When to replace a battery?

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: 1sttruck
We get at least 5 years (older OEM Ford), but typically 7 to 8 years out of batteries, be it older Die Hard Golds, Interstates, or newer Ford OEM. Gotta check water levels at least monthly in the summer. Replace the battery when it gets slow cranking, unfortunately for some is during the first cold snap. A cold snap also shakes out people with inadequate coolant levels, poor choice of winter tire, poorly maintained locks, old wipers, inadequate alcohol in the washer fluid, lack of foresight to carry a scraper and/or snow brush in the vehicle, etc.


Wisdom comes from experience. Every lesson that I've learned (usually the hard way) tempered me into the "be prepared" annoying parent/husband that I am. This is probably more due to the necessity for me to cope with those situations where others cannot cope with current resources under prevailing circumstances/conditions.

 

[yugrus]

Originally Posted By: alanu
Low batteries will fry your regulator in your battery

Since when there's a regulator in the battery?
Originally Posted By: alanu
because the alt has to work overtime because it senses a low battery.

That's not what happens most of the time IMHO. Semi-dead battery just does not take as much charging current as normal. Because of this there's no way to fry anything. A very dead battery will not provide as much cushion for the current fluctuations, and that may kill the regulator under certain circumstances.

 

[oilyriser]

If one of the cells loses fluid level faster than the others, it means some of the plate material has broken off and that cell has a lower capacity than the others. This weakens the whole battery, since the cells are in series.

Four years might be time to replace if this is a cheapo battery, but if it's a top of the line one, it'll probably go another winter. Some batteries have very thin plates to give really high CCA numbers, but those plates probably break off easier.

I have a fresh battery waiting to replace my car's 8 year old one, but I'm curious if the old one still has enough power to start the car on a really cold day.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally Posted By: onion
I start thinking about replacement once the vehicle starts to crank slow. Then I procrastinate until I need a jump start... then I replace it.
That's the point though. The car has no problem cranking and starting right up. If I had'nt tested it I wouldn't have known it was only 298 cca.

 

[Donald]

Tell me how one can justify an Optima battery for a car? I was at Sams and they are around $125 vs $65 for a normal battery.

When your battery goes in a normal situation the vehicle is about 5 or 6 years old. A $65 battery should get one another 5 years. How much longer should one expect?

 

[Mr_Incredible]

The longest I've had a battery last is seven years. Most have died at five or six years.

That said, you have used 75-80%. If the replacement battery is about $50, then you'll only have "wasted" $10 by getting a new one early.

It would be worth that $10 for peace of mind for the wife's safety AND not having to go to the rescue if the battery dies at an inopportune time (and when do they die at an opportune time?)

Go ahead and change it early. Or, maybe wait until next spring or early summer to split the difference.

 

[1sttruck]

"Tell me how one can justify an Optima battery for a car?"

I was looking at replacing a 65 series Interstate Megatron 'police special' that was 8 years old and still cranking with no problems, but it had started dribbling acid on a regular basis. An Optima red top was the same price, around $80 or so, and although the Optima wasn't rated for as much output as the Interstate it was certainly good enough, and being sealed was attractive. With four vehicles sometimes one just gets tired of diddling with some stuff.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: alanu


Low batteries will fry your regulator in your battery because the alt has to work overtime because it senses a low battery.


Depends on what is meant by "low battery". If you're talking about a battery that has lost some capacity due to sulphation, this won't damage the alternator or regulator.

If you're talking about a battery that has been run flat and was jumpstarted, yes, it would be a good idea to put a charger on it instead of letting the alternator charge it up.

If you're talking about a battery with a shorted cell, yes, it will pull excessive current from the alternator and overheat it.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: lasmacgod
]
1) If you have a "photo-eye" on the battery, it should show a green color inside. When it no longer shows green, I replace it no matter how well it cranks over.


That's probably because it has lost enough water that the level is below the "photo eye" (actually a hydrometer).

