long lasting battery

DIM

Member
I went to fire up my 1949 Minneapolis Moline ZA. The battery was dead (a 6 volt Optima round cell). I put the battery on the charger and it took a charge. Put the battery in the tractor and it started the tractor. So whats the big deal. This battery is 25 years old. Has any body ever heard of a battery that old doing that.
 
Not sure what battery did that is surprising. I have batteries that will not start something then are charged and work all the time, usually I have left something on to draw battery down, but old weak batteries can do this also. If it happens again and nothing is drawing down battery it needs replacing. If you got 25 years out of battery you got your monies worth.

Joe
 
Interesting story ....... after that episode you mention, did the battery keep its charge and continue to be able to start the tractor? Always good to get the rest of the story.
 
That is amazing. Usually when I have to charge a battery it means it is on it's last leg. I put several new 6V Optima batteries in a couple of tractors this past summer as I have used one before and it is about 10 years old and has never failed so thought I would try some 6V batteries as I could never get more than a couple of years out of the regular batteries.
 
Well if the battery is going dead it may no longer be a good battery! Longest I had one go was 9 years, was a cheap Kmart battery I bought to get my little Toyota thru the winter, then put it in my Ford 3400 and it started it reliably even below zero.
 
Mornin DIM,

You have a "6 volt Optima round cell" that's "25 years old" ??

IF so,,,,,,, and IF it was dead,,,,,,,, and IF took a charge AND WILL HOLD IT, that's one good battery....


John T
 
Time will tell if it keeps a charge. If it does that would be a bigger surprize than it starting the tractor
 
When I bought this battery I gave a high price of 57 dollars. They now are about 175 dollars
 
25 years on any battery is outstanding. You got your monies worth on that one!

Now if you put the battery on a charger and it charged and is still holding a charge, you may should look for a parasitic drain on your battery. I've seen alternators that have caused a drain (when motor is off of course). Use a meter between your positive cable and battery to measure the drain.
 
The first time I saw an Optima was at Albany MN show, it was in a big MM, and it looked like 3 dry cells taped together, it spun it right over and started, amazing! I haven't bought one for a tractor yet, but have bought AGM's for motorcycles. Same thing?
 
Wrapped mat type units. The Optimas are the best I have found. Lot of power. You have a very slow power drain somewhere. Could be as simple as a dirty light switch or key switch. Internal crud.
 
Not as long as that but I had a bank of Gel Cells(6 group 30) in my sailboat for 12 years, Never had a problem but I wanted new technology so I replaced them with AGM batteries for another 5 years until I sold the boat. I am a fan of both but The charging voltage is critical to longevity, Gel cells, 13.8 Volts AGM 14.7 volts When I replaced the gel cells people around me put them in their boats. I just use regular batteries in my tractors. Don't know why.
 

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