Expected battery life with new batteries?

I

inairam

501 Club
How long do you expect a battery to last in a tractor? I understand it is related to the quality of the battery and the condition of the charging system.

On average, I think I am getting about 3-4 years on my 12v and and 5-6 on my 6Vs and 2-3 on the U1s.
 
In addition to the factors that you mentioned, it also depends on how you maintain the battery. Keeping the battery clean, topped off with electrolyte and on a trickle charger or battery maintainer will extend its life significantly. If you’re like me, the U-1s get the least attention.
 
The last 6v I had was in a military jeep and when I sold the Jeep it was 10 years old and still functioning fine. When I sold my FCub a couple years ago the 12v battery was 8 years old and working fine. The battery in my 2001 4Runner was 10 years old in May and still working as it should. First of all I buy my batteries directly from the Deka factory here in PA. There are brands out there I wouldn't touch with a stick. Before you buy any battery do your homework. Google is your friend. Secondly I run maintainers 100% of the time..
 
It completely depends on the manufacturer. My auto store junk lasts 3 years, my interstate batteries last 7 to 10, my German made VW batteries have always lasted 15 years.
 
I have used interstate and they seem to last longer. I asked the question because today I replaced a group 26 in a 140 that was 5 years old. I thought it was a bit less.
 
My experience has been that the more the battery costs extends the full replacement time period (and I suspect the quality is better but I don't know that). However, with that said, it gives a lower out of pocket expense if one fails. I've had some that get weak and fail over time and at least a couple that were working fine and totally failed the next time they were needed to start the engine. One of those was appearetly a direct short because it could not be jumped off with another vehicle. On average my 12v batteries lasts 5 to 8 years, tractors, truck, car, etc. Exception is U1 which might last a couple of years if it gets charged regularly. JMHO Stan
 
Myself, I've got a half dozen garden tractors around here all with 12 volt systems and my Cub and John Deere B both with 6 volt systems and it's been years since I've purchased batteries. I would say it's not unusual for my batteries to last 10 years or so. I started my Cub for the first time in 2008 with a new battery. I had that battery in the Cub for 10 years. I was working on another Cub to flip and it needed a new battery so I bought one. There was nothing wrong with the battery in my Cub but I got to thinking that if I was purchasing a new battery, why not put the new one in my Cub and the one in my Cub in the one I was going to sell? Made sense to me so mine got the new battery so that new battery is now around 7 years old now and still works like a champ. My Cub is the only tractor I own (with a battery ignition) that is not on a battery maintainer when not in use. My Cub gets used enough that I don't bother with a maintainer on its battery. My mowing John Deere 335 garden tractor and my John Deere 425 loader tractor don't get put on a maintainer much during the summer because they get lots of use. In my opinion, buying battery maintainers are some of the best money I've spent on maintenance tools.
 
I really should not say for bad luck! but my napa 6v battery has been in service on a cub lowboy since 2009. also, my kubota m4900 has had a napa 12v napa battery that has been in service since 2015.
 
Advanced Auto Parts AutoCraft 6V 640 CCA, bought new 11/29/2013. NOCO Genius 1 maintainer for at least the last 8 years.
Knock on wood, it still fires on the 1st or 2nd pull of the starter rod.
 
Went to leave this morning and the Suburban was dead. The NAPA battery in it was 9 years old. Not sure if it will hold a charge but since it is the wife's daily driver, I put a new one in it.
 
Barnyard said:
Went to leave this morning and the Suburban was dead. The NAPA battery in it was 9 years old. Not sure if it will hold a charge but since it is the wife's daily driver, I put a new one in it.
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(y) Smart move Barnyard. You know the saying, It only takes one uh-oh wipes out all your atta boys!! Besides that I think you got your money's worth. :D Stan
 
To improve battery longevity on my tractors I remove my batteries in the fall and store them in my basement in my house and then top charge them a couple times during the winter and reinstall them in the spring. Overall I do very well with battery life because battery maintenance definitely makes them last longer.

NJ Farmer
 
NJ Farmer said:
To improve battery longevity on my tractors I remove my batteries in the fall and store them in my basement in my house and then top charge them a couple times during the winter and reinstall them in the spring. Overall I do very well with battery life because battery maintenance definitely makes them last longer.

NJ Farmer
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agree fully
 
inairam said:
How long do you expect a battery to last in a tractor? I understand it is related to the quality of the battery and the condition of the charging system.

On average, I think I am getting about 3-4 years on my 12v and and 5-6 on my 6Vs and 2-3 on the U1s.
Click to expand...
Modern batteries often last only 2 to 3 years in old tractors due to several factors. These tractors are usually used intermittently and sit unused for long periods, which leads to natural discharge and internal sulfation. Many of them still rely on outdated charging systems, such as low-output generators or weak alternators, which fail to keep the battery properly charged. Vibration from engines, exposure to weather, and lack of regular maintenance also contribute to early battery failure. Unlike older batteries, modern ones are built with thinner internal plates and are more sensitive to irregular charging and long idle times. Without proper care, even a new battery won’t last long in these conditions.
 
stephanev8brazil said:
Modern batteries often last only 2 to 3 years in old tractors due to several factors. These tractors are usually used intermittently and sit unused for long periods, which leads to natural discharge and internal sulfation. Many of them still rely on outdated charging systems, such as low-output generators or weak alternators, which fail to keep the battery properly charged. Vibration from engines, exposure to weather, and lack of regular maintenance also contribute to early battery failure. Unlike older batteries, modern ones are built with thinner internal plates and are more sensitive to irregular charging and long idle times. Without proper care, even a new battery won’t last long in these conditions.
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This is exactly what I have found. I get 3 years, at the most, on the newer 6V batteries, on my 1948 Cub. I buy the battery from CNH. It should be a good one. Besides batteries not lasting as long, what I have found, they don't seem to "die slow". One day the battery is cranking fine. The next day, it is totally dead. In the "old days", you could tell the battery was dying, with slow cranking of the engine, but it would still crank the engine. You had a warning and could get a new battery at your convenience. I hate it when I go out to use any of my equipment and it won't start.

The design, on the old Cubs like mine, is much better than the later Cubs, it had a "back up" to the battery -- The hand crank and the magneto. The magneto needs no battery current for the coil that was used in the later Cubs to replace the magneto. This saved me many times.

The coil is a single source starting starting system -- no "Back Up".
 
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I can't say how long my most-recently dead batteries lasted. But I did take a look at my current 6-volt batteries to see how long I have had them. These days, the stores carve the purchase date into the top of the case. Here is the list:
4/17/24 -- with a manufacturer sticker 3/24.
7/15/21 -- Chose not to remove from the battery box to look for a sticker.
1/30/18 -- with a manufacturer sticker 7/17.
1/30/18 -- with a manufacturer sticker 7/17. Carved-in date not clear, probably bought 2 batteries the same day.
--/--/-- -- fifth 6-volt tractor has magneto. Unhooked generator field and use with no battery the last couple years.

So, the current ages are about 1, 4, 7 and 7. They stay in the tractors in storage, but I try to keep maintainers on them when not in use. Off season storage usually does not drop below freezing. I always try to buy fresh stock. On the 1/30/18 purchases, I settled for 6 months old.
 
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