All of the maintenance-free batteries I've seen (where you cannot add water to them) have that eye.

I've seen some maintenance-accessible batteries (ones you can add water to) with the eye, but only OE batteries in Ford and Honda vehicles. Unknown if dealer replacement batteries also have the eye.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I buy the inexpensive Walmart batteries and change em' every four years (around 50K).

 

[Shannow]

Should always change them shortly after adding seafoam to a near empty tank.

We don't have "serious" winters here. My self grown bear suit allowed me to go the whole winter with a jacket/jumper required only 10 days the winter that we just had...coldest morning was -5 (C).

I run a battery until it starts to turn the engine over sluggishly. Add a battery booster (sulfate reducer), and get another season out of it.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Should always change them shortly after adding seafoam to a near empty tank.

You beat me to it.

 

[mazduh30]

I check mine once a year and actually recharge it using a "smart charger".

 

[XS650]

Quote:
I check mine once a year and actually recharge it using a "smart charger"


I recharge mine every time I drive using the alternator that came with the car.

 

[johnd]

Considering that my batteries typically fail in the last month of the warranty period, my strategy was to buy a cheap one and change it out a couple of months early. I bought a Walmart 24 month battery on September 2006. At this point I guarantee it will never make July or August of 2008. It hasn't gotten bad enough to strand me yet but it tests out at about 1/2 what it should be. So much for planning ahead. I'd really like to move my battery to a cooler location. Where I live, i think heat kills them more than anything else.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: kargo27
Originally Posted By: Win
Originally Posted By: ekpolk


Especially with my wife's car, I'm simply unwilling to have her (or her and my girls) sitting in a desolate location waiting for help because the battery suddenly failed.

...

Why not take control and do it slightly early, and enjoy the peace of mind of not leaving yourself or loved ones stranded pending replacement? The wife's Avalon will get a new battery at about the three year mark, whether it "needs" it or not.


+1. Waiting for a battery to strand loved ones (or you) is pretty cavalier. In addition to starting, it's your backup electrical system.


+2. In the metroplex of Dallas/Ft. Worth too many criminals and unknowns (illegal aliens) around to be cavalier about women's safety in a stranded car.


+3 Since I have all female drivers I can't take that chance for the $59 WalMart charges for a 3 year 100% replacement guarantee on a new battery. Add to that is the NE Ohio Winter weather and I am usually the "Road Service" jump start technician and it's not worth the extra year of service which amounts to a $15 savings to stand out there in sub zero temps jump starting a vehicle and then having to go to WalMart anyway. I like replacing batteries in warm weather.

 

[turbowhine]

Timing is everything. I try to replace them before they leave us stranded. For sure they will fail when you have the least amount of time or accessability to a new and suitable battery on the coldest night. We get below zero here a few times a winter. If you pay attention you can hear when they are slowly weakening.

Joe

 

[Towel_Rail]

For those of you who can't stand to waste the last year or so of battery life, maybe you could buy new batteries for the distaff's cars, and use the old ones in your own cars?

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Towel_Rail
For those of you who can't stand to waste the last year or so of battery life, maybe you could buy new batteries for the distaff's cars, and use the old ones in your own cars?

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Where you are it's not cold. As long as the rest of the battery is ok, eg, it isn't a big parasitic drain on your alternator from internal problems, I would keep running it a while more.

I wonder if the AAP guy had the alligator clips or whatever on tight enough-- I could see many failure points in that test that would rig it in favor of the "carnies" who want to sell you a new battery. "Shenanigans" I declare!

That's what I was thinking. Also, i wonder whether the CCA that a new battery is rated for is kinda like the old "gross hp" ratings Detroit used to use in the 60's. If so I'll bet what he measured on my old battery was more of a net CCA.

I also remember reading in Consumer Reports a few years back that only the WalMart battery put out the number of cold cranking amps it was rated for. :2cents:

It doesn't get that cold where I live anyway so I think I'll wait 'til next fall.