Dead - after 7 years and 3 months.

DR Buck · May 12, 2011, 06:37:00 AM

Well I knew this day was coming. smiley_cry I got the first indications this past winter when it was really cold. The LT 40 had little trouble turning over to start. This past week I went out to the barn to fire up the mill and rip down a few wide boards and the battery was completely dead. Wouldn't even light up the AccusetII panel. 7 years and 3 months. RIP.

Looks like a trip to Interstate sometime in the next week or so.

Dan_Shade · May 12, 2011, 06:49:38 AM

i had to replace mine a month or so ago. the battery is a marine starting battery.

I picked up one at a boating supply place

fishpharmer · May 12, 2011, 07:40:40 AM

At least it died of old age and not some kind of juice sucking painful death.

paul case · May 12, 2011, 09:23:18 AM

7 years and 3 months is 120 in human years. thats a good long life in any case. most batteries dont last me till the 60 month warranty date. pc

Banjo picker · May 12, 2011, 08:44:11 PM

Paul how did you come up with that formula? :D Tim

SPIKER · May 12, 2011, 09:16:32 PM

I found the Pulsing battery maintainers work really well to keep old batteries going and new ones that are not sued often a better life. I also LOVE the battery additive my tractor battery is 9 years old now and is a cheap china battery. I have left the key ON 3 times totally dead. used a booster charger for 15!20 min to get the battery boiling. then set to 10 amp charge for overnight then a day on the pulsing trickle charger and the battery is good as new. Note this is with the battery chemical additive that is supposed to stop sulphate buildup. little bottle was like 9 bucks & the big tractor battery took 2 of them. well worth it though. Oh last fall the Hyd Pump QD popped loose & dropped across the starter SOL terminal fired up the engine & it ran/idled a full tank of fuel out the starter kept spinning melted the brushes down to nothing :( killed the battery too with Key off ALT does not charge... I put a meter on the battery & had a measured 4.5 volts after I pried the QD off the terminals. run through the same boost, 10 amp then trickle charging and it revived the battery again... 8)

Mark

SwampDonkey · May 12, 2011, 10:53:40 PM

DR_Buck, that's about the limit I have realized from a car battery. I figure it's not too bad. I hear from some folks that newer replacement batteries don't even last that long. I don't know where they buy them. But I have a 5 year old car now and the battery is still good.

sawguy21 · May 12, 2011, 11:27:41 PM

You got very good service out of it, I have never had one last that long. The batteries in my 05 Ram diesel are likely reaching the end of their useful life, I am not looking forward to replacing them.

tyb525 · May 12, 2011, 11:31:07 PM

New batteries are getting to last worse and worse.

I had a car with a battery that finally quit at 12 years. The batter in the tractor finally quit at 11 years a few weeks ago. New cars need new batteries within a few years.

Dan_Shade · May 13, 2011, 06:22:08 AM

I kinda figure the battery life on new cars can be attributed to more parasitic loads while the car is off.

Magicman · May 13, 2011, 08:17:04 AM

WM recommends the Interstate 31P-MHD for your mill.

paul case · May 13, 2011, 08:52:42 AM

i have some bad luck with batteries. most only last 2 years or so.
i have about 9 trucks and 10 tractors and a lot of them only get used a couple of times a year. plus the sawmill and 2- 4 wheelers. many of those pieces of equipment '' share batteries''. one is almost always needing replaced.
we work on a little different principle. B.Y.O.B. if you want to drive something you better 'bring your own battery'. kinda a built in redneck antitheft system. pc

Magicman · May 13, 2011, 01:50:32 PM

Oppps, I misread your profile and thought you had a SuperHydraulic. You probably can get by with less battery.

thecfarm · May 13, 2011, 09:39:52 PM

I always like to go BIG,if my wallet lets me.

DR Buck · May 13, 2011, 10:07:23 PM

Probably should think about getting one for the 4 wheeler while I'm at it. I'm still on the original that was in it when I got it new in 2001.

It still starts every time I climb on it.

Magicman · May 14, 2011, 07:42:51 AM

I can think of somewhere I could use a battery like that.

sjfarkas · May 14, 2011, 10:35:32 AM

I think that you should just get a whole new mill. :

I would be happy to dispose of this old worn out mill with a dead battery for you. :D An old timer once told me that once the battery goes the whole machine should get replaced! ;D