Battery life ?

jenkinsph · Feb 2, 2011

My preference is the agm batteries from Odyssey Battery, have to get one for the 4520 after this storm. The Deere battery could not start my tractor this morning. My 4520 isn't two years old yet either.

sunnyside360 · Feb 3, 2011

jenkinsph said:
.......The Deere battery could not start my tractor this morning. My 4520 isn't two years old yet either.

Wow, think I'd at least check out the JD battery warranty for a battery less than 2 yrs old, may be surprised. Like you, I'll probably go with AGM type when the time comes for my 3720 and 4320.

jenkinsph · Feb 3, 2011

Well temperatures were near -11F so I wasn't suprized it wouldn't start. Still close to this this morning too. Very unusual for it to be this cold in southern New Mexico.

At any rate with over thirty batteries on my equipment I have tested enough brands to know that for important equipment needing dependable starts and long term storage the Oddysey batteries and their rebadged Sears DieHard platinums are the best. If it isn't a big deal, vehicles used around town or on welders and gas compressors I use the WalMart Everstart Max series. So I have about 10 Odyssey and DieHard batteries ($200 to $280) and 22 Everstart Max ($75 average cost). I have tried lots of different brands but the Walmart batteries seem to be the best bang for the buck in most conditions.

jonyyuma · Feb 3, 2011

Everstart has been a lot better for me than any Diehard????and a lot better price. Atlas was dead last.I always read the code date and pick fresh, if it has been on shelf for 4 mos. i won't buy it.

Henri88 · Feb 3, 2011

jenkinsph said:
Well temperatures were near -11F so I wasn't suprized it wouldn't start. Still close to this this morning too. Very unusual for it to be this cold in southern New Mexico.

I thought you were bullsh**** us.

New Mexico -11F

so I had to go and check your forecast. Holymoly:confused2:-24C this morning

and then it says by Saturday +1C

Now that is a he** of a jump.:thumbsup:

harddock · Feb 3, 2011

My original battery only lasted about 12 years. tractor stored in unheated garage. Still on the second battery, tractor is a 1995

jenkinsph · Feb 3, 2011

jonyyuma said:
Everstart has been a lot better for me than any Diehard????and a lot better price. Atlas was dead last.I always read the code date and pick fresh, if it has been on shelf for 4 mos. i won't buy it.

I dont know who builds the DieHard or DieHard Gold, but the DieHard Platinum specifically is made by Odyssey and is an excellent battery. When the tractor wouldn't start I grabbed a same size Odyssey battery out of my boat which has been sitting for several months without a charger on it. It cranked it right up.:thumbsup:

jenkinsph · Feb 3, 2011

Henri88 said:
I thought you were bullsh**** us. New Mexico -11Fso I had to go and check your forecast. Holymoly:confused2:-24C this morning and then it says by Saturday +1C Now that is a he** of a jump.:thumbsup:

No joke, last night or overnight we hit -20F for a low, that can create alot of work for a plumber.

Before this storm hit Monday I went around turning off water at the meters for my out of town customers. That will save someone some grief from water damage, just haven't thawed out yet to know who yet.:laughing:

Stormtruck2 · Feb 4, 2011

jenkinsph said:
No joke, last night or overnight we hit -20F for a low, that can create alot of work for a plumber. Before this storm hit Monday I went around turning off water at the meters for my out of town customers. That will save someone some grief from water damage, just haven't thawed out yet to know who yet.:laughing:

Your a plumber?? What would you charge to replace two valves in my basement with two ball valves.

They control the main water inlet and the bypass for the water softener. I'll buy ya dinner when you get here. :laughing:

chipsndust · Feb 4, 2011

chipsndust said:
I'm still using the original battery in my 2006 2305.

Should have added, no leaks or corrosion in the battery compartment.

I do clean the battery after mowing or dusty work (light spray from garden hose), and I ensure that there is no film on battery top creating a shorting path between terminals.

I use Fluid Film once a year on the terminals and battery top.

jonyyuma · Feb 4, 2011

I neglected to add, that I use the treated felt or wool washers on all battery connectors.These really control corrosion on the ends.I also use the battery spray and carefully rinse the tops.

wrede · Feb 4, 2011

My 4300 OE battery lasted 5 years, and the NAPA replacement is now 5 years old, but seems a little weak, especially at single digits temperature. Found a sealed AGM battery at PowerSurge that fits in the tight space (Group 22NF), 550 CCA, and the life is expected to be over 10 years.

jenkinsph · Feb 4, 2011

With about 32 batteries I can't afford to simonize them after each use and haven't found it makes much difference either. I clean the terminals when I can but have found that good battteries that don't leak are the best solution. If a battery is going to leak around the post it would need constant attention and I just don't have that much time.

