Where to buy battery

[Searay260cc]

My SeaRay 260 has two batteries. It came with those two but after sitting for 3 years (even though the batteries were both taken out and stored in a garage), they barely charge.

Where could I buy replacements? I understand that it's not like a normal car battery; it's deep cycle. Best prices?

 

[Art Bernard]

Re: Where to buy battery

Wall Mart sells afordable deep cycle marine batteries. I bought one last month for $60. Price depends on size.

 

[Searay260cc]

Re: Where to buy battery

Any recommendation?

 

[jones56]

Re: Where to buy battery

Trust me.... dont buy a walmart. I have tried them several times and never had good luck.. I have had awesome service with the auto zone Duralast.

 

[Searay260cc]

Re: Where to buy battery

i want something durable and trustworthy. I will be boating on the ocean mostly up in Maine. I have to look at what type are in there right now. One of hte guy I was talking to told me to never go too cheap on the batteries. He suggested Diehards.

 

[truckermatt]

Re: Where to buy battery

i have two interstate marine batteries in my boat, one cranking battery and one deep cycle battery...

Optima's are also top notch.

 

[Larry Glady]

Re: Where to buy battery

wal mart and ocean NOOOO WAAAYY get the best you can afford!!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Where to buy battery

Good - cheap battery,,, that's an oxymoron right there

You can get "good bang for the buck" marine batteries at Sam's Club or Costco, but they are not true deep cycle batteries (dual purpose) and not "the best" quality. It's reflected in the price, around $75 for a group 29. You are going to spend around $150 for a really good deep cycle battery.

Whether you get a good battery or best battery, it's life is dependent on how it's maintained. Leave it sitting discharged or don't charge it up every couple months and it will live a short life. (IE: leave them sitting in the garage for 3 years)

I've talked to people who bought marine batteries, used them 1 time, left them sitting a year, and they were dead the following year. The batteries were dealt a death sentence by not being charged periodically.

 

[mikel1291979]

Re: Where to buy battery

Not all marine batteries are deep cycle batteries. Cranking batteries are not deep cycle. Theres nothing wrong with a Walmart battery that is properly maintained. $55 for a marine battery with one year free replacement.

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: Where to buy battery

I have been told there are only a few battery manufactures, so walmart batteries might be the same as the cosco (maybe maybe not).
How you treat a battery makes a big difference.
My boat batteries are going on 7 years old, just fired her up today and started fine.
My pickup batteries are 2001 (55,000 miles) it started fine all winter.

 

[lkbum]

Re: Where to buy battery

i want something durable and trustworthy. I will be boating on the ocean mostly up in Maine. I have to look at what type are in there right now. One of hte guy I was talking to told me to never go too cheap on the batteries. He suggested Diehards.

Optima battery would be the only battery I would consider. These are completely sealed gel mat batteries. Last 3 times as long, don't leak, can take much more vibration etc. See link. I bought mine through Amazon.com at about 80% of the factory direct prices. http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/bluetop/index.php

 

[partskenn]

Re: Where to buy battery

Delco, Diehard, Interstate are all good batteries. I never buy a cheap battery for anything. Without a good charged battery, you've got nothing.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Where to buy battery

walmart has changed their battery warranty significantly.

Basically worthless and non-existent. There is a reason they no longer warranty them.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Where to buy battery

Get Deka batteries with the same or better rating as your present batteries.
Your batteries likely died from sulfating from sitting for years un charged.A simple float charger
would have likely saved them. about $7 at Harbor Freight.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Where to buy battery

Optima battery would be the only battery I would consider. These are completely sealed gel mat batteries. Last 3 times as long, don't leak, can take much more vibration etc. See link. I bought mine through Amazon.com at about 80% of the factory direct prices. http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/bluetop/index.php

There are a few clones with the same spiral cell design, so shop around. There are only a few companies that actually produce batteries, under hundreds of names.
Many in the offroad community say that Optima quality has gone down in the past few years - high failure rate and low lifetime. I've got an 8-9 year old Optima in my jeep that shows no signs of giving up.

 

[ssobol]

Re: Where to buy battery

Don't know about the marine batteries, but Wal-Mart's car batteries are fairly highly rated by Consumer Reports. Costco's are even higher.

 

[Billiy]

Re: Where to buy battery

There are only 4 lead acid battery companies in the us that are still making batteries of them you only likely to see 3 of them by big brand name is interstate, exide and Optima who still at a solid patten so if it looks like there battery it most likely is. but that said even all batteries coming out of say exide or not = the standards in making say a value battery are not the same as the flag ship.

 

[EMC 1810SS]

Re: Where to buy battery

I purchased my deep cycle battery in May of 2001 for $42 at Walmart. Still works well. I just returned a Napa Premium ($109) that was only a year old because it was discharging itself and would not hold the charge. I think the quality control has dropped quite a bit in the past few years. Even Optima has been having a higher than what I would call acceptable failure rate Although the more expensive battery's have better warranty's, that doesn't help when your stuck on the water.

I found it interesting that when I brought my Napa Battery in, they didnt even bother to hook it up to test it. That tells me they fail enough that its not worth the time........

 

[Silverbullet555]

Re: Where to buy battery

You are going to get sooooo many different opinions on this one. Most of WalMarts batteries are made by Johnson Controls which makes a lot of name brand batteries. Are they exactly the same, I don't know.

I feel that going on the ocean changes the picture. Boating on an inland lake and a battery not working is largely and inconvenience on most lakes. Boating on the ocean is another story.

If you go with a cheaper battery, I would plan on buying new ones more frequently to never have to worry about them going bad.

I would take a look at the Sears Die-Hard Platinum Group 31 PM1 battery. They are rebadged odyssey batteries and are very good. They will also set you back $250 each.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Where to buy battery

FYI, we bought a new boat, with engine, and a trolling motor battery. The batteries were CONTINENTAL batteries. They only have a one year warranty !!!! The trolling motor battery was replaced 2 months after we bought the boat. I replaced the engine battery last year. The trolling motor battery is still "showing good", so will try it for another year. My point to this is they only have a one year warranty !!