Well I finally gone in done it... I yanked out the factory batteries and replaced them with a set of WalMart Batteries. I was shocked I to find that the Group 27 batteries where only $89 bucks a piece and they are 850 CCA batteries. I was smart and brought my tools along and changed them right in the parking lots and wheeled the tired stock batteries in the store and collected my $18 bucks worth of core charge. I got to admit the charging voltage is a bit lower and the starter seems to spin much easier. But after getting nearly 10 years from the stock batteries it was time to retire them.

I saw those about a week after putting new ones in mine. 10 years out of set of batteries is darn good. I think I will let you start taking care of mine.

Pretty simple really...Coat the batteries terminals with engine oil and leave wet. Once or twice a month I put a battery charger on them and let them charge for over 24 hours. The reason why is that you look at all the short trips you do through out the day. You'll fire up and drive 3-5 minutes shut down. Yes, the volt meter shows 14 volts but is the amperage down to near zero? Who knows... But the simple fact is batteries can be bulked up in a hurry but the final charge require hours to complete. So hence most batteries fail quickly.Keep the electrolyte up. I check my batteries every month and top off with distilled water and then drop the charger on them. It does no good to top of the batteries with water and leave them sit. The water and acid need to be stirred into the batteries. At this point to do it right you would disconnect the batteries and place a charger on for 15.0-15.5 volts and charge till the amps where low. This will make the battery boil and become gassy but the boiling action stirs the distilled water into the acid. Like even on my RV I've got a boost mode that kicks the charger to 14.6V and it automatically drops of time but the batteries get a little gassy allowing the distilled water to sir back into the batteries.If you batteries are ever ran low. (<12 Volts standing) then you need to immediately place them on a charger. Don't just drive till 14 Volts are shown. Once again the fact remains batteries will bulk up to 13-14 Volt quickly but as for getting the final charge will take HOURS!!!

Interesting info, Mike. Thanks for sharing.

I'm just shocked you got 10 years..... Hope those Walmart batteries last for you too because I've heard to many times that they're garbage. But you seem pretty particular about battery upkeep. So keep us posted.

Sure thing... Not a problem... :thumbup2:As a matter of fact Outlook scheduler is constantly nagging me to charge batteries here on the property...

Actually the WalMart Everstart Maxx batteries are pretty good. About a year and a half ago Consumer Reports rated automotive batteries and for the money they rated them almost as good as Interstate batteries. Since then, that's all I've been using and had nothing but good experiences in everything I have.

Just out of curiosity I just pulled up the Consumer Reports website and to find out this all so important rating information requires being a member. Whats that all about? On another website, the NAPA battery was rated best. I understand that all batteries are built by only a couple battery manufacturing plants but they build those batteries for specific brand names as per that brands requirements.

i have matching wally batteries and they work great!

Just out of curiosity I just pulled up the Consumer Reports website and to find out this all so important rating information requires being a member. Whats that all about? On another website, the NAPA battery was rated best. I understand that all batteries are built by only a couple battery manufacturing plants but they build those batteries for specific brand names as per that brands requirements.

It's so NAPA CEO's have to put in some effort to vote for their battery I have nothing against any battery brand.... Best battery I have ever had out of NAPA batteries, optima red tops, wal mart batteries, was the everstart maxxs. I dont mean they were just the best, I mean they were farrrrrrrr from whatever #2 was. They are great. I'm going on 7 years with one and it can still whip my red top optima dry cells and they are brand new and both batteries have the same CA. The red tops just have no endurance. If it is cold out, they crank and crank and then crank slower and slower. The Maxx's will burn the starter up before they give up. Buy a ford and you will find all this out for yourself

Honestly I never cared much about battery hoopla. Talking batteries always turns into an oil thread..... Sure if I had the money I'd probably buy Interstates just because they've always been great but what I seem to look for now is simply where I can get a quick replacement if I have trouble and/or away from home. That would be a benefit for using Walmart since they're everywhere.

Honestly I never cared much about battery hoopla. Talking batteries always turns into an oil thread.....

