38plymouth Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 I was just thinking about how old my 6 volt battery is in my Plymouth. Without looking at the tag I know its 12 to 15 years old. Just doesn't seem possible I've never even charged it and the car has always started even after sitting all winter. I'm thinking maybe I'd better replace it just in case. Quote
Don Coatney Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 Best battery check is the specific gravity reading. Quote
desoto1939 Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 Since you live in Flaordia and the weather is usually warm the entrie year and are not subject to cold and winter temperatures like what we have up Noth then there is a good posibility that you might get extended life out of your 6 v battery. Do you have a battery tender on your battery to keep it charged. I have a hard time understandinf that if you car has sat all winter long say 4 months that the battery has not gone down or even discharged because of no usuage and not running the car. I would say that you have been very fortunate to have a bettery last 12+ years with out any maintenance and not running the car for long periods of time. I would suggest that you get a new battery it is time. Does your current battery have the removeable caps so you can check the fluid levels? Also what do you put in the cells when they get low and dry up from evaporation. Are you using an regular 6v celled battery or something special like an Optima?? Most of the newer 6v batteries are now coming with sealed caps just like the current 12 v batteries. Please let us know how you are maintaning you battery for such a long time. Rich HArtung Desoto1939@aol.com Quote
desoto1939 Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 Best battery check is the specific gravity reading. specific-gravity-chart.jpg Don nice chart, but with my current 6v battery that I got from NAPA about a year or two ago they are no longer using the removable caps to check the level reading of each cell. I like havin gthe removale caps so I can check it periodically. and when the battery is under the seat for some of the older cars it evens get checked less. Rich Hartung Quote
Don Coatney Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 Of interest I have had more batteries fail in the summer than in the winter. Most of my life I have lived well north of the Mason Dixon line. Quote
desoto1939 Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 Don: I have lived all my 63 years her in PA near Valley Forge PA just outside of Philadelphia. I find that my batteries died inthe early spring after several years and I attribute this to the winter cold. ALso since with the winter weather we don not drive them that often during the winter months they starts to lose the charge even after charging. The trickle constant chargng systems help prevent the buildup on the plates and help increase the life of the bateries. I learned this while attending the AACA annual meeting during one of their seminars. Rich Hartung Quote
38plymouth Posted August 1, 2014 Author Report Posted August 1, 2014 I just moved to Florida a little less than 2 years ago. The car spent many long winter sitting in a New York garage and I have never touched the battery. I haven't touched it or looked at it since replacing it way back then. Its a Napa battery and that's all I can tell you. All I know is I definitely got my money's worth out of this battery and it's still working great. Quote
TodFitch Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 . . . and it's still working great. I think there is merit in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of repair. I'd follow Don's suggestion of checking the electrolyte density and if all the cells look the same and are reasonably well charged I see no reason to mess with it. Quote
Niel Hoback Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 I found that you can get the flat lids off the newer 12V batteries by prying on the end of the cap. Its just a rectangle of plastic with three round caps molded into the underside. It would be nice if 6V batteries were the same. Quote
greg g Posted August 1, 2014 Report Posted August 1, 2014 high heat takes a bigger toll on batteries than sitting in the cold. I have gotten from 5 to 7 years out of my batteries. Exide seconds. On my third on for 13 years since getting back on the road Quote
garbagestate 44 Posted August 3, 2014 Report Posted August 3, 2014 high heat takes a bigger toll on batteries than sitting in the cold. I have gotten from 5 to 7 years out of my batteries. Exide seconds. On my third on for 13 years since getting back on the road I remember reading that somewhere too that heat shortens battery life more than cold. Quote
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