My Accord has been slow to start for the past 3 days. The last 2 times this happened the battery quit a day or so after these symptoms showed up. I purchase the Everstart Maxx batteries from Walmart for my Accord. The first lasted 2 years which was replaced for free under warranty from WM, the second lasted 2 years which was replaced today (prorated). So this is my third battery in a matter of 4 or so years. This battery has the full 3 year warranty. With any luck it will fail before 3 years and I'll get another free one. I attribute it to my short trips. So far I have put under 1700 miles on the car since January. We live very close to work.
Another battery bites the dust...
- Thread starter gregk24
- Start date
I bet Covid has sold a ton of batteries this year.
Short trips, by themselves, are not enough to prematurely kill a battery.
It takes about a minute to return that which was used to start a modern fuel injected engine, when the voltage regulator seeks mid 14's, which most do after starting before dropping to lower voltages
. So unless short trip means one minute or less, the short trip by itself is not killing the battery.
However short trips can never fully charge a depleted battery, one depleted by parasitic loads prevalent in modern vehicles or by listening to stereo with engine off.
It is impossible to recharge an 80% charged battery to 100% in less than 3.5 hours, and that assumes a still healthy battery and high charging voltages. LEss healthy batteries can require much more time even at high voltages and lesser voltages might never be able to fully charge a less than healthy battery.
So the battery kept healthy, is easier to keep healthy as it recharges faster a tthe voltages allowed by the vehicles voltage regulator, and the battery allowed to sulfate from chrnoic undercharging will lose performance/capacity/cranking amps at an accellerating rate and then take significantly longer to fully charge even if a proper chargign source is then applied for a significant duration and does nto shut off prematurely, which most do even on a healthy depleted battery.
A lead acid battery ideally wants to be kept truly fully charged, and kept cool. Keeping it cool is not always easy, but any charging source applied is better than no charging source, as 90% is much better than 85%, even though as long as it is 30% charged it will still likely start the engine, outside of cold winter mornings.
But wanting to kill it before the warranty is up,.... just keep on keeping on.
Vehicle voltage regulation is not designed to quickly and fully charge depleted batteries. Nowadays, voltage regulation is used to attempt to enhance fuel economy, at the expense of battery life, on many makes and models.
The alternator is not a magical free power source which defies the laws of physics.
They are only 55 to 65% efficient.
Luck plays little part of it, unless luck is included in how well your vehicle's voltage regulator takes care of the battery in your specific usage.
When one realizes lead acid batteries need to be regularly fully charged, to live for 5+ years, and their vehicle's charging system is far from ideal for achieving this. They can either accept a short rental period, and replace more often, or take steps to extend it and replace less often.
Average high temperatures do cause the sulfuric acid to eat the plates faster, but it still helps to insure full charges regularly occur.
Major defects aside, The worst Lead acid battery kept fully charged will outlive the best Lead acid battery chronically undercharged.
This includes AGMs.
Bitogers wanting to get good to excellent battery life, likely need external charging sources applied regularly, and the more often the vehicle sits without being driven, or never sees longer highway drives, or the battery is depleted by accessories with engine off, the more important and beneficial the external charging sources become.
It takes about a minute to return that which was used to start a modern fuel injected engine, when the voltage regulator seeks mid 14's, which most do after starting before dropping to lower voltages
. So unless short trip means one minute or less, the short trip by itself is not killing the battery.
However short trips can never fully charge a depleted battery, one depleted by parasitic loads prevalent in modern vehicles or by listening to stereo with engine off.
It is impossible to recharge an 80% charged battery to 100% in less than 3.5 hours, and that assumes a still healthy battery and high charging voltages. LEss healthy batteries can require much more time even at high voltages and lesser voltages might never be able to fully charge a less than healthy battery.
So the battery kept healthy, is easier to keep healthy as it recharges faster a tthe voltages allowed by the vehicles voltage regulator, and the battery allowed to sulfate from chrnoic undercharging will lose performance/capacity/cranking amps at an accellerating rate and then take significantly longer to fully charge even if a proper chargign source is then applied for a significant duration and does nto shut off prematurely, which most do even on a healthy depleted battery.
A lead acid battery ideally wants to be kept truly fully charged, and kept cool. Keeping it cool is not always easy, but any charging source applied is better than no charging source, as 90% is much better than 85%, even though as long as it is 30% charged it will still likely start the engine, outside of cold winter mornings.
But wanting to kill it before the warranty is up,.... just keep on keeping on.
