49 months out of my Interstate start batteries

[Zeroclearance]

I have noticed recently that my resting voltage was falling quickly below 12 volts.

I have a full Vanner charging system, with equalizer and monitor.   The Detroit ECU bleeds off a few watts, along with the Allison ECU and ABS brain..   The batteries were doing good thru January.   These start batteries have not been abused, run low on water or run below 12 volts..   Two 8D's...

I called my local Interstate dealer, and gave the date code..   I was hoping to get another year out of them.   I then asked about the pro-rated warranty..   I was quickly told that the new battery warranty is 6 month...   I quickly restated a question.   So I pay $380 in new batteries and if they go bad in 7 months I have to buy a new set??   The answer was YES...

My question to forum members is..    Who has the better built start batteries right now, better warranty??   CAT?

[gus]

The poor warranty on 8Ds is the reason a lot of us are using Group 31s now, they have much better warranties, start the bus just as well and are much easier to handle.

8Ds probably are needed in very cold country but I'm not even sure they are an advantage there compared to equal CCA with smaller batts.

I will never go back to 8Ds.

[luvrbus]

The batteries at WM and Sam's are 6 month warranty now no matter what size or manufacturer here at Sam's we have the choice of Exide or Interstate 

I always bought 8D Calcium Constructed maintenance free batteries and they would last about 10 years cost around 50 bucks extra 

These new cars and buses with draw off the computers all the time batteries don't seem like the last long we are lucky if we get 2 years in the Lexus from a cheap WM or a $$ from Autozone then I have the heat to deal with 

Personally I would prefer to deal with 2-8D that 4 or 8 group 31 some buses use

[Zeroclearance]

There is a company here in Seattle called Dyno Battery.  They have a nitch market in the marine and locomotive business.    I think that I will try a set of there 8D's..   They say that most of there 8D's should get me 7 years!   More lead, thicker plates, built right here in Seattle.    $30.00 more than the Interstate 8D's..   

Over night we have lost our battery warranty folks..   A 36 month battery usually had a 24 month free replacement and prorated to 36 months after that.    I guess that I should be happy for 4 years of service..

[luvrbus]

Batteries still have a replacement warranty at some place but you pay for batteries are almost double in price with replacement warranties check out Auto Zone they have almost doubled in price from a year ago with a replacement warranty

[akroyaleagle]

For some reason I never got much more than a year out of my 8d start batteries.

I just buy the Walmart ones. I can get them replaced anywhere.

I tried the 3 group 27 route. The combined CCA's was more than the 8Ds.

They would never start my bus right. I usually had to start the generator and use one of the big chargers I have.

Put two new 8ds in and she starts as soon as the key is in the start position.
It has never seemed like the engine even turns over, it just roars to life.

Now my war story.

I bought a new 05 Silverado in 05. Rarely open the hood on my vehicles.
A couple of weeks ago it wouldn't start after setting overnight. Happened twice.
I took it to Walmart and told them the battery was bad.
My first indication should have been when the battery receipt was not in the service records.
I thought, "That's strange," I keep very good records and seemed to remember I had them replace the battery in Nov.
I told them to look it up.
The Manager said he remembered too and told them to replace it.
The guy came back in and said that's an original AC Delco battery!
I got 8 years out of that battery.
Never had that happen before.
I've got three Silverados, The other two have had a couple of new batteries.

If I had realized it was an original, I probably would have gone to Chevy and bought a AC Delco.

Do any of you battery Gurus know if dealer AC Delcos are the same as new vehicle batteries
or they just the same as all the other reconditioned crap we get no matter what label is on them?

[luvrbus]

Most batteries AC Delo,Interstate,Costco ,Walmart,Sears Die hard and other are made by Johnson Controls fwiw Joe

[lvmci]

Hi All, my 8Ds from napa lasted less than 2 years, interstate didnt have any top post group 31s, so I drove down to lancaster/palmdale and bought group 31s by magna, US built for $99, granted the desert and LA dont get lower than 20° F but thats where I live, and I gonna take advantage of the fact, if they last  at $200 FOR 2 YEARS! FOR 2 BATTERIES, as opposed to $600 for.2 years, Im gonna give it a go, see what happens, lvmci...

[luvrbus]

People here make a big mistake buying batteries a guy here (won't mention names) was so proud he bought batteries with hupteen CCA and boy would it spin the old 8v71 two weeks later he found out the starter was not real happy with all the CCA cost him a starter

[Zeroclearance]

If I want to go to Canada or Alaska, I don't want to be worried about the engine not cranking at "any" cost.   When I am on vacation I just do not want any issues.   I will stick with the 8d's...    I will report back in 4 years to see if the Dyno batteries have went at least the distance of the Interstate batteries.   Hopefully I can get a few years longer..

The intention of my post is to share that I am shocked that the battery companies have removed there pro-rated warranty.    I guess folks want a price point, but don't realize that lead has gone up so the batteries are made cheaper, but only last 1/2 as long.

[Don4107]

Just put 2 1400 CCA 8Ds in a fire truck for $188.00 each.  Old bats were dated 2007.  This engine sets more than a bus.  Should have been replaced sooner, but that is the best I've seen from a set of 8Ds. Didn't ask warranty.  Around here 8Ds were always 1 year because of assumed commercial use.

[TomC]

Unless you still have the over the road A/C, there really is no reason to have the 2 8D batteries. As far as big rig trucks go, years ago, they too used 2 8D batteries to start them. Everyone got tired of dealing with batteries that weighed around 160lbs ea. Virtually all trucks now use size 31 batteries and all are 12v systems including the starter. 2 batteries are used on the medium engines; 3 batteries are used on non sleeper trucks; 4 batteries are used with sleeper trucks with the addition of 12.3v cutout system to keep the batteries from going dead from too much T.V. watching. The size 31 batteries range from 650 to 1100cca each. I have had 4-1,100cca batteries in my truck. But I also have the older system that uses a 24v starter. So at 24v, I still have 2200cca of cranking power.

As far as having too much battery and burning out a starter-there is only one instance that I know that it would be a problem and that's if the starter's shunt coil was removed. The shunt coil is used to prevent the starter from over speeding. Without the shunt coil and big bank of batteries could over speed the starter causing early failure. In all the years I've been driving, having too many batteries have never been a problem. With 1.2 million miles on my truck, I'm only on my 2nd starter. Good Luck, TomC

[opus]

I have 7 yr old NAPA 8D's.  Not a problem.  I also throw the master switch every time I park the bus for more than a day, just as a precaution.

[gus]

A  starter is just an electric motor, it won't demand any more current than its load calls for.

If it draws too many amps something is wrong in the circuit or it is overloaded.

Battery power is battery power, it doesn't make any difference about the size or number of the battery/batteries as long as they have the same power potential.

Many things can cause hard starting, batteries are just the source of power.

[wg4t50]

I always get five yrs. from my 8D set,  maybe due to keeping on a trickle charger, I maintain 12.9-13.0 Volt per battery.
Dave M