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Hot Rods Battery passed away

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Pats55, Jun 25, 2019.

  1. Pats55
    Joined: Apr 29, 2013
    Posts: 554

    Pats55
    Member
    from NJ

    My three-year-old interstate battery passed away yesterday in my back hoe. At $196 it was like a death in the family. It was so dead the test light would not lite. I called the Inter- state and they said it had a six month warranty.I hooked the battery charger to it but it would not charge .So I hooked the trickle charger to my truck and ran to 16 gauge wires to the backhoe for an hour and a half. I then took the the trickle charger to the backhoe battery and then it took a charge. Let it sit overnight on the damn thing started. There are videos on YouTube on how to do this.I hope this helps
     
    wraymen, Deuces, Stogy and 1 other person like this.
  2. Nice tip.


    I like the old chargers with a switch and a timer
    The new solid state chargers need to see a voltage before turning on.

    You might bring it back to life with a low, slow and steady trickle charge.
    Once done charging let the battery have a cool down period before using the truck.
    Also once you start it up don’t let it idle to long as alts don’t work great at idle.
     
    Johnny Gee, Rich S., Deuces and 4 others like this.
  3. Dak Rat
    Joined: Mar 8, 2006
    Posts: 547

    Dak Rat
    Member
    from NoDak

    Geeze, even Walmart batteries have a two year warranty.
     
    Deuces and wraymen like this.
  4. I never had much luck with Interstate.
    One ballooned to the point of bending the hold down bracket after a long trip and another died after about a year. They were both expensive top of them line models. I have been getting the cheap house brands ever since and couldn’t be happier.
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2019
    XXL__ and Deuces like this.

  5. oldolds
    Joined: Oct 18, 2010
    Posts: 3,407

    oldolds
    Member

    A friend has a small fleet of commercial rentals. He was a fan of Interstate batteries. In the last year most of his less than 3 year old batteries have gone dead and failed to take a charge that lasts. They may charge and work with daily use, but will not stay charged for a week. He buys the best warranty battery. He has had discussions with the distributor about this. They say it takes a charge so it is good. He is not happy with them at this point in time.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  6. Pats55
    Joined: Apr 29, 2013
    Posts: 554

    Pats55
    Member
    from NJ

    I'm also done with interstate. There's a lot of BS when it comes to warranties anymore I just had a experience with a Rheem air conditioning unit that was a real circle jerk. Unfortunately interstate manufacturers a lot of different brands so you really don't know what you're getting. I hear tell that Deka batteries are pretty good. Sometimes you just can't win
     
    Deuces and VANDENPLAS like this.
  7. I have also saved some batteries that would not take a charge by running a trickle charger on them for a couple of weeks then charging them with my old style battery charger.
    I just bought a new Interstate battery for my truck thinking they were the best out there. I hate to hear of these bad reviews.
     
    seb fontana and Deuces like this.
  8. Found bang for your buck Costco batteries are good

    We deal with magnacharge batteties at work and they sell batteries to many aftermarket companies

    Lol they sell Napa , parts source, delco, motorcraft, etc etc
    Sticker engineering ! Lol
     
    Frankie47 and Deuces like this.
  9. Pats55
    Joined: Apr 29, 2013
    Posts: 554

    Pats55
    Member
    from NJ

    I can't believe the price of batteries, belts, WD-40 and hamburgers. I guess I'm just getting old. When I see a young family I wonder how the hell they get by.
     
  10. It is my understanding that Interstate has a completely different line of batteries for heavy equipment and that they do not last as long as passenger cars & trucks.
    <-------The battery in my old beater is a Interstate and it's past it's prime, it's 6 years old and hasn't failed me yet but it has a 60 month warranty, I will most likely replace it this winter and have no qualm's about replacing it with another 60 month battery. HRP
     
    Deuces likes this.
  11. robracer1
    Joined: Aug 3, 2015
    Posts: 514

    robracer1
    Member

    My last job before retirement I was service manager of a independent auto repair shop and we sold Interstate Batteries. Over the years we started to notice the decline of the Interstate battery, which was a shame at one time they were the best!
     
    VANDENPLAS, seb fontana and Deuces like this.
  12. I wouldn't sweat it Don, regardless of what you read in reviews some one will complain, the people with good experiences rarely go back and post reviews, I have a friend in the business and every car I own has a Interstate battery. HRP
     
    56don likes this.
  13. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,814

    BJR
    Member

    BATTERY PASSED AWAY
    I'm sure that was a shocking loss. Does this qualify as a battery post? Did your send your friends a battery cable, telling of your loss? When you buy a new one are you going to charge it?:p:D
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2019
    raven, Rich S., VANDENPLAS and 6 others like this.
  14. mike in tucson
    Joined: Aug 11, 2005
    Posts: 520

    mike in tucson
    Member
    from Tucson

    raven, dan31, Rich S. and 8 others like this.
  15. Tri-power37
    Joined: Feb 10, 2019
    Posts: 510

    Tri-power37
    Member

    The the battery was dead in my 37 Chevy a couple of months ago I went to Costco where I had purchased the old battery . I didn’t expect any warranty because it was between 5-6 years old , I only brought the old battery just to recycle it . The girl at the till says she can look up when I bought the old battery she says it was a little over 5 years ago — knocks $40.00 off of a$120.00 battery. Thanks Costco.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  16. low down A
    Joined: Feb 6, 2009
    Posts: 500

    low down A
    Member

    i would buy nothin but interstate batteries for over 40 year's alway's had at least 3 to 5 at a time and always got 8 to 10 years out of them. 3 years ago i took one in that went bad it was 10 years old it was about all you wanted to carry in one hand the one i carried out weighed half as much. this spring that battery went bad it had a 60 month warranty, i called the interstate store they told me they could take 20 dollar's off a 176 dollar battery. i told to kiss my ass i would never buy a nother interstate battery.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  17. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,709

