Walmart Marine-Maxx Batteries

[Boblee]

Obelix The battery with the higher voltage is almost sure to be good and I really think the other is also, if you leave the lower voltage one for a week or more, if it has a crook cell it should show up by dropping down up to 3v, if you put it under heavy charge 25-50amp you should also see this cell heat up more than the others, if it is crook and you link them both will drop.
All I worry about is what the batteries do in my situation, I rarely if ever take them below 11.2v measured on load except accidently and it has happened, as far as I am concerned the AH rating is what I can get out of them between full charge and the low voltage under my conditions which I would imagine is way less than the rated ah.
It could be that your battery that has a lower reading has been used more has not been fully charged after each usage?
Good luck

[Obelix]

Boblee,
Thank again, for sharing your experience
Both of my batteries are new, purchased in Oct 2013, manufactured Sep 2013 and put in the boat first in Nov 2013.
Mid Dec 2013, I just got alerted when about a week after giving them a full charge the technician that did my engine service noted that the battery used as the starter battery was lower then expected. When I told him, these are new Walmart batteries, he joked they call them "Nevercharge". After that I started looking closer at these batteries but there was no practical way to monitor anything in the boat; so I brought the batteries and the charger home. Next week I will go to a battery center and get load-tests on both of them, but I think I probably will have to take them as they are

Obelix

[seahouse]

Andre – a battery will explode (internally) if the electrolyte level is allowed to fall below the top of the plates – otherwise, if the plates are fully submerged an arc that occurs between the plates will be quenched without igniting the gases.

The electrolyte level is checked by removing the caps, and brought up to the bottom of the tubes to form a meniscus with distilled water only. Unless we are dealing with a “maintenance free” battery that has no removable caps.

A low electrolyte level can indicate over-charging, but also can result from heavy use. Or some batteries that are acid filled right in the store might have too little electrolyte because of untrained store personnel.

Obelix – is the final voltage after full charge the same for your two batteries? That might give you an idea of how significant the effect of the “odd” cell in one of them is. Are the serial numbers consecutive, or fairly close to each other? There will be less probability of a difference between two batteries if they were made in the factory at about the same time.

[raycarlson]

Sorry but im afraid tou have received some misinformation about your battery from someone. The part # MAX-29DC 61.7 pound battery with 3 yr warranty is not an AGM or GEL battery there fore it is not sealed. If you look at the top you will see the two caps to pop off to service your cells. Sorry your getting irritated but you are just not understanding what you are working with there partner. You propably would have an impossible time trying to find a sealed flooded cell acid deep cycle battery anywhere because by there nature they require regular servicing and replenishing of water. Please find another trusted friend who has some mechanicing skills look at your battery for you and help you out as I know your upset over me correcting you and you for sure won't take my advice, but I hate to see a fellow boater working off of bad information.

[raycarlson]

PS I have five maxx batteries all total.

[Obelix]

Seahouse,
About 4 days after the full charge one battery still reads 13.03V, while the battery with the questionable cell is reading 12.89V. As far as SN's, I could not find individual serial numbers, but both show a production month of 09/13.

Raycarlson,
While these batteries are not airtight sealed, opening the cells will void the warranty (see copy of sellers Q&A):

"Q: Can I add distilled water?
A: Good morning. That is a maintainance free battery and you should not add water. Doing so will void the warranty
6 months ago
By Product%20Expert Read all my Q&A (read all my Q&A)"

So for all practical purposes during the 2 year warranty period (not 3 years, as you wrongly assume) they are sealed, if one likes to maintain warranty status.

Obelix

[raycarlson]

Sorry , mine came with no such contract or information like that. Also how would they detect your opening of a cell cover and lastly they cannot be as you say air sealed as flooded cell batts have to be vented to atmosphere for out gassing during charging. Could you please print or post a pic of this document that is limiting your maintenance of this battery, as you could easily boil enough water off in a year of charging and draining to cause failure of battery, seems quite counter productive to their profit margin. Perhaps there's a misinterpretation in the reading of the document.

