Battery Woes

[Blacksheep]

I too will never lift, use and be hassled with an 8D battery. In my Eagle, they always gave me problems! Building my bus on a budget like I did, I went the cheap route. I got my 4 group 31's at Sam's. Although they kept going down in charge which was actually a fault of my coach, they kept replacing them at no charge! They are Champion Labeled and are rated at 950 CCA's
Now that my charging problem is solved, so far, the batteries are doing great! Oh and they have Sam's all over the place!

Ace

[jjrbus]

The best reason for buying WM batteries other than price is there are so many stores all over the country which makes adjustments easy. Getting a bad battery replaced by WM is as easy as it gets.

No, I have no interest in WM, I don't even like them.

I use to use the same reasoning. Then last year the WalMart battery (still under warrenty) in my van started to go bad. It wouild pass a load test so they would not replace it.  With a hydrometer it had a bad cell, they did not care, it passed a load test so no new battery!!  After the second no start, I just bought a new battery, but no more WalMart for me.... Then I had a problem with an AutoZone battery, thier technicians are cluless so from now on it will be NAPA.

[luvrbus]

You can buy the Interstate brand at the Sam's in my area is it that way in other locations

[NJT 5573]

Bill,

Think you should check that one battery for a draw after its replaced. Just touch the positive terminal to the post in the dark and if you have any spark with the switch off, thats whats killing that battery.

[Blacksheep]

Correction on my batteries. They are labeled Energizer, NOT Champion.
I have not seen Interstate batteries at any of our local Sams!
Ace

[Lin]

I thought that there had been threads in the past the recommended using a Battery Tender as a cheap, dependable smart charger.  Wouldn't that overcome some problems?

[gus]

I've never had a single question concerning a battery exchange at WM, I even had one once that had a hole in it. I've probably exchanged 25+ WM batteries over the years, but then I have more than 20 machines using batteries too, so that isn't as many as it sounds. None of mine ever passed a load test. I have load testers of my own and test before returning so I wouldn't accept their results. If that ever happened I would go right to the store manager.

I don't see how a battery with a dead cell could ever pass a load test??

I was told by a WM clerk that some people keep batteries just up to the expiration date of the free replacement and then short them out to get a new battery. They keep records on their computer and if you do that a couple of times they will no longer exchange your bad battery. Can't blame them for that.

Ace,

Chances are that those batteries are made by Champion, many WM batteries are. Champions have also been the worst ones I've used.

[Kwajdiver]

New Batteries Today...

Went to my local Sams Club and purchased two 31A-Energzers at $94.33 plus tax.    Connected them in the front battery compartment. (Plan to move them to the engine compartment soon.)   Added a couple chunks of wood to take up the empty space, didn't want them sliding around.

Hope this is the end of this subject for me for awhile at least. 

Thanks for all your input.   

Bill