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    My parts guy told me there are only about 3 or 4 companies left in the US that make all the batteries, the only difference is the case or lable. Due to Govt regulations on lead production, there is supposedly only one lead smelter left in the US, too. All the others went out of business, couldn't comply with the regs. So it's no stretch for two identical cased batteries to have different stickers on them. I bought two batteries for my semi truck, 1000 amp monsters, from my parts guy, and two at Tractor Supply, same rating. Both are identical except for the sticker, and the Tractor Supply batteries were about $50 cheaper!

    May have been a fluke, but a friend bought a new 97 F150. His battery lasted 17 years! I've NEVER gotten that kind of life out of any battery! He replaced it with another Motorcraft, it only lasted 3 years. He was pissed!
     
    little red 50 and Deuces like this.
  18. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,752

    Deuces

    The one in my '96 F-150 which I bought new lasted 12 years.... Not bad for a factory install....
     
  19. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    I got a used Ranger pickup years ago, from a friend, it had a really old battery in it, still worked. Until I took it to the car wash and cleaned the engine, and had a little difficulty starting it because I didn't get the ignition wires dry enough. That old battery had enough capacity left to run the starter for about ten seconds...then it was over. I expect both of these "old Ford battery" testimonials are similar--the truck started first try every time, so the owner never realized the battery was worn out.

    If you leave a battery sitting for a while, and don't drive the car (or back hoe) for months, and the battery discharges and stays discharged for a while, it's never going to have it's full capacity again. So you do have to keep up the maintenance.

    And any battery will lose capacity over time...if you want to make sure it's going to work when you need it, replace it after a while. I usually get 5 good years out of even the cheapest batteries, but I do my best not to abuse them too badly. And if the battery is not worn out, the charging system won't have to work as hard...think about it.
     
    Frankie47 and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  20. My Interstate battery was purchased at Costco. Thats all they had.
     
  21. 1946caddy
    Joined: Dec 18, 2013
    Posts: 2,059

    1946caddy
    Member
    from washington

    My son who lives in Las Vegas, upon the advise of a local diesel mechanic, took his two backhoe batteries to a local battery rebuild place and got two rebuilt ones for $102.00 total, ($51.00 each)
    He said they looked new on the outside and came with a 3 month warranty.
    Said he wouldn't have a problem replacing them every year at that price.
     
    JeffB2 likes this.
  22. CME1
    Joined: Aug 10, 2010
    Posts: 299

    CME1
    Member

    I took my old Ford for a ride and back home awhile back. Parked in the drive way and was busy in the garage for about an hour. Tried to start the car and not a sound. It was dead as could be! So I took the battery (Interstate) to the Interstate Battery store. Tested, no good, the battery was 6 years old. So I bought a new one. I felt that 6 years was great service out of any battery!
     
  23. williebill
    Joined: Mar 1, 2004
    Posts: 3,274

    williebill
    Member

    Read the title, thought it was a screen name, wondered who the HAMB had lost now.
     
    gas pumper likes this.
  24. I am reVOLTed...
     
  25. Fortunateson
    Joined: Apr 30, 2012
    Posts: 5,331

    Fortunateson
    Member

    I buy from a local company. Don't know who makes them but they regularly last 5-6 years. The best battery I ever had was in my BMW. It was dated coded about two months before the car was built. The car was built in Nov '01 and I replaced the battery in '17. Still had a charge but I thought it would be chancing it to keep using it. Kept the battery and it still has a charge. Sounds like BS but it's true. Weird.
     
  26. traffic61
    Joined: Jun 15, 2009
    Posts: 1,545

    traffic61
    Member
    from Owasso, OK

  27. My BIL asked, so I told him to get an Interstate for his OT Car, naturally the thing died a month later. I think all the electronics and video screens, back up cameras, etc are hard on batteries which also seem to be made cheaper and cheaper. Another reason to love old cars! I remember my alternator went out in high school, I didn't have the money , so I ran that car for a few weeks, only in the daytime, never left me stranded. For now Motorcraft batteries are the ones I've been using.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  28. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    C'mon man, you need to Resist this kind of tom-foolery.
     
    raven, BJR and Frankie47 like this.
  29. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    A cheap battery coupled with a decent charger will last longer than an expensive battery that is neglected.

    As an experiment I'm babying the battery in my Ranger by using a charger on it now and then as preventive maintenance. It's a NAPA battery rated at 590 CCA and tested last month at 720 CCAs and is 6 years old. A charger will easily pay for itself. I keep it topped off with tap water.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  30. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Which reminds me that I need to check the battery in my sailboat and see it it will still hold a charge. I put it in 17 years ago when I bought the boat and it still held a charge the last time we had it out. I've got a solar charger that I hook to it to keep it charged usually. That one is a Sears Die Hard marine deep cycle battery.
    On the car and truck batteries I have used Les Schwab tire co brand batteries for the past 40 years. Warranties are good and they have stores all over the PNW and if one craps out it is go to the nearest one of their stores and have it taken care of. That doesn't mean that they are any better than other batteries though. it just means when I am a couple hundred miles from home I don't have a hassle with a battery that I end up having to take back to the exact store I bought it in.
     

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