OT: What's A Good Brand of Auto Battery

[RetiredFAE]

Find and check the ground between the engine block and the frame, I have had more of those corrode with age, even though I live in the desert, and this causes not only problems with charging but with the electronics in newer vehicles.

Most vehicles have only one ground strap from the frame to the block, if any, and I have added a couple of more on all my vehicles (1970-1/2 Trans Am, 1989 F150, 1995 H1 HUMMER (it already had two) and a 2001 PT Cruiser) and after doing so on the Trans Am , F150 and PT Cruiser, noticed a decrease in voltage drop to the battery from the alternators, and a decrease in noise on my HAM radios in them as well.

On my late wife's PT Cruiser, it solved the erratic shifting problem the transaxle was having that the dealership couldn't find.

Motor mounts don't provide all that great a ground path , especially the newer ones with polyurethane bushings I have found, so having a good solid DC ground between the block and frame has made a difference for me, your results may vary.

The 1995 H1 Hummer has the original Interstate Megatron Plus batteries in it, 22 years and 91,000 miles old, I test them once a month with HF's top dollar 500 Amp load tester(was a gift) , and a similarly rated old SUN tester, they both read almost identical values and show both batteries are still in great condition.

The Trans Am has a 9 year old Everstart MAX in it, turning over a 600+ cubic inch 13.5 :1 Compression big block, and it's still doing fine.

The F150 and PT both have the Everstart Max batteries as well, both are 7 years old, that's pretty good life here in the desert for a car battery.

I do keep after them , keeping the cells filled to the proper level with distilled / deionized water, and using both a hydrometer and the load testers to check the state of charge, mostly because I am retired and now that my wife of 42 years is gone, I don't have nearly enough to do to keep me occupied..... other than, that is, dodging the widows, divorcees, and spinsters around here who seem to come out of the wood work when they hear there is a single guy with all his own hair, teeth and two or more nickels to rub together in town.........fortunately the cat likes tuna noodle casserole...........

[Paul Alciatore]

OK, OK, understood! I hope it got away with it.

Paul have to say totally with Willy here, consider yourself lucky,
battery's are also a voltage sink stabilizer and without them can make the regulator spike - this can blow everything from your cruise control to your main ECU

Do not ever attempt to run a vehicle without a battery engaged...

[Paul Alciatore]

I am calling my favorite mechanic in the morning. Beyond my pay grade. And beyond my back.

[Ridgerunner]

To test for a bad diode, start the car. Put your meter on AC volts. If the meter has different settings, choose a low one. Touch one probe to positive the other to negative. Any volt reading will indicate a bad diode.

If a battery has been discharged dead or low for a long period of time it will never come back. The sulfation will become hard on the negative plates reducing usable area. If caught early the battery can be overcharged for a period of time with a battery charger. Because of sulfation a battery can test good but never really have the original capacity.

[Abner]

Charging voltage should be between 13.8 and 14.5 v.
Check voltage on the battery post not the cable clamp.
Rarely do diodes go bad.
Things to check;
Ground-
Corrosion between cable and battery post.
Loose wire(s) attached to alternator.
'Wet' top on battery. Needs to be, should be dry.
Can't see what you see, my 2 cents...

[MattiJ]

"Best" battery might be totally different depending where you live.
Arizona and your battery is drying out and plates corroding, but in here or Alaska cold crank amps and ability to charge fast when its freezing cold are the important factors.

[dfw5914]

Walmart or Interstate.

[CarlByrns]

Was told that there's actually less than a handful of companies left that make all the lead acid types, they just label them different names...

im due for another one and was thinking of getting an Interstate, think that's about best i can do around here.

That's the right answer. How It's Made had a segment at a car battery factory. In the foreground were Interstate batteries (supposedly junk) and in the background were Deka batteries (supposedly the best). Both battery lines were getting the same internals. There were other brands being built with the logos blurred out.

Best battery I ever had was a Motorcraft in my F-150. Lasted 13 years of +100F summers and -20F winters before struggling on cold days. A friend of mine used it to kick over a generator for a few more years before it finally wouldn't hold a charge.

[jd99]

"... dodging the widows, divorcees, and spinsters around here who seem to come out of the wood work when they hear there is a single guy with all his own hair, teeth and two or more nickels to rub together in town..."

Yes, remember the good old days when they would only take you for one of those nickels? Now it's the whole enchilada. Old guys are a prime prey species.

[lynnl]

Over the last 30 to 40 years, and numerous vehicles, it has been my experience that batteries last exactly as long as their rating (months). During that time I've almost always had two, or more commonly three, vehicles. In nearly every case when I'd check my old receipt when one failed it would show it to be right at the end of that rating period.
On two or three occasions I found it to be the exact date!.

These were mostly Diehards and Everstarts, along with a few others. Don't recall ever owning any Interstates.

[vpt]

Was told that there's actually less than a handful of companies left that make all the lead acid types, they just label them different names...

Yes and after the battery is built and tested the test results decide what sticker goes on the battery. OEM always get the best tested batteries.

[bob_s]

Most ECU units made since the advent by Robert Bosch have utilized an internal voltage regulator, typically around 8 volts, specifically so that the car can continue to run with a marginal to dead battery or with a failing alternator.

I've seen cars running with the alternator putting out 18 volts with NO damage to the ECU.

The other thing to check is for sulphation of the battery cable itself. 0.2 volt drop from the alternator to the battery post at 30 amps charging current would be acceptable, but that should only occur for 30 sec max in pleasant temperatures. This can have the same symptoms as a faulty starter solenoid, or in the early stages slow to charge battery.

[CCWKen]

I work on Volvo's and euro cars for a living. We run intestate batteries in them with very good results. Optima batteries used to be good, but their quality control has gone down the tubes. Another good option is Odyssey batteries. Keep in mind, a lot of issues with batteries can be contributed to driving style (constant short drives vs long drives, climate, and how often you drive, etc).

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

That's it exactly. Batteries don't like to sit idle. I've had Walmart batteries last over 7 years in one car and another go to battery heaven in the second year in the seldom used van.--Even when connected to a maintainer. And pricey doesn't mean good.

This question is like asking which oil is best. Every post will be an opinion.

[vpt]

That's it exactly. Batteries don't like to sit idle. I've had Walmart batteries last over 7 years in one car and another go to battery heaven in the second year in the seldom used van.--Even when connected to a maintainer. And pricey doesn't mean good.

This question is like asking which oil is best. Every post will be an opinion.

I have found the same to be true. I believe the constant fluctuations of the battery as well as big power draws now and then (starting the vehicle) keep the battery "in shape". I feel loading the battery every now and then "shocks" it a bit and helps it keep max CCA. An idle battery even on a tender like you mentioned always seem to get weak in short while.

Although my brother bought a battery conditioner not long ago and it has improved 4 out of 6 batteries already. Batteries much like talked about going weak after sitting a lot. Ones I think are so weak they must have a dead cell, the conditioner brought them back into usable condition again.

Also along the lines of using a battery regularly, we used to keep batteries in all our lawn type tractors (different tractors for winter and summer). We were constantly replacing them every second season because they went bad. We then started rotating one battery between the two tractors depending what season it was and that battery is still going strong after 3-4 years now.