batteries...

went out to the shed the other day, tried to start the 180D after sitting all winter...fired right off! WooHoo! then went out yesterday to use it, and it would barley turn over and did not start....PffffT! cleaned all the terminals on battery and starter, checked over the cables, put the charger on a bit...nope, won't start. o-k...took the battery out, shows free replacement within 12 months time. this one is 13 months old. went to where I bought it, they tested it, and told me the battery is fine! uh...no...it isn't. told them I wanted to trade this one in for a new one and they did trade me, cost me about $47. for a $99. battery. took it home, topped it off with the charger and put it in, the tractor popped right off running! WooHoo again!

dennis, what the heck is a AGM batt. ????  thanks keith

tractorboy wrote: dennis, what the heck is a AGM batt. ????  thanks keith

This is what I've been using in everything I own. When the lead battery goes in goes the AGM. They cost a bit more up front but you save money over the long haul.

FREEDGUY wrote: DennisA, your pic and Gatz's link look like totally different batteries?? Perhaps they are the same though.

Just different brands. The optima's have a look all their own.

Optima is okay. I've heard they're made in Mexico now. Bummer. If you want a really good AGM, get an Odyssey.

https://www.odysseybattery.com

Tractors would be considered as industrial use. Don't confuse industrial use with normal car starting use.

I have two Odysseys. Free shipping from batterymart.com in Virginia.

Advantages of AGM:

1. They are ground shippable. (I think I heard the FEDEX man cussing under his breath, though.)

2. They are rugged. There are sheets of electrolyte-impregnated fiberglass between the plates. Shorted cells are a thing of the past.

3. They are more powerful for their size, compared to standard lead acid batteries.

4. They can sit idle for a year and not lose any significant charge. (Personally I'd throw a charger on the battery every few months if sitting over the winter.)

5. They charge faster than conventional lead acid batteries.






Edited by DougS - 27 Apr 2019 at 8:13pm

thanks Dennis, I may try a few of them, like said, could be cheaper in the long run if used in applications where they sit over winter time.

May have to try the AGM batteries. I have been replacing the battery in my wife's and granddaughter's Escapes and in my '13 F150 at close to the 5 year mark whether bad or not and the old batteries find a home in a tractor. I found a place to buy batteries where they adjust the price according to the length of warranty you get and have saved a good bit of money, so far I have not gotten a bad battery.

AGM for me too. I don't waste money on Optima's anymore, the quality has declined since they first came out 25 years ago. Mostly Dekas for me.

Bought a Everstart battery at Wally world a few weeks ago . It was made in Mexico . Hope it lasts a few years. Thanks

[/QUOTE]
The problem with Optima is they were bought out by Johnson Controls and production was shifted to Mexico. From what I've heard the quality is hit and miss.[/QUOTE]
I hope your wrong because I have 11 in use right now. Time will tell.

I looked up how much my uncle has spent replacing the batteries in the loader tractor. In the past 15yrs he spent $1200.00 for the Farm & Fleet commercial grade.

In my former life, there was an Electric Race Car built by the students.  After 2 years, they wanted new batteries.  I got one of those Optimas free, this is like....22 years ago.  It sat on my concrete floor in the garage for at least 1 year and a half until I had a use for it.  Put it in my car and started right up, used it 4 more years! 

Gary Burnett wrote: A big variable in battery life is the condition of the charging system in whatever machine the battery is installed .

This be true. Don't install an AGM battery unless you are running an alternator. AGM batteries deep cycle better than conventional lead acid batteries, but it doesn't do any battery any good to run it way down. We used some Trojan batteries where I worked and... kill them twice and they were dead for good.


Edited by DougS - 30 Apr 2019 at 8:57am

DougS I just chamged one in an Escape and they don't give no wiggle room on the cable length! I got a 550 cca from Rural King and changed the neg around and got away from spending 125 on the one they reccomend

DougG wrote: DougS I just chamged one in an Escape and they don't give no wiggle room on the cable length! I got a 550 cca from Rural King and changed the neg around and got away from spending 125 on the one they reccomend

I don’t know what model year you had, but for 2013+ the negative cable sits in a notch. You have to pull the cable out of that notch. There’s another wire that runs along-side the ground cable. Be sure that neither gets snagged as you pull the battery out. This assumes you are pulling the airbox out and removing the front of the battery box. To me this method is easier than removing the wipers and cowling. In either case, it’s not worth it to pull your hair and change that battery every couple of years. Hint: Order a rear battery spacer and hold down clamp for a 2017 Escape with auto start/stop. With that you can install a Group 48 AGM and hopefully make battery changes a thing of the past. The two parts together cost about $15.