Battery Dead after 5 years!

[KenPauling]

How long did your battery last? I have a 2004 TN65D and my battery is no longer holding a charge. Even though the tractor is kept out of the weather in an unheated garage, my battery only lasted 5 years. I know the intermittent use of my tractor was hard on the battery. I'm interested in other owners luck with their batteries. Finding a good replacement battery at a reasonable price is not easy.

 

[Slacker]

I'll be happy if my factory battery lasts 5 years. I'm on 3 years now and it's going strong, knock on wood.

 

[MikePA]

I have a 2001 TC25D and the battery has been the least reliable item on the tractor. I've tried TSC, Optima, Die Hard and dry cells, probably 5 different ones, including the original. Like you, my tractor is kept in an unheated garage. The only thing that worked was to keep a Battery Tender connected when I put the tractor away.

 

[Thomas]

Last Kubota 10 years before replacing w/another Kubota battery.

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

Ok Guys,

I just traded in my IH 1066 this spring, the batteries in that tractor were put in new in 1995. Each vehicle I get the first thing I do is wire in a Battery Charging hookup, make it one that you do not have to open the hood to hook it up.

When you get a new battery, open her up, check the acid level, charge that battery for a week before using it, check every cell with a hydrometer, my new DX60 came with a battery and half the cells were bad on a new battery. Got a new battery from the dealer and charged it up before using it and checked it also. I also check the positive and ground connections of the vehicle. I've seen grounding points that needed to be scraped off for a good ground.

The first charge on a battery is the most important one. Every vehicle in my shop has a Battery hookup or an on board battery charger with a plug in that I can get to without opening anything. Every time that vehicle is parked we hookup a 1.5 amp charger. I like the Schumacher brand Automatic chargers.

In the fall, check that battery out, check it's fluid, top it off with distilled water only, clean those connectors and put her back on the charger. My average Diesel truck battery's last 7-9 years. I just replaced the original ATV batteries that came in our 2002's this year, I think they got weak because they were hold overs at the dealer and were not properly cared for or prepped by the dealer.

Hope this helps.

 

[guyw]

Bought my TC18 brand new in 2001. Battery is just now having trouble holding a charge. Has always been kept outside parked in the driveway. Will probably replace with Exide group 51 battery from TSC.

Guy.

 

[bp fick]

In an auto, 5 years from an oem battery would set a new Olympic record.

 

[jimmysisson]

My 88 Ford F250's original equipment HD battery lasted a full 13 years with no special treatment.
No brag, just fact.
Jim

 

[Opti-Mist]

The battery in my 1920 is in it's 10th year. Other than checking fluids occasionally I keep a battery maintainer on it during the winter months whenever the tractor is not in use.

Now boat batteries are a whole 'nother can of worms.

 

[tinner]

I got 9yrs 5mos out of my factory original battery. Not bad for the many frigid winters it had to endure.

 

[groundcover]

Just replaced the Auto Zone batteries in my F350 diesel after 10 years, they were still starting but getting a bit tired,They still had them in the computer,I was impressed !

 

[homedad]

My 1995 f150 is still on it's original battery. I have no external charger or garage. The truck has only 43k on it. Too bad nothing else lasted as long on this truck.

 

[Tractor Parts]

5 years on a battery is almost as good as they come. The Different manufacturers of batteries, in my opinion, do not mean much, they all are good and last a good while.

regards
Marlon
Ford Tractor Parts

 

[december45]

I have a NH TC 30, thought i would take a look at the battery, checks out fine, its a

GS 75D 26R MF

any one ever hear of a GS battery? im far from being well versed in batteries but never heard of one before, i googled it.. not much about it, except its supose to be maintenance free and from japan.... is the GS battery standard equipment on a New Holland?

 

[DK35vince]

5 years on a battery is almost as good as they come.

I must expect a lot more from a battery than you do.
If I only get 5 years out of a battery I would be very disapointed.
I expect 7 to 10 years from a battery.
My last pickup battery lasted 10 years. The battery in my tractor is 8 going on 9. Hoping to get a couple more years out of it.

