

| Subject: | Re: Another Primary Battery Option |
| From: | george jannini |
| Date: | Sat, 13 Dec 2014 17:15:42 -0500 |
I don't know from the Interwebs complaint department. When it comes to storage batteries, I shop price - it's one of the reasons that I managed to retire early. And the "guest" (customer) is usually deferred to, even if the "associate" (employee) is treated like a piece of crap, or worse. I have had a chance to test Walmart's battery warranty. A fairly new unit that tested good on their so-called tester wasn't performing to my satisfaction. I used a hygrometer proved to myself that it had a bad cell, went to the shop and made loud angry customer noises. Don't you know that I scored a replacement that worked perfectly well. Of course, YMMV. On Sat, Dec 13, 2014 at 12:39 PM, Jeff <vw.doka@gmail.com> wrote: > > Walmart doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to honoring their > battery warranties. Lots of horror stories on the interwebs... > > AAA members can buy batteries direct and they'll come out and replace it > under warranty. Hard to beat that kind of service. > > Cheers, > > Jeff > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf > Of george jannini > Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2014 8:57 AM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: Another Primary Battery Option > > 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 > >> > >> >
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