Alternator Charging Number At Idle

[friskyfrankie]

So basically we can agree that most modern batteries suck!

[Mainemantom]

Since the EPA all but banned the manufacture of electrolite. It is recycled from old batteries over and over again, thus getting weaker and weaker. I think the worst battery I have come across in a vehicle is the standard Subaru battery. Under warranty the dealer replaces the weak one with a weak one. I wasn't playing the warranty game with the battery, so I bought the best I could find when it was one year old. Next replacement will be a Motorcraft.

[gadget73]

its sulphuric acid and water, there is no magic about battery electrolyte. Its not banned either, so I have no idea where you got that from.

lead refining is far more restricted. That does actually come in large part from recycled batteries.

[Mainemantom]

its sulphuric acid and water, there is no magic about battery electrolyte. Its not banned either, so I have no idea where you got that from.

lead refining is far more restricted. That does actually come in large part from recycled batteries.

It probably is more a lead refining issue. I should have not used the word "banned" I sold Interstate batteries back in the late 80s-90s. Maybe it is CA. thing as far as stricter regulations. I remember when electrolyte came in a box. The battery seller added the electrolyte to the dry battery. That stopped as the batteries were filled at the factory.

[gadget73]

I think they're also using less lead for cost reasons, and that doesn't help either. More, thinner plates makes for more amperage but the thin plates fail quicker. Need a lot of reserve power for those auto stop/start systems to keep all the crap running while the engine isn't.

[DerekTheGreat]

The best part about the motorcraft battery is the warranty. I have one in my 09 and it’s been drained twice when my alternator crapped out and still holds a charge like it’s brand new.

Now for the older cars with less electronics the cheaper batteries are fine. I have a cheap Walmart battery in my 87 mgm that’s about 3 years old. I let it sit for about a month when I got covid. I went outside thinking I’d need to jump it but to my surprise it started right up. My 17 gt on the other hand will spin slowly when it sits for over two weeks.


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Jeez, I guess I should give more credit to the yellow top Optima in my Town Car. I think I put that in the car around 2015 or 2016. Car sat for three months off the Battery Tender and it fired right up. Think it was thirty degrees outside.

[87GrandMarq]

Jeez, I guess I should give more credit to the yellow top Optima in my Town Car. I think I put that in the car around 2015 or 2016. Car sat for three months off the Battery Tender and it fired right up. Think it was thirty degrees outside.

Not bad at all, so far I’d say you got your moneys worth out of it. Which one was the yellow top? Deep cycle?


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[massacre]

Yes, yellow is deep cycle

[87GrandMarq]

Thought so. My buddy had a red top, I guess for large electrical loads.


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[DerekTheGreat]

Yah, yellow top was supposed to be helpful if you had the bumpity-bumpities installed, which I did. I have had problems with the red tops. I think I went through at least two in my Firebird before they finally gave me a good one. That was about four years ago, it's still ok, but just sitting on the shelf now.