Time to replace my 2018 PW battery? Suggestions

[Shawn Burns]

Walmart AGM had the best warranty when I replaced my battery a couple years ago, then free replacement a few months ago (after some struggle with the staff).

I just did a walmart AGM as well. The specs are higher than the stocker. The price came in just under $200 after the core return. The starter spins fast after installation, even in sub-freezing temps.

I like that Walmart was able to test the old one for me, they recycled the old one, and I didn't have to do anything mail order.

 

[danielmid]

So, didn't I hop in my truck today and if was dang flat!
Heck, I just put in an H8 AGM Interstate...what, not 6 to 8 months ago...
F_M_L_.....

I couldn't be bothered with the nonsense with returns and warranty and ate the loss! So I went to the local Odyssey supplier this afternoon and picked up a new Odyssey 49-950 - 950CCA H8 AGM...... (dang you Crash68....lol).... You knew this was coming, didn't you....

I should have gone this route in the first dang place!!!!!!!!!!
Instead I spent $400CDN a short time ago on the Interstate H8 AGM just so it could fail....

Then spent $450CDN today to get a more superior battery! I should have eaten the core charge on the new battery and foiled the system with the Interstate for warranty exchange, and then sold it... but what's ones time worth, right!

I do have 2100W of amps in my truck, plus a high end Thinkware front & rear camera system as well..... big draws on my electrical indeed!

Bottom line.... just dump in the H8 AGM Odyssey and be dang well done with it!

(I could have fed my semi's with a lot of ammo if I just went Odyssey in the first place... my fault... but I learned!)

Are you running a battery maintainer? Throw in a Noco 2D if you don't have one and plug it in. Especially with the lower temps batteries like being full in the cold.

 

[crash68]

Instead I spent $400CDN a short time ago on the Interstate H8 AGM just so it could fail....

Interstate is no slouch of a battery manufacturer, guess you were the unlucky one that caught a bad one or something has gone awry with the truck. You might want to consider warranting the battery.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

Are you running a battery maintainer? Throw in a Noco 2D if you don't have one and plug it in. Especially with the lower temps batteries like being full in the cold.

No battery maintainer as I'm in my vehicle daily for good hauls.

Even in minus temps it shouldn't have gone flat, I would think.

Never had a battery failure in my driving career.

I appreciate the suggestion.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

Interstate is no slouch of a battery manufacturer, guess you were the unlucky one that caught a bad one or something has gone awry with the truck. You might want to consider warranting the battery.

but where I live vs where the closest Interstate store is, is prohibitive and costly in terms of my time.

I despise throwing money away, but I saw a local Odyssey store and they had the H8 AGM in stock, so I got it. Heavy little buggers they are!

 

[Dean2]

No battery maintainer as I'm in my vehicle daily for good hauls.

Even in minus temps it shouldn't have gone flat, I would think.

Never had a battery failure in my driving career.

I appreciate the suggestion.

I get why you are annoyed, but taking a battery back on warranty really isn't very hard to do. It is basically an over the counter swap. Some will even refund you.
Use enough of anything you will eventually get a dud. Even if you are off the battery that Kacked, you can donate the new one to someone who can use it, like the local Salvation Army.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

I get why you are annoyed, but taking a battery back on warranty really isn't very hard to do. It is basically an over the counter swap. Some will even refund you.
Use enough of anything you will eventually get a dud. Even if you are off the battery that Kacked, you can donate the new one to someone who can use it, like the local Salvation Army.

Totally agreed on donating it.

My daughter and I purchase a lot of food, prepare it, package it up, and donate it to the homeless every Christmas.

I also regularly purchase a meal for those in need when they ask for money. I don't give cash, but am always happy to buy them a meal if they'd like it.

