best 6-volt battery for the money

Anonymous-0 · Jan 17, 2011

My 3 year old NAPA battery is about shot and I don't want to shell out another $88 for another one of theirs if there is a reliable brand out there that might last longer.Looking for opinions! Thanks for the input

Bruce (VA) · Jan 17, 2011

When I purchased my 1951 8N, in October, 2002, it came w/ the above battery, a Deka, model 901MF. The date code on the battery was April, 2000.

I'm not sure how the PO maintained the battery the first two years of it's life, but given the overall condition of the tractor when I purchased it, my bet is it sat unused most of the time.

I always run the N's to operating temp every 3 or 4 weeks if they haven't been used. To make sure the battery doesn't discharge, all the N's now have float chargers. (And that will extend the life of any battery because it stops them from discharging.)

I also keep everything "clean, bright & tight", use the braided strap & 00 gauge positive cables.

So, in addition to it being a well made battery, doing everything else right probably helped this battery to make it 8 years & 6 months!

It finally refused to turn the 1951 over in Sept 2008, so I replaced it w/ a new one. Another Deka, model 901MF; cost w/ exchange was $69.

50 Tips

souNdguy · Jan 17, 2011

i like interstate.. but then.. we are an interstate dealer at work.

they are much better than tsc batteries.

soundguy

Hobo,NC · Jan 17, 2011

Inferior battery's are all most a thing of the past,,, even the chain store bats are good. Cheap prices are also a thang of the past,,, Who ever you buy it from ask how to date code the bat,,, stickers can be changer but when they are hot iron branded they are stuck with the date code for life... are until the hot iron code is wiped out and its sold as a blem... What hurts the 6V deal is low demand for them,,, look for places that sale rite many that will help insure their stock is fresh if that's possible... I figger one day soon they will b sold dry and then the acid will be added.. I like interstates myself...

Mad Farmer · Jan 17, 2011

I shoehorned in the biggest carquest bat. I could fit, 675 CCA 6 volt.

You have to drop it in sidewards, but 8 years old and started this week, stored outside, at -5 oF and I still have 20-50 W in the sump.

old · Jan 17, 2011

I always get a laugh at this question. Why because there are only about 3 company's that make battery's they just make them to fit who ever orders them be it NAPA, O'Reilly's Sears, Car, Quest or Wal Mart. ALL of them come from one of the 3 so pretty much does not matter where you get one they are the same. But that said any battery can last longer or shorter depending on many factor like how to store them in the winter. How well you maintain the charge over time etc etc. Even how clean you keep the terminals and the top of the battery matter

Dell (WA) · Jan 17, 2011

JP........I like the 6-volt batterys that my local John Deere (byte my tongue) sells. They are real TRACTOR batterys and are built stronger internally. I got 10-yrs outta the last one. Finally had one-cell that would NOT float the balls this summer. I ain't complainin' I also use them on my dual battery Dodge Cummins Diesel .......Dell

crazylocha · Jan 17, 2011

Yeah Old, found that out driving trucks into the Energizer battery plant few years back. There twice and once to Interstates. Last 2 in U.S. I thought. another in Mexico making for cars assembled there, and another Chinese plant but thought they were vanquished to non U.S. sales few years ago due to EPA violations and leakage probs. Same plates inside, same terminal posts, just different specs on the color of casing. All must meet the same DOT and EPA reg's.

Had to laugh because both plants were Superfund sites that govt kept open. Had to have some type of competition, so left two. Funny part was they had to give me a letter stating that I wasn't allowed to sleep in truck onsite and had permission from Federallies to go down the insterstate to truck stop to sleep. Woohoo free pass on my hours of service laws. Letter didn't state how far I was allowed to go. So drove home with my load 16 hours. Had already run out of hours when got to the plant, and 3 hours waiting to loaded to boot. Was very happy to get out of there.

36 Coupe · Jan 18, 2011

TSC has Exide batteries.My truck had an exide battery that was 8.5 years old when it got a frozen cell.Sears and Sams club got rid of Exide now sell Johnson Control.Consumer Reports rated 2 color Tvs.The GE was excellent,the Emerson junk.I had worked on both, they were built by GE.6V batteries went up in price last year to 60 bucks.If you pay more you are getting skinned.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 18, 2011

I keep my DUAL BATTERY under the driver's seat of my service VAN. I have it wired in parrell to the battery in the engine comparetment. Lots of times, I work by the light of my head lights. I also have a switch on the left light. REASON...I can just use the 1 headlight for night work at the work site. MILK TANK experience.

