REFLECTOR: Battery Advice

[Mark Magee]

Sid,
Thanks for that data on Odyssey battery. I've never owned one but will consider one for the Velo. I've gone back to lead acids in my diesel's (at one time I had 3 diesel vehicles, now only 1 left) as they seem more cost effective. If you study the battery business and industry it is an amazing business. As a Money Manager I've looked closely at such companies as Johnson Controls, one of the bigger manufacturers. They design to get those batteries to something short of the stated warranty so the purchaser will Bring it back to the store chain where they purchased it to get credit toward a new battery of the same brand. It's quite a money maker. Years ago I thought Optima was the ticket off that merry-go-round. Maybe it's Odyssey. 
Interestingly, when Optima first hit maybe 20 years ago, they were a serious threat to the battery industry's business plan. Then, and I'm working from memory here, I believe Interstate bought Optima and brought them in-house. That is when the price started to rise and I believe the quality began to fall a little. Interstate (again I think Interstate) had to price-point them vs their lifespan to keep the merry-go-round spinning to their advantage. 
Nobody seems to want to build a battery that lasts forever!

Mark B. Magee
Sent from IPhone 4S

On Dec 10, 2012, at 9:32 PM, "sbjknox" <sbjknox at earthlink.net> wrote:

> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ruben Creus" <ruben at vainneg.com>
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Battery Advice
> 
> 
>> Talking about batteries, It is time to change mine; we had some discharges
>> over time and not holding well now. I am thinking on an Odyssey 925.
> 
> I have four Odyssey 925 batterys, one in Velocity, one in Starduster, one in '57 Triumph TR3, and one in '89 Ford Probe.  Oldest is about 7 years old and as potent as when new.  The only one that gets a float charger (Harbor Freight, about $8) is the Probe because sometimes it sits for a few months between use and the computer (ECU) will slowly suck it dry.  Odyssey batterys recover very well from a deep discharge.  Self-discharge is essentially zero.
> 
> Sid Knox
> Oklahoma
> 
> Velocity  173 RG  N199RS
> Starduster  N666SK
> KR2         N24TC
> W7QJQ
> <Starduster Odyssey battery_c20.jpg>
> _______________________________________________
> To change your email address, visit http://www.tvbf.org/mailman/listinfo/reflector
> 
> Visit the gallery!  www.tvbf.org/gallery
> user:pw = tvbf:jamaicangoose
> Check new archives: www.tvbf.org/pipermail
> Check old archives: http://www.tvbf.org/archives/velocity/maillist.html