[Healeys] Batteries

[Bob Spidell]

re: "batteries are basically all the same and will last years if you 
drive the vehicle regularly"

I respectfully disagree.  Two Interstate batteries lasted 2 years (each) 
in my Mustang although I was making a freeway commute of almost 80 miles 
round trip 5 days a week.   They were checked and serviced regularly.  
They both failed completely with no warning (hard starts, etc.).  Two 
Motorcraft batteries--hecho en Mexico--also lasted about 2 years (I 
suspect they were re-branded Interstates).  We've had 2 pairs of 6V 
Interstates fail in a couple years in our BN2.   The Deka in my 
Mustang--made in the USA--has about 3 years of intermittent city/freeway 
driving and is going strong.

Bob


On 4/22/2018 6:37 AM, Robert Begani wrote:
>
> Listeners:
>
> The solution for dead batteries has been discussed many times. In 
> today’s world batteries are basically all the same and will last years 
> if you drive the vehicle regularly.  We do not. Our vehicles and 
> sitting in the garage or storage and, as many of us who know this have 
> said, will reduce the life of the battery very quickly.  Use a battery 
> maintainer or floater charger when it is sitting, take the car for a 
> 20-30 mile drive once a month to give it a full charge or give it a 
> full change while in storage. Oh yes, idling the engine will not give 
> the battery life.
>
> I buy inexpensive batteries.  The current was purchased 4 years ago 
> from Walmart.  It has been out of the vehicle for 2 years and has been 
> on a Battery Tender with charger which only holds the charge, however, 
> the storage charge will deteriorate over time.  So I put it on a 
> charger at 10 amps for 15 minutes every few months.  Today it is rated 
> as fully charged and ready to turn over the engine when I get it back 
> together.  Nevertheless, I expect the battery will need to be replaced 
> after I begin to drive my Healey again on long trips. I have an 
> alternator on my BJ8.
>
> On the other hand, regarding batteries on today’s vehicles, my wife 
> drives an 18 month old Honda CRV.  She called me because her car would 
> not start at her friends home. I brought over the Starter cables 
> jumped the car and drove it home.  Then I put the charger on the 
> battery and suggested she drive the car longer distances once a week.  
> She was just driving around our small town visiting her friends etc. 
> and not getting out on the road. An alternator will not fully charge a 
> battery on short distances especially when you are operating many 
> electronic items on the car while it is sitting overnight.  She has 
> not had a battery problem since.  And, I remember to use her car when 
> taking a 30 Plus mile trip on the interstate.
>
> Drive your cars gentlemen.
>
> Regards, battery a
>
> Bob Begani
>
> BJ8
>
>

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