[Obelix]

When I purchased the batteries and looked at the obvious cell-covers, I ask the salesperson if I could add distilled water when needed and got the reply this would void warranty. He also added to look at their Q&A section for more information, where I found this:


I assume these lids may use a one-time snap feature that indicates change when re-opened.
Since I bought these batteries mainly for the 2 year warranty, versus the 1 year warranty for regular EverStart marine batteries, I'll stick to their policy during the warranty period.

Obelix

[seahouse]

In the days of yor (80's and maybe 70's, IIRC, up to today) before alternate technologies became so widespread, flooded lead acid "maintenance-free" guaranteed batteries had caps that were difficult to remove to check the electrolyte, just like what Obelix is describing.

Most often there were two large caps (one per 3 cells) that were recessed into the top of the case, so that the marks resulting from use of a screwdriver or other tool to remove them would betray that the deed had been done, if a seal or label were not present for this purpose. The logic was, as long as it lasts until the warrantee expired, that is good enough, and it is also common practise to just replace the battery in a car every so many years anyway, before it failed. Low electrolyte more often indicates a problem with charging or discharging in an auto, than a problem in the battery itself. Once the warrantee period is up, it's not a bad idea to open it and check, if you want the max life from the battery.

The length of time until water topping up was needed in batteries like this was extended by a carbon or resin bed contained within the giant caps. Aside from the splash reduction function, the warm droplets would (mostly) condense in the cooler media or labryinth before escaping to the atmosphere, and run back into the battery cell. Not exactly like, but similar in concept to the now- common recombinant technology (more tightly sealed, but valve controlled) in use today in other battery types.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

I have to say that in general, auto batteries don't seem to last more than a couple years in Florida by and large. But I did have a Walmart battery in my Sequoia that I replaced last year which was over 8 years old!! It was hard to believe, the voltage had gone down so low that the radio couldn't remember stations any longer (fixed with the new battery) yet the thing never stranded me. When I replaced it, I never needed a jump start of any sort to get the car started. So, I just thought that was unusual because I've had much more expensive batteries fail me a lot of times over the years. I've had a couple sets of Walmart marine batteries too (not Maxx I don't think) and they seem to have performed much better than the twice as expensive West Marine batteries. That's without any of these scientific tests you guys are doing of course...just opinion of how well they work and whether I can't start my engine at what point in the batteries life.

[Andre Emmenegger]

Thanks for the tip. Will check water levels more frequently. The boat heels quite a bit in heavier air, so maybe they leaked a little.

[Boblee]

Thats all you need to worry about, how they work for you in your situation but if you want them to last longer make sure they are charged fully for as much of the time as possible, you will be surprised at how long they last both short and long term.

[seahouse]

While battery and manufacturing technology itself has progressed, I would also attribute improved battery life in cars with better, computer-managed charge electronics. Older systems were much less precise and therefore harder on the battery. Smart chargers, which have largely replaced the heavy old transformer-type of chargers in home garages have done their share to help as well.

I will also point out that you can check the electrolyte level of some batteries that have a (usually white) translucent case without removing the cell caps- yours might. I have one that I simply shine a bright light (or a flashlight if in situ) through while tipping it on its side slightly. There will sometimes be upper and lower marks moulded into the case like mine has, but you can easily see the level of the plates (dark) and judge the correct levels without them. It's a fast, easy, no muss, no fuss check.

And voila – no warrantee voided, plus peace of mind.

[Boblee]

While battery and manufacturing technology itself has progressed, I would also attribute improved battery life in cars with better, computer-managed charge electronics. Older systems were much less precise and therefore harder on the battery. Smart chargers, which have largely replaced the heavy old transformer-type of chargers in home garages have done their share to help as well.

Exactly but you also need to be careful hooking in eg a second battery in new cars and also be mindful that in some types of use the battery may not still be fully charged when finished especially if not used for some time, voltage is a poor indicator unless left to stabilise.