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^^^ This ^^^ Running to failure runs the risk of (one of us) missing a doctor appointment etc - No thanks …
At what state of health do you replace your battery
- Thread starter wheelman
- Start date
I change the battery just before the fifth winter if it needs it or not. Black Friday I look for the best deal and change it that weekend. I also put my beater on a 3 amp charger for a long weekend in the fall. It's a extremely short commute car.
Once they start showing signs of being weak I replace them, don't want to stress the alternator. Maybe not as big an issue today with "smarter" charging systems but I've seen alternators overheat on older cars.
When the battery in our families Traverse was giving up the ghost, the volt gauge would sit around 16-17v, not sure how accurate they are but a new battery and it sits happy around 14v again.
When the battery in our families Traverse was giving up the ghost, the volt gauge would sit around 16-17v, not sure how accurate they are but a new battery and it sits happy around 14v again.
On the wife's car I change out the battery for new right before the free replacement is up. My vehicles I know when the starter starts to sound slower than normal. Then I change it. Usually gives me a few days or weeks warning if I pay attention.
answ?
when it's dead. I'm the only 1 to drive it and I might havea battery pac on bd as it winds it's way to -0-. Good alternator? Bat wont charge any more? Doesnt hold a charge? "Its time".
BTW: I usually get a good 8 - 12 yrs on batteries. Like everything else Good Maintenance = durability, value, long life, lower costs.
when it's dead. I'm the only 1 to drive it and I might havea battery pac on bd as it winds it's way to -0-. Good alternator? Bat wont charge any more? Doesnt hold a charge? "Its time".
BTW: I usually get a good 8 - 12 yrs on batteries. Like everything else Good Maintenance = durability, value, long life, lower costs.
I used to run to failure. But it always seemed to fail at worst possible time. The morning of a big meeting at work or on my wife’s vehicle while I was out of town. So now I replace them early. Around the 3 year mark or if it gets noticeably weaker during startup up. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Put a volt meter on it under 20v selection. If it’s at or over 12.5 it’s good. Anything under I would put a trickle charge on it period.
The local Walmart is out of the MAXX version of all of there common size of batteries and there are few of the lower grade in the common sizes. Now that cold weather is here everyone with marginal batteries has found out they need a new battery.
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2021
- Messages
- 191
Interesting post,what do you guys use for a tester and can you explain your procedure and what you look for,the good and the bad?Thank you
When I buy a new battery, first thing I do is hook it up to a battery tender and let the charge trickle fora few hours. Then I put it in the car.
I replace my car batteries every years, don't care what charge life is there. I get the batteries from Costco and they have a great pro rated return policy. Some risks are not worth taking especially if you have your mother, sister, gf, wife etc driving around in their cars. You don't want them stranded looking for a jump.
I replace my car batteries every years, don't care what charge life is there. I get the batteries from Costco and they have a great pro rated return policy. Some risks are not worth taking especially if you have your mother, sister, gf, wife etc driving around in their cars. You don't want them stranded looking for a jump.
I replaced a 5 year old battery in my CR-V today with a new Interstate MT-51R. The old battery still tested good but only showed 250 CCA. I’ve noticed it’s been starting harder this winter and my high is -10F on Thursday. Seems like all the stores have a run on batteries during cold snaps, so I figured it would be best not to gamble with that or else be changing a battery in a parking lot in a wind chill advisory.
Yes, but are you testing them with a modern battery tester that will tell you the actual CCA that the battery has? Or, are you just flying blind without any knoledge of the actual CCA of your starting battery.
These modern testers realy do give you knoledge of the CCA that the battery has.
I lend mine out to relatives and friends and some have preemptively replaced a starting battery before it actually failed. And commented that at the low rating the battery had they knew there was no way it would make it through the next winter.
It has to leak in such as way as to not be repairable (my current car battery has a hole in it from a rat that I patched) or have some other physical damage, or not start the vehicle. Note: The rat damage previously mentioned was at the top, and it didn't leak much from it. If the rat had chewed open the bottom of the battery and I lost all my acid I'd replace the whole battery.
