Battery Suggestions Needed

[Pecosbill7]

Well, about 9 months ago I replaced the battery in my little tractor, JD 3203, with an Exide battery from Tractor Supply. Went out yesterday to crank it up and she was stone cold dead. Tried to charge it up but no dice. Checked with the store only to find out the battery carries a whopping six month warranty. Really. Six months! So, that's a hundred bucks gone down the drain. I need a battery that will stand up to the Texas heat and that will last at least 2-3 years. Tractor specs says its a 22-NF. Anyone have a suggestion?

 

[fuel doctor]

Well, about 9 months ago I replaced the battery in my little tractor, JD 3203, with an Exide battery from Tractor Supply. Went out yesterday to crank it up and she was stone cold dead. Tried to charge it up but no dice. Checked with the store only to find out the battery carries a whopping six month warranty. Really. Six months! So, that's a hundred bucks gone down the drain. I need a battery that will stand up to the Texas heat and that will last at least 2-3 years. Tractor specs says its a 22-NF. Anyone have a suggestion?

Deka battery are very good. They normally put out more cca then what it shows on the battery spec. Have had a few in different application cars trucks tractor have had very good luck with them. & last a good long time

 

[jix]

Batteries at COSTCO serve me well. Buy a good battery charging system such as are used over the winter in boats, like a Power Pro and keep it connected continuously. It will charge and then discharge that battery with a de-sulphation cycle Lead-acid batteries cannot survive long dormancy, even if kept fully charged. They need to be cycled

 

[Pecosbill7]

Thanks, Doc and Jix!

 

[hosspuller]

Sam's and Costco are good sources of auto batteries at low cost. Their warranty is excellent. After matching or exceeding the CCA rating. I would chose the largest battery that will fit into the tractor. I did this with my backhoe. :2cents:

 

[zzvyb6]

Well the reason you probably bought the TSC battery was because it was so much cheaper than buying one costing more.

When looking for oats, do you choose the fresh bag, or the cheaper ones already been through the horse ?

 

[ipwanab]

Well the reason you probably bought the TSC battery was because it was so much cheaper than buying one costing more.

When looking for oats, do you choose the fresh bag, or the cheaper ones already been through the horse ?

I had a battery in a Deere 2520 that leaked juice when the front end would jump around while cutting grass. I didn't nitice till it damaged all the metal around the battery.

I had to sand all that down and repaint. I purchased one of he paste batteries that can't leak. I can't remember the name but they are bright yellow or red at Auto Zone.

Kept he battery fir years , never any problem and never atteacted dirt or corroded.

 

[mjw357]

I had to sand all that down and repaint. I purchased one of he paste batteries that can't leak. I can't remember the name but they are bright yellow or red at Auto Zone.

Are you talking about Optima Yellow Top and Red Top? Looks like a six-pack?

 

[Tx Jim]

Well the reason you probably bought the TSC battery was because it was so much cheaper than buying one costing more.

When looking for oats, do you choose the fresh bag, or the cheaper ones already been through the horse ?

Man the Christmas spirit must not last very long in Michigan. Really do you think buying a battery from TSC indicates it's longevity compared to other places?

 

[Billrog]

When a battery is stone dead a small charger from my experience won't get it started but but sticking it on a larger charger for a while will often get it going again. Not sure what size battery you have but the small battery's life span around my place seemed very short so all but one have been replaced with the largest I could make fit. A battery minder to desulfate . BTW I always shop for the best price and I have an allstate
1000 CA that's 14 yrs. old still holds a charge and sits for a mon. or so at a time at my mill to run an elec. hydraulic toe board.

 

[yelbike]

I like the Costco warranties but recently I've had several Costco ones fail. I think the next ones will be OEM. A little more expensive but generally OEM have lasted longer.

