Paying extra for Interstate Battery juju is pretty much padding
distributors' pockets.  A battery at Wal Mart cost me right around a
hundred bucks in August for freshly minted July product, and looks as if
it's gone down in price by $15.  It's guaranteed in full for two years free
replacement.

On Fri, Dec 12, 2014 at 8:27 PM, Rocket J Squirrel <
camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> "The H6 (yes a new numbering system is amongst us) [...]"
>
> Well, it's about time. Here I was thinking, "We need a new battery
> numbering system, and we need it now!" and Hey Presto! my wish has come
> true.
>
> --
> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
> Bend, Ore.
>
>
> On 12/12/2014 03:46 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>
>> The H6 (yes a new numbering system is amongst us) replaces the BCI group
>> 48
>> battery. Yes it is about 5/8" taller than the BCI group 41. Like most AGM
>> you will find over time the best part of the design is the advertising.
>> There life expectancy is all over the place and failure is usually
>> sudden. I
>> have been around these things in many shapes and sizes including large UPS
>> and forklift applications. What they seem to like the least is temperature
>> changes. Anything that makes them vent makes them loose some electrolyte
>> until one or more cells dry up. That's it mate!
>>
>> Getting 4 years out of a battery for intermittent or severe use is not
>> that
>> bad. As for the Interstate the same battery at Walmart is a lot less and
>> the
>> way treat the warranty is to refund what is left and you get that new
>> battery with new warranty. Works real well if you have failure during the
>> 2
>> year free replacement.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>> Of
>> Max Wellhouse
>> Sent: Friday, December 12, 2014 11:45 AM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Another Primary Battery Option
>>
>> Folks:  Just bought an Autocraft H-6 AGM battery for like $170 at Advanced
>> Auto in hopes I'll find a solution to cold starting up here in Iowa.  I've
>> gone through two Interstates over the last 7 or 8 years and they are
>> lasting
>> just about long enough that it's not worth using up the remaining warranty
>> trading it in on a new one.
>>
>> The H-6 has the recessed terminals and fits in the Vanagon box just fine,
>> but is about a half inch too tall for the metal lid to properly close.  I
>> drilled out the small rivets holding the hinge on the rear of the lid and
>> will make a small shim and reattach the lid as time allows.
>> If that doesn't work.  I have a couple of wood and/or fiberglass options
>> that should work and still have clearance for the seat sliding
>> if the shim idea isn't workable.   I keep a thin piece of conveyor belt
>> glued to the underside ofthe  metal lid for extra protection in the
>> positive
>> terminal side of the compartment.  The facytory hold down clamp was
>> modified
>> slightly so it could contact the battery housing properly
>>
>> The $170 for the battery is a lot for someone on my budget, but the glass
>> mat technology intrigues me and having the 950 CA/760 CCA rating should
>> help
>> out this time of year.  I'm not saying for all of your to run out and buy
>> one just yet, but I will be monitoring how it performs this winter.
>>
>> DM&FS
>>
>>