Was just curious in the case you had an early failure issue going on.

I follow the Tedster9 philosophy, with a twist.

My daily/long distance driver, gets a new battery within two years, the old one is a hand-me-down to one of the other 3 occasional drivers...

Mark your batteries with the date, if you lose the receipts like me.

 

I just recently purchased a 27F from NAPA on one of their 10% off sales. CCA 710; CA 875; 75 month warranty. Made in USA. It worked even better after I changed all the cables to 2GA. I also looked at Sam's, Wal-Mart, and Auto Zone, but NAPA seemed best considering the warranty and the 10% off sale.

 

Every two years?? Not a bad plan but they should last longer than that. Heat just kills them though, depending where someone lives.

Or it's the heat makes them sick, and the cold finishes them off, however you want to look at it. Supposedly the average life is about 30 months in southern states compared to about 50 months up north.

Batteries naturally self discharge, and then add to that modern vehicles esp. have all kinds of parasite constant loads or draw. As every schoolboy knows higher temps speed up chemical reactions. Once a battery gets down to about an 80% charge they start to sulfate up permanently. So in theory at least if a battery is kept in a good state of charge it should last longer and give better service. Surface charges just make it seem like the battery is topped off, they need thorough charging with enough volts to get the electrolyte to mix.

Simply disconnecting a battery will help a lot if the truck or equipment not used very often, but it will still self-discharge. If it's real hot bringing it indoors and store in a cool area should help too. A good charger should pay for itself in just a few years, easy.

 

Autozone has a 5 year warranty on Duralast Gold. Napa's best warranty is 2 years. I'm confused by your smart shopping.

 

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBP7527F

 

The NAPA Legend 75 may be rated for 75 months but, as far as I can tell, the they're pro-rated after 18 months...

 

Yeah, they last up to 5-7 years occasionally as the hand-me-down-batt. I just don't like batteries more than a few years old in a daily driver that goes to remote places.

I keep the hand-me-downs disconnected to the vehicles that are not started every week.

I keep a tender on my daily d if it is going to sit for more than 3 weeks.

I got 7 years out of a battery in a vehicle that sat disconnected in Newfoundland for 10 months a year, over the winter. Amazed my cousins, they still believe the old wise tale that that batt. need to be brought inside over the winter. Connected the batt. in the summer, and the 318 started first time every year. They were not believers until the 4th year.

 

The cold keeps them from self-discharging as quickly. BUT, a flat or dead battery will freeze solid at +20°F and likely be ruined, so it's not a bad idea overall. A fully charged battery is good to -80°F below zero or thereabouts.

 

Correct on the warranty.

 

I wonder if the older-style regulators are over-charging the batteries at high temperatures. They might be cooking the plates.
My bad.

 

As you know, the internal regulators are all solid state and generally are not adjustable. External regulators can be either solid state or the old style mechanical. Most of the solid state external regulators are not adjustable. The nice part about the old mechanical regulators was that they could be "tailored" to what the owner desired (though most owners didn't do any custom tailoring). If you know what is best for your battery and want to provide it, get something adjustable and adjust according to your circumstances.

 

Pretty much everything I have is Interstate and one Napa I think. Napa told me they're battery is a Deka and I've had no issues with it. My interstates typically last around 8 years when I get the 84 month version. I have a regular in my Cobra thats 8 years old and been killed several times now from sitting and still works for some reason.

I've been getting batteries from Interstate lately that they sell only to used car dealers once they are refurbished that were returned for warranty. They are only months old and believed to be defective but aren't. Interest checks them and sells them for $35 each with a 1 year warranty and no label. I buy them every chance I can for our tractors. My 79 has one in now for I guess 2 years.

 

Would this help any?

Ford 3G Style Alternator With External Adjustable Voltage Regulator | eBay