Re:Batteries

[<hofs@domain.elided>]

>>I'm not an expert on batteries, but isn't what we're seeing a result of
>>30 years of advancement in battery technology?  Now they can pack 1000
>>CCA into the same package size that only permitted 400 CCA back in 1970. 
>>This reserve lets us start at 0 degrees with a 5 year old battery when in
>>the old days you had to replace it after about 3 years to be able to
>>start when the temperature got cold.
>>
>>Howard Pletcher
>>Howteron Products Scout Parts

I strained my brain in responding to this post of Howard's and then 
posted only his part. My original must be out in space somewhere. I'm 
going to try again. First of all let me admit that Howard may well know 
more than I about most everything except batteries, so I choose to 
respectfully engage him in verbal combat on this subject.
I've pontificated at length on the digest about batteries so I will try 
to be precise in repeating some of that. 
Each lead plate in a battery can generate about 2 volts and about that 
same amount of amperage depending on the size of the plate. You can wire 
six plates in series and get your 12 volts, but you would still have the 
same amperage, in fact the same amperage you had from just one plate. You 
get the additional amperage by hooking many plates together in parallel, 
and then hooking 6 collections of these plates together,series to get 
your 12 volts. So the only way you can get more amps (CCA is one kind of 
designation) is to have more plates, and the only way you can get more 
plates is by making each plate thinner, and therefore more susceptible to 
physical and electrical damage. I realize that they got more amps by 
making the cases thinner and some other physical changes but cases are 
about as thin as they can go, and that leaves us with more amps=more 
plates=thinner plates. Deep cycle batteries produce low amperage because 
they have thick plates and therefore they can't put as many in the case. 
Those thick plates can withstand many discharges and charges without 
going dead from plate deterioration. A 1000 CCA battery, on the other 
hand, is maybe dead after only 2 or 3 total discharges (left lights on 
and had to get a jump)  A 500 CCA battery on the other hand may withstand 
6 or 8 total discharges. A problem that exacerbates short life is that a 
deteriorating plate sluffs off lead that creates internal shorts thereby 
draining the battery from within. I saw an ad the other day that offered 
any Pep Boys battery for $29. If those batteries are made by Johnson 
Controls, my guess would be that one of those 450 to 600 CCA batteries 
would last about as long as any battery you could buy. Maybe most of you 
know that the overwhelming percentage of batteries in the US are made by 
Johnson Controls or the company with 3 initials that I can't remember 
right now. Based on my limited experiences, and on a recent Consumers 
Reports test of batteries, Johnson Controls is making consistently better 
batteries. Consumers tested Walmart batteries across the nation and those 
made by Johnson were rated as among the best, and those made by *** were 
among the poor. The batteries looked identical. My recollection is that 
Motorcraft was the only non Johnson Control battery that was rated 
highly. 

Sum it up Saline and quit repeating yourself!  Buy a Johnson Control made 
battery in the 450 - 600 CCA range and plan on replacing it every 3 years 
or so, dead or not. Exception might be in very cold country a 600 to 700 
CCA battery might be a good choice, but it seems counterproductive to go 
overboard as our starters on a dead stall won't draw more than 600 to 700 
amps. 

In the interest of proving I'm open minded there is another way to buy 
batteries. Out of desperation in the desert, I went to Price Club and 
bought a Prestolite with a 7 or 8 year guarantee. It went dead 3 or 4 
years later leaving me stranded in Jail Canyon and I took it back to 
Price Club and they refunded me the full purchase price. Not a good 
battery, but a hell of a deal.

I sure get a charge out of talking about batteries, Howard.
John 


John Hofstetter  "Ol'Saline's Web Site" www.goldrush.com/~hofs
Life Member, National Rifle Association     California Rifle and Pistol 
Asc.
Member, Sierra Macintosh Users Group  Member, MacTwain Macintosh Users 
Group
Charter Member, FRIENDS OF DEATH VALLEY   Member, Blue Ribbon Coalition
Life Member, Association of California School Administrators
Owner of 79 Scout Terra "It's a legend"