Forget Finding an Honest Man Diogenes, Find Me a Good Battery

[leo]

I've questioned this in previous posts, seems that there is a majority of negative feedback about most 6 volt batteries. I want to the Tractor Supply web site looking for reviews on their 6 volt batteries and from what I read I doubt that they would ever sell another one. Another post said that you cannot go by any brand name because if you pull 2 batteries off the shelf one my die in 2-3 years while the other will last for 5 years. Then there is talk about batteries being made in China, Mexico, battery plates being made with inferior metals, batteries that will not take a charge, whats a guy have to do to find a good 6 volt battery????

[msmaron]

call optima and be done in 5 minutes!

[mshmodela]

I can tell you that what I suspect I experienced this past year was to slowly discharge my battery with a 6V/2A auto-sensing charger --I suspect (newbie comment). I charged my battery with a non-sensing 6V/6A charger for 12 hours --twice over two days... 24 hours in all over two days.. Oh and yes I have a battery disconnect switch so nothing could have drained the battery..

You may wish at least try a longer sets of charging (and not over night) and see if it will hold a charge.. Mine sat for 12 days in my non-heated garage and it spun the engine just fine...

[Dan/Kzo]

After reading through the current thread regarding Optima batteries, I would not buy one.

[jrelliott]

I purchased my last 6V battery from NAPA when I changed back to 6V. That was three years ago. Car can sit for weeks and will still start. BTW we had 18" of snow last week and the garage is in the 40 to 45 degree range. The 12V battery before lasted over 8 years and could not refill it. This latest battery has fill caps so can replace the water when it evaporates. Batteries will last a long time if you keep a close check on the water and keep them charged.

[Rowdy]

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I used to use Ultrapower hand built batteries. If I ever find an original early 29 battery that I can offord I will likely take it to their shop to rebuild for the delivery. In the meantime their Group 1 battery will be fine. Rod

[C26Pinelake]

I have TSC batteries in 5 of my cars and never a problem. You are never going go find a perfect battery so waste not your time. Buy the one with the best guarantee. Wayne

[Pinesdune]

Most places don't sell enough 6 volts to keep them fresh, sometimes they may sit on the shelf for years. You could ask your local suplier to bring you in a fresh battery for your needs. Also, I can't remeber who makes them for John Deere, but I have had about the best luck with their "strong box" batteries, they have a heavier plate in them to take the vibrations of field work, you don't get the cranking amps (a JD will have 550 amps give or take compared to a car battery 650 plus), but they usually last twice as long as anything else I've brought home.

[Terry, NJ]

For those who are so inclined, In Quaker town, Pa, we have a Battery Warehouse, which I'm told, is a chain by a friend in NC, who has one near him. I bought my 6V battery there in Aug 2013, Total cost was $75 with the tax. The Battery has gone down when left for a few weeks in cool weather. Also, I think there's a couple of issues with the starter not disengaging. Sorry, I don't recall the name on it. But it seems to be working ok.
Terry

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

For those who are so inclined, In Quaker town, Pa, we have a Battery Warehouse, which I'm told, is a chain by a friend in NC, who has one near him. I bought my 6V battery there in Aug 2013, Total cost was $75 with the tax. The Battery has gone down when left for a few weeks in cool weather. Also, I think there's a couple of issues with the starter not disengaging. Sorry, I don't recall the name on it. But it seems to be working ok.
Terry

It shouldn't have with no draw

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Pinesdune

Most places don't sell enough 6 volts to keep them fresh, sometimes they may sit on the shelf for years. You could ask your local suplier to bring you in a fresh battery for your needs. Also, I can't remeber who makes them for John Deere, but I have had about the best luck with their "strong box" batteries, they have a heavier plate in them to take the vibrations of field work, you don't get the cranking amps (a JD will have 550 amps give or take compared to a car battery 650 plus), but they usually last twice as long as anything else I've brought home.

I was told they fly off the shelves by my interstate warehouse

[DougVieyra]

As someone who lives his everyday life with batteries (I live 'Off-Grid', and have solar-powered battery banks as my sole source of electricity), I can tell you battery life is (well, 95%) all about close-watching maintenance. By closely monitoring and 'attending to' your batteries, they will last a long, long time (7 years is my minimum, with 10 years not uncommon).

With a 10 - 20 minute reading of several 'Google Searches' on 'Maintaining 6 and 12 Volt batteries' one will find a plethora of pertinent information on how you can get an easy 6 to 8 years of life out of your battery. But it is like brushing your teeth. Having the toothbrush and toothpaste is not enough. You have to actually USE IT frequently and regularly.

