Car batteries: High Cost, Low Lifespan

[intrepid]

5 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

So, if your 21 month battery fails at 18 months, you should get a new one and it will have a 3 month warranty.

I did not take the time to read the warranty paper.  However, when my battery was replaced with a new one, the receipt was kept and I noticed he taped it to my old battery.   My thinking was I still had 7 months warranty.  Since I wasn't paying anything for the new battery I thought best to keep my mouth shut and exit.  I am also hoping this battery lasts more than seven months.  Maybe it will last 21 months!

[OnMyWay]

5 minutes ago, intrepid said:

I did not take the time to read the warranty paper.  However, when my battery was replaced with a new one, the receipt was kept and I noticed he taped it to my old battery.   My thinking was I still had 7 months warranty.  Since I wasn't paying anything for the new battery I thought best to keep my mouth shut and exit.  I am also hoping this battery lasts more than seven months.  Maybe it will last 21 months!

Yes, most likely it will last a bit over 21 months.

So, in a perfect world for a Motolite battery customer, the 21 month warranty battery lasts 20 months, you get a new one, which lasts 21+ months.  Total 41+ months for one purchase!

[JJReyes]

2 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

So, in a perfect world for a Motolite battery customer, the 21 month warranty battery lasts 20 months, you get a new one, which lasts 21+ months.  Total 41+ months for one purchase!

A perfect world belongs to manufacturers. The most likely situation is a battery with a 21 months warranty will last 22 months. Then you have to buy a new one.

[Jollygoodfellow]

5 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

It says if the battery fails within the warranty period it will be replaced with the same battery.

There it is, the fine print. Replaced with the same battery so they give you back the one you walked in with 

[OnMyWay]

1 hour ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

There it is, the fine print. Replaced with the same battery so they give you back the one you walked in with 

The devil is in the details!  

[robert k]

On 5/31/2018 at 2:50 PM, KurtVD said:

Yes, there is heat soak under the hood. However, these vehicles are all tested under extreme conditions and are built to withstand temperatures even higher than in the Philippines. Also, car batteries are specifically built for the environment where they're used - right beside a hot engine, where they're supposed to last at least 4 years, I would say. 

 

RE Your Toyota: Unless you installed anything that drew a lot of power yourself, the electrical system of a car is usually more than enough powerful as it is, and Toyota cars haven't been know to have weak electrical systems. Most cars with A/C have a two fans, that shouldn't be a reason that a battery doesn't last. Instead, rather than a larger alternator, you could try to find a battery with more power (Ah) that still fits (although that might be difficult to find). Your alternator will be able to charge it just as well.

 

You would be right, except I didn't install anything but the largest diesel rated battery that would fit with the most reserve amperage. Some enterprising Filipino did convert the vehicle to front and rear air. That is two electric fans for the condenser at the front, the same size fan for the auxillary condenser under the car and an extra blower fan for the rear air. Because of the spacing between the radiator and the condenser, the engine fan only cools the radiator. All this on a 60 amp alternator. I had considered moving the condenser closer to the radiator which is new, and delete the front condenser fans but that would involve draining the system, pipe bending some cutting of the radiator support. On the other hand, a 90 amp alternator should carry the load. The 60 amp would carry the load if it always was making maximum output as in 100kph expressway driving, but as we all know, alternators don't put out their maximum rated amperage in stop and go traffic and puttering around town where you will need the aircon most. I'm fixing the problem by buying a new vehicle and giving this one to my local helpers brother as he is a school trained mechanic, a young man, and more willing to play with it than I am. He may decide to not run the aircon at all... problem solved.

[KurtVD]

1 hour ago, robert k said:

You would be right, except I didn't install anything but the largest diesel rated battery that would fit with the most reserve amperage. Some enterprising Filipino did convert the vehicle to front and rear air. That is two electric fans for the condenser at the front, the same size fan for the auxillary condenser under the car and an extra blower fan for the rear air. Because of the spacing between the radiator and the condenser, the engine fan only cools the radiator. All this on a 60 amp alternator. I had considered moving the condenser closer to the radiator which is new, and delete the front condenser fans but that would involve draining the system, pipe bending some cutting of the radiator support. On the other hand, a 90 amp alternator should carry the load. The 60 amp would carry the load if it always was making maximum output as in 100kph expressway driving, but as we all know, alternators don't put out their maximum rated amperage in stop and go traffic and puttering around town where you will need the aircon most. I'm fixing the problem by buying a new vehicle and giving this one to my local helpers brother as he is a school trained mechanic, a young man, and more willing to play with it than I am. He may decide to not run the aircon at all... problem solved.

I understand: basically, there was an additional A/C unit installed, that will bring the on board electrical system to its limit, sure. I think that installing an additional battery would probably solve the problem: I’ve seen that being done with cars that had absurdly powerful sound systems  

 

Selling is always an option: Right now I have a car with a defective A/C compressor (in Switzerland), but I don’t really need A/C, so I said to my mechanic that I won’t be fixing it, at least not before it’s time to sell the car. He said to me: No need to fix it then, just sell it during the winter ;)

[robert k]

2 hours ago, KurtVD said:

I understand: basically, there was an additional A/C unit installed, that will bring the on board electrical system to its limit, sure. I think that installing an additional battery would probably solve the problem: I’ve seen that being done with cars that had absurdly powerful sound systems  

 

Selling is always an option: Right now I have a car with a defective A/C compressor (in Switzerland), but I don’t really need A/C, so I said to my mechanic that I won’t be fixing it, at least not before it’s time to sell the car. He said to me: No need to fix it then, just sell it during the winter ;)

I don't think so. Adding another battery would eventually lead to two batteries with insufficient charge. Adding capacity, without adding the ability to "refill" charge that capacity, will still leave you walking, it will just take longer. A larger alternator though, will recharge the battery and power the a/c system so the battery doesn't have to and the battery will not be drawn down. As I said, I bought the largest diesel rated battery that would fit with the most reserve amp hours. Two such batteries would merely take longer to discharge to the point the car would no longer start because of the generating deficit. I have fixed the problem though, I used the checkbook wrench.

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, robert k said:

Adding another battery would eventually lead to two batteries with insufficient charge.

Not if you get the right size 

[robert k]

2 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Not if you get the right size 

If that one was a little bigger it might work in my first GF's vibrator.