Battery??

[Jim M]

Need to get a new battery in the AM for my Roadster. Just did a search and came up with nothing. What is the best performing battery now a days. My first impulse was an Interstate but would like to hear what everyone is using. Thanks, Jim

[Jim/GA]

6 volt or 12 volt?

The Optima batteries are pretty resistant to damage from vibration, because of the way they are made.

[CWPASADENA]

Originally Posted by Jim/TX/GA

6 volt or 12 volt?

The Optima batteries are pretty resistant to damage from vibration, because of the way they are made.

I agree.


Optima batteries are a little more expensive BUT they have a lot more cranking power, they do not lose their charge if the car is sitting for long periods of time and they last a lot longer than Lead-acid batteries.


I have Optima batteries in all 6 of my collector cars.


If using a 6 volt, most of the suppliers have a hold down that will fit the 6 volt Optima battery.


My experience and just my opinion.


Chris W.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Originally Posted by CWPASADENA

I agree.


Optima batteries are a little more expensive BUT they have a lot more cranking power, they do not lose their charge if the car is sitting for long periods of time and they last a lot longer than Lead-acid batteries.

Agree...except Optima batteries are also lead acid batteries.

The downsides are only a one year warranty and they cost quite a bit more than conventional batteries.

Here's some reviews and comparisons of Optima and other AGM batteries...

http://www.optimabatteryreview.com/

[Jacksonlll]

A vote for tractor supply or Batteries Plus.

[eagle]

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Go to a farm store and buy a tractor battery. They are built to take rough conditions and for a good price. If treated properly, a good battery should last 10 years. Key words: treated properly.

[2manycars]

I use interstate batteries. The one in my tudor is over 10 years old.

[1929]

The best 6 volt battery I ever had was the Optima, they are not that expensive if you do a search online. I think I only paid $100. I would never buy another 6 volt unless it was an Optima.

[springerpete]

Always check the date of mfr on the battery to be sure you get the freshest one.

[leo]

Batteries have become a crapshoot, does not matter what brand you choose, one could last for over 5 years and another go in less than 3. Make sure to look at the manufacture date stamped on the battery so you don't buy something that's been sitting on the shelf forever. Follow the maintenance procedure. The rest is out of your hands.....

[WHN]

Originally Posted by Jacksonlll

A vote for tractor supply or Batteries Plus.

Tractor Supply! Good price, there Excide, and they have lasted me many years.

[holdover]

Got an Exide 6 volt at rural King for $44.00 2 yrs ago, still good to go.

[ModelAMike1930]

I like optima batteries also. Got mine on sale at Pep Boys.

[CWPASADENA]

Originally Posted by Dick Steinkamp

Agree...except Optima batteries are also lead acid batteries.

You are correct.


I should have qualified my statement and say "conventional wet cell lead-acid batteries".


Chris W.

[1928Mik]

Yep, I'm with Holdover, Rural King 6v tractor battery for me. Works great, holds charge all winter also.

[duke36]

We use 6 and 12 volt Optimas with maintainers compatible with AGM batteries.
Also cut off switches are installed in the floor areas for easy access and to help reduce slow draining.

[CarlG]

For as long as I could remember, I had always used Sears Die Hard batteries. That is, until a couple of years ago, even their premium (8 year) battery crapped out after only one year. They replaced it, and the replacement only lasted a year.

Since then, I have gone to Batteries Plus (Duracell branded). So far so good -- on my 2 modern cars as well as my Model A.

[Bob-A]

Jim M,


I get my batteries (Model-A & newer) from Discount Auto Parts here in Florida. I've got one of their batteries getting close to 11 years old in my '88 Chevy S-10! Granted I don't drive the truck every day, I use it as my

"farm truck". But I've never had a battery last that long. And I have only had to charge up the battery maybe twice from not enough use in all these years.


Bob-A

[jwilliams81]

I have been using the battery from NAPA the last couple years:
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBP7244

[31a]

Tractor supply 6v with maintainers work good optima 3 times the price

[Mafman]

Hate to say it, but Optima has discontinued their 6 volt battery. All of us who have been using Optimas will have to switch back to a conventional 6 volt battery.

[leo]

From what I've read in posts here and on the "other" site their quality has declined and that may be why no one was buying their product.

