How Reliable Battery Testers. What’s your Strategy in Replacing Battery

I replace every 5 years regardless. On battery #2 and will move onto #3 sometime in 2021.

 

Batteries are cheap. If I detect a slower start than normal, I'll test with a multimeter. If it is a maintainable battery that is low on water, I'll add distilled(overfilling is not good), charge, run for a few days, and test again. I tend to replace batteries every 3 or 4 years. Including my OEM battery on on my 4th for this truck. The OEM 27F replaced in 2012 by a Diehard Gold 27F, which was replaced by a Duracell 27F in 2015, which was replaced by a Napa 34R AGM in 2020. Assuming I keep my truck, I'll go back to another 34R AGM--clean and small batteries. Batteries are cheap, easy to replace, and not worth being stranded in the pawn shop parking lot over.

 

Depending on your set up, you don't NEED a 27F to tow. My 34R is just fine powering the lights of the uhaul trailers I pull.

 

That's what happened to my last one too. Diehard platinum, which wasn't cheap, so I was a bit irritated when it died shortly after purchase. Granted, they replaced it w/ a new one for free, but that's also why I don't replace on a specific time schedule. Testing wouldnt have done much in that case either.
The one I'm on now was installed in Dec.2014, so 6 years. Haven't had it tested once and don't plan to. That's just something I've never made a habit of doing b/c shops will tell you they need replacing any time they put a tester on it, or anything else.

 

I buy a good battery and replace it every 3 to 4 years ... I change my oil and tires early too.

 

I do 15-20 short trips(under 5 min) daily Winter and Summer. I figure that has to be hard on batt.

 

This Just replaced the battery that was 4 years old in my truck with another 24F. 88 bucks from walmart. Got in the truck to go to lunch and she cranked way slower than normal, when yup its time, went to walmart pulled it outta the truck and swapped it out for my core charge for a new battery. Not worth the looming feeling in the back of your head to dread over will my truck start or not.

 

I play the game, and always wished I hadn't after...lol. I usually replace when I've had to jump it off, and every vehicle I've ever owned has always given me a warning sign I should have paid attention to before.

 

Haha yeah. Unfortunately with the modern day batts they kinda just up n poof. The battery i just replaced had a case with a slight crack around the positive terminal, and the vent caps that always weeped a little bit. I kept it clean and topped of but knew one day soon it would not work. The other morning i moved the truck outta the way for the GF to get her car out and it started decent and then she got parked 30 secs later. Then went to lunch 3ish hours later and thats when i knew, cus she BARELY cranked over.

Got the new battery in and Holy hell she cranks with a vengeance now, surprising how slow it was cranking before when i thought it was normal but didnt really notice it as it was such a minimal drop over time

 

Not really a valid test; unless a battery is completely shot (Well beyond where it just won't start your truck) it will usually show 12-13v. A proper load-bank type of tester which actually imposes a demand on the battery and can measure the current drop over time is what you need. They're cheap.

 

This thread has been infected by bullshit and misinformation. You should perform a load test to the battery beginning at half of useful life. Go to two or three different places if you think people are lying about condition. Running a battery to complete failure does place stress on the alternator if you don’t mind paying for replacement go for it, they are a little pricey. Extremes of both hot and cold magnifies poor condition and leads to failures. I drive long distances with some regularity I can’t imagine being hundreds of miles away and have the battery shit the bed. I’ve got AAA but still who wants to wait around for that even in good weather. It only takes one or two bad experiences before you get it together kids.
The takeaway here if the battery is at or beyond it’s advertised life you are living on borrowed time.