 

[skydyver83]

Thanks again for all the replies/advice and experiences. To Dram2019, yes completely dead "crickets". It wasn't the 1st time, over the years since I have had the truck bought new in 2018 I've left dome or cargo lights on a couple of times and depleted the battery. I've yet to replace the original and they do sustain some damage when fully depleted which I've done a few times now so I do think its time. I do have a Garmin dash cam and trigger wireless set up for my Aux lights, I think they both have some low electrical draw when the engine is off but the camera is suppose to disconnect at a certain voltage drop.
To all the folks who suggested a H8 my tray does seem to be about an inch longer than the OEM battery so maybe I can fit one without any issues. Guess this will be my project for the weekend, weather permitting. ;-)

 

[HEMIMANN]

Interstate is no slouch of a battery manufacturer, guess you were the unlucky one that caught a bad one or something has gone awry with the truck. You might want to consider warranting the battery.

Was mucking around the interweb today, reading Interstate never manufactured batteries - they are a contract brand name - they contract with Clarios (formerly Johnson Controls, Inc.) and Exide. It's anyone's guess what you get.

I noticed Costco sells Interstate for 'less' than other Interstate sites. I suspect, based on behavior of other private label companies, they have a cheaper version of "Interstate" they sell. They will never divulge if or how, so it's up to us to report end result performance over time.

When JCI moved from Milwaukee and Michigan to Mexico, on-line users reported quality went downhill.....shorter lifespans and in-use shorting failures. I don't know if that's still the case.

In the meantime, Odyssey bought up Northstar / X2. Not sure if Optima is going their own way or what. Also read Clarios owns Die Hard.

All just a bunch of marketing blather crap to hide what's really going on. All we've got is each other anymore. I put in an Odyssey 3 years ago.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Thanks again for all the replies/advice and experiences. To Dram2019, yes completely dead "crickets". It wasn't the 1st time, over the years since I have had the truck bought new in 2018 I've left dome or cargo lights on a couple of times and depleted the battery. I've yet to replace the original and they do sustain some damage when fully depleted which I've done a few times now so I do think its time. I do have a Garmin dash cam and trigger wireless set up for my Aux lights, I think they both have some low electrical draw when the engine is off but the camera is suppose to disconnect at a certain voltage drop.
To all the folks who suggested a H8 my tray does seem to be about an inch longer than the OEM battery so maybe I can fit one without any issues. Guess this will be my project for the weekend, weather permitting. ;-)

I thought I read Ram has a low battery shutoff feature? Is that circuit only hooked up to running lights?

 

[CanuckRam1313]

Was mucking around the interweb today, reading Interstate never manufactured batteries - they are a contract brand name - they contract with Clarios (formerly Johnson Controls, Inc.) and Exide. It's anyone's guess what you get.

I noticed Costco sells Interstate for 'less' than other Interstate sites. I suspect, based on behavior of other private label companies, they have a cheaper version of "Interstate" they sell. They will never divulge if or how, so it's up to us to report end result performance over time.

When JCI moved from Milwaukee and Michigan to Mexico, on-line users reported quality went downhill.....shorter lifespans and in-use shorting failures. I don't know if that's still the case.

In the meantime, Odyssey bought up Northstar / X2. Not sure if Optima is going their own way or what. Also read Clarios owns Die Hard.

All just a bunch of marketing blather crap to hide what's really going on. All we've got is each other anymore. I put in an Odyssey 3 years ago.

So, I was at East Penn Canada in Mississauga, ON today for my company as I needed to pick up a specific battery for a unit I sold...

I was in their warehouse / shipping & receiving area, and it was a sea of black cased batteries, and then a wall with dozens of rolls of stickers for oodles of different retailers (I so wanted to take a picture, but not a cool thing to do when I'm there on company business).

Die Hard, Deka, my company house brand 'Seneca', several different generator companies, and a slew of others, too.

Buy the blanks, slap a label on it and call it yours

 

[crash68]

I noticed Costco sells Interstate for 'less' than other Interstate sites. I suspect, based on behavior of other private label companies, they have a cheaper version of "Interstate" they sell.

Costco is one of the few companies out there that usually tries to offer a better value for the customer. So it's possible they're using their buying power to get the regular version of the batteries at a better price.

 

[HEMIMANN]

So, I was at East Penn Canada in Mississauga, ON today for my company as I needed to pick up a specific battery for a unit I sold...

