On Sat, 16 Aug 2014 10:33:00 -0700, Stormin Mormon wrote:
I'd stay away from Walmart batteries. They're great to try an idea but don't count on them.
I've gone through two, and have given up. Switched to Auto Zone's outlet O'Reilly [same price!!!] and wow that battery has lasted!
Have a 'classic' Mercedes that requires deep discharge 500AHr rather large battery, the tray is huge! Something's not right in the electrical and likes to discharge the battery while sits in garage [only use this car once every two to four weeks] While at local Walmart got a NEW battery. They looked it up from the car model list and brought out a D cell for $85 No way! I want something that FILLS that tray, after all, can't go back to the garage while being out on the road and battery fails, right? So they came out with a huge capacity battery, 750AHr, $115 and two year warrantee, ok.
Can tell good battery, engine starts on first turn over, that's a HOT spark! Just to take extra good care of battery, while in garage, disconnect from car's system, and place on 'trickle' charge [again from Walmart, measured trickle at around 50 to 100mA so shouldn't hurt the battery.] hey, I can really count on this battery now. Well within six months, while out and the AZ heat dries out the carburator and need a lot of extra cranking; that battery almost wouldn't start the car! almost ran out of capacity! ok, two year warranty, I lived with it until 9 months went by and sometimes wouldn't even start the car! Would ask passerbys for a jump start [always carry cables] So went over to Walmart's garage, and said battery deosn't work, need a warrantee replacement. The technician checked the battery, it measured good, so can't replace! Say what?! Ok look at this, turn the key, and hear clicking. Definition of battery gone/NOT working. Sorry, can't do anything, because the battery measures good.! AFter getting the Top General Manager involved, and arguing for around 45 minutes, got a replacement battery, but told to NOT come back for another warrantee replacement!!! I drove over to O'Reilly's 300 feet away and got a huge battery for $128, which is STILL performing like the day I purchased a year ago. I still have the 'new' Walmart battery in the garage, you want it?
While at the counter of O'Reilly's I was openly complaining about the batteries from Walmart and several customers chimed in with similar stories. how AZ 'eats' the battery in less than a year from Walmart, but the batteries from O'Reilly keep lasting even after 5 years, and come with a non-quibble warranty.
Anyway, saw you mention Walmart as a potential UPS battery source and thought I'd jump in and share.
Plus, watch out, they try to sell their batteries with a 'use this battery anyplace but in an auto and it voids the warranty' warranty. That was the disclaimer I kept getting from the manager at Walmart. By my putting the battery on trickle charge while car stored in garage between trips VOIDED the Walmart warranty?! Ok show me in writing that restriction, they could not, so I won, but by narrow margin here.