So is there a "BEST" battery?

[Magfan2]

SO, in summary: Everybody's "Best Battery" is what they have experience with. I'll add this: Whatever battery you buy, spend another $150 +/- and buy a high amp/high milliamp hour portable jump starter. Keep it charged, keep it in your truck. No matter what quality battery you buy from what brand, a battery can fail due to bad manufacturing or user error. A portable jump starter can be the difference between "click click click" (and cussing) and getting your vehicle started (or helping another person).

Got that covered, and a compressor!

 

[HotDamnGotaRam]

At one time batteries were almost all made by General, Exide, and Globe Union. GU by far was the best and that same battery is still made today, but the manufacturer is now Clarios. These have a bunch of different labels, but the last reasonably priced one is Walmart Everlast. Not only is it likely still the best, it's also just about the cheapest!

FYI Die Hard and Interstates are identical to Everlast, but cost more money. Advance Auto used to sell all GU products, but now use whatever. They are not nearly as good. They fooled me a couple times before I wised up. They do still have the GU batts, now Clarios, but they are uber expensive Die Hards. I'm not paying twice as much for the same batt I can get at Walmart just cause the name used to mean something.

Since I don't have a Walmart handy, when I need a battery right away I go to NAPA who sell Deka made batteries. These are high quality batteries and may rival the Clarios products, but I've only recently had much experience with them since they never used to sell them in the Midwest. They do have a great rep though.

So, in a nutshell. Get a Clarios or a Deka product and you'll likely get more life out of it than any other. I live in an area that sees below 0 temps, but still those GU batts last 8-10 years for me. Warranties don't really mean squat, esp with a quality battery. I've only once in my life had to return a GU battery for warranty and that was back when they had 96 mo warranties!

In case anybody is wondering, I used to manage a battery warehouse, so it's kind of a hobby for me. Just don't get me started on how to recondition your batteries to get some extra life out of them.

 

[Magfan2]

Folks who took care of my old truck have a garage in a nearby small town. Have pretty much become friends. I'll roll up and see what they suggest. Down the years, they have always steered me right and can always use the business. The owner is a classic car / truck buff & collector - knows a thing or two. I thank everyone for the input.

 

[Wild one]

At one time batteries were almost all made by General, Exide, and Globe Union. GU by far was the best and that same battery is still made today, but the manufacturer is now Clarios. These have a bunch of different labels, but the last reasonably priced one is Walmart Everlast. Not only is it likely still the best, it's also just about the cheapest!

FYI Die Hard and Interstates are identical to Everlast, but cost more money. Advance Auto used to sell all GU products, but now use whatever. They are not nearly as good. They fooled me a couple times before I wised up. They do still have the GU batts, now Clarios, but they are uber expensive Die Hards. I'm not paying twice as much for the same batt I can get at Walmart just cause the name used to mean something.

Since I don't have a Walmart handy, when I need a battery right away I go to NAPA who sell Deka made batteries. These are high quality batteries and may rival the Clarios products, but I've only recently had much experience with them since they never used to sell them in the Midwest. They do have a great rep though.

So, in a nutshell. Get a Clarios or a Deka product and you'll likely get more life out of it than any other. I live in an area that sees below 0 temps, but still those GU batts last 8-10 years for me. Warranties don't really mean squat, esp with a quality battery. I've only once in my life had to return a GU battery for warranty and that was back when they had 96 mo warranties!

In case anybody is wondering, I used to manage a battery warehouse, so it's kind of a hobby for me. Just don't get me started on how to recondition your batteries to get some extra life out of them.

Okay now you got me curious on how you reconditioned an older battery.Spill the beans

 

[Magfan2]

Okay now you got me curious on how you reconditioned an older battery.Spill the beans

He gotcha! In for the info!

 

[18CrewDually]

Okay now you got me curious on how you reconditioned an older battery.Spill the beans

Epsom salt

 

[turkeybird56]

Epsom salt

Now that's a NJ reply, roflmao.

 

[crackerjack1957]

How to Revive Old Lead Acid Batteries

How to Revive Old Lead Acid Batteries: If you are like me you probably have old lead acid batteries sitting somewhere probably discharged If you dont use lead acid battery always charge it before and recharge it every 3 monts I ve tried this method on maintenance free lead acid, sealed …

www.instructables.com

 

[Wild one]

I've seen arc welders being used to bring back an old battery,so i'm curious on his technic to rejunevate a battery
@HotDamnGotaRam clue us in to your technic,you can't just leave us hanging

 

[Curmudgeon]

Well he did say "Just don't get me started", I guess he meant it?

 

[Ecobuilder]

* Remove caps under sticker label
* Fill cells that are low with distilled water - not too full
* Use a charger with a desulfation option
* Let run overnight and you're good to go

The Schumacher S1323 charger works great. Used successfully on multiple batteries. Chargers similar to this
should work as well.

 

[ts27330]

I'm not sure if it's the same on a 2014, but here's what the owners states on a 2021:
View attachment 576848

Sensor is in the windshield.

 

[huntergreen]

Right now I’m running a diehard from advanced. 4 years warranty. My OE battery lasted about years. Lead acid, probably sourced from whatever company provided the lowest bid. Makes me believe it’s a crapshoot on whatever battery we purchase.