 

[MitchellB]

This might work for you and it is an easy & cheap. The battery on my riding mower would not hold a charge anymore (about 3 years old), even after the battery charger charged it, it would not crank the mower. So I got the bright idea from a few links online about adding Epson Salt (dissolved in water) to the battery will sometimes rejuvenate them. I figured the battery is toast anyway, but I don't want to replace it until next spring and I needed to mow the yard one more time. Naturally my battery was one of those sealed maintenance free idiot proof batterys, so it took me some time to get the cell caps opened. All the cells were low, so I put about a cup or more of water in the battery with about 2 tablespoons Epson salt devolved in it. Charged it again, but it still would not turn over the engine, so I jumped the mower off from my tractor battery and at least the engine alternator would charge the battery enough to mow. I mowed about 3 hours before ever shutting it down. I tried to crank my mower again when I was done and to my surprise, she spun over strong and fire right up. So evidently the bouncing around of the battery and Ebson salts inside must have done something good. About a week later there were a few high spots that needed trimming, so I tried the riding mower and she fired up again like I had a new battery in her.

 

[Pecosbill7]

Well the reason you probably bought the TSC battery was because it was so much cheaper than buying one costing more.

When looking for oats, do you choose the fresh bag, or the cheaper ones already been through the horse ?

No, at $99.95 I definitely don't think I was looking to "cheap out." I mistakenly thought Tractor Supply sold good batteries.

Billrog, I've got a really good charger that I bought for the Optima batteries in my trucks, so maybe I'll give that a try along with MitchellB's Epsom salts idea. Nothing to lose. If I could fit an Optima battery in there that would be the preferred route to take, as I have found that those batteries hold up to the Texas heat better than anything else. But I don't think they make one that will fit.

 

[Billrog]

I've heard about the ebsom salts but not tried it yet. The battery's on the mill and in my forklift have needed the big charger to get going a few times then I put them on a 2 amp. charge for a few days to top them up.

 

[LoudonNH]

The original battery in my 2004 4410 leaked acid all over its compartment and died in the winter of 2007. I replaced it with a DieHard Gold battery that's still going strong. I will say however, the tractor is used almost daily for one thing or another which I believe extends the life of any battery.

 

[ipwanab]

When a battery is stone dead a small charger from my experience won't get it started but but sticking it on a larger charger for a while will often get it going again. Not sure what size battery you have but the small battery's life span around my place seemed very short so all but one have been replaced with the largest I could make fit. A battery minder to desulfate . BTW I always shop for the best price and I have an allstate
1000 CA that's 14 yrs. old still holds a charge and sits for a mon. or so at a time at my mill to run an elec. hydraulic toe board.

mjw;

You are correct, it was an optima battery. I really was satisfied and will buy again when I need one. These type batteries have for years been used inside electronic equipment that can't tolerate a leak and need to be super reliable. I sit next to a rack of them at my work that have been constantly in service and being charged for many years. They have zero leakage.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

Interstate or Optima will treat you well.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Deka batteries are the one that make OEM batteries for dozens of vendors. No matter who's name is on the battery chances are DEKA battery made them

East Penn Manufacturing

I had the same batter size by DEKA and a major brand name side by side. The major brand was 1/2 the weight of the DEKA batter both lead batteries. The Deka just had that much more lead inside than the other.

 

[coobie1]

Deka battery are very good. They normally put out more cca then what it shows on the battery spec. Have had a few in different application cars trucks tractor have had very good luck with them. & last a good long time

+1 on the Deka.How about installing a battery minder when the tractor is setting?

 

[Xfaxman]

---------------I've got a really good charger that I bought for the Optima batteries in my trucks, so maybe I'll give that a try along with MitchellB's Epsom salts idea. Nothing to lose. If I could fit an Optima battery in there that would be the preferred route to take, as I have found that those batteries hold up to the Texas heat better than anything else. But I don't think they make one that will fit.

This looks like their smallest: http://d26maze4pb6to3.cloudfront.net/optimabatteries/9613/4583/5078/REDTOP_Full_Specs_Sheet.pdf

I have had good results with Optima batteries for many years.