[Purdy Swoft]

I get my model A batteries from Walmart . I prefer 12 volt . I can measure and pick the battery that I think will fit , right off the shelf , NO questions asked . If I get home and the battery doesn't fit or there is any other problem, I can take the battery back for an exchange or refund and still no questions asked . I really can't see how it could get any better than this . The Walmart battery in my roadster has performed well for the past 12 years .

[JD 1931]

Sam's club, 6 volt group 1, had one for years now....

[eagle]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

I get my model A batteries from Walmart . I prefer 12 volt . I can measure and pick the battery that I think will fit , right off the shelf , NO questions asked . If I get home and the battery doesn't fit or there is any other problem, I can take the battery back for an exchange or refund and still no questions asked . I really can't see how it could get any better than this . The Walmart battery in my roadster has performed well for the past 12 years .

I've bought several batteries from Walmart (not for the A), they have 3 quality levels. The low quality line is considerably lighter in weight and for me, did NOT give good service. The top line seems to work well although even those are lighter in weight for the same size battery as the farm rated batteries Fleet Farm sells. I've had the best luck with them.

[1ton]

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I've had great performance from Deka batteries. Had one in my skidsteer for years. It would crank that diesel over in below freezing temps no problem. Put one in my lawn tractor 6 years ago without ever needing a charge. Even in the springtime when first starting it. These batteries are designed for rough service and are made in the USA.

[Tom Wesenberg]

There's only 2 or 3 companies left in the U.S. still making car batteries. I've had good luck with all the 6 volt batteries I've used. Interstate, Fleet Farm, Deka, and Exide 6 volts all gave over 10 good years of service.


Sears Die Hard was the best for 12 volt batteries when I worked in the junk yard during the 90's.

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by Jim M

Need to get a new battery in the AM for my Roadster. Just did a search and came up with nothing. What is the best performing battery now a days. My first impulse was an Interstate but would like to hear what everyone is using. Thanks, Jim

i got a blemish from interstate, i payed 40 bucks for it.

[MrBruce]

Originally Posted by Jim M

Need to get a new battery in the AM for my Roadster. Just did a search and came up with nothing. What is the best performing battery now a days. My first impulse was an Interstate but would like to hear what everyone is using. Thanks, Jim

I've bought three 6 volt batteries from Tractor Supply and they all have been great. I think they were around $76.00 which is cheaper than Advanced Auto or Auto Zone and a good battery. Just my experience

[eagle]

Optima 6v is still available on Amazon but they have to be REALLY good to be worth $318.
https://www.amazon.com/Optima-Batter...ords=optima+6v

[divcoone]

After hearing that Optima was discontinuing the 6 volt Red Top, I stopped at the local Battery Warehouse and ordered one. Price was $175.00 with trade. Supposed to be here on Tuesday.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Originally Posted by divcoone

After hearing that Optima was discontinuing the 6 volt Red Top, I stopped at the local Battery Warehouse and ordered one. Price was $175.00 with trade. Supposed to be here on Tuesday.

Does anyone have a link to any facts on the rumor that Optima is discontinuing the 6 volt? All I can find is this one thread on the AACA forum...

http://forums.aaca.org/topic/315809-...-discontinued/

No real facts here and the 6 volts still seem to be widely available. Seems that there are a lot of them in the pipeline or Optima is still making them.

[Mafman]

Optima's website shows the 6V Redtop battery as "Not available for purchase"...
https://www.optimabatteries.com/en-u...ing-battery/6v

[Dick Steinkamp]

Originally Posted by Mafman

Optima's website shows the 6V Redtop battery as "Not available for purchase"...
https://www.optimabatteries.com/en-u...ing-battery/6v

Thanks, James!

[d.]

jeez o peet!! I bought 2 of the 6v Optimas in 2015 from Amazon for $113 shipped. I think Summit also ships them for free.
My Optimas are still fully charged and working fine.

[ronn]

summit still has a few optimas left, but at 187.


Ill pass. tractor supply for me.

[Mafman]

I ordered a 6V Optima from Advance Auto Parts. Was 187.99 prior to 20% off via discount code and free shipping. I'll have to return a core to the store to get back another $22, but the final total will be $162.89 including tax.

The code, good through 9/30/2018, is EM208K.

