Thread: Batteries

Battery outfitters has Pro Guide 225's for $90 the last time I checked. A lot of the tourny fishermen use this battery. It is supposed to have larger plates and is about the biggest you can buy that is on the shelf. Their website is WWW.batteryoutfitters.com.

I needed this thread three days ago...realized the battery that came with my boat was dying after 2 years of use.

A friend recommended AC Delco and I think I've had a good one in my truck. I found the dealer in town and got one.

I'm going to read the articles posted. The dealer I used said a good hot charge is really best after a good draining. Otherwise, he said you never get the battery back where it should be. He said a trickle charge is just not good enough.

Thanks for all the info.

For bona fides, I was a factory sales rep for a small American battery manufacturer for over 15 years. 99.23% of everything you know about lead acid batteries is probably wrong. Battery quality is directly related to who made it, where they made it, and when they made it.

Essentially there are only 3 or 4 American companies that control the market. They are (in no particular order) Johnson Controls, East Penn corp. Exide, and another which escapes my Sr. mind at the moment.. I lost my job when East Penn bought my employer and eliminated my position.

Here is something you probably didn't know. Ever Start batteries from Wal Mart were made by Exide up until a couple of years ago. Now they are made by Johnson Controls and their new warranty program is one result.

Interstate Batteries has never manufactured a battery. They buy their batteries from 2 very different places, Johnson controls and BESA. Battery Enterprises in South America (read that Mexico) is owned by a consortium led by... Hello... Interstate Batteries. Yes, many Interstate Batteries are made in Mexico.

Delco (AKA Delphi) went belly up several years ago and shipped all their battery manufacturing equipment to... Hello... China.

I have more trivial info about batteries, wet cell, dry charge, dating codes, maintenance impossible, and yes the Optima battery. If any one is interested, or have questions... PM me

Oh I forgot Die Hard batteries were made by Exide for years. In fact their CEO wound up in Club Fed because he bribed Sears (IIRC His last name is/was Hawkins) in order to get the contract. Die Hards are no different than any other battery.

Every WalMart Everstart battery I have bought has lasted 4-5 years or more. Cheap and you don't have to worry about warranty, WallyWorld don't give ya no slack when you take it back.

I have ran Wally World batteries for the last 15 years and have had good luck wih them. My boat came with some high dollar ones in it and one of them lost a cell after a few months. They eplaced it for free and it lasted about 6 months. So back to Wally World I went. Just replaced all three of mine from there again. Hope they last as long as the last ones.

Trojan batteries are the favorite of most bass fishermen... who use their batteries mercilessly.
Trojan Battery - Dealers

Couple of St. Louis area distributors.

I worked for Sears in the early '80's. I don't know if it's still true, but back then, our battery delivery guy told me that Sears Die Hard batteries and Walmart batteries were made on the same assembly line. They just put em in different cases.
I bought two new group 31 deep cycle trolling batteries from Ellis Battery in Cape Girardeau this year for $90 plus change each. I've been really happy with them so far. I spider rig for 8-10 hours with my 80 Terrova Ipilot and still have plenty of battery left. They fully recharge by the next morning.

not very crazy bout wally world however had good luck so far if i have batt trouble on truman wally close batt trouble loz wally world batt trouble salina wally world etc. etc.