hard won battery knowledge

[landyacht318]

I recently found one of my 3 Walmart 115 Amp hour "deep cycle" Everstart batteries to have a dead/shorted cell.
Any money I might have saved buying cheap batteries is now gone.

Walmart has Johnson Controls make their batteries, but Walmart says to JC if you can meet this price we will buy this many from you. To do this JC cuts corners and uses less lead and other quality cutting methods. The end result is battery much less robust than what you think your getting.
The heavier a flooded Lead acid battery is, the longer its life and the higher it's output over time and use.

My everstart is out of the free replacement period, and even if it were not, one should not add a new battery to a bank of older batteries.

Everstarts are worth it only if you can kill them within the free replacement period. They are designed to last just past this period.

A Trojan deep cycle group 27 battery weighs 62 lbs and is expected to last 5 to 12 years.
My 50.8 lb Everstart group 27 has quit after 14 months, and the remaining 2 I'll be lucky to get another 4 months from.

Let me also state that These 3 batteries were never discharged below 70% capacity, and promptly recharged. They should have lasted at least 3 years, if they were of any quality.

Even at twice the price the Trojan is a bargain in comparison.
You get what you pay for.

If you have an everstart under 12 months old I recommend deliberately destroying it by letting it sit discharged ( below 11.5 volts) for a week or longer, and bringing it back for a replacement. Then you might get your moneys worth after a few years of doing this yearly.

To those of you who have had no problems with your Everstarts, your in the minority.

[97B2500CCV]

Landyatch318, what do you use your batteries for? Reason I am asking is that I plan on putting at least two in my van to run a 1500 watt inverter to power small tools and an aircompressor.

To add to your post most auto part stores also buy in bulk and may have lower quality product as well.

[B-300]

The morale of this story is.
1) You get what you pay for.
2) Free replacement period is similair to extented warranties for appliances.
3) Walmart isn't the best place to find quality. Cheap is there bussiness model.

[landyacht318]

Landyatch318, what do you use your batteries for? Reason I am asking is that I plan on putting at least two in my van to run a 1500 watt inverter to power small tools and an aircompressor.

To add to your post most auto part stores also buy in bulk and may have lower quality product as well.

My batteries mainly power My compressor fridge and my TV and like right now, my Laptop which will draw up to 8 amps surprisingly.

I have an 800 watt Cheap Coleman MSW inverter which I have used to power 6 amp angle grinders and jig saws and hand planers back when I used to make wooden surfboards camped on the beach In Baja. I have one 12 amp 8 inch sander/ grinder that I can use if I slowly run up the speed and don't bog it down.

Do note that some cordless power tool Chargers (Dewalt and Porter cable) and some electronics chargers will self destruct when powered by a Modified Sine Wave inverter. Some electric motors will overheat.

Pure sine wave inverters are about a dollar per watt.

[leeann]

Both my Bravada and Astro came with Everstart batteries installed. Both were total junk; I'm not even sure they made it through their warranty period. However, I didn't buy them...

I can't remember what brand came in my B250 (died shortly after buying it), but I've got an Interstate in there now. Never have a problem starting it and I let that van sit for a month at a time. Battery's 3 years old now.

You get what you pay for...if I can plan ahead, I buy batteries at www.batterymart.com - they have pretty good prices since all their warehouses are on the train tracks.

[VanMoreSon]

I guess it's the luck of the draw on the cheapies. I've had two of those Wally-world 27 series deep cycles for 2 years and they're still doing great. About 10 years ago WM sold Champion branded batts that were made by Johnson Controls also. I had to replace 3 of those in 1 1/2 years in a Toyota Celica. I finally got a Diehard and had no more problems.

[leeann]

Yes, the Champion brand batteries were awful. I had 2 that leaked badly out of one of the side terminals after about a year.

The Bravada has a DieHard in it now and it's been fine - but I've only had it 10 months.

[charlie1935]

I had good luck with the Champion brand w-mart used to carry. I even used them in my old Freightliner. Four of those 1000 C A batteries really spun that Cummins over.

[leeann]

You were just lucky, Charlie :P

My local parts place sighed heavily when I brought the Champions and Everstarts in....said they see over 80% of them fail in the first year.

[Dodgevanman]

I have an Autozone Duralast in my '94 van and it's been great and Advance Auto "Autocraft" Titaniums in my wife's Monte Carlo and my '72 van, both great so far.

I don't have much faith in anything from Walmart. :) Oh and Deka batteries are crap too. :)

[leeann]

I have a Duralast Gold in my '73 motorhome. It's been great for me, too. Spins the 440 every time - even in the middle of winter after sitting for a month.

[landyacht318]

I'm not a 100% sure on this but I think Autozone's Duralast batteries are made by Johnson controls, the same people that make wally world's everstarts. I don't know if they are made to WW's standards or not. In fact I believe there are only 3 or 4 large battery makers in the US and all the independent brand names subcontract them.

Anyway there is a large difference between a starting battery and a deep cycle battery. Even a cheap starting battery, if only used to start the car( ie no prolonged stereo use with engine off), and the car is driven long enough after each start, the battery will not be stressed, and can last for a very long time.

A starting battery is not designed to be discharged very deeply and will break down quickly if it is.

A true deep cycle battery has thicker lead plates designed for deeper discharges over a longer period of time.

Wally world or similar "deep cycle/rv/trolling" dual purpose batteries fall somewhere between the 2, having slightly thicker plates than a starting battery, but cannot really stand up to a constant charge or discharge, as evidenced by my batteries. These batteries have a lower cold cranking amps rating than a similar sized starting battery.

That being said, the best deep cycle batteries are supposively the 6 volt golf cart batteries. The most amp/hours for the buck and can handle the abuse.

Unfortunately these are generally much taller than a standard battery and must be wired in series, so I cannot fit them in my Vans' current locations.

Also they can suck up so much amperage from the alternator, when heavily discharged, that the vehicle's charging system can be overstressed.

[RamVanMan]

Hey guys, I gotta chime in here. I've been wrestling over a lot of battery data recently, too.

I had considered the Everstart Max 29, the largest Marine / deep cycle 12v WalMart battery, to build a solar battery bank. At about $ 78 / ea the cheapest, strongest battery I could find. Longevity ? I was hoping to make sure during that 18 month Free Replacement period they were good to go.

But my goal was a 1000 ah bank @ 24 volts, so that would mean buying 16 of those guys - a bit of an investment.

A friend tipped me that Sam's Club had the 6 volt golf car batteries (a trojan copy made by Interstate "PowerFast" brand) for just at $ 66 ea. They were higher amp/hour rated, but lower voltage, so I'd need, still, 16 of them to get to 1000 ah.

So I did it, they're working great - only hooked up for a month so far. But what you were saying is true - the thicker plates will handle more abuse, and a 6 volt designed for the frequent draining & recharging of a golf car situation should be durable for an RE (renewable energy) battery bank.

FYI, they're hooked up to (2) 120 watt panels - about 6.5 amps charging in full sun. I'd like to add another couple of panels when the $$$ allows.

Powering a 3,600 watt Trace DR 3624 modified sine wave inverter. Runs my workshop dandy.

We'll see on lifespan......best regards,

David B.

[B-300]

Did anyone see the thread in Rumor and Gossip that Chrysler is suing Johnson controls for the same thing... Leaving the lead out.