Should I service my 12V battery and expect long life or let it fail any buy new

I'm thinking to my self, if I should service my stock battery spending about 30 bucks and expect long life out of it?
OR
Not service stock battery and when its close to failure buy a new battery at around 140 bucks?

(No, I'm not interested in AGM batteries with modifying my charging system.)


VS

 

I'd just check the level every couple/few months and top off with distilled water if it's low. Couple bucks from your big box store of choice.

Other than that, nature will take it's course.

 

$1 Walmart distilled water is enough vs buying fancy deionized water?

 

Yes, one gallon of distilled water. Use it in your battery if needed, and in your iron for ironing/steaming your bright white, Sea Island broadcloth button down dress shirts with French cuffs.

 

I didn’t even know people still did this.

anyways, I have the everstart without issues.

 

Yeah the Panasonic battery has a easy level check on the body and the top tabs can be easily removed to put battery water.

 

Yeah, i have never needed to do this. Didn't realize this was still a thing? Always got 5+ years.

Now i have an AGM.

 

I don't think I've ever encountered a battery that could be accessed like this before.

The tough part to me is checking the level. I had a light shine through the backside and shook the front-end to see what moved. Before that I overfilled one just a little so whoops!

 

Whether you decide to service it or change it, wear eye protection.

 

If your battery is not sealed, yes you should add water if its low. Just be aware its not going to make it last significantly longer. It will just prevent it from failing really premature. Most car batteries, even the kind with removable caps, are low maintenance types that are supposed to be sealed pretty well and don't typically loose much water.


+1 that drug store distilled water is fine. Thats all I ever used when I had a flooded lead acid battery in my sump pump backup system.

Also, you don't need the hydrometer. The main use of that is to test the batteries state of charge. You only ever add water to a battery that's low on liquid.

 

How many years on your existing OEM battery? Are you having battery/charging issues? If it's 5+ years old, servicing it isn't going to do much. Batteries obviously have a finite life. The Panasonics are pretty good batteries, but if you get more than 5 years out of them, you're lucky more than anything else.

 

My 2019 battery still running strong (at least feel like its strong).

When I was removing the stupid raptor lights yesterday I just gave a glance at my 2021 battery and thought to my self should I service my batteries and see how long they last? The Panasonic seems to be better than whats out there (I think).

Either way if I service or not I was thinking to wait till I see signs of weakness like a slight hesitant on start. Worst case both 4Runners have working jump start packs.

 

If you're not having issues, I'd leave it be. If you have jump chargers, you're fine. But first sign of trouble/slow cranking, I'd replace it. Again, once you pass that 5-year mark on a battery, it's only a matter of time. Heck, you might get another year or two out of it, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

 

I thought water got into my battery so I drained it, should I add water to it?

 

@CalcityRenegade haha, very funny!

 

Would Gatorade work better because of the electrolytes? I'll show myself out now...

 

LoL

 

You mean iron their shirts? We're not animals. It's not like we drive Jeeps for Dog's sake.

 

Growing up in the 60s and 70s you took care of your battery.
Don’t know about sight glasses or level checks on the battery itself. The way I was taught by my Old Man, you pop the caps, Add Distilled water until you see a meniscus in the water. A slight bowl shaped concave dome looking into the cell of the battery. That’s the proper water level.
After that use the rest of the water to iron your shirts.