anyone ever used recondition batteries?

[BRUISER]

I need new chassis batteries

and I have read all the searches about what type to use and I am down to either

8D or group 31.

I called local interstate rep and found out they have recondition batteries.. has anyone every used one?

the price is about 1/3 the cost and they guarentee them for the same amount of time as if you bought new..

any suggestions would be great

thanks
Ken C

[Busgeek]

I used reconditioned batteries quite a few years ago from a small battery shop.  They lasted for a while but didn't have what it took for sustained cranking when necessary.   I would probably try Interstates as I've had success with their batteries and they probably want to keep their reputation intact.   Where are they offering the rebuilts at?  Busgeek.

[chev49]

I have bought reconditioned batteries for many years from the local distributors. Have bought probably a couple hundred, mainly for used heavy equipment for resale, and used cars.  The ones i buy all have a 1 year guarentee, and i have brought a few back, and simply got another..
I need some more golf cart ones for my bus, and will most likely get some of those if they happen to have any. They occasionally have cell tower batteries - and barring the weight, i have thought about getting some of those..
Normally, i do not think reconditioned batteries are a good choice if one wants something to last several years... i Dont think they will last.
I have found that when i have been able to buy store return new batteries (outdated shelf life for resale) that these new ones have lasted just like any new one - and only cost me the reconditioned price.
just my two cents worth...

[chuckd]

Ken  I have 3 8D reconditioned batteries in my Prevost.  Bought them from a battery salvage yard not to far from my house.  They were take outs from uninterruptable power supplies, and removed for preventative maintainence reasons, may not have been used except to start the motor once or twice, and they always were maintained with the latest chaarging protocal.  Only had them in for a couple of months, so far so good.

Chuckd

[Jeremy]

I'd be curious to know what 'reconditioning' means in this instance. Do they replace the battery plates? I'm guessing not; I'd worry that the term 'reconditioning' was simply shorthand for dumping a few spoonfuls of Epson salts into the electrolyte, and hoping for the best.

Jeremy

[Mike in GA]

I bought blemished 8-Ds from Interstate 3 - 4 years ago and they are still going strong. About half-price and a one year guarantee. If memory serves, they also had outdated 8-D batteries available at 1/3rd the price of new.
Mike in GA

[Busted Knuckle]

Well this ain't got nothing to do with reconditioned batteries per se.

But we have 2 '05 Setra  S417's which means they are 7 yrs old now.
They use "custom" 8D's that are shorter in length & height then standard 8D's and have the terminals switched around from where they are on a normal 8D. They have to be the shorter versions for 2 reasons. One is they are in a battery slide out tray and the compartment the go in not tall enough for a stock 8D to go in & out without shorting out on the top of the compartment. Second the battery tray is not long enough for the longer standard 8D's either.


Well one unit has had the batteries replaced twice since and the other will get new one still has the originals. They are getting replaced this week as I had been running the radio about 1/2 hr and they wouldn'd hold enough charge to start the bus.

Point is you never know what you'll get now matter when/where you buy them.
  BK 
                                                                                                                                                                         

[Barn Owl]

I have experience with Interstate reconditioned batteries. After returning two failed reconditioned batteries I bought a new battery. I spent some time in their shop to see how a battery was reconditioned. First they have a guy scrub the batteries clean. They are used, returned core batteries, from the dealers. Second they do a load test/attempt to charge if low/retest. If it passes it is deemed reconditioned and ready for sale. These used batteries are on their last leg, only buy one if you need to sell something fast. As I have stated many times batteries start to die the day they are manufactured. Their treatment and environment determines how long they live, but they will die eventually and it is measured in months, not decades. Your money would be better spent on new. I don't have as much a problem with out of date batteries if they have been kept charged, but you need to realize they are that much closer to being dead, but will still last much longer than exhausted batteries.

[gus]

BO,

That is a very interesting post - all these years I thought those batteries had all the plates and posts removed and new ones installed in the old case??

[Barn Owl]

Gus I would think if they installed new cores then they would be "rebuilt" vs "reconditioned". Considering how few months of life are left in these old but now cleaned up batteries, and that you still pay 1/3 new price, I feel reconditioned batteries are a very expensive way to replace a battery. It took me three trips across town to Interstate battery to realize I had enough, and that I was spending a lot of time and gas to throw good money after bad. It only works if you need a battery that you might be putting in an old bus or car you are selling soon. Batteries are like light bulbs, they have an average life expectancy. I maintain a fleet of electric mules that hold six 6v deep cycle batteries each. We do not mix old and new so when one battery goes we pull all six. Only one is bad out of the six, but the five that are still working are also near the end of their life expectancy. The company that supplies our batteries does the same thing Interstate does. They take the remaining working batteries and sell them. Since they are just old cores, it is icing on their bottom line. They tell me they can sell them as fast as they can get them.

[Barn Owl]

they guarentee them for the same amount of time as if you bought new..

My guess is that most people don't follow up on this and they bank on it. I agree with the other posts that it was for one year, but never got that out of my two attempts. What is you time and fuel worth? How do you make good on this when in the middle of your trip and the last thing you want is battery problems? Weak batteries can kill starters. How much will that cost? Buy new, invest in a good charger, and you will get the most for your money.  BTDT

Something else that caused me a lot of concern. On my third trip I took my battery spectrometer to show them these batteries where crap. The owner and his son (owners of the local franchise) had never seen one, and marveled at what it did and how it worked. Scary.......

[belfert]

I had no idea any battery retailer would resell batteries turned in as cores.  I certainly wouldn't buy reconditioned core batteries unless I was desperate or just needed a battery that lasted long to sell a vehicle or something.  I had assumed any cheap batteries Interstate would be selling were just old stock that was still new.

The next time I see my friend that used to work at an Interstate retail I'll have to ask him if they resold used batteries.