My '91 camper will let me leave the lights on when the key is off.  I
always check.  Dave Mc

On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 10:29 AM, Doug Noganav wrote:

> Its 1year free replacement and 2 year pro rated.
> I have had really good luck with them in the past, used them far
> longer than
> the warranty.
>
> wally's batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
>
> My problem with batteries is I end up leaving a door open or draw on
> them in
> my shop or parked when working on the vehicle and draw it flat which
> kills
> even a brand new top of the line 5 year battery.
>
> I heard if you draw any lead acid battery totally flat you will reduce
> its
> life by 50%.
> draw it flat again 25% life
>
> Its easy to in my ford to leave the headlights on, at least in the vw
> you
> have to have the key on.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: To: "Doug Noganav" Cc: Sent: Monday, October 19, 2009 6:15 AM
> Subject: Re: [VANAGON] Battery question
>
>
>> If the battery has only a one year warranty, it's not much of a
>> battery,
>> and I would expect it to fail at or soon after the expiration of that
>> warranty.  So, for $30 or $40 more you could have gotten a five or
>> more
>> year battery, which if not abused would in fact last the five years
>> warranted.  Hmmmmm.............. .  Dave MC
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 11:47 PM, Doug Noganav wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks, good info.
>>> I ended up at wally's because it was only $65 for the group 41
>>> 750cca.
>>> Its
>>> their basic battery with only 1 year replacement.
>>>
>>> You can tell when you lift it up that its not super heavy like some
>>> of
>>> the
>>> higher warranty group 41s.
>>>
>>> I have found most batteries to be good as long as you do not do what
>>> I
>>> did
>>> to my old one and run it flat with a radio left drawing. It created
>>> a
>>> bad
>>> cell according to AAA who came out and tested it. After that it
>>> would
>>> not
>>> hold a charge well.
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Poppie Jagersand" To: Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 7:12 PM
>>> Subject: Re: Battery question
>>>
>>>
>>> The battery question invariably brings up strong opinions about
>>> different
>>> brands. Some swear by Diehard, some Interstate, some Optima etc...
>>>
>>> In reality the differences are not that great. While there are many
>>> brand
>>> names printed on batteries there are only a few manufacturers. If
>>> you
>>> buy a
>>> battery in North America with some 90% probability it is made by
>>> Johnson
>>> Control, GNB or Excide. I've had $200 Optima batteries, and $50
>>> Walmart
>>> batteries, Delco, Diehard, Interstate etc. They all last comparably
>>> long for
>>> me. Consumer reports buys loads of batteries and does a test about
>>> once a
>>> year. Winners vary between the years and types of batteries,
>>> suggesting that
>>> there is no particular manufacturer that is superior to the others.
>>>
>>> More important is to check that you get a fresh battery. Like milk
>>> they are
>>> date stamped and go bad if too old...
>>> Some have a clear text manufacturing date, others a code. A, B, C, D
>>> etc is
>>> Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr etc. 9 or 09 would be the year. The date stamp is
>>> often
>>> on a round sticker. Try to find a battery as fresh as possible, and
>>> not
>>> older than 6mo. You can also check with a voltmeter. The battery
>>> should be
>>> 12.7V Anything below 12.5 would be suspect.
>>>
>>> Martin
>>>
>>> --- On Sun, 10/18/09, Allan Streib  wrote:
>>>
>>>> From: Allan Streib Subject: Re: Battery question
>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>> Received: Sunday, October 18, 2009, 5:29 PM
>>>> Doug Noganav writes:
>>>>
>>>>> Anybody know the least expensive battery available for
>>>> the vanagon?
>>>>>
>>>>> Wally world still the cheapest?
>>>>>
>>>>> It looked like group 42 might also work in the box,
>>>> not sure it the 42 is any cheaper than 41.
>>>>>
>>>>> looking for best deal
>>>>
>>>> Best deal as in you are selling the van and want to put the
>>>> absolute
>>>> cheapest battery in you can? Yeah it'll probably be
>>>> Wal-Mart.
>>>>
>>>> Best deal in that you can start the van on a cold winter
>>>> morning? I'd
>>>> go with Interstate. They have never let me down.
>>>>
>>>> Allan
>>>> --
>>>> 1991 Vanagon GL
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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