 

[KenPauling]

My last tractor, a 1993 NH1920 4wd had the battery last for 9 years. I know the dealer had to get my new tractor from a dealer down south in Louisiana. The tractor was a left over and sat in the sun unused for over a year. This might have contributed to the shorter battery life of 5 years.

 

[gregsons]

i get about 60 days on a battery this summer, im starting to think somethings wrong need a tender on it all the time. thats a job for the summer, if i make it that long doubtful.

 

[eepete]

My father used to say that there were three things modern man would never understand:
Women, economics, and batteries.

I get 5 to 8 years off of batteries on tractors and cars. For my backup generator, I change the battery every 4 years no matter what. Check them yearly, but the post about checking with a hydrometer has me thinking I'm going to start doing that.
I'm going to have to watch the battery in my new JD 4520 since there is a group consensus that the JD batteries are not quite up to par.

Batteries go bad, the economy sputters, a good women last a lifetime. But I still don't understand any of them.

Pete

 

[ray66v]

Here are the things I have learned about batteries working in the auto industry:

A battery is only designed to last a little longer than the warranty period.

They wouldn't only offer a 48 month warranty, (it is a selling feature to offer a long warranty period), if they designed it to last 8 years. They design the 48 month to last somewhere over 50 months.

A small percentage don't make it to the end of the warranty, and some make it well past. In a car, with normal usage, if your beyond a year out of warranty, your lucky.

I recently replaced a 6 year battery, that was 7.5 years old from my main vehicle. It was still working fine. To me there is no point in trying to go through another winter, just to see if it will make it. When it comes up short, it's going to do so on the coldest night.

Manufacturers say leaving the headlights on, and fully discharging your battery, is the fastest way to shorten it's life. Fully discharging an older battery can damage the plates to the point that it will not take a charge.

Using a trickle charger on equipment batteries will help keep sulfur from accumulating on the plates during storage periods, and extend it's life.

Always replace a battery with the largest one that will fit. Larger size, usually means larger capacity. A good battery manufacturer will tell you what the reserve capacity for the battery is. A half dead over sized battery, may still work in your application for years.

 

[stuartshomepc]

Here are the things I have learned about batteries working in the auto industry:

A battery is only designed to last a little longer than the warranty period.

They wouldn't only offer a 48 month warranty, (it is a selling feature to offer a long warranty period), if they designed it to last 8 years. They design the 48 month to last somewhere over 50 months.

A small percentage don't make it to the end of the warranty, and some make it well past. In a car, with normal usage, if your beyond a year out of warranty, your lucky.

I recently replaced a 6 year battery, that was 7.5 years old from my main vehicle. It was still working fine. To me there is no point in trying to go through another winter, just to see if it will make it. When it comes up short, it's going to do so on the coldest night.

Manufacturers say leaving the headlights on, and fully discharging your battery, is the fastest way to shorten it's life. Fully discharging an older battery can damage the plates to the point that it will not take a charge.

Using a trickle charger on equipment batteries will help keep sulfur from accumulating on the plates during storage periods, and extend it's life.

Always replace a battery with the largest one that will fit. Larger size, usually means larger capacity. A good battery manufacturer will tell you what the reserve capacity for the battery is. A half dead over sized battery, may still work in your application for years.

Being an engineer in the auto industry I agree with the above. OEM car batteries are made as cheaply as they can be. Every excess penny counts. Save some lead on 1 million vehicles and you have a pile of cash. Unlike the proud days of the past when some parts (like engines and transmissions) were designed to last, if a part is designed to last 60,000 miles and yet runs for 100,000 odds are that it would be redesigned to take excess life out and save costs.

Aftermarket batteries from big brands are probably built a bit better as they want to keep the reputation up. If your new "Die Hard" only lasted 2 years you would never buy another.

But 10 years is a long time. Leaving them at low charge, and heat are two things that shorten the life.