problems with interstate batteries

[m-35tom]

has anyone else had problems with interstate 6TL batteries? in the past they lasted for 5 - 6 years for me. in the past 2 years they do not last over 1 year even with light use.

tom

 

[DUG]

I have almost 2 years on an Interstate battery that is hooked up to a Sears Diehard Gold that I bought for my 67 Chevelle in 2004. When I did my recovery I robbed the Diehard from the Chevelle and bought one new Interstate from the NEX.

Truck fires up easily every time, but I'm in SOCAL. It was 19 degrees at Camp this morning and no probs, but it doesn't play in the cold much.

It was the best one they had at the NEX. For the 12 volt side I bought the cheapest Interstate.

When it comes time to replace I'm thinking about Diehard Gold again.

 

[pmramsey]

No problem here and I own 32 of them in various applications. Proper grounding, good charging systems, routine service and battery disconnect switches make a world of difference or disengage the DC battery fuse on generators when not in use. I keep them charged. The problem is the buildup of sulfates on the plates. On our 5-tonners, I use 24-volt, solar powered, desulfators that treat the four batteries. This is NOT a battery charger. The unit routinely fires an electrical pulse into the four batteries and prevents buildup on the plates. Never purchase a reconditioned 6TL from Interstate or anywhere else unless it is an emergency and you need it to get home because that is about all you can expect from it.

Yes, there are cheaper alternatives and I have tried them all but for my use and money, I cannot beat a good 6TL

 

[319]

Could be a problem with your truck. Check for a parasitic draw. Install a disconnect switch or remove the ground cable when not in use and see if it makes a difference. Also, as stated above, install a Solargizer if you do not have one. They make a world of difference if the truck gets little use.

 

[abh3]

Avoid all Interstate batteries as their passenger-car/light-truck batteries have a total rip off warranty in my opinion. Most batteries are warrantied using what you pay for them, when you buy a $90 battery at Autozone that's the number they use, a bad 50% battery is $45 to exchange...

Not Interstate though, they use their MSRP, a price usually $100 more than the battery actually sold for, so the Interstate battery you paid $90 for which fails 1/2 through the warranty period will cost MORE THAN YOU PAID FOR IT as a warranty exchange! You'll get the standard "Well, them's tha rules, we can't help what it's sold for by dealers..." I firmly believe it's a deceptive trade practice in interstate commerce but no one else seems to care.

 

[dittle]

From what I've seen on 6TL batteries is they are not a good battery as a whole. Some batteries last while others go dead pretty quickly, even in the same vehicle. I think its a crapshoot if you get a good one or a bad one. I personally will not put 6TL's in my deuce.

 

[Hoolio]

I had the best luck with New Castle batteries..Sold them when I had my repair shop..Had 0 returns in 5 years of handling them..Not so with Interstate or Crown.. Then they quit selling them in Ohio...Even Sidley Mack sold them..One tough battery.....

 

[hof3414]

After I bought new 6tl's I also added a 24volt battery tender. Batteries always charged/maintained then, fired up easy yesterday (18 degrees).

 

[wsucougarx]

I will tell you this. Out of the 6 deuces I have recovered, every truck with Interstate 6TL's have been dead (4/6). I've had batteries dated 1-8 years and ALL Interstates were junk. Not a very good track record. I've had the cheap small Costco batteries in my truck and they still start the truck right up. Going on 3 years now for the Costco batteries!

 

[glcaines]

I picked up my M35A2 from Fort Indiantown Gap in August 2009 and it has Interstate U6TLs installed with a date of 2007 on them. So far they are very strong and have not let me down and they are now three years old. I have noticed that since I got my deuce, a few of the cells need more water than others. I always keep them topped off with distilled water.

I also just recovered an M35A3 this past Monday and it has Interstate U6TLs installed. It had been sitting for over two months in the Wisconsin cold and it started up fine. I'm not sure of the age of the batteries, but they are obviously not new. Maybe I got lucky.

Update: The U6TLs in my A3 have a date of 06/09 on them and they are strong.

 

[Smokinyoda]

I have had good luck with refurbished group 31s from my local Interstate dealer. And at only $47 each, you can't go wrong.

 

[cattlerepairman]

The Interstate 6TL my truck came with were new in 2008. One was dead in 2009 and I used the other one for a while for another application; now dead, too.

I replaced them with Costco Group 27 batteries and am not looking back. The room I freed up in the battery compartment houses my 8t bottle jack and a tow chain.

 

[Capt Pat]

Havn't had alot of luck with them here, but most of my trucks get light use and keeping them charged is hard, looking into solar battery maintainers. But the Interstates seem to go completely all at once, I'm back to using fresh Crown's in mine, they have a marine grade with plastic shock absorbsion so the plates don't close up when heated and bounced hard.

 

[muddog]

I had Interstate batterys in three of my MV's and my civy dump pickup. As they quit working I went to wallyworld and got their best batterys around 75.00 bucks each. The trucks don't get driven much but always start the vehicles. I never had any luck with Interstate batterys but some of my friends would'nt use anything else.
Harold.

 

[goodguyzy]

only problem i had is when i forgot it on an old charger for a month and it blew up on a 100 deg day.

 

[tm america]

6tl batteries don't hold up long unless cycled regularly..if you don't drive the truck very offen count on changing 6tls every other year or sooner

 

[cessnatwin]

I own an automotive repair shop and Friday I was just telling our rep how crappy they have been, NONE of them last two years, there pro rating sucks so bad it is cheaper to buy a new battery than try to warranty an old one. Funny you post this because all my friends in the business are saying the same thing!

 

[Armada]

I'll add my . I've always had good luck with the 6tl's, until recently. My latest deuce came with 2 dead 6tls. One had a dead cell and the other I was able to save by putting in new acid. That was late summer '09 and it's still working fine. I replaced the dead cell battery with a new 6tl from the local Interstate distributer. This past Sept. the new one started loosing it's charge after just 1 year. Haven't had a chance to pull it yet and return. Not sure if they will stand behind it or not. Probably not by the sounds of it. For the price I paid for that battery they sure as heck better offer something for a batt that only lasted one year! If not, I will never give Interstate my business again. One of my trucks has Hawker glass mat batteries in it and they have never failed. They are 5 years old and work just as well as when they were new. The only way to go in my opinion, but they aren't cheap.

 

[m-35tom]

if i remember correctly, the dealer here said it was only a 30 day wtty. of my 2 , 10 mth old 6tl's, one goes dead and the other is ok so far. i think they have become junk and will not buy interstate again.

tom

 

[OPCOM]

I put 4 new NAPA 'largest size automotive' batteries in the M8109, no issues yet. They are 'maintenance free' kind with top posts. I do not get any static from NAPA about their branded items. I wonder who makes them.