Battery question

[Jeepwm69]

Here's a question for yall.

I've recentyly bought a couple of Yuasa batteries for ATV's. If you buy the actual Yuasa battery, it comes flooded. If you buy the Honda part, you get a Yuasa battery that is empty, with the battery acid separate in a set of tubes that allow it to be easily dispensed into the battery.

I picked up a couple of extras, and have them on the shelf. That way, whenever I need a battery, I will have one, and it's not sitting there letting time slowly kill it. If I don't need to use one of them for 10 years, I can fill it in 10 years and will have a new battery.

Does anyone know where you can get automotive sized batteries like this?

I have a LOT of vehicles and tractors, and keeping batteries on all of them has become a bit of a PITA. I live in a small town with one auto parts store (Napa) that isn't open on the weekends. I'd love to be able to put a couple of new batteries on the shelf to have when I need them, if I could store them dry where they aren't being killed by father time.

I'm currently running Optima Red Tops on most of them. They're getting long in tooth, and since the Johnson Controls buyout they aren't what they used to be, so looking at going to hopefully a severe duty farm battery, but would love to be able to get one dry. Need side and top terminals, as 3 of the vehicles have winches and I'd prefer dual terminals.

 

[Davejam]

I've never heard of that in any application, much less in auto batteries.
But that is interesting. In auto batteries it may be too much sulfuric acid to safely sell.

 

[tblt44]

Never seen a car battery like that.
My 4 wheeler battery from Walmart requires me to fill it just as you described. Thats a everstart

 

[zfasts03]

This was more common in the 1970's and prior. Maintenance free/sealed batteries seemed to be the changeover that killed buying dry batteries with the acid separate. They may still be available, but probably few and far between to find them if they still exist for automotive applications.

 

[stangguy]

I remember buying batteries like that, but it was so long ago I can't remember the decade. I bought the electrolyte in large cardboard box with a rubber tube to fill the battery.

 

[Donald]

Go to AGM and replace less often.

 

[Jeepwm69]

Go to AGM and replace less often.

I'm running a half dozen Optimas at the moment.

I like to keep stuff on hand, and unfortunately, sitting a battery on a shelf till I need it doesn't work, as it is "going bad" while it sits.

Was showing the old man (82 in December) the Yuasa I got and he said he remembered buying batteries at the store and the store adding the electrolyte when he bought the battery.


Guessing it's another "the average consumer is too stupid to not sue us if we sell them this and they misuse it" item.

 

[Pelican]

Here's a question for yall.

I've recentyly bought a couple of Yuasa batteries for ATV's. If you buy the actual Yuasa battery, it comes flooded. If you buy the Honda part, you get a Yuasa battery that is empty, with the battery acid separate in a set of tubes that allow it to be easily dispensed into the battery.

I picked up a couple of extras, and have them on the shelf. That way, whenever I need a battery, I will have one, and it's not sitting there letting time slowly kill it. If I don't need to use one of them for 10 years, I can fill it in 10 years and will have a new battery.

Does anyone know where you can get automotive sized batteries like this?

I have a LOT of vehicles and tractors, and keeping batteries on all of them has become a bit of a PITA. I live in a small town with one auto parts store (Napa) that isn't open on the weekends. I'd love to be able to put a couple of new batteries on the shelf to have when I need them, if I could store them dry where they aren't being killed by father time.

I'm currently running Optima Red Tops on most of them. They're getting long in tooth, and since the Johnson Controls buyout they aren't what they used to be, so looking at going to hopefully a severe duty farm battery, but would love to be able to get one dry. Need side and top terminals, as 3 of the vehicles have winches and I'd prefer dual terminals.

At the rate batteries are improving do you think that in 10 yrs they'll have the same technology? IMO this is false economy.

 

[alarmguy]

Interesting, on my last bike the Yuasa I purchased was already flooded. I was caught by surprise when I purchased my last one just a few years ago for my Harley that it was dry.
I think you have a choice or I should say I think the selling dealer has a choice, flooded or dry.
I saw someplace an ad by Yuasa promoting already flooded but I assume they still offer dry.
I think you already know this but with small engine batteries, I too MUCH rather have dry and add the acid once the battery is needed or shipped to the house. This way you have a true fresh battery and dont have to wonder how long a flooded was sitting on a shelf someplace.
Actually, Ill insist on dry, thanks for the heads up.

 

[Jetronic]

Some Mitsubishi OEM batteries come dry. We have a 5 gallon pail of battery acid (sulfuric acid, diluted) to fill them when they are ready to be installed. Can't remember the brand, think they could have been Panasonic...

 

[dblshock]

Go to AGM and replace less often.

My 2007 Rubicon has the original Yuasa battery, when an ATV spends time upside down these batteries need to be refilled I had to replace mine on another Honda shortly after it had flipped.

 

[Jeepwm69]

At the rate batteries are improving do you think that in 10 yrs they'll have the same technology? IMO this is false economy.

Eh, possibly. But then again, I keep hearing about how great technology is, while I keep running my 1977 John Deere, an 83 John Deere, three 85 Jeeps, an 83 GMC, and a whole bunch of "old" stuff that works just fine as long as I take care of it.

