I seem to be having some trouble with batteries lately, but I think I know why. I work from home and don't drive my vehicles an awful lot. What's worse is when I need room in my garage, I tend to start the vehicle up, move it out and shut it off. So there's no chance for the alternator to charge the system. Especially hard on my PSD to heat those glow plugs.

So I am looking at replacing both the batteries in my PSD, and the one in my bronco. The prices have jumped up considerably since I bought batteries last. But, the stock motorcraft batteries lasted the longest, then again, I drove the truck regularly back then.

I have a Red top in my bronco, and Costco brand in my PSD.

Just seeing what's good out there for both rigs considering the bronco is primarily off-road (why I went red-top gel) without spending a fortune, if that's even possible.

Either way, I believe it's time for a couple battery tenders. Thanks for the help!

J.D.

I'm one who likes to hold on to my money too and have found the batteries at Walmart are a good value and have a relatively long life.

FYI too, they sell battery tenders that maintain a charge which keeps the batteries in good condition. I use them on my ATV and boat.

The last battery I had in my EB was a Duralast & it lasted me almost 12 years. I've also had good luck with the Sears brand.

I ran a yellow top in my 77 F250 for several months and had nothing but problems with it.

Picked up a Duralast for the '69 and NEVER had a weak crank with the truck, even after sitting for nearly three months while I was in Washington.

The Duralast in the '72 hasn't given me a lick of trouble in all of the cold snaps we've been having either.

I have been reading a ton of posts on CB.com about the Optima Battery quality tanking.

I have a DuraLast on a Battery Buddy trickle charger in the basement (not on the Concrete) waiting for the day it finally gets installed. When I finally install it in my EB, I will add the battery buddy pig tail to plug it in (like a diesel) when I am not driving it often and keep the battery charged so the battery will last longer.

You know, the Mythbusters disproved that whole thing about batteries losing their charge from sitting on the ground.

I always thought that Concrete took the charge out of a battery. Good Thing for Mythbusters - thanks for sharing!

Huh, so Duralast from Autozone seem to be holding up well. No sense in paying a premium for optima then. I may just have to run down and look. Thanks!

J.D.

I have 2 optima's in the Excursion, 1 in the LR Disco (I hate that POS! car) and one more in the Ranger. I have had 1 of them in the scurge fail, Bateries Pluss replaced it for free.

I have not purchased one in a while but I did put one in an employes heep last summer when he was stranded and could not afford a battery. (Silly employee's, always needing something from the boss, never willing to do anything extra for him when he needs something back)

To add a qualifier to the OP's question, what gel cell batteries do you all like? I put a Blue top Optima in my '71 before I found out Optima's QC had gone down the tubes, but plan to go dual battery at some point and don't really want acid sloshing/leaking/whatever.

As much as everyone has said the Optimas suck I love them! I have 2 red tops in my Bronco, a red top in my wife's car, a yellow top going in my truck and a red top waiting for my daily driver. The yellow top going in my truck save my a$$ when I was driving my Bronco on a trip without knowing it was charging at 18 volts for 100 miles! I stopped to get gas and heard a hissing noise...it was the yellow top venting! I pushed my Bronco out of the pump area and ran to Checkers a mile away. Got a new cheap battery and ran back. The yellow top was still venting and too hot to touch! I pulled it with some gloves very carefully and installed the new battery and voltage regulator. Gently set the yellow top in the back of the bronco and continued on with my trip. Got home and had a buddy check my yellow top with his top of the line battery charger with dry cell specific testing/charging....it tested out at 98 percent life left! Since then I have used it to jump start 3 vehicles and it is still reading 12.65 volts!

I have nothing but good to say about Optimas!

I run duralast in everything. I have a commercial one in my 79. 950CCA. I have 2 in the 74. they are 12years old. Still hold a charge. I just dont trust it to last if I put a load like the winch on it.

Just a little update - I have costco brand batteries on my truck. I called them a couple weeks ago and they were then about 2 days out of warranty (3 yr 100% replacement). I intended to take them in and tell them I have been having trouble for a month now and hope they did a 100% replacement, which was the truth. It was a day or two after that my son got very sick with RSV and spent 5 nights in the hospital so I didn't get it done. Finally I called and talked to a manager who said he'd warranty the batteries. So I swapped them out yesterday and thought it was admirable of Costco to warranty the batteries 100% even since it's been two weeks since the warranty expired. My truck starts great now and I ordered battery tenders for it and my bronco.

For the bronco, I'll try my luck with the duralast a lot of you like. I hope they take an optima as a core. The manager at my local AZ is a bronco guy and he's come thru for me before.

J.D.

GO TO HARBOR FRIEGHT AND BUY THERE BATTERY TENDERS , THERE ABOUT FIVE TO SIX BUCKS PUT ONE ON EACH TRUCK I'VE USED THEM ON MY PSD WHICH HAS A 2 AMP DRAWS BECAUSE OF ALL THE EXTRAS ON IT . THAT RUNS ALL THE TIME . SINCE YOU DON'T DRIVE THEM MUCH IT'S VERY CHEAP INSURANCE.