a vehicle that's run say once a week does not really "need" these, but in my experience the BT keeps the battery in not just "viable" but optimal condition. I typically get 10 years or more out of batteries. But I do keep them topped up with distilled water, and keep rigs in good enough tune that I don't need to grind on the starter for a long time to get them to start.
Costco has the 3 amp 6-12v tender model on sale for $30 this month... limit 3.
I have been a big fan of Battery Tenders for years, any bike, car, truck, or tractor that I have BT on, seems to start right up even if it's been weeks since last run. Just wondering if you use these or similar smart chargers? Of course a vehicle that's run say once a week does not really "need" these, but in my experience the BT keeps the battery in not just "viable" but optimal condition. I typically get 10 years or more out of batteries. But I do keep them topped up with distilled water, and keep rigs in good enough tune that I don't need to grind on the starter for a long time to get them to start.
with as many vehicles ... cars, trucks, tractors, ATV's, boats, motorcycles, and an airplane ... as we have in the fleet, some which can sit for a winter or infrequently used in a farming season ...
a trickle charger or BT has been SOP on many of these batteries for the last 40 years.
more recently, I've switched over to solar trickle chargers to maintain the batteries. $12.99 at horrible freight for a 13w (IIRC), I buy them with their 20% off coupons when I'm in town. You can tell when they're charging from their LED indicator, these are regulated to not overcharge a battery. Typically, a voltmeter will show a slight voltage increase over the surface voltage when the solar panel is charging ... .1 amp or slightly less. We're seeking to maintain the charged battery and offset internal losses or self-discharge with these and so far they've worked out pretty well.
If I need to re-charge a battery that's a bit low out in the field/tractor yard and have a few days before I need to use the piece of equipment ... I've got a 12v 35w solar panel from horrible freight that works pretty well. With a 3 amp regulated charge rate, it will bring up the batteries in a few days and then cycle out.
I've had 10 year service life out of RV and Boat batteries this way. Unfortunately, have never seen such a long service life on lead-acid batteries in other applications. And yes, we keep all of our vehicles in tune, I don't like the stress on the electrical systems or starters. Can usually start my O-470R within 2 blades except in the coldest of weather, and my tractors usually start within the first few compression strokes. With the FI cars, it's rare that they aren't started within the first or second compression stroke on the first starting attempt ... even in sub-freezing weather.
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