It's supposed to be delivered this afternoon, so I'll let everyone know how it made it through packaging and shipping.

[Mafman]

Closing the loop: Got the battery and was very pleased with packaging. There was plenty of cushioning material in a large enough box. Battery looks great. So far my experience buying from them has been good. Now to get it in the Model A and return the core!

[ronn]

I get my model A batteries from Walmart . I prefer 12 volt . I can measure and pick the battery that I think will fit , right off the shelf , NO questions asked . If I get home and the battery doesn't fit or there is any other problem, I can take the battery back for an exchange or refund and still no questions asked . I really can't see how it could get any better than this . The Walmart battery in my roadster has performed well for the past 12 years .



Purdy, I too buy batts at walmart- but have no idea how you get 12 yrs out of yours!
if mine are guaranteed for 3 or 5 yrs, that is exactly what they last.
you are in a warmer climate though..........

[Bill G]

Henry was pretty cheap. He probably would have bought his from WalMart!

[redmodelt]

^ lol

[DHZIEMAN]

Being in a rural area, I go to the local farm store for a 6 volt Battery. I replaced my battery soon after I bought my 1930 in 2016 and it is still performing well. the brand is (I think) whatever Tractor Supply sells!

[ssrcobra]

What is anyone doing for a Ford original scripted battery, or some kind of clone? Is there anything or anyone out there making anything?

[alexiskai]

Follow-up to this thread, I called Optima and they said the 6V RedTop has *not* been discontinued, however they had no stock and did not know when the contractor (I assume international) that manufactures them was going to ship another batch. Amazon has a few left at $200 shipped. I wouldn't count on getting one from any reseller that doesn't have actual stock in hand.

[Mike Peters]

https://www.farmandfleet.com/product...l-battery.html

Cheapest I know of. Two sizes of their 6 volt batteries. The smaller size fits Model A.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

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x2. Keep a maintainer on them when not in use for more than a month. I do not know if it is typical of 6v batteries in general, but for me they seem to discharge quicker than a 12 v auto battery.

[Purdy Swoft]

I agree , thats one of the reasons that I prefer a 12 volt battery in my model A .Changing to 12 volts is fairly simple , The biggest thing is putting in a 12 volt battery.
If it remains positive ground , no wires will need to change. If the original type 6 volt coil is used it would be necessary tro use a ballast resist, otherwise a three OHM coil will be necessary . the original unmodified generator and starter has worked well for me on 12 volts for many years .

[Jeff/Illinois]

I got a new 6V battery from Farm King last spring at $39. They last quite a long time. The one I was 'refreshing' was 6 years old and still going strong I put it in another car.

From what it sounds like I can buy about 4-5 of these for what one Optima costs. At an average of say 7 years that gives me 28-35 years of service for the same money.

I'll be long dead before that ever rolls around

[30 Closed Cab PU]

The 6v at Farm and Fleet have a 2 year guarantee, 12v batteries are 3-5 years depending on the model and cost of the battery I do not know why, Perhaps limitation of 6v batteries, or they are not made as well/updated design and materials due to low sales volume..


With a maintainer/proper care the Farm and Fleet 6v batteries last me about 4-5 years.


What were typical lead/acid battery guarantees on both 6 and 12 in the 40s/50s/60s?

[Mike Peters]

Re: Battery??
The 6v at Farm and Fleet have a 2 year guarantee, 12v batteries are 3-5 years depending on the model and cost of the battery I do not know why, Perhaps limitation of 6v batteries, or they are not made as well/updated design and materials due to low sales volume..


With a maintainer/proper care the Farm and Fleet 6v batteries last me about 4-5 years.



My experience as well. The worst one lasted a couple years, one or two lasted maybe 10 years. The rest fell in the middle range.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by 30 Closed Cab PU

What were typical lead/acid battery guarantees on both 6 and 12 in the 40s/50s/60s?

I saw a 6V Grant Batteries ad from the late 40's once and it said they had a 12 month guarantee. The Model A era was probably less than that I'm guessing, as a new Model A Ford had what, a 90 DAY guarantee on the entire car And look how long they have lasted! Ford used some high quality steel in our cars.

[Fred S]

As of now, Optima's website shows their 6 volt battery is back in stock.


https://www.optimabatteries.com/en-u...ing-battery/6v