Dear Fellow Brickboarders,

May this find you well. I seek guidance on a battery issue. In May, 2003, I bought a Diehard Gold Battery (Type 33035). This is not the "International" battery that Diehard makes for imports.

The reason: the "International" battery delivers 590 CCA and costs $109. The 33035 delivers 640 CCA, and costs $79. It was not obvious, why I should spend more, and get less "battery".

The first battery ran well through the summer of 2003. In late October, I garaged the car for the winter, driving it occasionally, when the streets were salt-free. By 10 December, this battery was so dead, that it would not take a jump start. Sears replaced it, without a hassle.

I drove the car a few days between December 2003 and end-March 2004, usually for short road trips. Yesterday, when I went to start it, the battery was so dead, that it would not take a jump start.

Sears checked the battery and confirmed that it was quite dead. They replaced it.

I know that 940s have a clock, computer, and radio that require a trickle of power. I can understand that a battery might go flat, if the car sits for a months at a time. However, my '85GL has sat outside through the winter, and its 2 year old Silver Die Hard holds a charge: the car starts just fine.

Can anyone tell me why these Gold Die Hard batteries not only went "flat", but were not able to be revived?

Are there any obvious differences between the "International" battery and the Gold Die hard batteries, that would explain the "premature" death of these Gold Die Hards?

Or, could I simply have got a couple of batteries from a lot that were defective?

I await your advice. With my thanks in advance, I remain,

Yours faithfully,

spook

lead acids just arnt built for deap discharge, and you car WILL discharge a battery over the periods you describe...it WILL deap discharge that battery and that WILL kill it...

no arguement, not nothing, it will...

you have a number of options, you can leave tha battery on the car and conenct a PROPER battery trickle charger to it and leave it permanently on charge over hte winter (expect to pay $75-$100 for a good charger, the chepo ones are good as paperwieghts only) or you can periodically charge the battery using a good normal battery charger every month or so...

If you want to gdo this properly take the battery off the car and store it in a cool (but above freezing) location and connect to a good quality trickle charger...it will stay that way for YEARS...

Hi spook,

I've had good luck with the die-hards I've purchased in the past.Right now I have a volvo battery,dont know how old it is,it was already on when I bought it.

A friend of mine drives for A.A.A. and they replace batteries with interstate.So I guess that says something. He doesn't drive a tow truck but a van with batteries on board and also gives jump starts.

I would go with dew. and check for excessive drain.
--
83 242 DL -127k, 92-965-189k, 94-965-200k, 83-242 GLT-Gone, but not forgotten,83-245GLT-1'st one (the 1'st 3 currently on the road)

"The first battery ran well through the summer of 2003. In late October, I garaged the car for the winter, driving it occasionally, when the streets were salt-free. By 10 December, this battery was so dead, that it would not take a jump start. Sears replaced it, without a hassle. I drove the car a few days between December 2003 and end-March 2004, usually for short road trips. Yesterday, when I went to start it, the battery was so dead, that it would not take a jump start."

V70guy: From your description it sounds like the car isn't being driven for extended periods of time over the winter. All the while those electronic goodies are running and continuing to draw that battery down. A couple of quick start and stop drives will only draw the battery down further.

If you can talk Sears into replacing the battery every spring, that is one solution. A more reliable one might be to put the battery on a charger once a month. Or drive the car during winter.

Was the 13.8v measured while the engine was first charging thwe battery after starting? If so, it should have been around 14.5v. It may be useful to check the charging system more.

I've never had the "Gold" sears battery but other diehards have lasted about 5 yr. My mechanic likes Interstate brand. I but the cheap batteries on sale and they seem to last very well. However, winters here in western Oregon are mild so the batteries have an easier life.

Dear Spook:

Hope you are well. I'll give you my 2 cents worth.

I have had a number of Sears Die Hards over the last 30 years. They have consistantly been an excellent battery with very good life. I seem to remember one bad one that was replaced in about 2 or 3 years. Consumer reports consistantly rates them very high, and currently they make up most of the top five batteries in several classifications. One of their best categories is in battery life. You may have just had bad luck.