 

[Wild one]

I run a battery warmer on my winter beater,amd it seems to help on battery life expectancy here.
My neighbour had a frozen battery on his wifes SUV yesterday,so i told him to invest in one,as it's easier to plug in,then it is to remove the battery and carry it inside to thaw out and charge up,lol

General PDP Template

www.canadiantire.ca

https://www.amazon.com/Zerostart-2800063-Electric-Battery-Approved/dp/B002UNASS4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.mVvmC9Bo_OHzPoh2bb2NaSGB8dtlERyVPQsIp6Nl0JJP09_my0oWuvM7omxkTO4o8DQlnxF9NMAsQuFe0eaRRjS5k9DPu_trmlYXvUXx8UolFC_OCPc8yDCT6GnSsYXDdJ6ciGfFL_gIJ37i2f9JZAQs8lXAdP_pxooILZdQgl6qhKPwa83jS26E6q-jargEgdwoUuwNgf0b1wbnHSAKH_G5RxfDSIogvCHCIU-KONCE_9kl-34sGd585RuFkEkbRVWKNVYNr5kBowZOn0uv1qkJr899MVTRbo6HDNqGoQ8.HQSy4Q5WoIUSgQ7wLr0VfCUiD8fMfaFyPL5p_yy_2RI&dib_tag=se&keywords=battery%2Bblanket%2Bautomotive&qid=1765635721&sr=8-8&th=1

Amazon.com : battery blanket automotive

 

[brad byron]

2 years ago, i put in an O'REILLY's AGM in my 2015 Ram 1500...............for me, a great battery.

 

[Lashlarue]

It's pretty hard to say what battery to get other than finding the correct spec. We know how long our last battery lasted but it's unknown if the same label is the same battery after the 4-5 years most last.

I did see a comment on the battery warranty at Walmart and I've bought Ag batteries there and had excellent warranty results. Even without a receipt, they look at the date on the battery and have given me a new one after a year and prorated it if longer. Easy.

On another front, I pro actively change batteries after 4 years. If the battery still tests good, it goes into a tractor or something else. My 2020 Ram does not do well during and after a battery can't do the job.

 

[HotDamnGotaRam]

Epsom salt

Well, he ain't wrong. I'll do the cliff notes version, because none of you are ever going to try this. First of all you'll need a container big enough and deep enough to put the battery in. Working with acid can send you to the hospital and ruin your clothes.

Ok, so here's the deal. Batteries get dirty inside and the plates get all gummed up. The chemical activity needed to store electricity ceases and you have a boat anchor. Now sometimes you'll lose part of seperater that will short out a cell. That's game over.

So to restore function you have to empty the battery. Flush it out really well with water. Fill it with sodium bicarb solution and let it sit. Rinse the crap out of it again. Fill it up with an epsom salt solution. Spend the next couple weeks charging and discharging it. Normally, then trickle, finally with a non-automatic charger overcharge the crap out of it. Get the volts as high as they'll go. To discharge it hook up a headlight or two and let it sit. Now empty it out and refill with either new electrolyte or the filtered solution you initially dumped out. I have a nearly 100% success rate at reviving old batteries to factory specs. The only thing is they don't always last a long time, BUT they always work and will get you by for a while. The only thing I'll add is almost all the batteries I work on are Globe Union/Johnson Control/Clarios products. This same battery has been produced for like 50 years and as far as I can tell, nothing has been changed. The weight and specs are the same. I just replaced one after 8 1/2 years of service. I'll bet nobody here has had a battery last longer. Clarios for the win. Clearly.

 

[James T Collins]

While purchasing a battery from a source known for quality is obviouly important, I personally believe that care and maintence of what you have (new or otherwise) is the key to long life and reliability. I wrote an extensive article several years ago. It was not well received by the membership, but I'm sure it is still available.

Basically, it involves cleanliness, servicing and de-sulfating on a regular basis. My favorite de-sulfator is made by BatteryMINDer. (Beware of similar names.) Note: This is an ongoing process - not a one time thing.

Lastly, a note to my critics: I still have not bought a new battery for any of my vehicles in so long that I can't remember the last. I'm guessing about 15 years or more which is when I began de-sulfating.

 

[truck2014]

Well, he ain't wrong. I'll do the cliff notes version, because none of you are ever going to try this. First of all you'll need a container big enough and deep enough to put the battery in. Working with acid can send you to the hospital and ruin your clothes.

Ok, so here's the deal. Batteries get dirty inside and the plates get all gummed up. The chemical activity needed to store electricity ceases and you have a boat anchor. Now sometimes you'll lose part of seperater that will short out a cell. That's game over.

So to restore function you have to empty the battery. Flush it out really well with water. Fill it with sodium bicarb solution and let it sit. Rinse the crap out of it again. Fill it up with an epsom salt solution. Spend the next couple weeks charging and discharging it. Normally, then trickle, finally with a non-automatic charger overcharge the crap out of it. Get the volts as high as they'll go. To discharge it hook up a headlight or two and let it sit. Now empty it out and refill with either new electrolyte or the filtered solution you initially dumped out. I have a nearly 100% success rate at reviving old batteries to factory specs. The only thing is they don't always last a long time, BUT they always work and will get you by for a while. The only thing I'll add is almost all the batteries I work on are Globe Union/Johnson Control/Clarios products. This same battery has been produced for like 50 years and as far as I can tell, nothing has been changed. The weight and specs are the same. I just replaced one after 8 1/2 years of service. I'll bet nobody here has had a battery last longer. Clarios for the win. Clearly.

I'll just go buy a new one . Thats way more work than I want to do .

 

[Lard]

Walmart....Cheapest, same quality, easy warranty ANYWHERE there is a Walmart.
AGM has a 5 year full replacement warranty
Maxx battery has 3 year free warranty for cheaper

Only battery I have used in 20 years