10 years from now a "new, later, and better" battery might exist. Will probably be $400 too, whereas if I could find a dry normal farm battery now, and add acid 10 years from now, it will start my truck/Jeep/tractor just fine, and I won't have to scramble around trying to find a battery on a Saturday afternoon when my tractor won't start.

 

[Jeepwm69]

storage batteries,and storing them...

I was recently asked IF it were possible to "store" lead/acid, ( wet cell) batteries...In my opinion, yes! I say that as long ago (when I was much...

www.survivalmonkey.com

 

[wrcsixeight]

The plates are porous, so draining the batteries storing the electrolyte, rinsing them and storing them is not likley to get all the acid out and prevent ALL the subsequent eating of plates/sulfation.

I had a friend who would buy batteries before he needed them. Would keep saying they are brand new, still in their plastic. the 5 year old optima, purchased when they were still made in the USA, read 6.4 volts.

" But it's brand new"

Just would not accept that it was worth its core charge only. He purchased a battery minder 12248, let it run in desulfate mode for weeks, refusing to believe his folly at having bought a battery for later use.

No improvement.

If you can't buy them dry then don't buy them, and if you absolutley have to, then keep them fully charged and as cool as possible.
A fully charged battery will not freeze until about 68f below zero and self discharge and degradation comes to a near complete stop at that temperature.

Got a chest freezer? charge it, wrap both terminals in electrical tape, and put it in the bottom. Take it out once every two years, let it warm to above freezing and recharge it.

 

[Jeepwm69]

The plates are porous, so draining the batteries storing the electrolyte, rinsing them and storing them is not likley to get all the acid out and prevent ALL the subsequent eating of plates/sulfation.

I had a friend who would buy batteries before he needed them. Would keep saying they are brand new, still in their plastic. the 5 year old optima, purchased when they were still made in the USA, read 6.4 volts.

" But it's brand new"

Just would not accept that it was worth its core charge only. He purchased a battery minder 12248, let it run in desulfate mode for weeks, refusing to believe his folly at having bought a battery for later use.

No improvement.

If you can't buy them dry then don't buy them, and if you absolutley have to, then keep them fully charged and as cool as possible.
A fully charged battery will not freeze until about 68f below zero and self discharge and degradation comes to a near complete stop at that temperature.

Got a chest freezer? charge it, wrap both terminals in electrical tape, and put it in the bottom. Take it out once every two years, let it warm to above freezing and recharge it.

Yeah I won't try draining one. I am going to see if I can nose around here and find a supplier who will sell me one dry. I know the owner of the local Napa, maybe he can work something out for me.

 

[tshephard]

I had a real scooter for about 20 years, and the Yuasas responded much better to Battery Tender than replacement and ignoring.

I also sold Delco batteries around 70, and filled many dry cells, and saw pants fall apart next time they got wet.

 

[billt460]

This was more common in the 1970's and prior. Maintenance free/sealed batteries seemed to be the changeover that killed buying dry batteries with the acid separate. They may still be available, but probably few and far between to find them if they still exist for automotive applications.

This is correct. Back in the early 70's most all car batteries came "Dry Charged". With the electrolyte packaged separately. Upon purchase, the battery would be filled with acid / electrolyte, then placed on charge until a certain specific gravity of the electrolyte was reached on a hydrometer.

This assured the customer received a fresh, fully charged battery. They could sit all but indefinitely, without any ill effects this way until they were filled. Today most all the batteries you buy are all flooded and sealed, and are in some state of discharge. Some far more than others. All depending on how long they've been sitting. I never install a new battery without first charging it.

Some can take quite a while before they show a full state of charge. The last battery I purchased for my Jeep Grand Cherokee showed only a 70% state of charge on my automatic charger when I hooked it up. I fully charged it to 100% before I installed it.

 

[Cruzer4326]

Here's a question for yall.

I've recentyly bought a couple of Yuasa batteries for ATV's. If you buy the actual Yuasa battery, it comes flooded. If you buy the Honda part, you get a Yuasa battery that is empty, with the battery acid separate in a set of tubes that allow it to be easily dispensed into the battery.

I picked up a couple of extras, and have them on the shelf. That way, whenever I need a battery, I will have one, and it's not sitting there letting time slowly kill it. If I don't need to use one of them for 10 years, I can fill it in 10 years and will have a new battery.

Does anyone know where you can get automotive sized batteries like this?

I have a LOT of vehicles and tractors, and keeping batteries on all of them has become a bit of a PITA. I live in a small town with one auto parts store (Napa) that isn't open on the weekends. I'd love to be able to put a couple of new batteries on the shelf to have when I need them, if I could store them dry where they aren't being killed by father time.

I'm currently running Optima Red Tops on most of them. They're getting long in tooth, and since the Johnson Controls buyout they aren't what they used to be, so looking at going to hopefully a severe duty farm battery, but would love to be able to get one dry. Need side and top terminals, as 3 of the vehicles have winches and I'd prefer dual terminals.

I sold batteries in an Auto Electric shop in the 80's. Back then, only the less popular batteries were stocked dry. It's just not cost effective to stock the popular BCI group sizes dry. If you were a large volume battery seller, you MIGHT be able to talk your salesman into selling you some select sizes to you.