John DUALLY,too. Took me a long time to finally get my '80 E150 set up for the way I like it, plus all of the other thingies that went on inside over the years. Emotionally attached now!

lha · Jan 18, 2011

I had an autozone batt for 6+ yrs,finally failed,and bought Deka for $59.95. I maintained the first one and when I bought the second one,I bought new cables["0"]and it works very well.---lha

Dell (WA) · Jan 18, 2011

yeah John.......wait until you haffta replace yer van, too much govt required electronics. 'nuttin' simple ennymore 'cept us, eh? ........Dell

Anonymous-0 · Jan 18, 2011

Whatcha yell'N 'bout? Why replace her? What new stuff is better? Looked at a few choices.....NOPE. Not yet, infact, in a few yrs. after my new carpeting gets 'bout half worn out, I will have my little BEAGLE, Jake, who will be ridd'N "shotgun" will be my only approved passenger, insurance wise.

I am already putting out the word with the National Dog Show people to get ready. Jake will "have to be born, just fer me".

Take Care.

Grounded...simple to do. Underseat battery grounded to frame., Positive to engine compt. battery. 60 amp current limiter in line with +.

old · Jan 18, 2011

Ya I always get a good laugh out of the question where to buy a battery since they pretty much are all the same other then the plastic color since you can not do much since there is only 2 or 3 places that make them. Sort of like saying hay this rock is different then this rock when you picked them both up out of the same field same pretty much holds true with battery be you pay NAPA price or Wal-Mart price. And when you buy say 5 battery's a year that price difference adds up very fast

oldtanker · Jan 18, 2011

(quoted from post at 10:37:25 01/18/11) Ya I always get a good laugh out of the question where to buy a battery since they pretty much are all the same other then the plastic color since you can not do much since there is only 2 or 3 places that make them. Sort of like saying hay this rock is different then this rock when you picked them both up out of the same field same pretty much holds true with battery be you pay NAPA price or Wal-Mart price. And when you buy say 5 battery's a year that price difference adds up very fast

Lot depends on where you live too. When I've got hay on the ground I can't be running 30 miles to get a battery replaced. Man there goes 1/2 a day almost. Pull the batt, clean up a little before heading into town, time in the store, ya just know you gotta a least run in and get a cup of joe at a convenience store. Plus whatever else you gotta get while in town cuase you just know that you have to run to the dealer and pick up that parts you ordered and stop and pick up something for the wife.....if she let you get out the door without her..........NAPA is 8 miles.

Rick

Greybeard PA · Jan 18, 2011

The Deka battery plant is just thirty miles north of my home twenty - North Penn Mfg. Co. Man at the counter there sez they make more than six MILLION batteries each year. I go there for all my batteries and buy their seconds - cosmetic blems - with a nice guarantee.

Like bruce, I have come to believe in float chargers or battery minders - Harbor Freight sells them for less than ten bukzz and they work well. Keep the battery charged and it will not sulfate nearly as quickly. Sulfation is what kills batteries chemically, not use. Deep cycling doesn't help them live longer either. And, by the bye, fully charged batteries never freeze cuz the electrolyte is stronger - more acid in the juice, less in the plates. Only a discharged battery will ever freeze here in the US of A, JMHO.

Dav Erb
New Hollahd, PA

Fuddy Duddy · Jan 18, 2011

I've got a 6V Wal-Mart battery that's bad. It still has soon warrantee left. I've been to a dozen Wal-Marts. None of them carry a 6V any more.

old · Jan 18, 2011

Ya that can be a problem with them and Wal-Mart. Wal -Mart likes to only sell stuff that is common I have run into the same problem with 13 inch tires and tey ended up giving me my $$ back for part of the price on them

36 Coupe · Jan 19, 2011

Sams club and TSC has the for 60 bucks.

36 Coupe · Jan 26, 2011

The top of that battery looks identical to a battery I bought from Sams Club.It would be interesting to weigh these 6 volt batteries.I think they all come off the same production line.Could be our preferences for certain brands are BS.

best 6-volt battery for the money

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