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Old battery life span...

Metal Twister

Metal Twister

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I accuired a truck that had been sitting for approx. 10 years. After cleaning the rat crap out from under the hood and finding the battery it looked like it was in good shape on the outside. I soaked it crap off the top and cleaned it up. Its amazing how it looks new now that I can see all the original stickers and everything. Anyway I pryed of the caps and topped it off with water which wasnt that low. I threw it on the charger for a full day and night. To my suprise it took a full charge. I then did a load test and it tests good. How is that possible? Ive never had a battery last more than a few years. How could this thing sit for 10 and still be good? :dunno: Not complaining! Just curious...:confused:
 
Metal Twister said:
I accuired a truck that had been sitting for approx. 10 years. After cleaning the rat crap out from under the hood and finding the battery it looked like it was in good shape on the outside. I soaked it crap off the top and cleaned it up. Its amazing how it looks new now that I can see all the original stickers and everything. Anyway I pryed of the caps and topped it off with water which wasnt that low. I threw it on the charger for a full day and night. To my suprise it took a full charge. I then did a load test and it tests good. How is that possible? Ive never had a battery last more than a few years. How could this thing sit for 10 and still be good? :dunno: Not complaining! Just curious...:confused:
Click to expand...

I've had / seen batteries last stupid long. If I was you I would replace it. Unless of course your never gonna be too far from a parts store and a phone call to go pick up a new one.
 
how are you testing it? a bad battery can display full voltage, but the instant you put a load on it, the amperage drops to nothin. find a way to load test the battery before you trust it. I wouldnt trust a 10 year old battery that had been daily driven, let alone one that had sat without being charged.
 
I probably just cursed myself, but my '99 mustang still has the original battery from when we bought it new... It was assembled in march of '99 so if it makes it to march it will have been in the car for twelve years! It even sits for weeks in the winter without being started and I've never had a problem yet. I've noticed all my Batteries have been lasting much longer than when I was younger.
 
i work at audi as a service lane manager, the expected life span on our batteries (simply for comparison) is 4 years. if it lasts longer than that, you got lucky.
 
K5dreamer said:
how are you testing it? a bad battery can display full voltage, but the instant you put a load on it, the amperage drops to nothin. find a way to load test the battery before you trust it. I wouldnt trust a 10 year old battery that had been daily driven, let alone one that had sat without being charged.
Click to expand...

Well unless he's an idiot, he did say he did a load test and it passed.:rolleyes:
I have seen older batteries last that long, it doesn't mean it will last much longer but hey if he gets a few month out of it that's great, and it's not like batteries are an exinct product he can get one even at a walmart so let him drive it till it croaks then he get another one.:dunno:
 
for the record.. the only proper way to bench test a battery is with a carbon pile style tester..

it's not unheard of for a battery to last a decade... a good plate design, and most importantly a proper charging life can make it last a long time..

run it and see how it does...
 
I tested it with one of these. Do they lie?

load_tester.png


Im not too concerned about the battery. I have two battery trays in the truck and I will dedicate the old battery to powering the camper and accessories.
 
WHOOPS my bad, i somehow skimmed over that part of your post :doah:

sorry, im at work is serving as a distraction to my web browsing time :waytogo:
 
there are better carbon pile testers out that put variable loads on em.... but the pictured one gets ya by in a pinch... this is the one i use..

tester.jpg
 
If you really want to test it, let the woman in your life drive it. If there is something wrong, it will happen in the dead of night, when it's raining, she is late, and 100 miles away from you. Guaranteed way to test, in my experience. :D
 
I was amazed when I took the original "Mopar" battery out of my moms '93 Caravan when it went dead one day and replaced it with a new Duralast--I decided to charge it back up and see if it was any good for jump starting things ,its always good to have a charged battery hanging around...

To my surprise it came back fully,held a load test,and I ended up throwing it in my 79 Bonanza,and I got another year out of it..it was 11 years old by then!....I have had a few last 7-8 years ..
 
ryoken said:
there are better carbon pile testers out that put variable loads on em.... but the pictured one gets ya by in a pinch... this is the one i use..

tester.jpg
Click to expand...

Oddly enough, that is the exact one I have.

A guy I work with finally replaced his OEM batteries in his John Deere 7600. They were 13 years old.

Martin
 
When I worked @ Volvo, 5 yrs was good, I`ve seen more than 1 Toyota go 10 yrs. I changed out the 1 in my Mom`s 2001 Camry this year, never had a problem, never added water.
 
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