I was in their warehouse / shipping & receiving area, and it was a sea of black cased batteries, and then a wall with dozens of rolls of stickers for oodles of different retailers (I so wanted to take a picture, but not a cool thing to do when I'm there on company business).

Die Hard, Deka, my company house brand 'Seneca', several different generator companies, and a slew of others, too.

Buy the blanks, slap a label on it and call it yours

Ahhhhhhh.....East Penn grabbed the Die Hard contract. Today. ha ha

 

[HEMIMANN]

Costco is one of the few companies out there that usually tries to offer a better value for the customer. So it's possible they're using their buying power to get the regular version of the batteries at a better price.

I hear ya, I'm also a Costco Member, yet I'm leery of $80 less for the same H7 AGM battery. Supposedly.

 

[Dean2]

Costco is one of the few companies out there that usually tries to offer a better value for the customer. So it's possible they're using their buying power to get the regular version of the batteries at a better price.

I agree. I have heard the stories for years about lower spec stuff being sold at Costco. I can tell you for sure that isn't accurate. Costco makes the majority of its profits from membership fee and placement fees. The products, and the markup on them is designed to cover all of the fixed and variable costs of the operation. One easy example is they sell top tier gasoline for sugnificantly less than other stations. In some cases it is actually better gas in terms of additives. They also have a far more liberal retun policy than most of retailers. Selling inferior prodeucts would have a very negative effect on returns.

In 2021 they made a net profit of 5.3 billion, and had membership revenue of 4 billion. For the pat 15 or so years I buy all my batteries there and get very good life out of them. Far better than CT or Walmart batteries I used to use. Costco also has a far better warranty. Five years full replacemwnt and out to 8 years prorate, 50% to 80 months with a 25 percent credit 70 to 100. That is over 9 years. Show me anyone else with that kind of warranty.

 

[HEMIMANN]

I agree. I have heard the stories for years about lower spec stuff being sold at Costco. I can tell you for sure that isn't accurate. Costco makes the majority of its profits from membership fee and placement fees. The products, and the markup on them is designed to cover all of the fixed and variable costs of the operation. One easy example is they sell top tier gasoline for sugnificantly less than other stations. In some cases it is actually better gas in terms of additives. They also have a far more liberal retun policy than most of retailers. Selling inferior prodeucts would have a very negative effect on returns.

In 2021 they made a net profit of 5.3 billion, and had membership revenue of 4 billion. For the pat 15 or so years I buy all my batteries there and get very good life out of them. Far better than CT or Walmart batteries I used to use. Costco also has a far better warranty. Five years full replacemwnt and out to 8 years prorate, 50% to 80 months with a 25 percent credit 70 to 100. That is over 9 years. Show me anyone else with that kind of warranty.

View attachment 533544

That info no longer applies, at least in the US. All batteries have gone to 3 year 36 mos. Done.

 

[Dean2]

That info no longer applies, at least in the US. All batteries have gone to 3 year 36 mos. Done.

View attachment 533548

Still like that here in Canada. To be fair, heat kills batteries really fast. Up here the same batteries last really well. Most of the battery makers that sell lots in hot areas like AZ and Nevada, have gone to 3 or 4 year max warranties and many of those are now pro rated, not full replacement.

 

[18CrewDually]

That info no longer applies, at least in the US. All batteries have gone to 3 year 36 mos. Done.

View attachment 533548

What do you mean all batteries?
I just got 2 from Walmart and they are 4 year. It's written right on them.

 

[HEMIMANN]

What do you mean all batteries?
I just got 2 from Walmart and they are 4 year. It's written right on them.
View attachment 533549

Must not be made by Clarios? AC Delco is 3 yrs. The article I read today said all these used to be 4 year and pro-rated. Only Wal-Mart isn't?

https://www.walmart.com/reviews/product/40647529?filter=1

 

[18CrewDually]

Must not be made by Clarios? AC Delco is 3 yrs. The article I read today said all these used to be 4 year and pro-rated. Only Wal-Mart isn't?

https://www.walmart.com/reviews/product/40647529?filter=1

I believe they're made by Hankook Atlas.