Sears Die Hard Platinum discounts every month!

[Salue]

We should probably start a new thread on this particular topic.

...Thinking out loud, I wonder if the dual batt charging system contributed to the demise of my aux battery.

I've had dual Marine platinums (starting and auxiliary) for over 2 years and have yet to have a problem. Maybe you are correct in thinking it's the dual batt charging system causing the failure. I'm only using the Blue Seas battery switch from West Marine (BLUE SEA SYSTEMS Switch at West Marine) so I rarely am using the aux since everything is wired to the main and it is never being charged unless I turn the switch to combine or just to aux.

Salue

 

[alia176]

Truth be told, I'm not sure what's cooking our Aux battery! Is it the inrush current of the solenoid after the vehicle starts up? Or is it something else, not sure. Beno and I have the same dual batt system. Head scratcher this one.....

Sears is doing their job of replacing our batts. However, do keep in mind that the warranty period is NOT starting fresh from the new battery installation date; it continues from the original date of purchase.

I am diligent about topping off the deep cycle batts by using a trickle charger every so often on both batts. Still, these batts may not like something in our charging system.

 

[CJF]

We should probably start a new thread on this particular topic.

My aux battery died after two years of use but not abuse. My dual batt system is the Wrangler system which uses a 200 amp solenoid, pretty simple but effective. Thinking out loud, I wonder if the dual batt charging system contributed to the demise of my aux battery. My symptoms were battery voltage at 10 volts even after a proper charge (on vehicle or off vehicle). I guess I dropped a cell?

It'd be interesting to start a poll on this.

I'm currently chasing issues with my aux battery.

 

[Jacket]

I've got 3 years with my Die Hard Platinum 34M in the aux location, and no issues as of yet (knocking on wood). I've replaced a National Luna isolator along the way, but the battery seems to be doing well.

 

[CJF]

I've replaced a National Luna isolator along the way.

How did you diagnose that?

Curtis

 

[HomersCanyonero]

I went into my local Costco and they didn't know what I was talking about with non-orbital/Optima AGM batteries. Maybe Costco in bigger cities carries an AGM battery other than Optima. Any AGM battery is going to be around $200 or more. If the battery is $75, it's a wet lead acid battery.

I didn't mean to imply that the Costo Kirkland was AGM...it's not. I meant to say that I instead opted to get a wet lead acid battery for $75 (Group 65 is 850 cca's).

Also, it's interesting to hear that some Sears DHP are failing when used as the auxiliary battery. So, what's one to do when leaving the city? Maybe a solar recharger would be good.

 

[Black Rhino 13]

Gotcha. Yeah, similar CCA's for $75 is pretty good.

I noticed during my brief research that one of the primary uses of AGM batteries is in off-the-grid solar powered homes and such. Yeah, to take this concept one step further, a solar panel would be handy for backup. It does seem like the battery technology is pretty solid. I mean, military, aviation, solar powered homes, etc... That's not for R&D, those are serious end users. I would put a few nickels down on something in those folks' dual battery systems causing the problem with those DHP batteries.

At least that 4 year 100% replacement warranty gives you plenty of time to diagnose system issues.

 

[Jacket]

How did you diagnose that?

Curtis

The aux battery wasn't charging. Whether I waited for the 5 minutes to pass on the self-timer before the solenoid engaged, or I tried to override it, I never got the indicator to display a charge condition on the aux battery (and the yellow LED indicator on the unit never turned on). I emailed back and forth with NL support in S. Africa for a few days, and we concluded that the circuit board had failed in some way (probably shorted).

 

[Solid Taco]

So did you get a discount code yet? I'm in need for a new one and I tried a few online coupons but none worked. Cheers.

Cary

 

[Black Rhino 13]

The "Friends & Family Night" event for April 2011 hasn't been announced yet. Most likely it will be from 5 P.M. to 9 P.M. on Sunday April, 17th. I'll post it up when it's officially announced. It will be on Sears.com about a week before it happens.

 

[Solid Taco]

Thanks. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[Black Rhino 13]

Looks like 10% off batteries today!

Probably will be Sunday evening too but that's not confirmed yet. Too many other sales going on right now.

 

[SoCal_80]

My marine Sears Platinum took a dump in the aux position as well.

I had it replaced last week, no charge, from Sears.

Mine died also this past week only after 16 months. It is/was my primary battery (starting, fridge, etc). Sears replaced but a $$$$ battery should not fail that soon!

 

[Black Rhino 13]

I wouldn't know what to say about dead batteries if folks are killing these AGMs in their vehicles - except for going and buying the actual branded Odyssey batteries it doesn't seem like there is a better battery. I'm certainly no battery expert - I just enjoy finding good deals on good stuff. Maybe people aren't using them the way they're intended to be used? Any tool is only designed with a specific use in mind. If this fridge is running all the time, maybe it's killing the batteries? I thought RV fridges ran on propane? I'm sure this is why RVs use an electrical hookup when they park. I am naturally curious why people's AGM batteries are dying, though it doesn't seem common. It mostly seems to affect people with additional electronics like dual battery systems, fridges, etc... and still it's rare.

 

[Black Rhino 13]

Guy at Sears tonight said the Friends and Family discount night would be April 24th.

There was a battery discount today but it was only online. Does me no good as the batteries are more expensive online than in the store for some reason.

 

[Black Rhino 13]

I didn't mean to imply that the Costo Kirkland was AGM...it's not. I meant to say that I instead opted to get a wet lead acid battery for $75 (Group 65 is 850 cca's).

Also, it's interesting to hear that some Sears DHP are failing when used as the auxiliary battery. So, what's one to do when leaving the city? Maybe a solar recharger would be good.

Hey, my Costco has a set of solar panels for sale. Coleman, for camping. $200 I think.

 

[caanuck]

Just curious about how these secondary batteries have hooked up? I know there are many ways to hook up an aux battery, can you guys who's aux battery has failed share how they were hooked up at the time?

Sent from my iPod touch using Forum Runner

 

[Haring Bagsik]

SO if I was to put in a dual battery set up and I decided to go with the Sears Platinum, which group # should I get? And what's the difference between the platinum P2, P3, P4, P5? Which group and "P" should I get to run a dual battery set up? Thanks everyone....

 

[Black Rhino 13]

Simple answer is get the biggest one you can fit. Bigger battery = more CCAs, basically. If you want to use the stock battery trays unmodified you can measure the hole and measure the batteries in sears to keep it simple. I put the P-1/Group 34 in my stock location but the pos/neg are reversed so I had to do minor changes to get the stock cables to fit. Minor adaptation. Group 34 is 880 CCA. Some go with the bigger batteries and work to get them to fit to get more CCAs. I figured moving up from 480 to 880 CCAs was plenty for me. There are threads about that.

Stock replacement is: P-5/Group 35

P-5/Group 35 is 740 CCA

P-1/Group 34 is 880 CCA
P-4/Group 34 is 880 CCA with extra side terminals. AKA 78DT
P-2/Group 65 is 930 CCA

I found the larger question to be which battery management system to use. I did much more research on that topic and decided on Hellroaring Technologies' system. There are lots of opinions and threads on that also. I was swayed by what I read about Hellroaring, but it didn't hurt that they are located just up the road from me.

 

[VCCruzr]

Guy at Sears tonight said the Friends and Family discount night would be April 24th.

There was a battery discount today but it was only online. Does me no good as the batteries are more expensive online than in the store for some reason.

Yeah, I found out yesterday at lunch that only their motorcycle batteries were on sale but the guy at the counter totally hooked me up and gave me 10% off anyway plus he knocked off the $15 core charge. Very pleased with the service from Sears yesterday.