DieHard Platinum 31M DEAD (1 Viewer)

[PDoyle]

My truck has been in my garage for about 2 weeks. The battery went dead. Tried to charge it and it wouldn't take.
I took it back to sears and got another, not a big deal.
I have to trim the corner of the new battery to make it fit better just like the old one.
I see there is a small mark on the hood where the negative battery terminal must have hit.
Wonder how the battery died?

I have a block type connection for the terminal on the negative side. Might be too big, or the battery isn't sitting correctly.
I installed longer battery j hooks this time around. It looks like the hood will hit the top of the j hooks when closing it.
Any thoughts please...

 

[Jrob80]

In my 96 I had one. I had a Viper Remote start/alarm. Battery was always dead. I went back to interstate last a lot longer then the Sears.

 

[OGBeno]

I'm not sold on these Platinums. Have not had any luck with them. Went through 4 in three years.

I just went ahead, broke down, and got the authentic Enersys Odyessy batteries. No issues since installing them in a dual setup. Both group 35s.

 

[PDoyle]

Just snipped the corner to install.Think I did a better job on this battery. Just have to see how this one does. I tossed a couple pieces of black tape where the terminal would hit the hood.

Someone once asked me if this battery would shorten the life of the stator...?

 

[duggy]

4 in 3 years? jeez. i've had mine for about a year now and it's been great

 

[spressomon]

There have been a fair number of reports of these Sears Platinums going belly up within a year or two. I presume, given the price point relative to their supposed Odyssey parent, the QC/slip rate is loosened up some...

Knock on wood I'm still super happy with my dual Odyssey purchase choice...now 5-years old. I have to admit if the Platinum's would have been available when I purchased my current batteries I probably would have been tempted given the price and warranty difference. OTOH...

 

[ironhippy]

Oh wow, I just had my Diehard 31M give up on me the other week.

Mine was weird too, it would read 12+ volts but as soon as you put any load on it, it would drop to below 8 volts and then slowly climb back up to around 10.

I've read all the AGM threads and made sure I had it on an AGM specific charger at least once a week and I never really got around to abusing it like I planned. It was purchased new in August, kind of disappointing.

Edit: I had mine on the driver side, fit with no modifications at all.
The idea was it was so big it could handle the stock load and my aux load and my 2nd battery was literally just a spare waiting to be used in the case of an emergency.

 

[Fosters]

Had mine swapped out about 3 weeks ago...Barely made 12 volts...less than 500cca...sears swapped it out...but said its a one time deal because its being used in an application it's not designed for...tried sellin me on a platinum auto battery, which was substantially cheaper and less capacity.

 

[890man]

You need to pull it out of your " boat " before taking it in for a replacement.

Typed using my thumbs.

 

[PDoyle]

Or walk in with it hanging from your arm, and don't specify what your using it for.
The sears guy worked it so I was fully refunded and then purchased another.
Got the 3 year warranty all over again. Sometimes they sit too long on the shelf at the store. Who buys them except for us. he he...

 

[snobdds]

This winter we've had some cold nights, around -35. The 88 was the only vehicle, that was left outside, that would start. It's has a platinum and the other don't...I know apples to oranges.

I have used them for a couple of years now and never had a problem.

 

[Sc0-]

Same here, running dual platinums in my cruiser and have a single about to be double platinum in another cruiser, both are a few years old and always flawless. I am running a Blue Sea 7622ML on my cruiser, manually rotated like a two way switch as needed. The other cruiser will be running a BEP720-MDVS, one day both will be wired in completely so the charge/maintaining of the spare battery will be autonomous. If I could fit one in my VW TDI so it wouldn't be a frankenstein, I would.

I do agree that the quality control on the platinums probably isn't of the same caliber as the Odyssey line, and that the platinums probably sit on the shelves longer and possibly handled more in the stores...

 

[jtaylor]

I am also running dual platinums in my 80,with an IBS management system. I am on my second deep cycle, replaced free of charge after about a year. Just put in the platinum starter a couple months ago. I have had one in my taco for a couple of years now with no problems. When I purchased my starter battery the sales guy said it had a nine year warranty!?! That blew my mind! So far so good!

 

[Fj60Ed]

Just grab an optima and call it a day.

 

[ncduckman]

I am on my second one as well. It just flat crapped out after a year. Brought it in, got a new one, and the warranty was reset. Hopefully it will last?

 

[duggy]

Just grab an optima and call it a day.

LOL! There's no way I'm stick an optima in my truck. They're junk now days

I don't daily my truck which is why I haven't experienced this issue. If worse comes to worse I'll stick the DHP in the 2nd batt slot and get an Odyssey, but that's at the tail end of my list. I've got an axle job to do

 

[Fj60Ed]

i stand by optimas run them in everything i have , when i purchased my yellow top from interstate i tested it with the interstate tester on the dry cell setting, yellow top rated at 750cca , checked out at 1450cca, the interstate of the same category , 800cca. To everyman his own , ive never have EVE had a problem best battery in my opnion, had one in a truck for 8 years still going, Orbital isnt to bad either. Obviously diehards suck ahah

 

[rgsiii]

I have had very poor luck with both the Sears Diehard Platinums and the Optima batteries.

Don't know the cause of the Diehard problems. It has occurred in both of my dual battery 80's and in my single battery Sequoia. I believe every battery in both 80's and the Sequoia has been replaced in less than 2 years, some in less than a few months.

 

[Fj60Ed]

Man sounds like a parasitic draw , killing the battery. Ever check?

 

[PDoyle]

Could be shorting out on the hood.