Battery Dead after 5 years!

[groundcover]

Just replaced the Auto Zone batteries in my F350 diesel after 10 years, they were still starting but getting a bit tired,They still had them in the computer,I was impressed !

 

[homedad]

My 1995 f150 is still on it's original battery. I have no external charger or garage. The truck has only 43k on it. Too bad nothing else lasted as long on this truck.

 

[Tractor Parts]

5 years on a battery is almost as good as they come. The Different manufacturers of batteries, in my opinion, do not mean much, they all are good and last a good while.

regards
Marlon
Ford Tractor Parts

 

[december45]

I have a NH TC 30, thought i would take a look at the battery, checks out fine, its a

GS 75D 26R MF

any one ever hear of a GS battery? im far from being well versed in batteries but never heard of one before, i googled it.. not much about it, except its supose to be maintenance free and from japan.... is the GS battery standard equipment on a New Holland?

 

[DK35vince]

5 years on a battery is almost as good as they come.

I must expect a lot more from a battery than you do.
If I only get 5 years out of a battery I would be very disapointed.
I expect 7 to 10 years from a battery.
My last pickup battery lasted 10 years. The battery in my tractor is 8 going on 9. Hoping to get a couple more years out of it.

 

[KenPauling]

My last tractor, a 1993 NH1920 4wd had the battery last for 9 years. I know the dealer had to get my new tractor from a dealer down south in Louisiana. The tractor was a left over and sat in the sun unused for over a year. This might have contributed to the shorter battery life of 5 years.

 

[gregsons]

i get about 60 days on a battery this summer, im starting to think somethings wrong need a tender on it all the time. thats a job for the summer, if i make it that long doubtful.

 

[eepete]

My father used to say that there were three things modern man would never understand:
Women, economics, and batteries.

I get 5 to 8 years off of batteries on tractors and cars. For my backup generator, I change the battery every 4 years no matter what. Check them yearly, but the post about checking with a hydrometer has me thinking I'm going to start doing that.
I'm going to have to watch the battery in my new JD 4520 since there is a group consensus that the JD batteries are not quite up to par.

Batteries go bad, the economy sputters, a good women last a lifetime. But I still don't understand any of them.

Pete

 

[ray66v]

Here are the things I have learned about batteries working in the auto industry:

A battery is only designed to last a little longer than the warranty period.

They wouldn't only offer a 48 month warranty, (it is a selling feature to offer a long warranty period), if they designed it to last 8 years. They design the 48 month to last somewhere over 50 months.

A small percentage don't make it to the end of the warranty, and some make it well past. In a car, with normal usage, if your beyond a year out of warranty, your lucky.

I recently replaced a 6 year battery, that was 7.5 years old from my main vehicle. It was still working fine. To me there is no point in trying to go through another winter, just to see if it will make it. When it comes up short, it's going to do so on the coldest night.

Manufacturers say leaving the headlights on, and fully discharging your battery, is the fastest way to shorten it's life. Fully discharging an older battery can damage the plates to the point that it will not take a charge.

Using a trickle charger on equipment batteries will help keep sulfur from accumulating on the plates during storage periods, and extend it's life.

Always replace a battery with the largest one that will fit. Larger size, usually means larger capacity. A good battery manufacturer will tell you what the reserve capacity for the battery is. A half dead over sized battery, may still work in your application for years.

 

[stuartshomepc]

Here are the things I have learned about batteries working in the auto industry:

A battery is only designed to last a little longer than the warranty period.

They wouldn't only offer a 48 month warranty, (it is a selling feature to offer a long warranty period), if they designed it to last 8 years. They design the 48 month to last somewhere over 50 months.

A small percentage don't make it to the end of the warranty, and some make it well past. In a car, with normal usage, if your beyond a year out of warranty, your lucky.

I recently replaced a 6 year battery, that was 7.5 years old from my main vehicle. It was still working fine. To me there is no point in trying to go through another winter, just to see if it will make it. When it comes up short, it's going to do so on the coldest night.

Manufacturers say leaving the headlights on, and fully discharging your battery, is the fastest way to shorten it's life. Fully discharging an older battery can damage the plates to the point that it will not take a charge.

Using a trickle charger on equipment batteries will help keep sulfur from accumulating on the plates during storage periods, and extend it's life.

Always replace a battery with the largest one that will fit. Larger size, usually means larger capacity. A good battery manufacturer will tell you what the reserve capacity for the battery is. A half dead over sized battery, may still work in your application for years.

Being an engineer in the auto industry I agree with the above. OEM car batteries are made as cheaply as they can be. Every excess penny counts. Save some lead on 1 million vehicles and you have a pile of cash. Unlike the proud days of the past when some parts (like engines and transmissions) were designed to last, if a part is designed to last 60,000 miles and yet runs for 100,000 odds are that it would be redesigned to take excess life out and save costs.

Aftermarket batteries from big brands are probably built a bit better as they want to keep the reputation up. If your new "Die Hard" only lasted 2 years you would never buy another.

But 10 years is a long time. Leaving them at low charge, and heat are two things that shorten the life.