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Nothing lasts like it used to- not even Interstate batteries. Recommendations for a replacement battery? Login/Join 
Peace through
superior firepower
Picture of parabellum
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It turns out I was wrong to impugn Interstate batteries. It appears that the issue was I wasn't driving often enough and far enough to recharge the battery. After giving it a full charge, I drove the truck most days over the last two weeks, and drove 35 or 30 minutes each time. My truck cranks as in the days of old. My battery is far from new, probably coming to the end of its life before too long, but it's still good for the time being.

You learn something new, maybe not every day, but every now and then.
 
Posts: 107604 | Registered: January 20, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
To Do What is
Right and Just
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For those with Toyotas from Japan they have Panasonic batteries that seem to last forever (saw a post about a fj). I know once mine goes in the 4runner I'm just going to Costco. Most of the batteries are made by the same company and just get a label thrown on anyway (there's two or three maybe). I know Costco is made by Johnson controls (who does interstate and die hard).

I personally wouldn't bother with the headache of an agm battery para. You usually need to get an adapter so it charges properly from the alternator and then that creates the new problem of being hard on the alternator so that should be upgraded. I looked into this route and decided against it as well since I'm considering adding a second aux battery.
 
Posts: 2439 | Location: Usually Somewhere | Registered: July 28, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I Am The Walrus
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And then factor in the new cars with stop-start technology and it’s hard on batteries, alternators and starters. Roll Eyes


_____________

 
Posts: 13116 | Registered: March 12, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I never had a problem with AGM's in my Subarus - got 8-years on the one.


"No matter where you go - there you are"
 
Posts: 4579 | Location: Eastern PA-Berks/Lehigh Valley | Registered: January 03, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fire begets Fire
Picture of SIGnified
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quote:
Originally posted by sgalczyn:
I never had a problem with AGM's in my Subarus - got 8-years on the one.


Same here, but German cars …





"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty."
~Robert A. Heinlein
 
Posts: 26756 | Location: dughouse | Registered: February 04, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Savor the limelight
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Let's see. AGMs in my truck, 2 boats, 2 ATVs, and 3 motorcycles, so 10 AGMs total. No special chargers, no special alternators, and I've had no issues. AGMs have the exact same battery chemistry as regular old flooded lead acid batteries.
 
Posts: 10950 | Location: SWFL | Registered: October 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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My Toyota battery from my 2019 Tacoma died after less than 3 years, 35k miles. I'd not get another Toyota battery.
 
Posts: 1804 | Location: Austin TX | Registered: October 30, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Peace through
superior firepower
Picture of parabellum
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I have no plans to get an AGM battery. I'm set in my ways.
 
Posts: 107604 | Registered: January 20, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
7.62mm Crusader
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quote:
Originally posted by smpsmp:
For those with Toyotas from Japan they have Panasonic batteries that seem to last forever (saw a post about a fj). I know once mine goes in the 4runner I'm just going to Costco. Most of the batteries are made by the same company and just get a label thrown on anyway (there's two or three maybe). I know Costco is made by Johnson controls (who does interstate and die hard).

I personally wouldn't bother with the headache of an agm battery para. You usually need to get an adapter so it charges properly from the alternator and then that creates the new problem of being hard on the alternator so that should be upgraded. I looked into this route and decided against it as well since I'm considering adding a second aux battery.
The Toyota True start is also made by Johnson Controls. I believe close to where I live. As I posted above, mine is a 84 month battery installed by previous owner in 2015. Thats good service life.
 
Posts: 17900 | Location: The Bluegrass State! | Registered: December 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Thank you
Very little
Picture of HRK
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quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
OK, so I bit the bullet and bought a Noco "Genius1". 32 bucks. Initially, my battery was so dead that the charger couldn't sense the voltage and therefore would not begin charging. Jumped off the truck, drove it around town a few minutes and now it's charging. I'm going to let it charge overnight. The manual says 22.5 hours to full charge. We'll see. If it goes wonky after that, it's new battery time.

