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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 12:10 pm Post subject: How old is *your* battery? |
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In the prep work for a couple of projects, I had cause to pull my battery from its lair under the passenger seat. Getting it out was a bear, since some vandals stole the handle. Had to hoist it carefully by the terminals. It's very snug: the positive terminal gets in the way which made things a little sketchy. I have a nice thick webbed strap to go under it when I put it back.
This is the state of the battery box. Not too bad, just dusty.
I had been wondering how old this battery is, as there are no date stamps I can see from the top.
Wow. That's most likely from when the PO, once removed, had the van refitted — TiiCo swap and various bits of cleanup. So my PO never put a new battery in it in his tenure.
It still cranks hard so I guess it stays. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
— dhaavers |
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vwjetboat Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2017 Posts: 1732 Location: Florida
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I have a very very old battery terminal lift strap.. has two metal round ends that fit on terminals and leather strap joining them.. its how you lift them in and out..
And .. being 14 years old.. I would replace it before long.. even tho its doing its job.. that is pretty old.. |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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vwjetboat wrote: |
I have a very very old battery terminal lift strap.. has two metal round ends that fit on terminals and leather strap joining them.. its how you lift them in and out. |
There was a strap, from what I can tell. I guess it was removed after the battery was installed (yeah, thanks for that, fella).
vwjetboat wrote: |
And .. being 14 years old.. I would replace it before long.. even tho its doing its job.. that is pretty old.. |
On the list, for sure. It seems to be doing OK, as long as it's maintained (the solar panel/charge controller seem to be doing a good job there). I have to get a battery for my other vehicle first: it is not as old as this one but is definitely on it's last legs. If this one dies, I have the aux battery to get a jump from, if I need it. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32634 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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vwjetboat Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2017 Posts: 1732 Location: Florida
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 1:19 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I'll use this piece of strapping and leave it looped under the battery for now. It will make a heckuva lot easier to reinstall and when the time comes to replace it, I'll be glad to have it. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7478 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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A pair of vice grips on the terminals works super-good for removing a battery where the strap has gone missing.
As for a 14 year-old battery: well done keeping it in good condition but it will fail soon, possibly this winter. It's a matter of choosing to replace it when it's convenient or possibly having it fail when it's inconvenient or unsafe. These are the gambles we make. _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50353
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 2:39 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I wouldn't bother to reinstall a 14 year old battery as it is long past its normal life. Years ago I had a 13 year old classic Sears Diehart battery fail on a hot summer's day, it's life just done. I would feel real happy today if I could be 8 years out of any available battery.
Finding a new battery can take a while these days as the size VW used is not available just anywhere any more. |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9810 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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Last replacement I got a size T5 from Wal*Mart:
Quite a bit smaller than what I had before, esp in the length - used a piece of wood to fill the space.
650 CCA seems to work for me. |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 3:09 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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jimf909 wrote: |
A pair of vice grips on the terminals works super-good for removing a battery where the strap has gone missing.
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That's exactly what I used, that and a pair of pliers. I didn't care for the experience. But it worked.
So the consensus is that I need a new battery in the familiar "while you're in there" mode?
Hmm. That makes two I need to buy this week. The other one I am concerned with is in much worse shape (gets driven less but I doubt it's older: couldn't see the date on it either). On the upside I may end up with more room to install that battery cutoff… _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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greebly Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2009 Posts: 966 Location: Here and now
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 3:16 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I bought a "lifetime" battery from Canadian Tire in 1987. It is on it's fifth replacement in my Jetta TDI. Well worth the $140.00 I spent on it. |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 3:29 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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BatteriesPlus carries a Group 41 500 CCA battery for $115.
FLAPS has this one (650CCA) for $125.
Walmart is out…we don't have them here. Costco, if I was a member…? _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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jimf909 Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014 Posts: 7478 Location: WA/ID
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 4:20 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I paid $117 in April at Courtesy Tire in West Seattle for an AC Delco branded battery that looks just like the FLAPs battery in the pic. I replaced the 8 year old battery due to age, not due to it not cranking. I figured after 8 years it was time for a replacement. I guess I coulda gone another 6 years! _________________ - Jim
Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22670 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 5:29 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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My stock T4 battery ran 13 years, in New England. _________________ .ssS! |
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Love My Westy Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007 Posts: 1839
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 8:05 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I just bought a group 41 from PepBoys. It is a 650 CCA from Bosch. It was $118 but they gave me a promo code which was good for $25 off.
The bad news is that it didn't have straps either, I had to fashion some from a couple of cheap battery terminal connectors and a strap cut from another old battery. |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4352 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I replaced my battery in 2016, found an exact match from Napa, and the only gripe I have is that it did not have a strap handle. I cut several lengths of webbing that I used to lower it and leave in place for when I need to pull it. I didn't think the price was that bad, and they had it for me in about 2 days. _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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theadventureneverends Samba Member
Joined: December 24, 2009 Posts: 585 Location: Gig Harbor WA
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:47 am Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I had no luck at Costco's in the Tacoma/Seattle area. I found this at a Baxter in Tacoma and was happy with the warranty, cca, and reserve 25 more cca and 5 more ca than the exide Group 41 that lasted ridiculously long pictured on the left and with a 110 reserve. Left the homemade straps on. 40 month free replacement. I checked mutiple Costco's, multiple WMs, every auto parts store, a few tire shops, Sears, and Batteries plus in the Tac/Sea area this was the best one I could find for a great price as well.
700 CCA 840 CA 110 Reserve 40RX and I think I had a $20 rebate!
Fits perfectly in the battery box under the swivel passenger seat 91 Westfalia
Now seeing these exides more and more places as well.
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Waldemar Sikorski Samba Member
Joined: June 24, 2005 Posts: 573 Location: EU
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 11:22 am Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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I have mine since 2006. |
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MayorMcCheese Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2009 Posts: 660 Location: Lancaster PA
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:16 pm Post subject: Re: How old is *your* battery? |
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Mine is more than 10 years old |
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