# Walmart Batteries?



## Bubba (Aug 28, 2008)

How many of you guys use them? I had bought one in sept of last year because I was kinda in a hurry to get one, and they were the cheapest around. Well...about 6 months after I got it I noticed sometimes when I would hook it up to my charger it acted like it didn't wanna take a charge. Well I never really used it much after I got my new boat so it pretty much just sat around. I realized that it was getting close to my 1yr warranty to be up, so I figured I would take that one back and just get a new one. So now i've got a brand new battery again for just trading that one in....thats one good thing about walmart. Took it in there, no questions asked. The one(from walmart) i've got I originally bought to run my (12v) jonboat trolling motor...but now since i've sold my jonboat, i've basically just got an extra battery for the 54v motor on my G3.


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## SlimeTime (Aug 28, 2008)

No big secret I despise WM....it is the debil :wink: 

ST


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## dedawg1149 (Aug 28, 2008)

love them i purchased three of them 5 or 6 years ago ,never had any problems had them on a 80lb thrust minkota on my nitro bass boat .now i have them on my tracker.every 14 months or so i take them back and get new ones , no guestions asked =D>


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## Bubba (Aug 28, 2008)

dedawg1149 said:


> love them i purchased three of them 5 or 6 years ago ,never had any problems had them on a 80lb thrust minkota on my nitro bass boat .now i have them on my tracker.every 14 months or so i take them back and get new ones , no guestions asked =D>



Do you get the "MAXX" ones, or just the regular ones? The one i've got is the regular kind.


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## dedawg1149 (Aug 28, 2008)

i use the yellow max brand.


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## Quackrstackr (Aug 28, 2008)

I have had them.

They work about as well as any of the others.

Letting a deep cycle battery just sit around is extremely hard on one. If you ever let it go completely dead.. it's toast.

Keep them from freezing, keep them charged up, don't let it sit for extended periods without charging and they will last a long time.


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## Bubba (Aug 28, 2008)

Quackrstackr said:


> I have had them.
> 
> They work about as well as any of the others.
> 
> ...




Yeah....I never let it just sit without being charged up(while I was using it and up until it started acting funny).....after I decided I was going to take it back....I didnt mess with charging it though. I always try to charge them back up as soon as I get in from a fishing trip....or at least put them on charge the next day if I get in late.


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## Quackrstackr (Aug 28, 2008)

They will discharge by themselves if they are not in use.

They need to be charged at least once a month whether in use or not to keep the corrosion on the internal plates at a minimum.

Letting a battery sit from late fall to early spring will a lot of times cause enough corrosion that they won't ever take a full charge again.

Right now, I'm using my boat about every other weekend and charge the batteries completey when I get off of the water. When I get ready to use it again, it takes about 20 minutes with a dedicated 10 amp charge to each battery to top either of them off just from sitting. The hotter it is, the faster they discharge.


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## Bubba (Aug 28, 2008)

Quackrstackr said:


> They will discharge by themselves if they are not in use.
> 
> They need to be charged at least once a month whether in use or not to keep the corrosion on the internal plates at a minimum.
> 
> ...



Like I said....I always re-charge mine as soon as I get off the water as well, or at least the next day if I get in late....I haven't got an on-board charger...so lugging that battery in and out of the boat sucks....especially after a long night of fishing.

The only reason I stopped charging that one(the walmart one), is because I had already decided that I was returning it to get a new one...so I didn't really care. 

My main DC battery in my G3 is a Deka, I'm just keeping this walmart one now for a secondary one for those long trips in case I need it(and of course keeping it charged up while not in use). I was using it for my 30# Tm I used with my 12' jonboat...but since sold that jonboat.


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## Waterwings (Aug 28, 2008)

> My main DC battery in my G3 is a Deka




The dealer installed batts in my rig are _Deka_ deep-cycle (27 series) marine batteries. No problems so far! 8)


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## Popeye (Aug 28, 2008)

Bubba,

Just curious what don't you carry your charger out to the boat? It's a lot lighter than lugging the battery in and you don't have to disconnect it to charge it. Just curious.


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## dedawg1149 (Aug 28, 2008)

Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers, Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries. Each makes batteries sold under several different brand names. Delphi makes ACDelco and some EverStart (Wal-Mart) models. Exide makes Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart batteries. Johnson Controls makes Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts.


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## Popeye (Aug 28, 2008)

dedawg1149 said:


> Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers, Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries. Each makes batteries sold under several different brand names. Delphi makes ACDelco and some EverStart (Wal-Mart) models. Exide makes Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart batteries. Johnson Controls makes Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts.



And while that is correct information, it is slightly misleading. Because the batteries are made to the client standards, not the manufaturers standards. You can't honestly believe that a Diehard and an Everstart are the same. GM makes Cadilacs and Saturns. Same manufaturer, just built to different standards. Batteries are the same way. I was told a while ago to find the battery that will (with proper care) last the longest, was to pick the heaviest one. More weight = more lead = longer life expectancy. Of course youhave to be comparing similar sized batteries. Can't compare a 27 group to 31 group that way.


