Battery replacement: based on age or performance?

[Dave9]

I wait till it's cranking slow, or the vehicle computer states shutting things down because battery... then I put it on a charger to make sure it's the battery.

This is in context, having a portable jumpstarter, jumper cables and a cellphone. Even so, if I had a battery over 4 years old and was going on a long road trip or to a remote area (off-road) where it's a long hike out, where I might not have cell service or someone else's vehicle to jump from, I'd replace it first.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I wait till it starts giving problems. No reason to replace otherwise. We have had batteries last for years with no issues so replacing them would of been a waste of money. Plus that is an expensive thing to replace every 3 or 4 years. You could always do a test on it and see what it tests as. If it’s lower than half I say replace but if not leave it.

 

[yowps3]

Just like I don't change my oil at 3k miles, or my tires when they're just about reach the wear bars. I don't change my battery out just because the calendar says it's a certain age, I get my money's worth out of what I buy. And buying a tool to check the condition of a battery, is a waste of money if you don't use it everyday for your job. You can take it to pretty much any chain store and have them load test it for free.,,

For everyone's sake I sure hope the same is not applicable for your underpants!

 

[Elkins45]

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten less than seven years out of a battery.

 

[jimbrewer]

Do you always replace your battery at a certain age or do you wait until it starts failing? Or is a specific gravity tester a good way to decide if you need a new battery?

Performance. I moved to a cooler climate, so they don't automatically destroy themselves every three years like they did in the low desert. I also started using a trickle charger at night on a regular basis, which extends life. (Got 8 1/2 years off original battery.) Plus, Ford carefully tests the battery every time I bring it in for an oil change.

The battery is by far the most likely thing to leave you stranded. So pay attention.

 

[zzyzzx]

I have a 4 year old battery that got chewed on by a rat. I patched it with a piece of plastic using silicone sealant. It works fine. Now if that patch falls off, I'll probably replace the battery.

 

[nobb]

On a somewhat related note, have any of you done the electrolyte replacement with Epsom salts to recondition a weak battery? I might start a separate thread, or at least do a BITOG search for it.

It would be interesting to have a separate discussion on this, but this is exactly what I do with old/weakening batteries now to get a bit more life out of it. When I buy new batteries, I specifically look for ones where I can get at the cap for servicing. I do this with both automotive and SLA's for various electronic applications.

I had an old battery that did not appear to have any mechanical damage, but was weak and could barely start my vehicle in the cold. I put some Epsom salt in the cells (mixed with saturated water first), then left it on a solar trickle charger for the summer and forgot about it. To my surprise, I tested it many months later and it had close to 100% of the original CCA (according to my handheld conductance tester). I'm guessing the Epsom salt doesn't work right away, but rather, leaving it trickle charging over a long period of time helps to knock off the sulfates.

 

[measureman]

My wifes previous car the battery was just fine but 7 years old so I replaced it.
Batteries almost always fail at the worst time ,brutal cold,late at night far from home etc.
So for $125 I eliminated that brain damage.

 

[Elkins45]

It would be interesting to have a separate discussion on this, but this is exactly what I do with old/weakening batteries now to get a bit more life out of it. When I buy new batteries, I specifically look for ones where I can get at the cap for servicing. I do this with both automotive and SLA's for various electronic applications.

I had an old battery that did not appear to have any mechanical damage, but was weak and could barely start my vehicle in the cold. I put some Epsom salt in the cells (mixed with saturated water first), then left it on a solar trickle charger for the summer and forgot about it. To my surprise, I tested it many months later and it had close to 100% of the original CCA (according to my handheld conductance tester). I'm guessing the Epsom salt doesn't work right away, but rather, leaving it trickle charging over a long period of time helps to knock off the sulfates.

Did you replace the acid electrolyte or just add the Epsom salts to the existing fluid?

 

[nobb]

Did you replace the acid electrolyte or just add the Epsom salts to the existing fluid?

I heated some distilled water and saturated it with Epsom salt, then injected this mixture directly into the cells. No removal of the existing acid.

 

[NYEngineer]

I have one of those testers that EKG's the battery. I give it a test after a few years. Once it starts showing signs of weakness, it's out. My brother's a Deka dealer so I get a decent break. No point in waiting to get stuck.
My stepson, who I've tried repeatedly to teach life lessons just doesn't want to get it. A few years ago I was looking under his hood for some reason and I said hey, this battery is the ORIGINAL battery in this nine year old car. You're gonna have a problem when you least expect it. His reply... You just change things. That battery is fine.
Well, A few weeks later, it was Mother's Day and we had reservations for lunch. On MD on Long Island you don't want to be late for your reservation or you won't be seated. Anyway, he calls in a panic. My car won't start. My wife asks me to go get him. I said let him sit home. Otherwise, he won't learn anything. Needless to say, we had to go get him. Now, he still has the same Jeep and the battery is fine but the electric fan doesn't come on. He keeps asking me why it gets warm at lights. I keep telling him it's either his fan, the temperature switch or the relay. Do you want me to look at it? No, he says. Have fun cookin' that V6.

 

[WagonWheel]

Here in TX, I’m ecstatic if I get 4 yrs out of a Costco interstate batt. The heat does a number on them. Unless you are testing them or doing a charge / rest test, there’s little to no warning when they go.

I just acquired a Schumacher BT-100 load tester, we’ll see how that goes.