in January of this year I purchased a new Interstate battery for my 1925 T. Saturday I noticed the battery was very weak so I put it on charge for a couple of days. Today I checked it under load and found out the battery was bad. I took it back with my receipt showing that the battery was less than 1 year old. Was I surprised to find out that this battery had only a 6 month guarantee because it was for a antique car. My comment is DON'T BUY A INTERSTATE BATTERY.
If you have a Batteries Plus store go there and buy a 6 volt battery. I've bought a couple of them, $75 have a 2 year full replacement guarantee. Seem like really good batteries so far.
For me, Interstate batteries are ok. Is your charger automatic?
If you charge a battery with anything else "for a couple days" you probably damaged the battery,
Wayne:
I somehow think you are going to have the same problem with the next battery too unless you make a thorough check of your charging system to be sure. I would be happy to talk to you off line to give you some ideas on what you might want to check. Too bad about the warranty but you sure as heck don't want to repeat the same failure mode if there is something wrong. Click on my name and then click on the box to send me a private PM and I would be happy to help.
The best thing to take when battery shopping is a voltmeter. If it is less then 6.3 volts, don't buy it. Also never call a store and say you are looking for a 6 volt battery. You want to know what the voltage is without any recent charge.
Less common batteries can sit in the store for years and should be scraped rather then sold as new.
Jim
I've had better luck with just about any battery than Interstate. Costco sells batteries made by Johnson Control under their Kirkland brand. They are good. Exide commercial/ag are good. But the best I've seen lately are these Batteries Plus store 6 volt because they have a full two year replacement -- not pro rated -- warranty. In writing. The batteries are also date coded so you can see that they are fresh.
Their 12 volt batteries are branded Duracell. I have one in my Dodge Hemi and one in my Ford F-150.
The Interstate battery's are made by Johnson Control as are Optima. The Exide commercial line is good also. One thing one might consider is a battery maintainer, there are many brands now and all do about the same thing. A Battery, once put to use and then left sitting will be dead in no time. The maintainer will make it think it's doing something.
Scott:
I respectfully disagree that a battery left sitting will be dead in no time. Also "Battery maintainer" is not a defined term since many of the devices claiming to be something like this do in fact harm batteries with their "rejuvination cycle" operation. I have a T with an 11 year old battery in it. It is sitting right now in the trailer outside and it is 1 degree above zero here in Northern IL. That battery will likely work just fine in a few months when I restart my T for the spring. It has done so for many years. If "no time" has a definition then perhaps it means much longer than I imagined but I have left that battery fully charged but installed in my T for 3 or 4 months each winter and it is still alive and working. I don't find that unusual. It is still fresh because the self discharge is not enough to bring it down in the time between it being charged. When charged by the T's electrical system as it is now, it is fully charged and not overcharged.
If you are speaking of Modern cars then that is different since most modern cars have "parasitic drain" from various electronic devices in the car. That drain can bring a battery down in a few weeks but a T should not do that unless something is wrong since its parasitic drain current is for all practical purposes equal to zero.
I hope this helps.
Wayne:
I have had a problem with two 6 volt Interstate battery's now, and I will never buy another one.
My first Interstate battery lasted 9 years in the late 1980 era. It was never trickle charged and the car always sat about four months in the winter and still started in the spring, without charging the battery.
The guarantee should be much longer as those batteries cost half again as much as any others.
About $110, as compared to $70 here in Maryland.
The spring of 2013 I replaced a 10 year old Interstate 6 volt battery from my T. It too was never trickle charged and was left in the car during the winters (in Iowa). It never failed in the spring until the 10th one. I think I got all of my monies worth from it. Dave.
I would also disagree with the words (in no time) as it is true that the instant a lead acid battery is filled with acid, the clock is ticking on its life cycle, the corrosive effect on the plates is continual but reduced to its minimum by keeping the battery fully charged, so YES, to keep your battery at a full charge is the BEST way to extend the life of a Battery, as it does discharge while sitting by itself , this is still a slow process and shouldn't be considered a (in no time) term. I traveled many years with Johnson controls Reps, who taught classes on there products with our company (Delco Remy) and Johnson controls actually makes practically 90% of the batteries out there, including yes Interstate, They design a battery for any company specifications, MEANING . there are significant quality differences in there batteries, and the different labels sold Interstate is considered one of there many top of the line batteries. and there EVERLAST Walmart brands are considered to be there least.
Here it is guys, all U.S. made batteries are made by three companies. Delphi makes some everstart and ac delco. Johnson controls makes duralast, diehard, Costco, motorcraft and some of the everstart and interstate. Exide makes exide, champion, napa and a percentage of the everstart. Argue all you will, there are only three U.S. manufactures. Watch out for the date code when you buy is all I can say. KGB
Keith,
What about East Penn Manufacturing, they make Deka batteries? That would make at least four.
Good catch Peter, they make AGM and carquest plus die hard platinum that I know of. KGB
I bought 2 Interstate batteries in my life and both were junk. No more Interstate batteries. Bought several batteries from Advance Auto Parts and had a couple bad ones, but they replaced them, no problem. Used to buy Die Hard batteries from Sears. They used to be good batteries but several yrs. ago, Sears changed manufacturer, I was told, and they were junk. Don't know who makes Motorcraft batteries for Ford, but I have good luck with them.
Should have read Keith's post. Sorry.
Have always heard the true scoop on batteries is...
There are 2 types of batteries, Really good ones and really cheap ones.
it all comes down to which ones you have the best luck with.
you definitely get what you pay for in batteries, so they are not the item you want to cheap out with, simply said, how heavy is the battery? more lead (usually) means better battery
I can say from Extensive experience that AC DELCO batteries (side post ) are the only ones that have a trended problem with there side post breaking inside.
