I think the concensus of the last battery thread was the best way to get longevity from batteries is to perform proper and frequent battery maintenance.

 

I figure I will get Motorcraft when I next need new batteries. The Bosch batteries I have now are pro-rated warranty replacements for a previous set. When the truck did not want to start I drove to the PepBoys where I had bought them. They tested at 540 amps on one and 27 on the other (no wonder starting was slow). Both showed charged. They were both 38 months old. The cashier said "sorry sir but your warranty has expired". Not so fast, lady. Free replacement was 36 months, but the warranty is 96 months for pro-rating. End result was that I left with two new batteries installed for less than the price of one. Good deal, right? Only if you discount the fact that they should have lasted a lot longer. I had balked at the Motorcraft price but the life cost is actually lower than what I have used.

 

I keep a trickle charger on my batteries when the truck is not in use as it can be 2 to 3 weeks sometimes between driving.

I paid close attention this morning when headed out hunting. Shop temp.was 50* (34* outside) so no need to let the glow plugs cycle for long.

Turned key, WTS light came on, and battery voltage dropped to 11.2V. With the WTS light still on (glowplug cycle) the battery voltage rebounded to 11.4V and steady. Started truck 10 seconds after WTS light went out. As soon as glowplugs shut off (Monitoring LED indicator wired into GPR) the voltage jumped up to 13.9 (at idle)

5 hours later, back to truck, and batteries were 12.6 at rest. I’m guessing the Walmart batteries are at least 4 or more years old—as they were in the truck when I bought it in June 2018 and didn’t look like they had been recently replaced.
I will have to keep an eye on them as the temperatures drop this winter and see how they do. BTW, the LED’s on the running boards are working out great this hunting season, looks like a UFO landed out in the middle of the field, but in the pitch black me and my Son can see to put on our hunting clothes and boots 🤣

 

They told me to recharge the batteries as the test called for.

Without a doubt it is a crapshoot. I’m just feeling raw that the warranty, as is often the case, means nothing. The fact that they print out on the test receipt that the batteries typically last only 24 months and they still won’t honor the 36 month warranty adds insult to injury. To admit that the standard life expectancy in my area is only 24 months for their product they know their product is garbage. It is disingenuous of them to offer the 36 month warranty that they refuse to stand behind

Sometimes warranties require jumping through a few hoops. In this case, they required you to attempt to fully charge the batteries and bring them back. Legally, they have no choice but to honor a written warranty as long as you show you followed their guidelines.

 

Bought new batts at Auto Zone, Dec 2016. One was replaced at zero cost Jun 2019 under warranty, no questions asked.

 

I actually sent an email to Duracell and two emails to Sam’s. The second email to Sam’s was a link to this thread.

 

Just for giggles I'd send a email to Sam's customer service and tell them what I thought about their products and service.

I did the same thing with Cabela's/BassPro when they changed the warranty on Cabela's products. It didn't get me anywhere but I felt better about it

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Without a doubt it is a crapshoot. I’m just feeling raw that the warranty, as is often the case, means nothing. The fact that they print out on the test receipt that the batteries typically last only 24 months and they still won’t honor the 36 month warranty adds insult to injury. To admit that the standard life expectancy in my area is only 24 months for their product they know their product is garbage. It is disingenuous of them to offer the 36 month warranty that they refuse to stand behind

 

The last set of Motorcrafts that I purchased for my truck lasted half as long as the factory ones did. And the factory ones lasted close to 11 years. I have Autozone Durlast in my truck now and they are pushing 9 years.

Sounds like you are down south like Arizona or southern Florida but batteries anymore are a crap shoot on just how much life you get out of them.

 

Those garbage Duracell batteries are gone. Motorcraft batteries are now in the truck.
The temperature in the morning when it struggles to start is in the high 70s.
I do wait for the glow plug relay to shut off as evidenced by the voltage bumping back up and the dome light becoming slightly brighter as the glow plugs have finished cycling despite the WTS light going off sometime before then.
That chart that you posted is slick, but it just takes into account voltage. It doesn’t address amps. That’s the issue with these batteries. I can have the voltage at 12.6, as is indeed the case, but the amperage is deficient

I know what the issue was with those garbage Duracell batteries. The point of my post was the fact that Sam’s/Duracell will not stand behind the product despite their three-year warranty. To say 714 CCA is good enough on a battery rated 850 CCA is just ridiculous

 

...I was certain at least one of the two batteries was deficient.

Based on what? Do you have a battery tester? Did you disconnect, charge, & test either battery in any way recommended by Ford, Duracell, or the battery mfr. (probably Johnson Controls)? Have you been trained in 12V charging systems or storage batteries?

...what a 7.3 needs to be "GOOD."

What is that, in your understanding?

That reduction in CCA to only 714 is hugely deficient from the 850 CCA benchmark...

It's LESS than 850, but that doesn't prove there's anything wrong with the battery. And 850 isn't a benchmark - it's the minimum average output according to the SAE test for this run of batteries WHEN NEW. All batteries age, and as it ages, its output will drop off. The rate at which it drops depends on how it was treated, and you've abused yours.

...Sam's says it's close enough.

What do YOU think is "close enough"? Would 849 pass or fail in your opinion? What about 800?

...the alternator is certainly doing its job.

What makes you certain? Have you tested it the way Ford recommends?

...terminal connections are obviously good as the voltage is where it should be.

Nothing is obvious until it's tested in a logical way. How many times have you cleaned those terminals? How many times have you applied the grease Ford recommends? Are they installed properly? Post pics of them.

