<< If they aren't available AT ALL in the Yook now (still available here, or at least they were a year or so ago when I bought my last one) then you've only yourselves to blame. If people didn't buy crap, they wouldn't be able to sell it. >>
It's easy to make assumptions and slag off, Ed, from the other side of the globe - where I imagine just as much 'crap' is available. But as I said above, my OEM battery, which I can't look inside, is still starting my car after almost 11 years.
My conclusion is that batteries can now be made which don't need to be looked inside. Those with fiddly little caps are more likely to lose water by evaporation, so they DO need to be looked inside [don't know where the hydrogen leaks off though ...]
Actually, in my experience its just as easy to slag off and make assumptions from the other side of the room.
Easier. You don't have to type.
People do sometimes throw things at you, though.
I'll admit to a general predjudice in favor of maintainable rather then maintenance free "sealed for life" stuff, so, in a battery context, describing maintenance-free as a Compromised Rechargeable Automotive Powerstore (CRAP) is an assumption, since I havn't seen any actual comparative data on life span when properly maintained.
One would think it should be out there, but vested interest and advertising may intervene to prevent it.
Best I could find from a quick look was this:-
autosystempro.com/maintenance-free-batteries/
Not actual data, and they dont seem to be able to spell "The" but no obvious BS, which is not the rule on the internyet. Their Pro-Con listing goes:-
Hie advantages of maintenance-free batteries over conventional batteries include:
A larger reserve of electrolyte above the plates. [I wonder why? Oh wait, you NEED it, don't you?]
Increased resistance to overcharging. [That's good, though only relevent if you've got a charging fault]
Longer shelf life (approximately 18 months). [OK]
Ability to be shipped with electrolyte installed, reducing the possibility of accidents and injury to the technician. [Bit harsh, but that is not my problem]
Higher cold cranking amps rating. [No cold-cranking 'ere mate. Maybe slightly chilly cranking very occaisionally]
Hie major disadvantages of the maintenance-free battery include:
Grid growth when the battery is exposed to high temperatures. [ Here on the other side of the globe, high temperatures are not unknown]
Inability to withstand deep cycling. [ I use the car infrequently, though I do sometimes charge between use, so deep cycling is a possibility]
Low reserve capacity. [Doesn't sound good, though offhand I'm not sure exactly what it means. I'd have thought it was a function of the specification rather than the technology. Maybe they mean for a given size or weight]
Faster discharge by parasitic loads.[I don't have any of them, but I bet y'all do]
Shorter life expectancy.[NOT GOOD]
Now the last one conflicts with your experience, (I'd think 11 years was rather exceptional) so either:-
(a) the above is t*** (its The Internyet, after all),
(b) the above is outdated,
(c) you've been especially lucky with your battery.
I dunno, maybe a bit of (b) + (c), but there's enough predjudice-confirmation above to keep me buying the maintainable type for a bit longer, while they're still available.
They're a bit cheaper too.
Edited by edlithgow on 12/01/2019 at 11:11
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