Battery Info

[rScotty]

My 2022 Massey Ferguson 4707 tractor has a dead battery. The date of 09/11/2021 is on the battery, so I'm guessing that's how old it is.

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I bought a battery for my wife's van last month, and the guy at NAPA said that batteries only last 3 years on modern cars because of all the electronics on them that never turn off. Her battery was 3 1/2 years old. It looks like my battery is just over 3 years old.

Does this make sense to everyone? I used to get five years out of a battery, and sometimes in older vehicles, even longer. 3 years just seems like it's too quick to die and need replacing.

I do not want another Massey Ferguson battery. I'll go to NAPA and see what they have during the week. Before I go there, I'm curious if this label makes any sense to you?

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I haven't removed the battery yet. I should do that now, but it's too cold out there, and I'm going to work on my fence first.

Is there something that I should ask for when I go to NAPA to get a better battery?

What he said about 3 years is true of the low end batteries, the better ones cost more and last longer.

Here is what I do. It's not perfect, but doing these things will help:

1. Instead of the old fashioned vented wet cell type battery with caps, get a leakproof AGM type battery with the maximum CCA that your budget allows. They last longer & corrode less. Keep the warranty handy.

2. Get a "smart" trickle charger+desulfator and use it at least once a month or if the tractor is just sitting. It doesn't hurt to leave it connected all the time. Northern Tools has the Battery Minder brand for $20.00. They work. I just bought a box full for us and as Xmas presents.

3. Keep the battery posts and cable ends clean with a wire brush every year. NAPA has a five dollar tool for that. If your cables just won't stop corroding, try to find some old fashioned cable connectors that are pure lead. I found a set hanging on a wall in an old barn. Now that I know how good the lead cable ends work, I'd be willing to buy them new for a premium if I knew where.
YMMV
rScotty

 

[ultrarunner]

Deka has been good to me and the old Delco Green Eye no longer offered.

The right plug in charger will offset parasitic load that all new vehicles have… even the right solar Charger will help.

At the new car lots they spend a lot of time maintaining batteries these days.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thank you for all the replies. I have trickle chargers on both riding mowers, and they have extended the life of those batteries significantly. Ill be buying another one real soon for the tractor!!!

Our weather is brutal on batteries. Summer time heat is made worse by extreme humidity. Winter temps can get well below freezing. So far, in the last couple of weeks, we've had several mornings in the 20's, and quite a few more right around freezing or below.

One of the reasons I don't want to use another factory battery is that it's been an issue from the beginning in winter. When temps are below freezing, it wont start unless I have my truck connected to it with jumper cables. That's happened multiple times in the last two winters.

 

[LouNY]

I'm trying to switch over to AGM batteries as I replace them. They do not cause any corrosion on the terminals once cleaned up they stay good.

 

[IH3444]

Eddie, I use trickle chargers also. Heat is harder on batteries than mild cold weather. I also place foam insulation underneath all my batteries, and around them for shock attenuation as well as temperature stability.

 

[Mike1955]

I recommend an AGM battery with at least 800 Cold Cranking Amps.

Measure the battery unless you know the size code, to be sure it fits.

Xfax may I inquire why an AGM?

 

[Smokeydog]

Cost twice as much and last half as long seems to be the norm now.

 

[not2old]

I've been buying Optima AGM batteries for more than thirty years. Other than one that was replaced under warranty while quite new, I've been getting about 12 years from them. My 2017 snowmobile still has the original as does my 2018 Grand Cherokee and my 2014 Cts-V. The Lithium in my dirt bike is more than 15 years old but I will admit that it is only used to restart a warmed up motor. All I've ever done is to occasionally put a small Noco maintainer on them for a day or two. I also have four group 27 size solar batteries that are more than 20 years old that still work to power my RV (except A/C)between generator charges while camping. I have no idea why I have had such good luck as I don't do much maintenance on them.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I also place foam insulation underneath all my batteries, and around them for shock attenuation as well as temperature stability.

One of the inherent characteristics of AGM batteries is shock or vibration resistance. As well as the lowest self discharge rate of the lead acid batteries (GEL, AGM ,and FLA).
Edit: Because of the low self discharge rate it is the best cold weather battery of the bunch.

 

[sandman2234]

I typically buy most of my batteries at Sam's. High turnover, so no old batteries on the shelf. The RC 170 is a rating for reserve capacity. The CCA is cold cranking amps. The most of both is best.
As far as AGM batteries, my semi came with them. All four failed the load test at 3 years when the truck got to where it didn't like starting! The truck was a 2020, so those batteries should still be good according to everyone else promoting them! Company replaced them with lead acid due to the cost of AGM.
I just pulled an Interstate battery out of our camper. It was July 2009 punched, and still had some charge in it! However, since the camper stays pulled into the utility company, it basically has a trickle charger plugged in all the time. Not a good representative of batteries that aren't plugged in all the time. Oh, and that Interstate was a car battery, not a deep cycle, which is what replaced it. My 2013 M7040 had the battery replaced b4 I bought it, in 2015. Still ticking like a Timex! Will probably go out now that I have bragged on it!
David from jax