Having written that, it would also kind of depend on the age. I probably would not have patched the rat chewed on battery if it were really old.
Having written that, it would also kind of depend on the age. I probably would not have patched the rat chewed on battery if it were really old.
I wait until it fails or audibly gets slower cranking.
My dads Silverado we probably could have caught with testing. Their van’s battery just decided to have the negative post come completely out of the battery(?!) after 8 years, our van’s battery died because I left a radar detector plugged in too long and then my wife short tripped it and a cell in the battery died.
Haven’t had any other batteries die and I’ve been flying totally blind… I think I might get a tester though, as I think I’m done buying cars for awhile and intend on keeping the 2 that I have now lol
The battery in my Rogue is at the 4 year mark, so this winter, I have been keeping a trickle charger on it over the weekend, since it tends to get parked on Friday and started on Monday.
I'll replace it this summer when it hits the 5 year mark. The idea of doing it now due to future cost is one to think about though. The battery shelf at Walmart was empty today, as was the windshield washer fluid shelf, so their is a touch of a supply issue, at least at Walmart, today. I get my at a parts store.
Edit: I just priced a battery at Advanced Auto....$250. Makes me happy I put new batteries in all 3 of my other cars this past summer.
I'll replace it this summer when it hits the 5 year mark. The idea of doing it now due to future cost is one to think about though. The battery shelf at Walmart was empty today, as was the windshield washer fluid shelf, so their is a touch of a supply issue, at least at Walmart, today. I get my at a parts store.
Edit: I just priced a battery at Advanced Auto....$250. Makes me happy I put new batteries in all 3 of my other cars this past summer.
"...it tends to get parked Friday...started Monday..."
"...old battery still tested good but only showed 250 CCA..."
and other comments lead me to believe folks have other problems not addressed, that shorten the 8 yr expected life on their battery. Shorts/ drains, alternaters, grounds, etc can B IDed by these shorter lives. The best however? on-board 'battery tenders', or better yet - battery testers (volt meter/load tester) to wake one up to further diagnosis & repair as mentioned above~
"...old battery still tested good but only showed 250 CCA..."
and other comments lead me to believe folks have other problems not addressed, that shorten the 8 yr expected life on their battery. Shorts/ drains, alternaters, grounds, etc can B IDed by these shorter lives. The best however? on-board 'battery tenders', or better yet - battery testers (volt meter/load tester) to wake one up to further diagnosis & repair as mentioned above~
JHZR2
Staff member
I try to watch cranking voltage and listen for longer or slower cranks.
I’ll try to do a load test or an ESR estimation but that’s when I remember and no guarantee the conditions are the same.
If I see some leakage forming, I’ll consider replacement. Same if it’s many years old and has been discharged for whatever reason.
It doesn’t take nearly as much to crank an engine as some make it out. My 5.9L Cummins has a 2.4KW starter, and my 3.0L Mercedes diesels take 1.7kW starters. Smaller lower compression engines require less. Sure there’s some inrush, but even aged lead acid batteries can support a thousand amps of instantaneous current.
A shorted cell will leave you high and dry in a moments notice. Like one second all is fine, the next the battery won’t even allow you to jump start the car. But that’s a different story and hard to diagnose until it happens.
I’ll try to do a load test or an ESR estimation but that’s when I remember and no guarantee the conditions are the same.
If I see some leakage forming, I’ll consider replacement. Same if it’s many years old and has been discharged for whatever reason.
It doesn’t take nearly as much to crank an engine as some make it out. My 5.9L Cummins has a 2.4KW starter, and my 3.0L Mercedes diesels take 1.7kW starters. Smaller lower compression engines require less. Sure there’s some inrush, but even aged lead acid batteries can support a thousand amps of instantaneous current.
A shorted cell will leave you high and dry in a moments notice. Like one second all is fine, the next the battery won’t even allow you to jump start the car. But that’s a different story and hard to diagnose until it happens.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Most batteries I’ve had failed suddenly. NOCO booster pack it is…