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## dedawg1149 (Aug 28, 2008)

that is true, but like i see it .for the price and warranty i will stay with the everstart. 76.00 a battery that i have had for 6 years,running a 24 volt 70 lb thrust trolling motor is good enough for me =D>


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## SlimeTime (Aug 29, 2008)

flounderhead59 said:


> And while that is correct information, it is slightly misleading. Because the batteries are made to the client standards, not the manufaturers standards. You can't honestly believe that a Diehard and an Everstart are the same. GM makes Cadilacs and Saturns. Same manufaturer, just built to different standards. Batteries are the same way. I was told a while ago to find the battery that will (with proper care) last the longest, was to pick the heaviest one. More weight = more lead = longer life expectancy. Of course youhave to be comparing similar sized batteries. Can't compare a 27 group to 31 group that way.



That's the point I've tried to make before, (aside the economics one). Stuff isn't just cheaper at WM out of love, it's because manufacturers have to cut corners to meet the price they're told they'll get paid for their product.

ST


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## redbug (Aug 29, 2008)

Walmart, rocks !!!! I love the hours they keep nothing better than needing a battery at 4:30 am and having a place to get one. 
My interstate that i pad $109 for at local dealer shorted out after 6 months and he wasn't open to replace it. I picked up a walmart battery for $69 and still have it two years later.
Walmart also has some of the best food prices around at the new super walmart .I haven't noticed a different taste in my frosted flakes bought at walmart either...

Wayne


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## Quackrstackr (Aug 29, 2008)

redbug said:


> Walmart also has some of the best food prices around at the new super walmart .I haven't noticed a different taste in my frosted flakes bought at walmart either...
> 
> Wayne



Just keep your eye on those prices. We have had a super walmart for years. Kroger and other supermarkets beat them by a long shot on a lot of items.

Walmart counts on people just blindly buying because they think everything must be cheaper. :wink:


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## Popeye (Aug 29, 2008)

THe only time the Walmart sold items are made to a different set of standards is when it is a Walmart brand (sold _only_ at Walmart). Brands that are also sold in other stores will be made to the same standards. I can not see a company like Kelloggs (or any other large company) having another production line just for Walmart sales. However, sometimes you will find a model that is being discontinued by a company that Walmart will buy up all they can and it may take them a year to sell them all. Powered hand tools are like this. Still good quality, just being discontinued because it wan't a popular model or they made changes to it. Other stores do this too, like Big Lots and HOBO.


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## redbug (Aug 29, 2008)

my wife is good at looking at the prices. she has certain stores for certain items..
I can't stand shopping with her i wind up going to 3 or 4 stores before the day is done.

I say just buy it all at one store but she makes THOSE rules.

I also like the fact that walmart will discount marine supplies every fall, I have picked up livewell pumps for $7 and reels at a good discount I use them for door prizes

Wayne


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## Nickk (Aug 29, 2008)

Quackrstackr said:


> redbug said:
> 
> 
> > Walmart also has some of the best food prices around at the new super walmart .I haven't noticed a different taste in my frosted flakes bought at walmart either...
> ...



That's true, same with Costco. I had a membership for a year and was sorely disappointed.


Personally, I hate Walmart; at least the one near me. I rarely go, it's always a mess and it's hard to find what you want. The staff is rarely helpful(if even visible) and people seem to think it's some sort of free range day care.


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## Quackrstackr (Aug 29, 2008)

flounderhead59 said:


> THe only time the Walmart sold items are made to a different set of standards is when it is a Walmart brand (sold _only_ at Walmart).



A few years ago, before Wal Mart widely discontinued the practice of selling firearms, they sold a Beretta 390 shotgun that was a stripped down version of the 390 that you would find anywhere else.

A quote from Beretta: 



> "Semi auto gas operated shotgun with excellent reliability, but minus the frills to meet Walmart's price point"


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## Bubba (Aug 29, 2008)

Thats like their abu-garcia reels. The 5600 and 6000....I've heard they aren't near the quality of the regular 5500 and 6500 you'd get anywhere else. Don't know if thats the truth, but so i've been told. :?


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## SlimeTime (Aug 29, 2008)

Bubba said:


> Thats like their abu-garcia reels. The 5600 and 6000....I've heard they aren't near the quality of the regular 5500 and 6500 you'd get anywhere else. Don't know if thats the truth, but so i've been told. :?



I've heard the exact same thing as well. It's hard to cut corners on a box of cereal, but if it could be done I'm sure they would :wink: .

ST


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## Popeye (Aug 29, 2008)

Quackrstackr said:


> flounderhead59 said:
> 
> 
> > THe only time the Walmart sold items are made to a different set of standards is when it is a Walmart brand (sold _only_ at Walmart).
> ...