So very true...

not many people know this but most batteries are made from the same MFG then sell them to walmart, advance auto, napa etc etc they just put their branding on it. so yes this battery is better than tha really is a waste as most are made from the same place (optimas are different story they are dry cell)

I have 2 Orbital batteries in my truck they are similar to optimas but not made by Johnson Controls (they were NAPAs version until they switched to east penn) and one is a 04 and the other a 05 and I checked them the other day and one was at 98% health and the other 80% so I think I am doing pretty good. Also just the other day I left my cargo/dome light on all night and went out to the truck in the morning and she cranked up:thumbup2: so I would recommend these spark boxes!

I am runnig 2 out of Auto Zone. I got 5 years out of the oe's and 5 years out of the old auto zones. I like to get 10 like Mike, but maybe not any time soon.

It's really kinda hard to say what is the best without a lab to check each battery for the same tests and with each battery the same age. There are so many factors. I used to go to college (across the street, literally) and back 3 or 4 times a day and then drive 2 hours on the weekend. That would do a number on some batteries, though I had 5 in the truck at that time so I don't think it really phased them. Then my ford took 30 seconds to crank (not joking) everyday, that is where the maxx's shined, though all my batteries are different conditions and been in different vehicles so it's just hard to say what's the best. Cajflynn would probably get the most out of his batteries since he drives so much which keeps the batteries topped off, floating them. Same as Mike's house, he has batteries in it for when the power goes out. I doubt the power goes out daily so his batteries have lasted a very long time. I don't think it's using the battery that kills them, its the DEEP use of a battery that does it. My ford gave them deep use every morning lol, but I had a 15 min trip to high school so they charged back up, plus I let it warm up every morning. The grid heaters are another issue. I think it would be safe to say that the city runners in alaska go through batteries left and right from constantly starting and stopping and the grid heaters and never getting charged back up and....... Batteries are pretty forgiving if you think about it but you shouldn't take them for granted, they need a little giving back sometime. Give them a little drive every now and then to get them back up to terminal velocity. Have a great day.

My truck gets lots of short trips from the barn to the chicken coop, to the wood shop and then the house, all with the grid heaters running. I have noticed it cranking a bit slower than usual latley and thought maybe I would give mine a charge tonight.What is the best amp rate to charge at, 2 amp or 10? And Mike, I am interested in what kind of charger are you using? I know you are a good bit more experienced with batteries than most of us with that home electrical generation set up you run, so I wondered what kind you use. (I just hooked the charger up on 10 amp and it is showing the batteries at 50%)

Here you go... 1620 CCA worth of fresh power!

Mine have yellow tops.

Pretty simple really... Coat the batteries terminals with engine oil and leave wet. Once or twice a month I put a battery charger on them and let them charge for over 24 hours. The reason why is that you look at all the short trips you do through out the day. You'll fire up and drive 3-5 minutes shut down. Yes, the volt meter shows 14 volts but is the amperage down to near zero? Who knows... But the simple fact is batteries can be bulked up in a hurry but the final charge require hours to complete. So hence most batteries fail quickly. Keep the electrolyte up. I check my batteries every month and top off with distilled water and then drop the charger on them. It does no good to top of the batteries with water and leave them sit. The water and acid need to be stirred into the batteries. At this point to do it right you would disconnect the batteries and place a charger on for 15.0-15.5 volts and charge till the amps where low. This will make the battery boil and become gassy but the boiling action stirs the distilled water into the acid. Like even on my RV I've got a boost mode that kicks the charger to 14.6V and it automatically drops of time but the batteries get a little gassy allowing the distilled water to sir back into the batteries. If you batteries are ever ran low. (<12 Volts standing) then you need to immediately place them on a charger. Don't just drive till 14 Volts are shown. Once again the fact remains batteries will bulk up to 13-14 Volt quickly but as for getting the final charge will take HOURS!!!

After replacing the expensive commercial battery in my diesel tractor every couple years I bought a little maintenence charger for $ 60 bucks that automatically keeps the battery topped off all the time. so far its already paid for its self