Daryl;
My '1990 Olds Cutless Conv. had one of those side mount batteries. I replaced it twice.
I messed up last year and bought an exide from tractor supply to replace the 6 year old O'riely, went against my own rule about the date code. Battery went down in a month, looked ,and it was out of date when I bought it. Tractor supply would do nothing as they only warranty for a year. I refurbished that battery with the Epsom salts method and it's been fine since. LOOK FOR THE DATE! KGB
Did the Advance thing last month. Batt under 1 year old. Replaced. No charge, no sweat. I kept the recipt too.
Forty years ago Sear's Die Hard was one of the best batteries you could buy, then they went down hill.
Interstste was the best of all batteries made for many years. I was an Interstste dealer when I still had my shop until '99.
At that time Exide was without a doubt one of the worst batteries you could buy.
Kraigen's and Grand Auto had pallets of new Exide batteries that customers had brought back for warrantee.
I am sorry to hear that Interstste has gone down hill now.
I have found that Allied Battery is very good.
I can not buy a battery from Walmart, $100 is too much to pay for a battery.
I've got two Interstate batteries in my cars, both 6 volt, and no complaints.
I am sorry to hear anyone bad mouth interstate. I have had 8 WORKING interstate batteries at a time. I have never had a problem with them. I always tell new people that they should install Interstate batteries because the are the CHEAPEST. I say that because I always get a minimum of 12 years with my Interstate Batteries. Before I started using interstate batteries I tried all kinds of batteries and none lasted up a short hill. The anti interstate battery people forget when they pay $50.00 for other batteries that they will only last a couple of years when my l$125.00 interstate batteries always last me 12 year or BETTER. So the old saying goes "you get what you pay for"
Dane;
I've never had a battery last 12 yrs.
I have had the same battery for 16 years. It works best on windy days. The best darn door stop anyone would want for their garage.
I've had good luck with the batteries from NAPA. They usually last from 4-6 years. I agree that keeping the battery fully charged helps to make the battery last.
Norm
Arguing over which battery is best is like arguing over which oil is best. We all have our favorites.
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It's a moot point now but I agree with Aaron, a Die Hard in it's day was unbeatable. I really don't know what happen but 40 years ago a 6V battery would live forever, well it seemed like it. Ten years was easy.
Stan…way up there
I have had nothing but trouble with Exide and won't sell them.
Batteries Plus is probably a good deal. I always say "anything but Exide". To each his own though.
Here is a youtube video where a guy took an old dead battery, flushed it out with baking soda, refilled it with an Alum/water mix, charged it and then started his pick up with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Supe1a3LW2U
I am sure the EPA, with its rules and restrictions, and lack of lead in todays batteries have something to do with the quality of the batteries
Interstate may make poor batteries--
But their trucks are pretty!
Their batteries are too. When we have an auction with running cars that need batteries, we always buy Interstate because of the white cases and that green top. People love them -- with the hood open and a new battery shining in the sun the car will bring several hundred dollars more. Twice we have bought the local Interstate distributor out of 24 and 24 F batteries -- 12 volt for 50's cars. We've had them have to order in specialty batteries for old cars like a 53 Buick that took one of the long skinny ones, a goofy looking one for an MGT & several others. They do look good.
Here is a true story. One afternoon we were at a camp site and a person in another camp was trying to start her car. The battery seemed to be completely dead. I took off the plugs and noticed no water in the battery. I poured tap water into the battery cells and she got in and it started right up. Now distilled water is better than tap water for a battery, but that's all that was available. So if your battery is dead and it has the removable covers, check the water level.
Norm
Well I know my dad bought a interstate battery,6 volt ,for his 58 harley. It leaked acid around the seems of the top and bottom part of the case. Ruined some chrome and made a mess.
They would not even replace the battery much less cover any of the damage.
I bought 6 "refurbished" interstate battery's for my golf cart from the interstate dealer in Monroe NC.Some of you may remember the photo of the battery with no top.It blew all to hello with me in the seat.My head hit the roof of the cart.
Funny the cart ran fine with a busted battery to get it to a hose pipe to wash it out.But at the dealer it took 2 months to get a replacement used battery and the manager still accused me of having it wired wrong. :>0 These things wont run if the battery's are not wired in series for 36 volts.
So from reading that,you can figure out my opinion of the interstate battery.
Mack
"Hit your head?"
Now we understand!
Merry Christmas!
I have an Interstate battery in my motor home that was continuously dying, I thought I had done EVERYTHING. I had re-confirmed all connections clean and tight and no rust and still the battery was dying or would not hold a charge. After a contact to contact voltage reading there was a substantial voltage drop across a $5 circuit breaker. With a close inspection the seal cap had a crack across it that didn't appear to be intrusive, however when I disassembled the circuit breaker it was completely rusted the contacts were barley visible through the rust. This battery trouble had been going on for 3-4 years. I wasn't prepaired to condem the Interstate but I was on the edge, but now I am happy again. Dave
I had one like that that gave me tons of worry.
New battery, new alternators (twice), etc.
Turned out to be the ground cable connection where it was fastened on the exhaust manifold stud.
I noticed it when a friend started it and I was under the hood. I saw it spark.
It would get hot, expand and crank that baby over well. After it started it would cool down and get loose enough so it was not getting a charge and the battery would get low.
Aaron Briffey:
I am confused (its Easy) Why is your ground on the MANIFOLD STUD???? Where do you keep your battery?