Anyone use Auto Zone batteries in their truck?

[8978]

I seem to be going through a set of 4 batteries every 6 months. I pay for a full set and get the second for free under warranty. I don't want to discuss this. I've been through all the diagnostics and experts and the conclusion is I'm just wearing them out from a heavy hotel load and constant discharge and recharge every single day. I have a Rigmaster that starts automatically when they fall below 12.2 volts and runs for about 15 minutes.

So anyways. I'm considering buying Auto Zone Gold batteries for $120 each. They are guaranteed for 8 years so I figure at this rate I will get 15 sets of free batteries. I asked Auto Zone and they said just as long as they are not used in a stationary engine they will cover them.

Now, the thing I found interesting was other friends saying their batteries were like 3 years old and fine. When I put the tester on them they were technically dead as far as Auto Zone was concerned. They were enough to start the truck but would not maintain anything over 12v. They were surprised.

When my batteries are new my Rigmaster never ever starts up to recharge my batteries. When my Rigmaster does start to run this is my first sign the batteries are going. I just drove for 4 hours and pulled over to make coffee. My Rigmaster started up because the voltage fell below 12.2. If they weren't sealed batteries I would put a Viagra in each one.

So, don't lose track of my original question and try to diagnose any problems. Any using Auto Zone or any other retail battery with an extended warranty?

 

[Racer X 69]

If they weren't sealed batteries I would put a Viagra in each one.

Seriously?

 

[GAnthony]

you would be far better off with a major brand of battery that has MORE distributors or dealers than Autozap. what are you gong to do if you are out in the boondocks, and there is no Autozap, but instead an Interstate or Exide dealer..???

i would seriously consider looking into the distributor/dealer network of any battery company first. then too, what will you do if the "local" Autozap store does NOT HAVE your particular sized battery, or as many batteries as you need that day when a replacement is needed..???

 

[butter]

No. We use deka batteries and they seem really good.


EDIT: Oh i just re-read your post. It seems that you need deep-cycle batteries and should probably have them isolated from the truck's main batteries since you have hotel loads and since you are constantly draining them down and then re-charging them. The deep-cycle batts excel at this and are designed for just for this.

 

[bigyellowpete]

I've been running the same set of 4 Cat batteries for 4 years next month. Paid $86/each for them.

Can't see any reason to switch when I replace them.

 

[8978]

I run a heavy hotel load every night. My batteries are Interstate now and have been for the last 4 sets. They get replaced for free after 6 months when they go down hill then I have to buy a new set.

If Glenn would have read my post which he didn't do well he would notice I have a Rigmaster that starts up automatically when the voltage falls below 12.2 volts so my batteries can NEVER go dead while on the road. So, I have plenty of advanced notice that they are starting to get weak and plenty of time to get home (Like months!!) to replace them.

With Autozone they are guaranteed 8 years at about $120 a piece. So, I can replace them 15 times.

I've also had Optima Yellow top. Same problem. They can't take the constant discharge/recharge ever night. I'm out at least 5 weeks unlike most people who run home every 3 days.

 

[8978]

No. We use deka batteries and they seem really good.


EDIT: Oh i just re-read your post. It seems that you need deep-cycle batteries and should probably have them isolated from the truck's main batteries since you have hotel loads and since you are constantly draining them down and then re-charging them. The deep-cycle batts excel at this and are designed for just for this.

Tried them already. They were the worst. If you look at the specs for deep cycle they need a trickle charge for a long time. A truck cannot charge them enough or properly during the day. Deep cycle are for Fred. He goes fishing in his electric boat on Sunday then puts the batteries on his trickle charge for the week.

 

[butter]

Hmmm. Why not run the rigmaster all the time for the hotel loads?

 

[8978]

Hmmm. Why not run the rigmaster all the time for the hotel loads?

That would defeat the whole purpose of batteries. I would be running the Rigmaster for 10 hours every day while stopped using fuel.

 

[8978]

My Rigmaster uses .2 gallons per hour to run. My Espar heater uses .02 gallons per hour. My truck uses 1.1 gallons per hour. Over the course of a year that's a lot of money.

 

[j911brick]

WHat is a hotel load?

I have been using AZ batteries for years. They are as good or better than any battery and they usually honor their warranty without question. Their commercial battery used to have a 3yr warrenty but they realized the folly in that and backed it down to year.

Batteries usually last me about a year. I think the most I ever got was about 20 months.

 

[GAnthony]

I run a heavy hotel load every night. My batteries are Interstate now and have been for the last 4 sets. They get replaced for free after 6 months when they go down hill then I have to buy a new set.

If Glenn would have read my post which he didn't do well he would notice I have a Rigmaster that starts up automatically when the voltage falls below 12.2 volts so my batteries can NEVER go dead while on the road. So, I have plenty of advanced notice that they are starting to get weak and plenty of time to get home (Like months!!) to replace them.

With Autozone they are guaranteed 8 years at about $120 a piece. So, I can replace them 15 times.

I've also had Optima Yellow top. Same problem. They can't take the constant discharge/recharge ever night. I'm out at least 5 weeks unlike most people who run home every 3 days.

i DID READ your posting, in it's entirety...

what makes you think your rigmaster is going to continue to start..???

