How long can a battery last?

[captmello]

My pontoon has a battery, Marine starting type, that was bought new by the previous owner in june, 2006. I've been running it for the past 5-6 years with no issues. I'm thinking I'm on borrowed time at this point, but just thought I'd see if anyone's had batteries last longer. Not being cheap but...well maybe a little. I always carry a jump pack with us when we're out. At this point I feel like seeing just how long it can go.

 

[Alumarine]

I have an entry level walmart energizer battery that will be 8 years old this spring.
Still checks out ok. Mind you I've never run it down.
We'll see how it works out.

I too carry a jumper pack which has been handy for other boaters.

 

[johnson89]

i have Wal-Mart 48.88 car battery and it just turned 5 ,I have 2 trolling motor batteries that are 4 years but 1 of them died and I replace it last week. the that died was a group 24 the other is a 27 and I replaced it will another 27 , only 5.00 difference in cost.... I keep them 100 % charge after every trip

 

[Scott Danforth]

I had a battery that lasted 15 years ( 4 cars or about 550,000 miles). The batteries in my boat are currently 8 years old. Most die in about 3 years down here in FL. If the battery is not fully discharged often, and properly maintained, it may last another few years, or it may die tomorrow

 

[jeepwm69]

I still have a US made Optima Red Top in a Jeep that I bought in 2007 (before Johnson Controls sent all the production to mexico).

 

[ezmobee]

I had a Die Hard deep cycle that refused to die. Finally wouldn't take a charge this year after around 8 or 9 seasons.

 

[GA_Boater]

With almost 11 years on that battery, you must be doing something right taking care of it.

What brand battery is it, captmello?

 

[captmello]

With almost 11 years on that battery, you must be doing something right taking care of it.

What brand battery is it, captmello?

Its packaged with the name of a local big box store called Fleet Farm. I'm thinking it is in a good environment in the summer. It is kept in a battery box in the engine bay under the sun pad of my pontoon. It stays dry and out of the sun, yet is open to plenty of air to keep the temps mild. In the winter it sits on a shelf in my heated garage. I put the maintainer on it a few times during the winter to keep it charged. I may bring it over to napa and have them load test it to see where its power level is compared to the power it was rated at when new. If it still has good power I'll keep running it.

 

[bruceb58]

I always do a load test on my batteries at the beginning of the season to see what kind of shape they are in.