I live in a rural timber/ranching area where ranch and farm supply stores are common. Here just about every 4th guy has a tractor that takes a 6 (or 8) volt battery; so they won't be going 'out of style' anytime soon. However, I get my 6 volt batteries (every 8 years of so) from my local Interstate Warehouse. For my 12 Volt batteries, it's hard to beat COSTCO's Kirkland batteries.

[Rowdy]

Doug. Definately agree with good maintenance. At work we maintain 164 electric forktrucks. Both 24V and 36V. We have a comprehensive program that looks at the hours that we average between battery charges. And also looks at the lifts individually to see an average of how long batteries last in each lift. Couple that with adding water every 4th charge cycle and equalizing every 6th charge. Before we tracked battery usage like we do now our average was about 3 1/2 usage. Now with also tracking the machine time and fixing problems when there is a trending problem we are well over 6 hrs average and getting better in noticeable fashion. Hoping by mid year we will be close to 8 hrs. Rod

[Mikeinnj]

I just replaced an eight year old six volt Interstate battery. The only maintenance I ever performed was to check and add distilled water during the summer, which was seldom needed.

The car sat in a an unheated garage in Northern Massachusetts from each September until the following June and never used a charger during that ten months span. Each June the car would turn over and start promptly.

Heat and overcharging is what kills batteries. (Check your generator output)

Many battery companies make special batteries depending on what climate zones they are to be sold in. So the battery you buy in Florida is made differently that one you buy in New York.

[Pinesdune]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

I was told they fly off the shelves by my interstate warehouse

I was more referring to individual businesses. At least locally for myself when I look for a 6v I have to check or ask how long they've had the battery on hand. I imagine a main warehouse or depot would/should have good turnover.


Saving iron from the scrap pile one piece at a time

[deetz]

Had a NAPA 6V battery last about seven years. Didn't think that was too bad, so replaced with same.

[DougVieyra]

One of the problems with keeping our 6 volt batteries in good shape is that the original battery location on the Ford Model A is a real 'pisser'. The main goal/concern is about keeping it fully (but not overly) charged. That is easy enough to do. But what is also of great importance in battery health is proper water (electrolyte) level. And that is a bitch to adequately check on in a manner that would encourage frequent inspection and addition of water (distilled only): Carpet/rubber floor mat removal & wooden floor board removal. With their attendant peripherals of brake & shifter rubber 'boots', etc., getting to the actual battery is a time-consuming and 'hassle' intensive job.

Of course most of us take the 'short cut' of just pulling the mat/carpet back, lifting the 'Battery Inspection Plate', and then looking as best we can down into the 'cavity', hoping that we can do an "adequate" job of inspection. And for the most part that is just what we achieve - 'Adequate'. However, a much better job of getting to the battery can be done with the more laborious Floorboard removal. But either way, the main object is to check on the water (electrolyte) level of each of the three battery cells, because water lever is one of the most important aspects of battery life and performance.

One device that helps keep the battery's water from 'evaporating', misting, splashing, etc., (reducing water/electrolyte loss by 50%) is the "Water Miser" Safety Vent, by FLOW SYSTEMS. A great many people who live intimate lives with batteries use these 'recovery' caps to cut their water maintenance in half. If the battery is exposed for easy access then these caps are of only marginal value. However, if the battery is located in difficult to access location (under the floor-board) then these unique
"Water Miser" caps are worth investigating. It will cut your water loss in half and thereby reduce the hassle factor of thoroughly checking your battery water level (removing floor-board) in half. These special caps replace your original factory caps, and cost about $2.50 each. If you are having battery problems, these might be worth a look. The have a website: www.FlowSystemsUSA.com

These unique water-recovery caps only work on 6 volt batteries, and 'old fashioned' 12 volt batteries that have the six-caps for filling water into the six individual battery cells. The won't work on today's conventional 'seal' batteries.

[ModAfan]

I get mine at Tractor Supply. I asked the salesman how long they sat on the shelf. He said they were primarily tractor batteries and that they moved out pretty fast.

[Fred K-OR]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

I was told they fly off the shelves by my interstate warehouse

I use Interstate batteries in my 5 rigs. Have had very good luck with them. But I buy them from a local farm store where this type of battery is used more often than if you bought it from Amazon or ???

[Terry, NJ]

In theory, Yes! In practice, I dunno! I've never seen a battery that wouldn't lose at least some of it's charge over time. Granted, some lose more than others. I know a person who believes passionately that putting one on a concrete floor will some (It is not clear just how) will suck the charge out of it. But I'm not to the point of swearing at it yet. Also, It may not have been fully charged when I last put it away.
Terry

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

It shouldn't have with no draw