[Chief of the 60's]

They do not all have that little round sticker. Interstate did away with those years ago. Now, Interstate and many others brand (melt) the date code into the case.

[lemansboy70]

True dat. Thanks for clarifying.

[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by The Champ

Interstate, Motorcraft and ACDelco used to all be made by Johnson Controls in St. Joe, MO.

Interstate has now moved their production to Mexico.

ACDelco Advantage batteries are made in Korea. The Professional Gold and Silver batteries are still made by JCI in St. Joe. Motorcraft also.

As the OP noted - I'm not in to putting a tar top in for "correctness" in my Pontiac. But an ACDelco sure looks more correct than a green one.

Are interstates now crap ?
I always had good luck with them in my diesels which is hard on a battery with all the shaking they do.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by 455Grandville

Are interstates now crap ?
I always had good luck with them in my diesels which is hard on a battery with all the shaking they do.

Many of my former customers that sold and installed Interstates have switched to ACDelco batteries because the batteries sold by Interstate today that are made in Mexico have a much higher failure rate.

These were died in the wool Interstate guys - they bought ACDelco, Mopar and Motorcraft parts from me - but loved their green batteries.

Until they didn't.

[Chief of the 60's]

As usual, a parts pusher is wrong again. \

From Louisiana to Southern California the Interstate brand batteries are made by a Johnson Controls manufacturing plant in Monterrey, Mexico. In the other states, the batteries are made by Johnson Controls in the United States. ... If there is not sticker, it is made in the USA.”

[Sirrotica]

I used to sell Interstate, I would never go out of my way to buy their product. The one defective I had, they wouldn't do a damn thing for the customer. That's when I told them to get the rack and stock out of my garage. I've never bought another one from them.

Johnson Controls make the batteries for Interstate same as they do for Advance Auto and Auto Zone and a ton of other companies they put stickers on.

There are 2 really major Battery manufacturers in the US, Johnson Controls and Exide. There are some smaller manufacturers such as Deka, Crown, New Castle/Dubois, but probably 90% of the automotive batteries are made by those 2 manufacturers.

[64speed]

Johnson Control here in Seneca SC makes batteries for everybody and his brother

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

As usual, a parts pusher is wrong again.

The blowhart is wrong again, as usual.

Minnesota and Iowa are not locatied between Louisiana and Southern California.

Yet Interstate batteries sold in southern MN and northern IA are "Hecho in Mexico".

This info was provided to me by actual Interstate battery customers - not that thing called "Google" that you apparently used to find that info....

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by The Champ

The blowhart is wrong again, as usual.

Minnesota and Iowa are not locatied between Louisiana and Southern California.

Yet Interstate batteries sold in southern MN and northern IA are "Hecho in Mexico".

This info was provided to me by actual Interstate battery customers - not that thing called "Google" that you apparently used to find that info....

When you are in the repair business or even as a consumer, who in the heck has the time to look through a rack of batteries and try to find stickers to say Mexico or USA? I know I don't. Every battery brand has defects, just like new cars. Some more than others. Interstate batteries test near the top in some case sizes and middle of the pack in others according to Consumer Reports who actually TEST products. To me, in a classic Pontiac, how the battery looks is a primary factor. I want a black case battery that won't stick out like a sore thumb under the hood. Remove the stickers and go. That may be an Interstate since they switched case colors. But even more important to me is the WARRANTY and honoring that warranty. That's why I buy 90% of my batteries from my single NAPA source. If it's a 72 month battery and has a 18 month free replacement for example. Lets say that battery is 36 months old and it is defective. My NAPA store will replace it FREE, screw the warranty. That's called customer service. That's why I may pay 5% more for their parts than say Rock auto. They stand by their parts, no hassle, no BS, no excuses, no receipt required. It's old school and I love it. You forget what customer service was like when you buy from box stores, auto Zone, Oreily's, Advanced, and all the other "consumer parts stores".

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by The Champ

The blowhart is wrong again, as usual.

Minnesota and Iowa are not locatied between Louisiana and Southern California.

Yet Interstate batteries sold in southern MN and northern IA are "Hecho in Mexico".

This info was provided to me by actual Interstate battery customers - not that thing called "Google" that you apparently used to find that info....

You are wrong... still wrong and have been wrong. You must work for Advance A/P. I have dealt with so-called know it all parts pushers like you.

But really.... Does it matter

[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by The Champ

Many of my former customers that sold and installed Interstates have switched to ACDelco batteries because the batteries sold by Interstate today that are made in Mexico have a much higher failure rate.

These were died in the wool Interstate guys - they bought ACDelco, Mopar and Motorcraft parts from me - but loved their green batteries.

Until they didn't.

Made in mexico is never a good sign, damn shame because they always held up well in my diesels.

[NeighborsComplaint]

I'll second the Exide recommendation. Bought mine at Menards under $100.