Thank for all the help. In certain respects, I am a simple man, and automotive care is one of them. Para buy truck, pay fees, put gas in truck, start up, drive truck. Truck not go? {stamps feet} MAKE TRUCK GO!!!!! Mad


Good news, and as a tip, you can run jumper cables to your dead battery from a good battery, connect the charger and that should create enough power that the charger will come on without having to actually start the truck.

Once the charger is running, disconnect the jumpers and it should continue to charge.

It's just looking for some power to be detected before the charger will activate.. which is what jumping and driving around did, either way works.
 
Posts: 23457 | Location: Florida | Registered: November 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Peace through
superior firepower
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Well, here we are nine months later and I'm still using my Interstate battery. After I put a full charge on it with my trickle charger, I haven't had any further issues. I've put the charger back on it a couple of times in the past few months but that's just a nod to all the short trips I take in my truck. Today's a pretty nice day so I hooked it up just because.
 
Posts: 107604 | Registered: January 20, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fire begets Fire
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quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
Well, here we are nine months later and I'm still using my Interstate battery. After I put a full charge on it with my trickle charger, I haven't had any further issues. I've put the charger back on it a couple of times in the past few months but that's just a nod to all the short trips I take in my truck. Today's a pretty nice day so I hooked it up just because.


As the owner of a vehicle that always requires a trickle charger… (Meaning needing one first day from the dealer) … You have to be careful about not getting stuck somewhere. Generally not an issue because your engine is warm and likely had a recent charge from the alternator.

Just make sure you have your jumper cables. I also used to carry around a charger in the car. It’s a crapshoot of some sort… YMWV





"Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty."
~Robert A. Heinlein
 
Posts: 26756 | Location: dughouse | Registered: February 04, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Walmart battery info.

https://vehiclefreak.com/who-m...everstart-batteries/

I bought an Audew 2000 jump starter. I needed it once and have help start many bad battery folks.

I don’t want to mess with cables or using a charger when I can use a simple jump starter.
 
Posts: 5768 | Location: west 'by god' virginia | Registered: May 30, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Savor the limelight
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Glad that Interstate is still working for you. I have deep cycle group 27 one that was used for two years to run a backup pump for our sump pump in case the power went out. I put it in our RV two years ago and haven't had any trouble. The previous battery was from Sam's Club which lasted a year and was a warranty replacement for another that lasted only a year.

My next vehicle that needs a battery is getting an Interstate.
 
Posts: 10950 | Location: SWFL | Registered: October 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of sgalczyn
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quote:
Originally posted by sgalczyn:
I never had a problem with AGM's in my Subarus - got 8-years on the one.


Update - so while the 1st AGM last 8 YEARS - the replacement AGM lasted 8 MONTHS (DEKA Intimidator) Mad

Luckily replaced on warranty - guess you can get a bad apple anywhere.............


"No matter where you go - there you are"
 
Posts: 4579 | Location: Eastern PA-Berks/Lehigh Valley | Registered: January 03, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have been using Optima batteries for the last 12-15 years in all of my vehicles. I can usually get 6-8 years out of them. They are pricey, I bought one last week to replace one I had purchased in 2013......it was right at $300!!!
 
Posts: 6620 | Location: Az | Registered: May 27, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His diet consists of black
coffee, and sarcasm.
Picture of egregore
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quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
OK, so I bit the bullet and bought a Noco "Genius1". 32 bucks. Initially, my battery was so dead that the charger couldn't sense the voltage and therefore would not begin charging.

"Chargers and jump boxes that won't charge or jump dead batteries" would be a good topic for the "What's Your Deal" section. If the battery wasn't dead I wouldn't be needing to do anything with it, geniuses. I am always having to deal with this in my work. I get that a battery might have an internal problem that could cause it to blow up if charged or jumped and that's why it has no voltage, but these are extreme outlier cases. In >35 years of seeing cars broken, I can count the number of outright blown-up batteries on my thumbs.
 
Posts: 27964 | Location: Johnson City, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
goodheart
Picture of sjtill
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I just bought an Interstate AGM battery from Costco, <$200.
Went away for a week, when returned battery dead, and charger will not charge it, gets max 2-3 volts.

The bad thing about getting the batteries from Costco is they are so damned heavy!


_________________________
“ What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools said would happen has come to pass.”— Lord Melbourne
 
Posts: 18069 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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