As far as ANY battery lasting more than 5 years, it is just pure luck. They are all manufactured specifically with no more internal plates than it takes to get to about 4 or five years life. Both my current Volvos actually have Volvo batteries in them. The 1999 V70 battery was replaced about a year ago, so it went about 4 years. I only went with another Volvo battery since they gave me 25% warranty left, so the cost was a little better than a Sears. The one in the 940 is also a Volvo, but I have only had the car for 6 months. I'll check the stamp date to see when it was made.

Make sure you get a "fresh" battery. There is a manufacture date stamped on them. Most places rotate there stock, so one usually get the oldest ones, unless you ask.

Unless Sears is the only convienent supplier, I would stay away from them.

I've had three "Golds" in a row replaced for my Corvair, all for free. It only gets driven in the summer on good days and the rest of the time the battery has a "Batterytender" microprocessor controlled battery charger/monitor taking care of it. The batterys have all suffered sudden failure were it seems a connection between cells just go to high resistance.

The Volvo branded battery in my 965 was installed in 1999 and is still going strong. (It was a lot cheaper than the Sears "International" that the local Sears tried to sell me at the time. They refused to sell me a "Gold" for the car as it wasn't "approved".
--
'96 965 with 16' wheels at 113K. Had '85 745 Turbo Diesel for 200K.

Hi Spook,
IF you're getting 13+ at the battery, then It seems to me you've pretty much ruled out anything downstream of it. My inescapable recommendation is to leave the Die Hard and look for an alternative. The Optima has already ben mentioned. I've put a Interstate Megtron in my 92 965. The battery went into service in 1996 and is stil going strong. The 97 had a brand new Volvo battery in it when I purchased it, and of course it's just fine, too. When it dies, I'll either go with the Megatron or the Optima
--
John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 105K

Hi Spook,

Have you checked the draw on the 940 battery? Sounds like you may have something pulling it down.

DEWFPO
--
1998 S90 068,300 and 1995 964 152,300

Dear DEWFPO,

Good a.m. and may this find you well. What's the best way to do this?

I checked the charging system, and it seems to be fine. Had 13.8v at the battery.

Yrs.,

spook

Hi Spook,

When the car is first started, the alternator should be putting out between 14.3-14.7 volts, then as the battery recharges, the voltage supplied will taper down to ~13.5-13.8 volts. This is normal on a Volvo.

Batteries should be tested ~ 8 hours after a charge. The reason for this is that the battery will drop in voltage after being charged until it stabilizes. The battery should stabilize at ~ 12.7 volts.

You can test the battery in one of two ways with a simple digital voltmeter.

- Hook up the meter to the cables and note the voltage. Start pulling fuses (one at a time) and note the voltage "increase". This will give you a simple (but not accurate) way to pinpoint a significant draw on the battery.

- The better test is to disconnect one of the battery terminals and hook up your DVOM in line and set it to the milliamp scale. Then pull fuses. This will tell you what your accual milliamp draw is on the each circuit and you can compare it against the specs. With all the lights off, etc... the draw should not be much more than about 27 milliamps. (I don't know what the specific draw for your car is but 27 should be pretty darn close).

DEWFPO
--
1998 S90 068,300 and 1995 964 152,300

I believe that our owner's manual says to disconnect the negative terminal if the car will be sitting for an extended period of time, maybe this would help preserve your battery?

As for the life of batteries, my '99 Honda Accord still has it's original, and I bought the car new in October '98 (5.5 years ago). I know, it's due to die anytime, but it is still going strong. At this time I can't remember the make / model of the battery in that car.

I had a 90 accord, the original battery (from when it was made) was in it till last september.

That's 13 years if anyone's counting. Pretty good since it's just a battery "manufactured for Honda Motors North America, Torrance, CA by Delco-Remy, Anderson, INdiana."

FOr my two cents, I use nothing but Interstate MEgatrons when I replace batteries.

Fred

Hello spook, I am doing well and I hope you are too.
Sources of battery components are constantly changing, (so is quality) and along with that, so are the manufactures of the name brands, with exceptions. I have compared Consumers Reports tests that run about every two-three years and I don’t recall any constancy in brands over the years. It seems like they either last a long time or they don’t. I have been buying based on the tallest battery, cost, warrantee, and mostly convenience to me. That means Walmart or Costco. The few exceptions to the inconstant quality would include the super premiums like the Optima deep cycle battery. Just my two cents.
--
Tom F Back to three 940s. Mods, RainX. Lien holder on two more (the kid's). Rust in pieces, '78 245