 

[8978]

WHat is a hotel load?

I have been using AZ batteries for years. They are as good or better than any battery and they usually honor their warranty without question. Their commercial battery used to have a 3yr warrenty but they realized the folly in that and backed it down to year.

Batteries usually last me about a year. I think the most I ever got was about 20 months.

Ok thanks. The person at AZ gave me the impression that any GOLD battery was warrantied for 8 years just as long as it wasn't in a stationary place like a generator outside or something like it. I think mine last close to just 1 year also but if you monitor and test them like I do you would probably find out they are ready to be replaced much sooner.

A hotel load is just everything using power in your cab while your stopped. I have a Mr. Coffee, microwave, DVD player, 30" flat screen and so on.

What I found is that most people are running on batteries that wouldn't pass the warranty test. They think their batteries are good just because the engine starts. If there was any problem in cold weather like some water in the fuel filter and they had to crank longer then 10 seconds their batteries would not be able to handle it. Using a volt meter is NOT a test for good or bad batteries.

I stopped today around 10am and went to bed at 12. I just woke up at 7pm just as my Rigmaster was starting up because the battery voltage fell below 12.2 volts. It may have started up before but I was asleep. This is an indication they are on their way out. The only thing running was my fridge while I slept.

Thanks for the heads up on AZ. I'll have to go back and ask the manager if there's a difference between car and commercial warranties. My next set of batteries are free anyways since they are still under warranty from Interstate.

 

[Copperhead]

Side note... I have hauled several loads for the Deka/East Penn battery outfit. They make the Cat batteries and the ones from O'Reilly's parts stores. I have hauled Johnson Control batteries which are Interstate Batteries to Auto Zone under the Auto Zone label. Deka and JC control the lion's share of the battery market. Under the label, you will probably have a battery made by one of these two companies.

As far as cost effective, I have had decent results from the AC Delco variety of batteries. I do the high hotel load, high cycling thing also, and the AC Delco batteries have held up just as well as any other brand I have tried. Yet, they are priced pretty reasonable. Last set I bought a year ago were in the $70 -$80 range at my truck dealer. Not sure who does them, I would assume Deka, because they have held up longer than any Interstate battery I have used.

 

[8978]

Side note... I have hauled several loads for the Deka/East Penn battery outfit. They make the Cat batteries and the ones from O'Reilly's parts stores. I have hauled Johnson Control batteries which are Interstate Batteries to Auto Zone under the Auto Zone label. Deka and JC control the lion's share of the battery market. Under the label, you will probably have a battery made by one of these two companies.

As far as cost effective, I have had decent results from the AC Delco variety of batteries. I do the high hotel load, high cycling thing also, and the AC Delco batteries have held up just as well as any other brand I have tried. Yet, they are priced pretty reasonable. Last set I bought a year ago were in the $70 -$80 range at my truck dealer. Not sure who does them, I would assume Deka, because they have held up longer than any Interstate battery I have used.

Thanks, good info. By the way, battery prices on some brands have gone up more then 50%. AC Delco is one of them. Bought them for $80 and now they are $140 or so.

 

[Duck]

Thanks, good info. By the way, battery prices on some brands have gone up more then 50%. AC Delco is one of them. Bought them for $80 and now they are $140 or so.

Probably from trade deals with China, selling them all of our lead so they can make bullets to kill us with when we default on the 80 gazillion dollars we owe them.

 

[8978]

Probably from trade deals with China, selling them all of our lead so they can make bullets to kill us with when we default on the 80 gazillion dollars we owe them.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

 

[DubbleD]

Thanks, good info. By the way, battery prices on some brands have gone up more then 50%. AC Delco is one of them. Bought them for $80 and now they are $140 or so.

Probably from trade deals with China, selling them all of our lead so they can make bullets to kill us with when we default on the 80 gazillion dollars we owe them.

It just hit me....

THAT'S HOW THEY ARE GONNA GET THEIR MONEY BACK !!!

Raise the cost of batteries! Think about it.... they control a vast majority of the technology we consume.

They'll just delay distribution of that 25 year led supercell battery for a few decades.

 

[WWTK]

CAT makes a combination deep cycle/starting battery. I was getting a year or so out of other batteries and am getting better than 3 years out of these CAT batteries. I also notice when my batteries are going the APU on monitor starts more often. I always fire up the APU when using coffee maker and microwave, they draw a lot of juice.

 

[8978]

CAT makes a combination deep cycle/starting battery. I was getting a year or so out of other batteries and am getting better than 3 years out of these CAT batteries. I also notice when my batteries are going the APU on monitor starts more often. I always fire up the APU when using coffee maker and microwave, they draw a lot of juice.

Ya, same here, my APU starts up sooner. I have a Rigmaster and changed the codes so it starts up below 12.2 volts instead of the default 11.9 volts.

Me and my mechanic had heated debates over this and he said his last forever. He has a fleet of 7 trucks. I finally got him to test batteries in 2 trucks and they both failed. They do start the trucks but the problem is when you need the cranking power for more then 10 seconds they just won't cut it.