[64speed]

I buy Optimas now. The red top with both style terminals. It fits my battery tray and I can use the side posts to hookup my accessories. In a semi restored or stock car I wouldn’t do it but mines so far from stock now it doesn’t matter. I buy them from amazon for 30 dollars less than the box stores and if you do get a defective one and I have they just send you another no matter how long you’ve had it cause they say with hazardous material and weight charges it’s too expensive to send them back

[SRR]

Originally Posted by 64speed

I buy Optimas now. The red top with both style terminals. It fits my battery tray and I can use the side posts to hookup my accessories. In a semi restored or stock car I wouldn’t do it but mines so far from stock now it doesn’t matter. I buy them from amazon for 30 dollars less than the box stores and if you do get a defective one and I have they just send you another no matter how long you’ve had it cause they say with hazardous material and weight charges it’s too expensive to send them back

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKo5iJ2rH7o

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

But even more important to me is the WARRANTY and honoring that warranty. That's why I buy 90% of my batteries from my single NAPA source. If it's a 72 month battery and has a 18 month free replacement for example. Lets say that battery is 36 months old and it is defective. My NAPA store will replace it FREE, screw the warranty.

That's great that your local NAPA store owner/manager will replace the battery free.

What happens if you are 200 miles from home and the battery fails? What if you move away? What if that owner/manager leaves?

The written warranty on an ACDelco Professional Gold battery is 42 months free replacement.

That warranty can be processed at any place that sells ACDelco batteries - including any GM dealership across the country.

[mgarblik]

That DELCO battery warranty is very strong and in writing. I always liked DELCO batteries and used them allot before opening my current shop 2 miles from the NAPA store I am always talking about. I also realize word of mouth, individual discretion warranties don't mean a thing based on your questions above. I guess my point was since batteries are a consumer item that will always fail no matter what brand, it's nice to deal with a brick and mortar store and an individual who knows you. Much like motor oil, everyone has their favorite brand. I think of car batteries much like an incandescent light bulb. Some last for years for no real reason, some last a year or two. For most batteries with a 6 year warranty, after the 12 month free replacement, by the time it's prorated at 30 months, the warranty amount is meaningless because it is usually based of the suggested retail price of a replacement battery. That price is usually double the actual cost of a replacement battery. So you in effect at 30 months get a 15-25% discount on a new battery. Kind of like dental insurance. My last $600.00 bill, the insurance paid $56.00.

[grandam1979]

I have had great luck with optima batteries I have had aleast 6 of them never had a failure. I have 3 at this time and one of those is 10 years old retired to winch duty on trailer and gets used on my test stand when needed still working great.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

That DELCO battery warranty is very strong and in writing. I always liked DELCO batteries and used them allot before opening my current shop 2 miles from the NAPA store I am always talking about. I also realize word of mouth, individual discretion warranties don't mean a thing based on your questions above. I guess my point was since batteries are a consumer item that will always fail no matter what brand, it's nice to deal with a brick and mortar store and an individual who knows you.

Before I retired from the ACDelco/Motorcraft/Mopar warehouse distributor that I worked for, one of my diehard Interstate battery shops was frustrated by the Interstate dealers refusal to honor warranties after he'd already replaced the customers battery with a new one.

According to the Interstate dealer, the shop owner didn't know how to test a battery. The shop owner had been in business for 30 years (selling Interstate batteries the whole time) and was honest as the day is long.

As to pro rata warranties - I was so glad when ACDelco did away with the pro rata BS. If I remember correctly, they did this around 2012. The Advantage (entry level) had an 18 month free replacement warranty, the Silver a 30 month and the Gold a 42 month. All in plain English.

All the pro rata warranty ever did was piss customers off (after the free replacement period).

[mgarblik]

You are preaching to the choir on manufacturers blaming repair shops for "not knowing how to test" their defective junk. I have 3 methods I use for testing batteries and use all three before taking a battery back to NAPA. They know when a battery comes back from me, it is verified dead. That's part of the trust and relationship. First, I unhook or remove the battery. Then fully charge the battery with an automatic charger that has a deep recovery mode until the charger indicates a full charge. I let the battery sit 24 hours. I check the voltage. If it is 12.4 volts or lower, no further testing needed, it's done. If 12.5V or higher I then move to my capacitance tester. That's the digital tester where you program in the CCA of the battery, hit the go button and it gives you the calculated CCA available. Midtronics is the main vendor of these, but mine is a Snap-on. If it's under 75% of the rated CCA's, again it's done. Third, I still have a VAT 40 carbon pile tester that puts the heavy continuous load on the battery. If the battery can't deliver half of the rated CCA's for 15 seconds and maintain 9.6V or higher, it is done. Failure of any of these tests and the battery will give you trouble in some situation in the near future. Not saying it won't limp along for a while, but will eventually leave you walking.

[70oldgoat]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

I have 3 methods I use for testing batteries ... First, I unhook or remove the battery. Then fully charge the battery with an automatic charger that has a deep recovery mode until the charger indicates a full charge. I let the battery sit 24 hours. I check the voltage. If it is 12.4 volts or lower, no further testing needed, it's done. If 12.5V or higher I then move to my capacitance tester. …"

I have a question about checking the voltage of six volt wet cell deep cycle batteries.

I have six, six volt Interstate wet cell batteries in my golf cart (36 volt system). I bought the batteries April of last year (about 14 months ago). I have maintained a charge on the batteries religiously between use since the batteries were new. The golf cart poops out going up a hill and I suspect one or more of the batteries may be bad. I want to check each battery here at home before taking it to a shop.

Using your above quoted testing procedure, what voltage should I expect to see for a six (6) volt battery after charging the battery and letting it set for 24 hours?

Thanks.