Date:         Sat, 13 Dec 2014 17:15:42 -0500
Reply-To:     george jannini <georgejoann@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         george jannini <georgejoann@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Another Primary Battery Option
In-Reply-To:  <548c79b7.063d460a.772d.ffffcc4d@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

  I don't know from the Interwebs complaint department.

  When it comes to storage batteries, I shop price - it's one of the
reasons that I managed to retire early.  And the "guest" (customer) is
usually deferred to, even if the "associate" (employee) is treated like a
piece of crap, or worse.

   I have had a chance to test Walmart's battery warranty.  A fairly new
unit that tested good on their so-called tester wasn't performing to my
satisfaction.  I used a hygrometer proved to myself that it had a bad cell,
went to the shop and made loud angry customer noises.  Don't you know that
I scored a replacement that worked perfectly well.

   Of course, YMMV.

On Sat, Dec 13, 2014 at 12:39 PM, Jeff <vw.doka@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Walmart doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to honoring their
> battery warranties.  Lots of horror stories on the interwebs...
>
> AAA members can buy batteries direct and they'll come out and replace it
> under warranty.  Hard to beat that kind of service.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of george jannini
> Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2014 8:57 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Another Primary Battery Option
>
> Paying extra for Interstate Battery juju is pretty much padding
> distributors' pockets.  A battery at Wal Mart cost me right around a
> hundred bucks in August for freshly minted July product, and looks as if
> it's gone down in price by $15.  It's guaranteed in full for two years free
> replacement.
>
> On Fri, Dec 12, 2014 at 8:27 PM, Rocket J Squirrel <
> camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > "The H6 (yes a new numbering system is amongst us) [...]"
> >
> > Well, it's about time. Here I was thinking, "We need a new battery
> > numbering system, and we need it now!" and Hey Presto! my wish has
> > come true.
> >
> > --
> > Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> > 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
> > Bend, Ore.
> >
> >
> > On 12/12/2014 03:46 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
> >
> >> The H6 (yes a new numbering system is amongst us) replaces the BCI
> >> group
> >> 48
> >> battery. Yes it is about 5/8" taller than the BCI group 41. Like most
> >> AGM you will find over time the best part of the design is the
> advertising.
> >> There life expectancy is all over the place and failure is usually
> >> sudden. I have been around these things in many shapes and sizes
> >> including large UPS and forklift applications. What they seem to like
> >> the least is temperature changes. Anything that makes them vent makes
> >> them loose some electrolyte until one or more cells dry up. That's it
> >> mate!
> >>
> >> Getting 4 years out of a battery for intermittent or severe use is
> >> not that bad. As for the Interstate the same battery at Walmart is a
> >> lot less and the way treat the warranty is to refund what is left and
> >> you get that new battery with new warranty. Works real well if you
> >> have failure during the
> >> 2
> >> year free replacement.
> >>
> >> Dennis
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> >> Behalf Of Max Wellhouse
> >> Sent: Friday, December 12, 2014 11:45 AM
> >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >> Subject: Another Primary Battery Option
> >>
> >> Folks:  Just bought an Autocraft H-6 AGM battery for like $170 at
> >> Advanced Auto in hopes I'll find a solution to cold starting up here
> >> in Iowa.  I've gone through two Interstates over the last 7 or 8
> >> years and they are lasting just about long enough that it's not worth
> >> using up the remaining warranty trading it in on a new one.
> >>
> >> The H-6 has the recessed terminals and fits in the Vanagon box just
> >> fine, but is about a half inch too tall for the metal lid to properly
> >> close.  I drilled out the small rivets holding the hinge on the rear
> >> of the lid and will make a small shim and reattach the lid as time
> allows.
> >> If that doesn't work.  I have a couple of wood and/or fiberglass
> >> options that should work and still have clearance for the seat sliding
> >> if the shim idea isn't workable.   I keep a thin piece of conveyor belt
> >> glued to the underside ofthe  metal lid for extra protection in the
> >> positive terminal side of the compartment.  The facytory hold down
> >> clamp was modified slightly so it could contact the battery housing
> >> properly
> >>
> >> The $170 for the battery is a lot for someone on my budget, but the
> >> glass mat technology intrigues me and having the 950 CA/760 CCA
> >> rating should help out this time of year.  I'm not saying for all of
> >> your to run out and buy one just yet, but I will be monitoring how it
> >> performs this winter.
> >>
> >> DM&FS
> >>
> >>
>