Okay, there will be exceptions to every rule. Some companies may offer a lesser version of one of their products in order to sell it at Walmart. Instead of saying "the only time", I should have said "usually". When I buy stuff from Walmart (and I buy a lot of things there) I do compare them to the same products offered at other stores. Personally I have not found any stripped down, bare bones versions of the things I've looked at. That doesn't mean there aren't any, just I haven't seen them.



Bubba said:


> Thats like their abu-garcia reels. The 5600 and 6000....I've heard they aren't near the quality of the regular 5500 and 6500 you'd get anywhere else. Don't know if thats the truth, but so i've been told.



Of course if you are comparing different models then there may be a Walmart version. Are you comparing the 5600 and the 6000 to the 5500 and the 6500?


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## SlimeTime (Aug 29, 2008)

FH- We're talking same model reels.

ST


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## Popeye (Aug 29, 2008)

SlimeTime said:


> FH- We're talking same model reels.
> 
> ST



Sorry, got confused as 4 different model numbers were listed and thought they might be comparable models. I don't have any of those so I wasn't sure.


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## redbug (Aug 29, 2008)

bubba posted different model numbers? 5600 and 5500 are not the same.or am I missing something. 
I would never think I could buy a reel that sells for $150 at bps and get the same reel at $79.99 at walmart No place can do that and stay in business.. 
they say a sucker is born every minute if someone thinks they are saving a bundle on the same product sold at a higher price elsewhere they deserve what they get

buyer beware

Wayne


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## dedawg1149 (Aug 29, 2008)

this thread started out about walmart batteries,know it is hate walmart thread. wouldnt it make sense that if you dont like walmart then dont shop there.but they do sell alot of items cheaper then you can buy it at bps or cabelos.as far as the guality goes , shouldnt you know what you are buying


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## redbug (Aug 29, 2008)

good point... they sell good batteries at a fair price....thanks for getting us back on topic

Wayne


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## SlimeTime (Aug 29, 2008)

flounderhead59 said:


> SlimeTime said:
> 
> 
> > FH- We're talking same model reels.
> ...




lol, I know....only reason I knew was because I'd heard of it before.

ST


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## SlimeTime (Aug 29, 2008)

dedawg1149 said:


> this thread started out about walmart batteries,know it is hate walmart thread. wouldnt it make sense that if you dont like walmart then dont shop there.but they do sell alot of items cheaper then you can buy it at bps or cabelos.as far as the guality goes , shouldnt you know what you are buying



It's not a "I hate Wal Mart" thread....even though I do :lol: I was merely explaining there ARE reasons some stores sell items cheaper, because they're cheaper items. 

I relinquish the floor Mr. Chairman :wink: 
ST


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## LarryA (Sep 8, 2008)

At least 5 years ago I bought an Otima Blue Top 31M. At that time it was $189.00. Still working as good as when I bought it.
It's been my camper's battery (until I barrow it for the boat). Need to get two deep cycles for the boat but not sure yet what I want to do. Very much doubt it will be the same thing, they are up to about $250!
Maybe a couple Wally World ones? Have to go check them out sometime.


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## SlimeTime (Sep 8, 2008)

It's funny, I just bought a new Deep Cycle battery over the weekend, and I dug-out 4 more old (bad) ones to take in for recycle. One happen to be a Sprawl-Mart battery (Ever-Start)....the sticker on it said something like "free replacement up to 2-3 months, after that you're charged a pro-rated charge".

Oh, and my battery.....made in America (Ohio)....and "Mom & Pop" made a few bucks, not some fatcat in a suit & tie smoking $50 Cubans :wink: 

And if you're returning a battery every year or so......you expect me to think they're not gonna catch onto that? 

ST


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## dedawg1149 (Sep 8, 2008)

it is 18 months free replacement and as long as you have a receipt they will replace it at no charge.if you dont keep your receipt they will prorate it from date of manufacture so keep your receipt inside safe .


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## sccamper (Sep 8, 2008)

My old boat deep cycles get passed down to the camper since we always have hookup when camping. They have all died except the good one in the boat. Im going to get a walmart batt for the camper this week and see how it does. Ive used Interstate for years, hope the walmart one is somewhere near that good.


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## LarryA (Sep 8, 2008)

sccamper said:


> My old boat deep cycles get passed down to the camper since we always have hookup when camping. They have all died except the good one in the boat. Im going to get a walmart batt for the camper this week and see how it does. Ive used Interstate for years, hope the walmart one is somewhere near that good.



My battery was only used with the camper. We almost always had electric hook-up also but still needed it for the breakaway and should storm kill the electric. When I recently bought the boat, I stole the battery off the camper. I'm finished camping for this year anyway. Considering it's age, I cannot complain about the cost for the Optima. I think the cylindrical design and the lack of any possible spills are great properties of these batteries. They are definitely less susceptible to vibration. With the lack of separate internal plates there is little to vibrate. These are made using a sandwich of separators and plates rolled up like a jelly roll then stuffed into round cavities. The downside is that they are extremely expensive. They are now half again as much as mine cost.


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