Decent U1 replacement

[bobodu]

I get so tired of replacing "new batteries".....
More tired of trying to explaining why that $40 battery failed AGAIN.
Anyone got a good remedy?

[RoyM]

What is it used in? When it comes to batteries some days you are the windshield some days you're the bug. Most are imported and quality is questionable at best.

[bgsengine]

Anyone got a good remedy?

Recommend that the customer buy a goat.

[hanz63]

Yes. Make it a 70 or 80$ battery, That will fix it!
Also, if a battery says "Super" anything, it's junk. Super Start, Super Crank = Super Skrewd...

[KE4AVB]

Well, It not always the battery at fault. Sometimes there are other factors involved. These U1 batteries do take a lot of abuse.

Things like over charging, battery sitting too long in storage, being left out in freezing weather with low charge, shorts in electrical system causing excessive drain on the battery, and other causes. And one that a local customer likes doing is leaving the ignition switch on when the mower is not running draining the battery completely flat lined.

Here when a bad is suspected I test the electrical system for proper operation.

Most battery are warrantied for their expected life. Anything pass that is a bonus life. This why I buy U1 with a 6 month or better warranty. Currently I am using Duacell batteries from Battery Plus Bulbs which recently dropped the warranty from 1 yr to 6 months. I usually have good luck with them. Those Tramlaw batteries with 3 month warranty barely get that with most customers. My personal mower still has the same battery from three years ago.

Here most customers just buy the el cheapo batteries and then complain when they fail then what do they do? They go out and buy the same el cheapo battery again.

[38racing]

No remedy from me. I remember returning a bad battery to a farm equipment place maybe 30 years ago. Guy said same thing. Batteries always failing early. I've been buying the high cca ones hoping there's less chance that they'll be drained. Local JD dealer has had a decent price past few years. Just about to call them for this year's price.

[KE4AVB]

I also had new one to fail but it was sitting on the shelf for 6+ months before I pulled it. But far battery failures have batteries to fail out of blue per say. Two died from one good to the next no start, both were older batteries. One those was I started the engine five before and then it was completely dead. I was able to get a jump start and went direct to the auto parts store for a new battery.

But I have save one old battery that was completely drained for 10 yrs using my solar panel.

[hanz63]

Batteries Plus bats are, or at least were made by Deka. I had a Deka distributor for a while, they dropped them. Good stuff, but I couldn't believe how bad Batteries plus didn't want to sell me batteries though. I just gave up and went back to Exide SM batteries. Interstate was good, but then I somehow went back to the big E once again.

[KE4AVB]

Batteries Plus bats are, or at least were made by Deka. I had a Deka distributor for a while, they dropped them. Good stuff, but I couldn't believe how bad Batteries plus didn't want to sell me batteries though. I just gave up and went back to Exide SM batteries. Interstate was good, but then I somehow went back to the big E once again.

Unless Deka has improved their quality a lot I would not be buying any of them here. Back in 2009/10 my brother was buying them from a local auto parts house. They were both expensive and had a short battery life. I replaced nearly every one he sold with a year; many were less six months old. I still see Deka batteries coming in the shop that are less than year old that are failing.

This why I started buying batteries from Batteries Plus Bulbs. Currently and for the last five years the batteries are labeled as Duracell batteries (manufactured by East Penn Manufacturing). They are making two or more years before failures. At one time since 2009 BPB was selling Extreme batteries in U1 and still sell the Extreme AGM batteries for ATVs. Now of course like many companies these batteries may be have different labels stuck on them.

So far every one of the batteries that I have from BPB has exceed the label ratings according to my tester and seems to be lasting at least a couple years or better.

Of course everyone has different experiences with products like a have with JB Weld products. I got customers here that swear by the products but I apparently have the worst luck with them. Every one of the JB products has failed when I tried them.

Any way my biggest a problem is the those Tramlaw batteries because they are so cheap when compared to other batteries and many consumers will buy the cheapest thing they can find without regard to the product useful lifetime.

[38racing]

The prices vary widely too. Here in Canada Napa wants 100-130 depending on CA. Canadian tire 45-75. I may have got lucky if they last but I just got 3 diehard 340 cca from carquest for 55 each on sale. Walmart wants 45 for the 150 cca.