Battery Warranties worthless?

[silvertramp]

My used Yanmar has been starting every time for 5 1/2 years. Recently, I was using it to move firewood. I shut it down for 1/2 hour, and it wouldn't re-start. The battery was completely dead. I did manage to jump it, to get back up to the house. I put a used battery in it. Starts every time again.
Seems like they can go dead very quickly.

 

[paulfun9]

That's exactly why I sent the new battery charger I was given last year back! Who programs these things? When I want to charge a battery I want the charger to send a charge not have to wait for the on board computer to decide if it wants to charge it or not!

 

[sixdogs]

Anyone buy from Costco or Walmart?

I bought a tractor battery from Sam's Club and it quit a few years out. Not sure exactly on the age but when I took it back he looked it up and gave me a FREE one to replace it. I like free.

Also, the original battery in my '05 B7800 is still going strong. Last year I replaced my 9 year old Toyota Tundra battery--even though there was nothing wrong with it--just because of the age.

Worth noting is that I charge my batteries every fall just before winter sets in. I think that has had a positive impact on battery life.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I won't trust a battery after five years. Not for daily transportation anyway. Regardless they get replaced when five years old. I have always bought Diehard Golds. Last year my wife was an hour away with a horse in her trailer and the truck wouldn't start. Tow trucks won't tow a truck and trailer with a horse in them. Come to find out our two year old Diehard Gold had a dead cell. It wouldn't jump start. Warranty or not I'm looking at different brand batteries now.

That is something I have learned as well. You are living on borrowed time. I usually get mine at Advance auto but I have used Wal-Mart and Sam"s as well. Interstate is the only brand I avoid but that is based on 2 bad experiences that were over 25 years ago.

 

[oosik]

I had a gel-cell battery in my old tractor that lasted eleven years. When I went to Les Schwab to replace it - its no longer being made. Worked too well, lasted too long. I wanted to put an Optima AGM battery in the new tractor until I was quoted a price. The best battery I found was from the John Deere dealer.

 

[bcp]

With my chargers, the automatic charger will not charge a totally dead battery. The manual charger will charge it. I've read others complain about the same thing with automatic chargers.

One time the manual charger wasn't handy and the automatic wouldn't work. I connected jumper cables for a few minutes, removed them, reconnected the automatic charger, which then charged the battery.

Bruce

 

[ultrarunner]

You out smarted your smart charger...

My BX battery is now 10 years old and so far so good!

 

[sixdogs]

Small point here but when I worked in a garage many years ago we were taught to turn the headlights on for a couple minutes before we charged the battery. Apparently takes off the "surface charge" that can prevent a proper charge.

That's all I know but have been doing it for many decades and seem to get unusually long battery life. I charge all batteries every fall.

 

[timster2]

I have been buying my batteries at BJ's for a few years. If you buy a 48 month battery and return it after 40 months they give you a full refund, no prorating! They have no way of checking the battery so they just refund your purchase price. So replacing a battery cost you the difference in price from when you bought it to what it is selling for now. Don't know why but that is their policy. When I get a new battery I keep the transaction on a separate receipt so it is easy to locate if the battery needs to be replaced.

 

[aczlan]

One note, with a battery receipt (or any warranty related receipt) that is printed on thermal paper, make sure you make a copy of the receipt. Thermal receipts fade over time and once they fade out, they are pretty much useless.

Aaron Z