It's got to be a unicorn...

Scalded Dog · 05-22-2017, 10:09 AM

Last week, the battery in my Blazer was dead... turns out, my wife had left the dome lights on for a full day. I jumped it, got it going again. But, I got to thinking about the battery, and whether or not it was time to get a new one.

It's an Optima Red Top... their website suggests that these could--- under the right circumstances--- last up to five, even six years. Holy crap... that's a long time for a battery! Of course, that's if the battery is treated well, under good conditions: cooler climates, daily use, etc... Unfortunately, THIS battery has spent most of its life in the ungaraged heat of Riverside, CA, scorching under the sun. And, it has often gone weeks, even months, without being used at all. The battery has been ALMOST fully discharged at least twice: once the other when my wife left the light on, and once a few months ago when I left an accessory on for a week while the rig was parked.

I checked the date on the battery. It was manufactured in June of 2010! Yep... it's seventh birthday is in a few days.

I took the thing to AutoZone to have it checked out. They hooked up their battery testing equipment, and I waited for the bad news. However, the equipment showed that the thing is like a brand new battery: It's fully amped and volted and deep cycling or whatever it is that batteries do... it does everything perfectly.

So, seven years old, abused and tortured... and it's still performing like a new battery.

I suppose only time will tell how long it will last, but you bet that my NEXT battery will also be an Optima.

ZED SLED · 05-22-2017, 10:47 AM

The OEM battery in my 2005 Avalanche lasted exactly 10 years. Then again, it was garage kept and only had 26k miles on it. I put another AC Delco in it.

Scalded Dog · 05-22-2017, 12:17 PM

Geez... 10 years is pretty amazing! I guess I can't call mine a unicorn unless it's still cranking that starter for another few years!

Sir Nuke · 05-23-2017, 06:21 AM

Its happened before.....my uncle was a driver at the GM plant in St. Louis for over 30 years.....his P/U's battery lasted 24 years.....but that was back in the day that the batteries had caps on them and he would regularly check it and top off the water using distilled water......the AC Delco rep was there one day and overheard my uncle telling one of his buddies how he takes car of his truck and its battery, the Rep offered him a BRAND NEW battery for his truck AND my aunts car if he would give him the one out of his truck....lol he told him NO WAY....he figured he had something special and wasn't going to jinx himself!! LOL

Superman09 · 05-23-2017, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Nuke

Its happened before.....my uncle was a driver at the GM plant in St. Louis for over 30 years.....his P/U's battery lasted 24 years.....but that was back in the day that the batteries had caps on them and he would regularly check it and top off the water using distilled water......the AC Delco rep was there one day and overheard my uncle telling one of his buddies how he takes car of his truck and its battery, the Rep offered him a BRAND NEW battery for his truck AND my aunts car if he would give him the one out of his truck....lol he told him NO WAY....he figured he had something special and wasn't going to jinx himself!! LOL

Sounds like my dad's old 1985 diesel suburban. We got rid of it in 2002 still running the factory brake light bulbs. The battery didn't last quite as long but I remember it lasting probably 10+ years

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Angrybird 12 · 05-23-2017, 07:42 AM

I guess you are lucky. I have had two optima batteries both lasted less than two years. Each one once it went dead would never fully recharge. Never bought another one.

05-22-2017, 10:09 AM	#1
Scalded Dog Drives: 2011 1LT Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Crestline, CA Posts: 3,029	It's got to be a unicorn... Last week, the battery in my Blazer was dead... turns out, my wife had left the dome lights on for a full day. I jumped it, got it going again. But, I got to thinking about the battery, and whether or not it was time to get a new one. It's an Optima Red Top... their website suggests that these could--- under the right circumstances--- last up to five, even six years. Holy crap... that's a long time for a battery! Of course, that's if the battery is treated well, under good conditions: cooler climates, daily use, etc... Unfortunately, THIS battery has spent most of its life in the ungaraged heat of Riverside, CA, scorching under the sun. And, it has often gone weeks, even months, without being used at all. The battery has been ALMOST fully discharged at least twice: once the other when my wife left the light on, and once a few months ago when I left an accessory on for a week while the rig was parked. I checked the date on the battery. It was manufactured in June of 2010! Yep... it's seventh birthday is in a few days. I took the thing to AutoZone to have it checked out. They hooked up their battery testing equipment, and I waited for the bad news. However, the equipment showed that the thing is like a brand new battery: It's fully amped and volted and deep cycling or whatever it is that batteries do... it does everything perfectly. So, seven years old, abused and tortured... and it's still performing like a new battery. I suppose only time will tell how long it will last, but you bet that my NEXT battery will also be an Optima.

05-22-2017, 10:47 AM	#2
ZED SLED Drives: 2017 Mosaic Bk ZL1 M6 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South of Raleigh, NC Posts: 9,622 View My Garage	The OEM battery in my 2005 Avalanche lasted exactly 10 years. Then again, it was garage kept and only had 26k miles on it. I put another AC Delco in it. __________________

05-23-2017, 06:21 AM	#4
Sir Nuke Master of All Things Drives: '26 Corvette Stingray Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Southeast of Houston, Texas Posts: 22,748 View My Garage	Its happened before.....my uncle was a driver at the GM plant in St. Louis for over 30 years.....his P/U's battery lasted 24 years.....but that was back in the day that the batteries had caps on them and he would regularly check it and top off the water using distilled water......the AC Delco rep was there one day and overheard my uncle telling one of his buddies how he takes car of his truck and its battery, the Rep offered him a BRAND NEW battery for his truck AND my aunts car if he would give him the one out of his truck....lol he told him NO WAY....he figured he had something special and wasn't going to jinx himself!! LOL __________________

05-23-2017, 07:42 AM	#6
Angrybird 12 7 year Cancer Survivor! Drives: 17 Cruze RS, 07 G6 GT, 99 Astro Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 21,546	I guess you are lucky. I have had two optima batteries both lasted less than two years. Each one once it went dead would never fully recharge. Never bought another one. __________________ Cancer's a bitch! Enjoy life while you can! LIVE, LOVE, DRIVE... The Bird is the word!

05-22-2017, 12:17 PM	#3
Scalded Dog Drives: 2011 1LT Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Crestline, CA Posts: 3,029	Geez... 10 years is pretty amazing! I guess I can't call mine a unicorn unless it's still cranking that starter for another few years!