...how am I supposed to charge them any more than what they currently are since they are both currently over 12 volts.

With a decent battery charger, of course. 12 is only the NOMINAL voltage; it's not the technical specification for the battery, the alternator, the starter, the glow plugs, or even the truck. Not for the charger, either. A fully-charged Lead-acid battery should read close to 12.65V at 75°F. So yours needed to be charged.

...the test slips pictured...

I'm not seeing any, on a computer using Chrome.

They have exceeded the manufacturers low expectations.

That's good, right? You're getting better life out of the cheap batteries you chose, than most people in your area.

...the tester telling them the batteries are "GOOD" trumps all.

What test in your mind trumps a tester specifically designed & built to test these batteries? What do you think they should go by, if not the tester their employer has provided to them?

I'm off now to buy a set of Motorcraft batteries.

That's definitely a good move, but apparently 34 months later than you SHOULD have made it.

I know from the gauge in my truck that the alternator puts out anywhere from 13.5 to 14.1 volts.

Not really. That's just what you've noticed your ScanGaugeII displaying. The alternator is capable of 0V ~ 18V, and under normal conditions (as when new), it puts out 9V ~15V. It's vaguely analogous to a water pump whose outlet hose is being raised & lowered above the water surface in which the pump is submerged. The higher the outlet (voltage), the less flow (current, amps) the pump can produce. And as it pumps water out, its own water supply level drops, making it harder to push more water up.

when the truck is started and after waiting for the glow plugs to shut off, that 12.3 V the batteries often show will drop down to 9.5 V as the truck struggles to start

I'm trying to understand what you're saying, but it doesn't make sense. If the truck is already started, it can't be struggling to start.

I have a Scan Gauge II mounted.

That's better than the factory voltmeter, but still not infallible. It's always best to measure open-circuit (disconnected) voltage at the (clean) battery posts with a digital multimeter (DMM) whose battery is good.

A few hundred yards down the road and the alternator is excited and is then charging the batteries.

The alternator is "excited" (activated) when the key is in RUN. Instantly. It doesn't wait any distance or time.

Motorcraft batteries are now in the truck.

Did you install them like this caption describes?

(phone app link)


This & the NEXT one describe how I replaced the terminals in my 7.3L:

(phone app link)


It came with those garbage batteries, but they haven't failed yet. When they do, I'm buying MC, like in my other trucks.

I do wait for the glow plug relay to shut off...

That's not what Ford recommends, so you're damaging the batteries. That damage is not covered by the battery warranty.

That chart...just takes into account voltage. It doesn’t address amps.

Actually, it does, because amps (current) depends on 1) voltage, and 2) resistance (whatever the electrical load is through your truck). No chart can show the truck's load, because different trucks apply different loads to their charging systems, and that load is always changing.

I can have the voltage at 12.6, as is indeed the case, but the amperage is deficient

If less current flows at the a given voltage, then the resistance through the truck is higher. That could be because there are fewer things using electricity (e.g.; glow plugs burning out) or because there's more resistance (e.g.; battery terminals corroding). But if the battery is showing the same voltage, the fault is NOT inside the battery.

To say 714 CCA is good enough on a battery rated 850 CCA is just ridiculous

Then what number do YOU think makes sense? Go to Car and Deep Cycle Battery FAQ, Battery Manufacturers and Brand Names List, and and try to read the whole website.

...the batteries typically last only 24 months and they still won’t honor the 36 month warranty...

They don't replace batteries under warranty based on the typical battery's performance - they only replace if THE battery being tested fails, and yours didn't. But even if their tester said it HAD failed, you admitted that you abused the batteries by NOT following the mfr.'s recommended starting procedure on the truck for nearly 3 straight years. So that means any problem with the batteries was YOUR doing - not a warrantable manufacturing defect.

I hope you treat the MC batteries better, because they CAN last a decade. Several of mine are that old, and still working well based on how the trucks crank & run; AND according to my battery tester, which is one of the models Ford, LandRover, Jaguar, & Johnson Controls recommend & accept for warranty claims.

(phone app link)

 

I would disconnect both batteries and put them on a good battery charger, then check with a digital volt meter as bugman suggested and see if you are still showing the same voltages. 12.62 is quite good (Around 93 % maximum charge) , the 12.43 is around 78% maximum charged—-see below chart. The 9.5 volts before engaging starter is quite a bit lower than what I see—what is ambient temperature and how long are you letting GPR and glow plugs stay on, once WTS light goes off, before starting? What voltage is your scan gauge showing after you’ve been driving for awhile?

 

I have a Scan Gauge II mounted. It allows me to see battery voltage key on/engine off as the glow plugs fire up and then after they cut off. I can then see the voltage drop as the engine is started. Voltage of course then comes back up once the engine is running. A few hundred yards down the road and the alternator is excited and is then charging the batteries.

 

Do you have a actual volt gauge in your truck or just the stock one?

If just the stock one you need to put a actual volt meter on it to see what the voltage is

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The batteries were disconnected when they were tested at Sam’s. As written above, one battery was putting out 12.62V and the other one was putting out 12.43V.

I know from the gauge in my truck that the alternator puts out anywhere from 13.5 to 14.1 volts.

when the truck is started and after waiting for the glow plugs to shut off, that 12.3 V the batteries often show will drop down to 9.5 V as the truck struggles to start

 

Don't expect anymore out of Motorcraft batteries or the retailer that you purchase them from.

Did you put a volt meter on the batteries to see just what voltage that they were at?

Did you hook the meter up when the truck is running to see what the alternator is putting out?

When Sam's tested the batteries did they disconnect them from each other?

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