What is everyones battery of choice?

[Mike67]

Optima get them thru. Amazon great deal, just be sure you know how to charge them. From experience!

Ya that was my problem, I bought a brand new one threw it in the car and went...about 3-5 months in it lost its charge couldnt get it to recharge.
Called Optima and they told me that AGMs can have a memory and have to have it erased by charging it a certain way if you dont have an electronic charger...

 

[themechanic]

Autozone battery was in the car when I bought it in 2012. Still cranked but after 5 years I replaced it anyway with Interstate.

I've always used a Battery Tender Plus to maintain the battery in the Coronet since it is parked most of the time.

 

[SoCal440GTX]

Interstate Batteries are made by Johnson Controls, along with many other good quality brands. Walmart EverStarts are too. The Fullerton CA plant closed and production went to Mexico years ago.
Read this if you want to know one of the reasons why.
http://prospect.org/article/fetal-risks-womens-rights-showdown-johnson-controls

 

[lewtot184]

optima is the best battery I've ever used. no matter what brand or type you end up with they're not much better than the rest of the electrical system. good grounds, proper alternator and regulator go a long ways to insure reliability.

 

[Ranger16]

I seem to recall that there are only 3 battery manufacturers in the U.S. regardless of the countless battery brands out there. I may be a bit more skeptical than the next guy, but I'm not really convinced that any one brand is all that much better than the next. Much like oil and tires, pick a brand and you'll find one guy that swears by it and another who swears at it.

 

[Dennis H]

The repro battery I put in the Coronet ate up the inside of the hood with fumes. I never know what to buy. Original battery in the 09 Challenger. What about the newly touted "Power-Grid" technology. What is it?

 

[mrsnicks]

They are all pretty much the same. I just buy the cheapest battery that a 3 year replacement policy. Full replacement not prorated.

So 3 year replacement and prorated from 3-5 years.

 

[SoCal440GTX]

The best batteries made, hands down, are Absorbed Glass Mat technology. The Optima is one example. They stand up best to the 2 biggest killers of batteries, heat and vibration. They can also sit longer without being charged. They self discharge slower and can tolerate sitting in a discharged state much better than conventional Lead-calcium (Sealed Delco) and Lead-Antimony (most other low maintenance).

One problem with an AGM battery is if it is deeply discharged it can be very difficult to get current flowing to recharge it. The resistance is very high and most consumer battery chargers won't output a voltage high enough to get the current started.
Sometimes it takes putting over 100 volts DC across them to get them to start charging. The resistance drops rapidly once they start to charge so you have to back off on the voltage accordingly to keep the amps below 10.

 

[kiwigtx]

I have resigned myself to the fact that I will end up replacing my battery every 2-3 years regardless of what brand or how much I pay for one. Lack of use of the car will kill any battery no matter how good they are supposed to be.
Having them die in one cell is fortuitous as long as it is inside the warranty period....then I get a free replacement.

 

[Ranger16]

I have resigned myself to the fact that I will end up replacing my battery every 2-3 years regardless of what brand or how much I pay for one.

I wouldn't go that far. When I bought my car in '14, it had a no name reconditioned battery. It died last year and when I replaced it the guy looked at the code and said it was 6 years old. I was rather surprised and would never have put money on it lasting that long.

 

[Basket case]

I do know that I can't stand Harris Batteries!!! Had a few on our tractors and rarely get much more than a few years out of them. Our local parts store just switched over to Napa so maybe I'll try one of theirs next.

I bought a Harris (what my Car Quest guy stocks)in '07 when I bought my runner. Still going strong.

 

[Photon440]

I have resigned myself to the fact that I will end up replacing my battery every 2-3 years regardless of what brand or how much I pay for one. Lack of use of the car will kill any battery no matter how good they are supposed to be.

Lack of use can be offset by using a battery tender while parked.

 

[747mopar]

I bought a Harris (what my Car Quest guy stocks)in '07 when I bought my runner. Still going strong.

Might have something to do with being in the weather but the others have well outlasted them.

 

[Basket case]

I remember being told that five years was the limit for a battery, so 10 years and still going is great. When I worked at the IH dealer, i used the New Castle Battery the big trucks used.

 

[Jackpot50]

The best batteries made, hands down, are Absorbed Glass Mat technology. The Optima is one example. They stand up best to the 2 biggest killers of batteries, heat and vibration. They can also sit longer without being charged. They self discharge slower and can tolerate sitting in a discharged state much better than conventional Lead-calcium (Sealed Delco) and Lead-Antimony (most other low maintenance).

One problem with an AGM battery is if it is deeply discharged it can be very difficult to get current flowing to recharge it. The resistance is very high and most consumer battery chargers won't output a voltage high enough to get the current started.
Sometimes it takes putting over 100 volts DC across them to get them to start charging. The resistance drops rapidly once they start to charge so you have to back off on the voltage accordingly to keep the amps below 10.

Ran mine down, hook up to a regular battery+ to + , - to - and put a charger on it till it reads 11.5 volts then you can charge it normal the rest of the way.

 

[kiwigtx]

Lack of use can be offset by using a battery tender while parked.

Thanks...I bought one last year after checking some of the threads here on FBBO.

 

[SoCal440GTX]

Who started this thread? The day after I post a message in this thread the 60 month old Walmart Everstart in my truck dies!

 

[miller]

Won't hold my breath, but holding up good. Have Nappy (Napa) batteries in my pu, boat, and now the 64. (Nappy is my own word for Napa)

 

[1967coronet]

Prob just getting ready to jinx myself LOL But I have had a Sears Die Hard in my 67 for 8 yrs. Like a dummy I pack it down to the basement each winter, back out the next spring.
Keep the water level correct with distilled water { yes it still has removable caps }.
Not sure what factory was or is building Die Hard but I will be sorry to see this one go someday.

 

[SoCal440GTX]

Johnson Controls lost the Die Hard brand in 1994. The replacement line (Exide) was so horrible Sears begged JCI to start making them again. JCI had tooled down and could no longer produce the full Die Hard line so they agreed to make the Sears Die Hard Gold premium line in 1997. In 1999 they once again produced the entire Die Hard line. They had moved south of the border by then and could handle the full load.

Read this if bored...
https://searsholdings.com/press-releases/pr/1601

Moral of the story - I would never buy an Exide.