08 LMM Battery replacement frequency
- Thread starter Lt. DMAX
- Start date
I've been running Super Start AGM batteries (bought at O'Reillys)for my LMM for 3 years and no issues so far...
AC Delco comes from the factory on the Duramax and all GM vehicles.
I've had to replace mine on all of my vehicles every 2 - 2 1/2 years like clock work, for the last 45 years.
If the vehicle isn't driven much then keeping the battery/batteries on a float charger when it's not driven really extends the battery life.
A lot depends on your climate, me in Phx, Az with 115+ summer hot temps really takes a toll on automotive batteries.
I think we had over 5 months with temps above 100 degrees.
I've had to replace mine on all of my vehicles every 2 - 2 1/2 years like clock work, for the last 45 years.
If the vehicle isn't driven much then keeping the battery/batteries on a float charger when it's not driven really extends the battery life.
A lot depends on your climate, me in Phx, Az with 115+ summer hot temps really takes a toll on automotive batteries.
I think we had over 5 months with temps above 100 degrees.
I agree, heat is a major factor. When it starts to get hot here at the beach in spring, I replace hundreds of boat batteries, literally...
I don't know I got six years out of my stock AC Delco. I can't get more than 2 1/2 to 3 out of a Cat/Deka battery. I think I'm going to switch over to the cheapest one I can get in with the best warranty.
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I'm calling bullshit on the batteries lasting 2-3 years due to heat related failure. You hear shops state this all the time and after hearing it enough it is true.
BUT, the problem being is the amount of lead content in the batteries and planned obsolescence by the manufacturers. Had no problems getting 2-4 years from used batteries when I started driving and new ones 4-5 years easily.
This information comes from a local wholesaler I sold some 99.99% lead bricks used for containment of radiation treatment machines used in cancer treatment and we used 50,000 lbs. of certified 99.99% interlocking bricks....
Mine had original batteries until 2014, but that was a total of 21k miles.
Put a new set of autozone golds in and as soon as it got below 40, it's already cranking over slow. My LLY went through a set every 2-4 years.
Put a new set of autozone golds in and as soon as it got below 40, it's already cranking over slow. My LLY went through a set every 2-4 years.
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I put in some cheap Pep Boys Bosch batteries. They were never great. In winter they struggled badly, even with my grid heater removed! I took them back after a year and they tested to spec. I managed to get a new pair out of them, but they still cranked poorly. So I'm not sure if it's crap batteries, crap starters pulling a ton, or if we are somehow under rated for battery and need to go larger? Some combo of all? I'd love to Just throw money at the problem and be done forever, but I've seen too many people try that and still need replacements in a couple years. Maybe we need a third battery
I ran 1100 CCA batteries in my LLY and they would get with it, BUT they didn't last for anything, got one winter out of the first set.
Have Napa batteries in mine since mid 2010, 770cca. Replaced a set of Interstate because one had a dead cell and was draining the other one. Weird thing is that these Napa batteries are doing the same thing, walk outside one day and the truck is completely dead. I charged both batts, took it for a spin and left it parked with both ground cables unhooked for 2 days. Hooked drivers side up and it fired, took that cable off and hooked passenger batt up and it didn't have enough juice to lock the doors! So it's been running on one batt for a month. I blame it on not being daily driven anymore, but strange that the same thing happened.
My cat batteries are 5 years old now and 850cca a piece...not even a hesitation when it's cold. Now that I say this the ****er is gonna leave me somewhere when it gets cold this winter
You have 3 major manufacturers of batteries left in the U.S. JCI (Johnson Control Incorporated), East Penn manufacturing (DEKA) and Exide.
JCI Manufactures, Interstate, Optima, Most of Wal-Mart, Advance Auto, Autozone, some of Sears. There are more but that's off the top of my head. They also are an OE supplier to many car companies. They are the largest manufacturer but have several locations with one of those being in Mexico (Optima batteries are built in Mexico now). They also bought a company in Ireland this year to "so called" move their corporate office to avoid taxes in the U.S. Not a fan of this. Trump and Hillary spoke about this early in their campaigns. JCI product generally test right around what it's rated at. So if it's rated at 500 CCA that's where it will test.
East Penn manufacturing is the second largest as far as battery manufacturing. DEKA is their own private label battery. They have the largest single site manufacturing plant in the world and are built in Lyon Station, PA. Sits on a little over 500 acres. Still family owned and operated. Employ over 8,000 people in the U.S. They also manufacture NAPA, O'Riely's, Carquest before Advance bought them, Fisher Auto Parts, Some of Sears, Some of SAMS and Wal-Mart (JCI is major supply for these two) and many more. They are OE to many car manufacturers, heavy equipment manufacturers ( Catapillar, JD, Volvo and more). They are also OE to Harley Davidson. They have set the emissions standard for Battery smelters in the U.S. for the EPA. Every part of a used battery is 100 percent recycled. East Penn product generally test well above what it's rated at. So of it's rated at 500 CCA's it could test anywhere from 750 to 850 CCA's.
