Battery life

jfrankhash said:
If you do buy a "battery tender", be aware that they are not all created equal. BATTERY TENDER (trademark) ones are much better made and cost more that BATTERY BUTLER (trademark).
BATTERY TENDER also comes with a pigtail connector that will let you keep the battery cover on your Model A in place and still attach it.
Would highly reccommend that you spring for the extra bucks and get a BATTERY TENDER. John
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I have been using "Battery MINDERs" for years on both 6 volt and 12 volt.

http://www.batterymart.com/p-batteryminder-plus-12v-1_3a-battery-charger.html

The link above is just one of the potential sources for them.

Seems to be good quality. I don't know how to compare to the others.

They say it uses pulses of voltage to the plates after the battery is fully charged to prevent sulfatation of the lead plates. I don't know if that is real or just marketing, but my batteries really last a long time.
 
I just replaced my Interstate Battery which was 9 years old. No battery tender, and running an original generator, unheated garage in New England.
 
This thread reminds me of a older article I saw in one of the magazines about restoring a battery that had sulfided from lack of use. The chemical was not readily available and I don't think you can get a pharmacist to help you in today's climate. Does anyone know if there is a treatment that is available? Thanks Bill G
 
Re "...chemical used to 'restore' a battery that had sulfided from lack of use..."

EDTA (Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid), a chelating agent sometimes used as a lime descaling agent. Of doubtful benefit in restoring sulfided batteries from what I've read.
 
J.C. Pennys lifetime battery warentee: I bought a lifetime warenteed battry for my '70 VW van in '76. I don't remember how long it lasted but I am now on my 5th or 6th FREE battery from J.C. Penny!! They haven't delt with auto perts for many years but turned over their warentee program over to Firestone. Every time I go to the customer service office to get my new battery I expect them to say NO MORE. When I ask for a new one the sweet young gal behind the desk says they don't have car parts I ask for the mature lady in the back. She says sure and pulls out the claim form. I show her my original receipt and registration (original bus owner).I fill it out and take it down to the Firestone dealer across the parking lot and he says no problem. He said he still gets a dozen or so claims every year. Haven't been in for 3-4 years so will see what happens the next time.
 
I think some batteries are just better then others. I have a 6 volt group 1 Interstate batt. in my 35 Ford which I installed when I got the car back in 2000. The car is driven less then 200 miles a yr. & sets in my garage the rest of the time. This last Fri. it started right up after almost a yr. setting. I never have to put a charger on it. I've had the same batts. in a couple Model A's & if they last four yrs. I'm lucky.
 
Buster T. said,
"Well, the guys covered everything about batteries quite well-----AGAIN!" Then, he WHINED, "When're they going to do the timing thing again? I'm still confused--------" Buster T. Brown. D.E.
 
I had my Optima go belly up beginning of this year...which I was a little disappointed in. I put it in summer of 07 I believe. It's whole life it saw a generator and it normally read about 6 amps while cruising. My generator acted up (stopped charging) about this time, so at first I thought maybe the battery was just run down some. It wasn't totally dead, just lazy at turning the engine over. Even my old "dumb" charger couldn't bring it back. In the end, I got a new alternator, new farm and fleet battery, and everything works great now.

I saw a few too many Optimas give fits in cars I've worked on, so I haven't used any more of them. Farm and Fleet has always stood behind their products for me, so I'd rather spend 35 bucks every 3-5 years than spend 120 or so and risk the same life span.
 
Something I didn't see mentioned here, and I know some of you understand this, is that the rate of charge is going to be dictated by the source offered AND the state of condition of the battery. So whereas a charging rate of 1-3A may be normal with a properly matched setup and good condition battery, the battery will draw much more if it is low on charge. So 10A of chaRGE could be considered normal if the battery is low. Now that charge draw won't or shouldn't stay at the rate forever, it will drop as the battery needs less. But depending on how far/long you drive your car, you may or may not see this change. I just wanted to make sure everyone reading about the charging rate understood this point as well.
 
Just happened to be messing with my battery last night and noticed it's 7 years old. It is only rated for 2 years. I use a Battery Tender 100% of the time.
 
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