Plan B Forum

Yesterday I checked the price of a group 35-2 for Doc's car. I thought it might be between $70 and $80. Nope! It was $100 or more.

Hers was barely up to starting the car yesterday, I replaced it with a spare and started desulfating it. Over night the CCA went from 340 to 540. The label CCA is 640.

Over the next week it should be close to 640 again.

Amazing! Gasp!

It's science. Just remove the lead sulfate that affects the charge capacity of the plates.

An Exide engineer mentioned that over time the plates won't be as structurally sound. That means if you want to run a battery for many years (10+ years) a deep cycle battery will last longer before the plates weaken.

Or just spend the 50 bucks a new battery costs at Walmart.

Jarlaxle wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 9:14 pm

Or just spend the 50 bucks a new battery costs at Walmart.

A battery for the Honda costs $90 at Walmart. Much more for group 31 batteries.

I'd rather get an easy ten years or more out of a battery, w/o doubt w/o load testing, than take the word of a clerk at a place that exists to sell you batteries ... and you're stuck w/o other options.

Batteries slowly die on store shelves even before being sold as "new".

Darren wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 21, 2020 6:02 pm

Jarlaxle wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 20, 2020 9:14 pm

Or just spend the 50 bucks a new battery costs at Walmart.

A battery for the Honda costs $90 at Walmart. Much more for group 31 batteries.

I'd rather get an easy ten years or more out of a battery, w/o doubt w/o load testing, than take the word of a clerk at a place that exists to sell you batteries ... and you're stuck w/o other options.

Honda what?

I got 9 years out of my last Walmart battery. (Cranking an enormous engine through long, hot cables.) The replacement (a $50 Walmart Value Power) is doing fine.

Even a $100 Walmart battery is a good deal if it lasts 10 years.

Econoline wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 22, 2020 8:40 am

Even a $100 Walmart battery is a good deal if it lasts 10 years.

According to the AAA, the average battery lasts 3 to 5 years.

I got five years out of my last Walmart battery ($85 for a Toyota RAV4) which works out to $1.40/mo. When it died last (I accidentally left the key in the on position for a few hours) I called AAA battery service to replace it in my driveway. Yes I paid a little premium for that, which I was willing to pay due to not wanting to navigate covid exposures at the Walmart auto service and needing a jump from AAA to get there anyway, they sold me a better battery and it comes with 3 years of roadside replacement service and a free replacement battery whether or not I’m an active AAA member at the time (I’ll always be an active AAA member, it’s worth the price for the peace of mind alone).

I expect at least 5 years from this one, maybe more. @5 years, the cost is just over $2/mo.

I’m all for economizing, but some folks take it to extremes. To each their own.

eta: The AAA battery service experience was one for the ages, by the way - I should write the whole story of it up in another place for y’all’s amusement. But it ended up being about me connecting with a young pregnant woman of color roadside service representative who is beloved by customers far and wide (especially women, I’m sure!) judging by the online ratings for the company she works through. We connected - and both teared up in the process - over the insanity in our world right now and especially the racial justice issues. There would have been hugs but for covid. I’m keeping her and her baby - who will be born into a Biden administration, thank goodness, it wasn’t a sure thing then this was several weeks ago - in my heart. Such delightful connections with fellow humans we don’t already know are very rare in these times, so that alone was worth twice the premium I paid. It was priceless. (We wore masks, of course!)

BoSoxGal wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 22, 2020 1:42 pm

I got five years out of my last Walmart battery ($85 for a Toyota RAV4) which works out to $1.40/mo. When it died last (I accidentally left the key in the on position for a few hours) I called AAA battery service to replace it in my driveway. Yes I paid a little premium for that, which I was willing to pay due to not wanting to navigate covid exposures at the Walmart auto service and needing a jump from AAA to get there anyway, they sold me a better battery and it comes with 3 years of roadside replacement service and a free replacement battery whether or not I’m an active AAA member at the time (I’ll always be an active AAA member, it’s worth the price for the peace of mind alone).

I expect at least 5 years from this one, maybe more. @5 years, the cost is just over $2/mo.

I’m all for economizing, but some folks take it to extremes. To each their own.

There was a good chance after only five years that the battery was still good for more years.

As you said, to each their own. With one vehicle using AAA is the best solution for you.