I don't think washing and waxing the battery is going to make much difference in the life of it either, I can't see where wetting the terminals repeatedly is going to help things. A good corrosion/insulating spray when new is worthwhile though.

chipsndust · Feb 4, 2011

jenkinsph said:
With about 32 batteries I can't afford to simonize them after each use and haven't found it makes much difference either. I clean the terminals when I can but have found that good battteries that don't leak are the best solution. If a battery is going to leak around the post it would need constant attention and I just don't have that much time.

I don't think washing and waxing the battery is going to make much difference in the life of it either, I can't see where wetting the terminals repeatedly is going to help things. A good corrosion/insulating spray when new is worthwhile though.

Jenk:
I guess if I had 32 pieces of equipment with batteries in them, battery maintenance would be pretty far down my list of things to do, too.

Your post prompted me to inventory my rolling stock, and I came up with seven batteries.

Two rigs see no winter use, so I remove the batteries and bring them inside for the winter.
Two see occasional use and I keep a battery tender on them.

The family car and my truck probably receive the least amount of attention (my bad).
My tractor is stored under a roof with two sides open.

I learned a long time ago that grease, road grime, water, etc. on the battery top will shorten its life.

It only takes a few seconds (about as long as it takes to check the oil level) to wipe the crud off the battery top and around the posts with a rag whenever I have the hood up (or the seat up, or the dump box up) on any of my rigs. You can even use the same rag you wiped your dipstick with.

YMMV

CurlyDave · Feb 5, 2011

When my Deere battery died after about 3 years, I replaced it with one from a Schuck's Auto Parts. I like their batteries because they honor their warranties, ands tie the warranty to my phone number. A few years ago I had a car battery die early, and couldn't find the paperwork. They looked up my phone number and replaced the battery free.

Anyway Schucks, Kragen and O'Reilly are all owned by the same company, and the warranties are good anywhere. The price on the battery was right, and I think that this is a much better deal in terms of $/year than Optima.

I took the old battery out and brought it in to them. They matched it and it turned out that Deere used a "reversed terminal" battery. Not any more expensive, but not as common as a standard one. When I got home and installed it, the cables were long enough that I could have used a standard battery.

Anyway, ~2 years later the battery is still going strong...

wkoukios · Feb 9, 2011

What size Die-hard platinum did you use in the 4520? Thanks.

Edward. S · Feb 11, 2011

My 2003/2004 John deere 6420 Battery just died after 7 years of use. Planning to go to interstate batteries to pick up a new one.

jonyyuma · Feb 12, 2011

jenkinsph said:
With about 32 batteries I can't afford to simonize them after each use and haven't found it makes much difference either. I clean the terminals when I can but have found that good battteries that don't leak are the best solution. If a battery is going to leak around the post it would need constant attention and I just don't have that much time.

I don't think washing and waxing the battery is going to make much difference in the life of it either, I can't see where wetting the terminals repeatedly is going to help things. A good corrosion/insulating spray when new is worthwhile though.

What battery do you buy to guarantee the post not to seep? The treated washers take care of corrosion on the terminals, not much cleaning needed. 32 batterys would not even be a good start here>>>.

daybreak1998 · Feb 12, 2011

Howdy,

I went back with an original JD battery for my 6400. The original battery lasted 13 years. Even when I took it out, it would start like crazy. I had to replace it since the entire outer plastic casing was crazing (little cracks all over)

later mike

ctlguy · Feb 12, 2011

I think there has been an issue w/ original batteries for a few years, specifically on compacts. I don't think that any major mfg is notorious for poor batteries. Deere does have a set pdi procedure realting to new batteries when tractors come in that most dealers probably do not do. As far as replacements, Deere has two different options. There is a wet (stock rotated battery) and a dry version that typically the dealer would fill upon customer purchase. Typically the dry batteries have a better life but the compact world is it's own world. On the large tractor side our avg core age on a dry battery is 8 years but these are your group 31, etc style batteries.