Stock Batteries

[ultrarunner]

The secret to getting the most possible life out of a battery is to always keep a trickle charger on it, when the vehicle/tractor is not in use.
Buy (and use) a quality trickle charger, such as "Battery Minder", " NOCO Genius", or "Battery Tender".
Best prices on these can often be found on Jet.com, or E-bay.
Amazon is usually pricey for these.

Costco is having a Holiday Special on Tenders... last year I was too late... buying 3 this year!!!

My little BX23 battery will soon be 14 years old... amazing and by far the longest lasting battery I have ever had... Mom did get 12 years from her OEM Corolla Declo Green Eye battery... it was still good but I could here is slowing down...

The SF Bay Area Climate is very mild here... we rarely heat and no one in the neighborhood has A/C... so mild climate and keeping the BX indoors is factor.

 

[DavesTractor]

It's the smaller Exide batteries in the Mistu built Mahindras that seem to have a short lifespan. Those are such good tractors, but the battery cable connections are pretty light duty and the Exide batteries tended to leak or gas off enough to promote corrosion on the cables. The larger batteries in the bigger tractors were much better. We also sell Branson, and we have seen quite a few of their batteries go over 10 years in our climate.

 

[ultrarunner]

My brother bought the kids a buggy and the battery was shot after a couple of months...

He called the distributor and learned they are junk...

Thanks a lot was he could say.

Bought a Power Sonic had 3 years no issue.

 

[fried1765]

Costco is having a Holiday Special on Tenders... last year I was too late... buying 3 this year!!!

My little BX23 battery will soon be 14 years old... amazing and by far the longest lasting battery I have ever had... Mom did get 12 years from her OEM Corolla Declo Green Eye battery... it was still good but I could here is slowing down...

The SF Bay Area Climate is very mild here... we rarely heat and no one in the neighborhood has A/C... so mild climate and keeping the BX indoors is factor.

I had 5- Battery Tenders, and bought 3 more at COSTCO last year.
I currently am using 7-12V Battery Tenders (1.25 Amp),1- 6V Battery Tender (1.25Amp.) and 5 - Battery Tender Jr's. (.75 Amp)
I also have 2 -Battery Minders, and think I do like the 1.3 Amp Battery Minders better. As the Battery Tenders die off, I am going to replace them with Battery Minders.
Three of my Battery Tenders have died within the 10 year warranty period, but the warranty return shipping & replacement charge is about the same or more, than just buying a new replacement; thus the Battery Tender warranty is essentially worthless.
I do not have any of the NOCO Genius units, but have heard they are excellent.

There are many cheaper units available, but I am afraid of them, for the cheap electrical components short circuit potential.
A burned up/fried battery charger could conceivably take your machinery, and building with it.

 

[4get gto]

There are many cheaper units available, but I am afraid of them, for the cheap electrical components short circuit potential.
A burned up/fried battery charger could conceivably take your machinery, and building with it.

I have couple of the cheap HF ones. Seem to work ok but after reading those two sentences it makes me want to throw them in the trash!

 

[ultrarunner]

I had 5- Battery Tenders, and bought 3 more at COSTCO last year.
I currently am using 7-12V Battery Tenders (1.25 Amp),1- 6V Battery Tender (1.25Amp.) and 5 - Battery Tender Jr's. (.75 Amp)
I also have 2 -Battery Minders, and think I do like the 1.3 Amp Battery Minders better. As the Battery Tenders die off, I am going to replace them with Battery Minders.
Three of my Battery Tenders have died within the 10 year warranty period, but the warranty return shipping & replacement charge is about the same or more, than just buying a new replacement; thus the Battery Tender warranty is essentially worthless.
I do not have any of the NOCO Genius units, but have heard they are excellent.

There are many cheaper units available, but I am afraid of them, for the cheap electrical components short circuit potential.
A burned up/fried battery charger could conceivably take your machinery, and building with it.

Have not had a bad Battery Tender... but none are of the 6-12 and I have just as many 6v as 12v... I believe the Costco offering is 3 amp.

I still go to my old commercial car lot battery charger from the 1960's... all of the newer style chargers I have need to sense come current to work... and I do come across parked antique cars that have been stored long periods and the 50% the old charger will bring it back... often it only takes a few minutes and then I can switch... I also have Minders and no issue.

I would buy a Genius if needed.

With 50 vehicles... I have a lot of batteries... probably 30?

 

[bluefin650]

I left my battery on the trickle charger overnight. I went to start it this morning, 35*. HUGE difference in how well and strong it turned over.

 

[DK35vince]

The secret to getting the most possible life out of a battery is to always keep a trickle charger on it, when the vehicle/tractor is not in use.

My original tractor battery lasted 11 years. Never had a trickle charger on it.
My motorcycles set for months at a time through the winter. My 2007 Honda dual sport was 10 years old when I sold it, still had the original battery in it.
My 2009 Kawasaki street bike still running original battery.
My pickup truck battery is 12 years old and still going strong.
None of these batteries have ever had a trickle charger on them.

 

[Garandman]

My stock battery went 5.5 years, when it was done there was no resurrecting it. It was an Exide and Tractor Supply had the exact same battery. Replaced it and have had zero problems since. Since I am a high voltage electrician I have always kept an eye on the cables, and yes, if I had ignored them it would have caused issues. Check the cables on both ends and then look toward the battery itself. Or you can move south and forget about the cold weather! Good luck.

Bought a tube of dielectric grease. Every connector on the boats and motorcycles gets it, but hitting the connectors on the tractor battery is probably a good idea. Any auto parts store has it.

Our new shed does not have AC power, so I bought a Battery Tender controller that is used with a solar panel. Pretty slick. Did not use their solar panels, which are extremely expensive.

Battery Tender Solar Controller

 

[fried1765]

My original tractor battery lasted 11 years. Never had a trickle charger on it.
My motorcycles set for months at a time through the winter. My 2007 Honda dual sport was 10 years old when I sold it, still had the original battery in it.
My 2009 Kawasaki street bike still running original battery.
My pickup truck battery is 12 years old and still going strong.
None of these batteries have ever had a trickle charger on them.

With your battery life luck, you need to take a trip to Las Vegas!