Exide is the 3rd largest and have been struggling the past 10-12 years. They have closed several plants across the U.S. and a huge smelter in California (Couldn't meet EPA standards). Filed bankruptcy for restructure of the company. They lost a lot of business due to their struggles and are trying to make a comeback. They supply a lot of smaller auto chains, Tractor Supply, Royal King etc.. They do have some OE business. Only issue is that they haven't changed their technology and still IMO don't make a quality product. There's a reason why they are cheaper. I'll leave it at that. Exide will test above what they're rated at but just don't seem to last and seem to really struggle in extreme cold.
Personally I'm a fan of the AGM battery and that's what I run in my LMM. AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat. I have had very good luck with AGM batteries. They are coming OE in about 50% of new cars now. I currently have one that was built in 2008 that I still use as a backup battery (came out of an old boat). I keep it on on a maintainer. I'm a fan of the East Penn product and like that it's proudly made in the USA. I also like that they test higher in CCA's then what they are rated at. Remember amps starts a vehicle not volts. Especially on those cold mornings.
Fully charged battery is 12.6 volts. When a battery is at 12V you are only at 25% charge.
CA - Cranking amps is measured at 32 degrees
CCA - Cold Cranking Amps is measured at 0 degrees.
Just thought I would share some info on the battery world.
It's like everything, you get what you pay for. The day of the $40 battery is long gone. Choose wisely my friends.
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JCI Manufactures, Interstate, Optima, Most of Wal-Mart, Advance Auto, Autozone, some of Sears. There are more but that's off the top of my head. They also are an OE supplier to many car companies. They are the largest manufacturer but have several locations with one of those being in Mexico (Optima batteries are built in Mexico now). They also bought a company in Ireland this year to "so called" move their corporate office to avoid taxes in the U.S. Not a fan of this. Trump and Hillary spoke about this early in their campaigns. JCI product generally test right around what it's rated at. So if it's rated at 500 CCA that's where it will test.
East Penn manufacturing is the second largest as far as battery manufacturing. DEKA is their own private label battery. They have the largest single site manufacturing plant in the world and are built in Lyon Station, PA. Sits on a little over 500 acres. Still family owned and operated. Employ over 8,000 people in the U.S. They also manufacture NAPA, O'Riely's, Carquest before Advance bought them, Fisher Auto Parts, Some of Sears, Some of SAMS and Wal-Mart (JCI is major supply for these two) and many more. They are OE to many car manufacturers, heavy equipment manufacturers ( Catapillar, JD, Volvo and more). They are also OE to Harley Davidson. They have set the emissions standard for Battery smelters in the U.S. for the EPA. Every part of a used battery is 100 percent recycled. East Penn product generally test well above what it's rated at. So of it's rated at 500 CCA's it could test anywhere from 750 to 850 CCA's.
Exide is the 3rd largest and have been struggling the past 10-12 years. They have closed several plants across the U.S. and a huge smelter in California (Couldn't meet EPA standards). Filed bankruptcy for restructure of the company. They lost a lot of business due to their struggles and are trying to make a comeback. They supply a lot of smaller auto chains, Tractor Supply, Royal King etc.. They do have some OE business. Only issue is that they haven't changed their technology and still IMO don't make a quality product. There's a reason why they are cheaper. I'll leave it at that. Exide will test above what they're rated at but just don't seem to last and seem to really struggle in extreme cold.
Personally I'm a fan of the AGM battery and that's what I run in my LMM. AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat. I have had very good luck with AGM batteries. They are coming OE in about 50% of new cars now. I currently have one that was built in 2008 that I still use as a backup battery (came out of an old boat). I keep it on on a maintainer. I'm a fan of the East Penn product and like that it's proudly made in the USA. I also like that they test higher in CCA's then what they are rated at. Remember amps starts a vehicle not volts. Especially on those cold mornings.
Fully charged battery is 12.6 volts. When a battery is at 12V you are only at 25% charge.
CA - Cranking amps is measured at 32 degrees
CCA - Cold Cranking Amps is measured at 0 degrees.
Just thought I would share some info on the battery world.
It's like everything, you get what you pay for. The day of the $40 battery is long gone. Choose wisely my friends.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Not through Cat it's only 2 years! BS!
Pep boys best Bosch is the only one I found that still do a 3/7 year warranty.
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Mine had a 2 year warranty and I bet they grunt through this winter and shit the bed first cold spell next year giving me just under 3 year out of them.
I have those Bosch now and they are absolute garbage. I've gone through 5 in two years and I'm done.
When it gets warmer I'll be putting two group 31 cat batteries on the frame and running some 0 gauge to everything. If they don't last till it gets warm I'll get some Duracell agm.
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You never know when a battery will go bad, the red Duramax I had one went bad in the Bojangle's drive thru. I turned it off to order my food and had to push it out of the way, by myself. Had to call the boss to come get jump me off to bring it back to work to take em out and get new ones.
Thanks for the info, one of my batteries went out, shopping for new ones now. Most likely gonna go with Oreillys AGM, since they are the closest, and made by East Penn