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Just a heads up…the Advance Auto “Die Hard” batteries seem to be worse than their former “Gold” batteries. Bought Advance Gold in 2015, they lasted almost 3 years but probably should’ve been replaced sooner. Got new batteries under warranty. They lasted 2 years. Got their “Die Hard” Gold equivalent last April. They are already having occasional slow starts. 🤬
Just ordered Odyssey 65-PC1750T’s. From what I’ve heard I’m probably done buying batteries for this thing. 🤞
They aren't what they used to be, that's for sure. I put a new Motorcraft battery in My Taurus SHO back in 2016? It just started Key Off Engine Of accessory power shutting down with a battery saver warning. So I'm sure it's going to need a new one soon too. The AC Delco's in the F250 are a few years old after being replaced under warranty within 30 months on the previous set. Who knows how long this set will last. Sad. B.
Everything else up to snuff (alternator/clean terminals and grounds). Have u considered Jack's wiring upgrade/bigger alt? Just curious. I keep mine on a battery tender all the time.
I just consider batteries a consumable. The Walmart 850s I looked at the other day, passing by going to the oil section, $98. So two for 3 years cost a little over $5 per month. The price of the Odyssey over 10 years is about the same per month, although they do give more reserve. I pull up to Walmart, open the hood, take out the wrenches, put the batteries in the cart and go into the store. Ten minutes later I'm putting new batteries in. It's not big deal. I've come to terms with the Zen of batteries, recycled lead only works for 30-36 months.
I don't see the Everstart Maxx as a special battery. I am now up to 14 12v batteries to maintain home and farm, they have been consistent, without surprises. In occasional or lighter duty use they last longer, as all batteries die a little with every starting or errant discharge, forming lead oxide.
I've used two graphics with my videos. How deep of a discharge effects life, and batteries have only so many start cycles, which I projected onto dual batteries when they don't contribute equally.
Yep, I considered going the Walmart route, as I remember you’ve mentioned that before. Just in the back of my head I remember the 3 times I’ve been stranded due to batteries and decided I’d give the Odysseys a shot to make me hate them as well. 😉
Yup, DC Power 270amp alternator, upgraded cables from FICM Repair, clean terminals, driven every day, almost all drives of over an hour.
Could be something with the truck, but 🤷♂️
The acceptance rate of batteries is much lower than what the high-powered alternators provide. It's why the selling point of high output alternators is more smoke than meat, but the marketeer has an easy sell. The exception is if you do very short drives, but that's a hard justification, especially since there is a better price justification.
This is the graph where I tested the LN 230a during the winter. The light blue or teal line is an isolated feed to the batteries, not powering the electronics. This is are cold batteries (why I show temp) and cold batteries have a higher resistance to current flow, in or out. AGMs have lower resistance compared to regular lead-acid under all conditions, which is why they readily provide more current when starting.
But it's only a few seconds when the input or recharging current is the highest because recharge heats the batteries and increases resistance. Within 90 seconds, the batteries can only accept 10a each. We see the same trend when we recharge a battery with a charger. The turn-on charging rate is high and quickly diminishes. It doesn't matter if you use a 25a or 100a charger; you can't force-feed a battery. And why if you want to extend the life of a battery, put them on an overnight charger so they can fully charge monthly or quarterly. You can be driving for 8 hours; they do not fully charge, so automotive batteries have a poor lifespan compared to other situations with a full recharge event due to the operating cycle.
Two nights later, I added battery warming blankets to both batteries, and they were at 75şF at time of restart beside everything else at 24şF. The warmer, lower resistance batteries (same ones) now accepted the higher current rate. They did so for about the first minute, diminishing again because the internal heat increased resistance. It had a secondary effect of taking so much current that the alternator's voltage output was tampered, and did not kick off the GPCM as rapidly. By not quite 2 minutes, the acceptance rate was about the same as cold batteries. But there was a lot more refill of the battery's capacity during that short time, like when operating during the warmer months. Winter puts a strain on batteries, as we all know.
While some of us use the block heater to make starting easier, battery warming blankets are often ignored. So we stress the batteries more.
One of the good sources of information I've been using during my understanding of batteries is the site Battery University. This is an updated page from that site, which they do over time. So I need to look more at the site; I haven't been there in a while.
AGMs are a better starter battery because they can release and absorb current easier due to their lower resistance. The charging rate of an alternator designed for common lead-acid may not be ideal but survivable—more of a reason to occasionally overnight charge the batteries. But if the standard lead-acid battery is maintained and has enough capacity that the starters pull does not go too deep into that reserve, they are fine. Powerstrokes are designed on the edge, IMO; they go deep discharge with the stock design. The original equipment batteries in our trucks of 750CCA had thicker plates and virgin lead. Both contributed to the average eight-year lifespan we were spoiled with and can't seem to find with aftermarket, recycled 850CCA batteries with thinner plates and recycled lead.
Yeah, I got the 270amp DC Power with the thought of being able to add accessories in the future…but so far 7 years into the future that has failed to materialize 😂
Didn't realize that even on a longer drive the batteries don’t get to full recharge, though. Guess I should start using that battery tender more often…just need to make sure I don’t forget and “unplug” it by driving off… 😬
Hey, I've got the 230a and probably over the years I've had it it was probably needed for two hours. Now that I have two larger tractors at the farm, I use one of them where the needed 230a was useful.
