Returning batteries for warranty claim

[BillyB196]

900CCA NAPA “Legend” Batteries dated 11/23 are at 12V and 700 CCA.

In 50* temps, they don’t have enough a$$ left to turn tractor over, so I took them back to NAPA.
NAPA dealer says “leave them overnight and we will test CCA tomorrow after long charge”.

They hook a NAPA tester up to it now and it says 12V 702CCA on one and 12V and 698CCA on the other.

I’m sure an overnight charge will bring them back to life, but will it last?

I’ve had to jump them a couple times and after tractor is running, makes about 13+ on the voltmeter and theres no electrical system light on.

Not NAPA, but had two DieHard® Gold Batteries (Made by Johnson Controls) purchased back in 2021 that did not fair well over the winter and had similar challenges as yours. Put them both on a long 24 hour charge and one worked well for a bout two week and went south again, and Advanced replaced it with an new one, the other is still cranking good. I think there are a a lot of variables (design, manufacture, usage, alternator, etc.) when it comes to batteries and it's def worth a try.

East Penn Manufacturing, makes most NAPA Batteries
Johnson Controls, makes DieHard Batteries
Johnson Controls, makes Interstate Batteries
Johnson Controls, makes Duralast Bateries

 

[WM75Guy]

When I was on the Fire Department I did extensive work with an emergency vehicle alternator manufacturer down the street from the station. We did field testing with our trucks, ambulances, and staff vehicles. These were high output alternators for the time, 250A to 350A output, both negative and positive ground. Our vehicles had anywhere from 2 to 4 batteries.

A fully charged automotive battery should have between 12.8V and 13.2V. The alternator output should show 1V above that. If your battery is at 12.4V then your alternator output would show 13.4V, if working properly. While voltage will drop after starting the vehicle, it should get back to normal fairly quickly.

If they charged your batteries and they are below 12.8V they need to be replaced.

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

...next time buy from Costco. Interstate batteries free replacement within 3 years no questions asked.

I just had to do this and it's not quite that simple. They nipped me for the price difference between then and now. Still a good deal overall.

I had a 5th wheel trailer that kept killing batteries. Despite the dealer-installed DC disconnect, there were parts of the circuit that remained live (why?). The ultimate solution was a disconnect at the batteries and a solar system to maintain them.

 

[acarr1]

I sell commercial truck batteries and also handle all the warranties. I’m not a mechanic but I’m pretty sure you should be getting about 14-14.5 volts when you check the battery while it’s being charged by the alternator. And at least 12.6 while the engine is not running. Also if you let a battery fully discharge (go dead) and then charge it back, you’ve done damage to the battery that can’t be repaired by simply charging it back up. Most battery “warranties” are not a defect in the battery itself but damage done by the customers equipment.

 

[TexasMax]

900CCA NAPA “Legend” Batteries dated 11/23 are at 12V and 700 CCA.

In 50* temps, they don’t have enough a$$ left to turn tractor over, so I took them back to NAPA.
NAPA dealer says “leave them overnight and we will test CCA tomorrow after long charge”.

They hook a NAPA tester up to it now and it says 12V 702CCA on one and 12V and 698CCA on the other.

I’m sure an overnight charge will bring them back to life, but will it last?

I’ve had to jump them a couple times and after tractor is running, makes about 13+ on the voltmeter and theres no electrical system light on.

Same problem on my MF 1135 batteries from Atwoods except they will replace if within the life ( )with no question asked.

900CCA NAPA “Legend” Batteries dated 11/23 are at 12V and 700 CCA.

In 50* temps, they don’t have enough a$$ left to turn tractor over, so I took them back to NAPA.
NAPA dealer says “leave them overnight and we will test CCA tomorrow after long charge”.

They hook a NAPA tester up to it now and it says 12V 702CCA on one and 12V and 698CCA on the other.

I’m sure an overnight charge will bring them back to life, but will it last?

I’ve had to jump them a couple times and after tractor is running, makes about 13+ on the voltmeter and theres no electrical system light on.

We have been using DuraStart batteries from Atwoods Farm Supply and if they are within the warranty life. Atwoods replace with no questions asked. It a fine farm supply store and much easier place to find supplies but they are usually Texas and Oklahoma based.

 

[Dan.Cassidy]

CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) is a rating of the battery's output at 0 degrees fehrenheit.
CA (Cranking Amps) is a rating of the battery's output at 32 degrees fehrenheit. Big difference!
Batteries should be tested before and after charging. Slow charging, like 2 amps, is best but takes a long time. Charging overnight is not uncommon.
So, if these battery's are 900 CCA (not CA) and fully charged, 700 CCA is not enough.
Any auto parts store would test your batteries.

 

[MoBetta]

900CCA NAPA “Legend” Batteries dated 11/23 are at 12V and 700 CCA.

In 50* temps, they don’t have enough a$$ left to turn tractor over, so I took them back to NAPA.
NAPA dealer says “leave them overnight and we will test CCA tomorrow after long charge”.

They hook a NAPA tester up to it now and it says 12V 702CCA on one and 12V and 698CCA on the other.

I’m sure an overnight charge will bring them back to life, but will it last?

I’ve had to jump them a couple times and after tractor is running, makes about 13+ on the voltmeter and theres no electrical system light on.

Did they use a load test? Please double check your ground connection and cable. If it is a wet cell battery(has caps to maintain fluid level), an old country trick I have used for years is to remove all the caps and have someone crank the unit while I watch in the cells(wear Protection).If one bubbles a lot, it could a shorted cell. Good Luck!

 

[jiggseob]

The idea of the battery store leaving the battery on-charger overnight, then taking charger off and immediately testing next day is hoakey at best. A real test would be put battery on-charger overnight, take off-charger, and leave for 2 weeks then test amperage output. That would be a replication of how end users actually use a battery, and a reasonable test of fail or pass of battery function.

Inside the battery, there may be partial sulfation. That is little crystals of suphate salt that have formed and bridged between the positive and negative plates, creating a small short inside the battery, causing it to go totally dead over a relatively short (2 week) period of time. Such a fail-condition should be covered by warranty.

The take-off-charger and immediately test amperage output does not test the "charge holding" function of a battery. The seller does not want to test charge holding because he knows it will fail and cost him the paperwork of putting it through warranty.

 

[Paul McILwain]

I would be suspicious of the starter drawing too many amps, may not be a battery or charging system problem at all

 

[troverman]

I've had pretty good luck with the Napa Legend batteries. Just replaced a set in my 2003 F-550: both batteries that died were from early 2017; they were the AGM variety. I put two new identical 750CCA AGM Legends in the truck.

Alternators are interesting. The voltage regulator sets the charge point. I have installed a Leece-Neville 230A large case unit in both my diesel Fords. In both cases, they charge at 13.9v unless the battery is very low - it will then go above 14v.