Vehicle voltage regulation is not designed to quickly and fully charge depleted batteries. Nowadays, voltage regulation is used to attempt to enhance fuel economy, at the expense of battery life, on many makes and models.
The alternator is not a magical free power source which defies the laws of physics.
They are only 55 to 65% efficient.
Luck plays little part of it, unless luck is included in how well your vehicle's voltage regulator takes care of the battery in your specific usage.
When one realizes lead acid batteries need to be regularly fully charged, to live for 5+ years, and their vehicle's charging system is far from ideal for achieving this. They can either accept a short rental period, and replace more often, or take steps to extend it and replace less often.
Average high temperatures do cause the sulfuric acid to eat the plates faster, but it still helps to insure full charges regularly occur.
Major defects aside, The worst Lead acid battery kept fully charged will outlive the best Lead acid battery chronically undercharged.
This includes AGMs.
Bitogers wanting to get good to excellent battery life, likely need external charging sources applied regularly, and the more often the vehicle sits without being driven, or never sees longer highway drives, or the battery is depleted by accessories with engine off, the more important and beneficial the external charging sources become.
Pick them one like bread.....With the latest made by date. Ones that sat on W.M's shelves for a long time won't last as long as the "fresher" ones which are put into service right away. I have used Everstart batteries for a long time. In the past, they all averaged 6 years old when they start to weaken. Presently, I have an 8, 6 and a 4 year old Everstart Maxx batteries. They are still going strong so I have no complaints. When any are inactive for long periods, I hang a maintainer on them.
This reminds me why all my cars get $35 recons from the battery mart
I just replaced the battery in my 65 VW Beetle. It has been converted to 12 volts and the date on the WM battery I removed was 11/11. That's pretty good for a car that sets around a lot. GROUP 43 it was and now is a group 42. Can't find anything but a group 42and that was at Rural King.
What device would I use to charge the battery periodically?
JHZR2
Staff member
Any number of chargers are available. Battery Tender, Battery Minder, CTEK, NoCo, Solar, etc. plenty of discussion on here. Even if they do t take the batteries up to the truest “100% SOC”, it’s far better than what the car can do, and keeps some level of strain off the alternator should you have a deeply depleted battery from sitting or parasitics. They’re safe and thought-free. I have a number of decade old or longer batteries thanks to these devices.
Thank you, I will look into those.
What is the serial number on these Walmart Everstart batteries you are getting? Does it start with "EP"?
You need to put the battery on a charger occasionally if all you do is short trips. Once a month or so.
Did anyone do a charging system test? Maybe overcharging.
Florida heat is the main issue.
Wow, makes you wonder if the lower price is worth the hassle?
The OEM battery in my 2013 Golf TDI was inadequate in freezing temps last winter. It wouldn't crank fast or long enough to start. I replaced it with the exact same OEM battery a the dealer. Cost of the battery, install and tax etc was $214. I figure that every 6-7 years is worth it. I'm sure sitting in a field for a year or two waiting on the scandal fix didn't help it either!
It'll be interesting to see how sitting this winter for extended periods of time affects it. Due to the virus, my girlfriend and I are WFH and both have cars. I can easily go a month without driving the Golf as her Rav4 is a better grocery getter/errand runner etc.
The OEM battery in my 2013 Golf TDI was inadequate in freezing temps last winter. It wouldn't crank fast or long enough to start. I replaced it with the exact same OEM battery a the dealer. Cost of the battery, install and tax etc was $214. I figure that every 6-7 years is worth it. I'm sure sitting in a field for a year or two waiting on the scandal fix didn't help it either!
It'll be interesting to see how sitting this winter for extended periods of time affects it. Due to the virus, my girlfriend and I are WFH and both have cars. I can easily go a month without driving the Golf as her Rav4 is a better grocery getter/errand runner etc.
Before we trash the Walmart Everstart MAXX lets see if the OP can determine the manufacturer of the battery that failed.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
This is what I use to maintain my Jeep, ATV, the 70’ VW Beetle, and a family member’s 98 Plymouth.
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+1 for CTEK. Been using it for years.
an alternator will never fully charge your battery so ons the car goes stagnant its decline is further along than it seems.
Once it starts spending any significant time below 50% SOC the damage becomes cumulative and it dies an early death.
A simple maintainer will charge them from a shallow discharge keep them up.
A smart charger will recover from a deeper drain and they usually covers a wider range of AH.
UD
Once it starts spending any significant time below 50% SOC the damage becomes cumulative and it dies an early death.
A simple maintainer will charge them from a shallow discharge keep them up.
A smart charger will recover from a deeper drain and they usually covers a wider range of AH.
UD
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