Costco Golf Cart batteries

As previously noted, only a couple of manufacturers are involved. However they produce a battery, with the customers label, that meets (usually) the specifications the customer contracted for. The label will state the capacity. It will also state the weight of the battery. No way to look at the plates, and I wouldn't know if one was better than the other, however the weight of the battery is a pretty good indication of the substance of the plates. I always choose the heaviest battery.

Thanks Mike, I am going to equalize them first, they have been sitting for 3 mos with no charge.

Gary, I usually go to Sam's on Thursday's. If I go I'll snap a pic of what they have.
If you ever want to borrow my card let me know.
I also go to BJ's but have never seen 6volt cart batteries there only 12v

crasster wrote:
Costco sells a great battery (consumer reports says so). However, I've been doing experiments with walmart batteries on a desulphator. I've had one for nearly 4 years now. :) I think desulphation is the way to go. It has also kept my coach house batts lasting a LONG while now.

I bought a Walmart starting battery the same time I bought the Sam's Club house batteries 10 years ago. My thinking was there are Walmarts every where I travel and I have replace 2 starting batteries on my tow car while traveling from WM. The only think I do is throw a HF maintenance charger on it if I don't use it for a while. Also I fully charge it in Dec with my 40 amp B&D charger then disconnect for the winter. I just started it yesterday. I have never had a car battery last more than 4 years but I just drive the car and never throw a charger on it.

Costco sells a great battery (consumer reports says so). However, I've been doing experiments with walmart batteries on a desulphator. I've had one for nearly 4 years now. :) I think desulphation is the way to go. It has also kept my coach house batts lasting a LONG while now.

I just installed 4x GC2 from Costco and they work great. Especially considering 83.99 price each. They said Interstate on them but seem to trace back as Trojan. (see thread in Tech Issues) This set replaces my same but 10 year old Costco batteries. Unless you really need to max out capacity or have some other special need.... Costco is a good battery at a good price.

BigRabbitMan wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:

RoyB wrote:
I just learned today that INTERSTATE Batteries just bought out the KIRKLAND GC2 6VDC battery line ...

Both Kirkland AND Interstate batteries are actually manufactured by other companies and the their label is applied.

While different brands may come from the same manufacturer and even the same production line, it doesn't follow that they are the same capacity or quality. Manufacturers build to specification or price point determined by a customer. I have worked in both equipment manufacturing and food processing industries and it is true in both of them.

That means that you must evaluate the end product and not the basic manufacturer. This applies to batteries, tires and vertually anything else.

How would you or any other customer evaluate these batteries?

theoldwizard1 wrote:

RoyB wrote:
I just learned today that INTERSTATE Batteries just bought out the KIRKLAND GC2 6VDC battery line ...

Both Kirkland AND Interstate batteries are actually manufactured by other companies and the their label is applied.

While different brands may come from the same manufacturer and even the same production line, it doesn't follow that they are the same capacity or quality. Manufacturers build to specification or price point determined by a customer. I have worked in both equipment manufacturing and food processing industries and it is true in both of them.

That means that you must evaluate the end product and not the basic manufacturer. This applies to batteries, tires and vertually anything else.

mike brez wrote:
Sams in West Haven has them on the right side as soon as you walk in the front door.
Not sure of the brand.

Yeah that is where I bought mine 10 years ago. Another RV friend is a Sam's Club member there. I paid $74 each and they are holding up well after 10 years but I think loosing a little capacity. I will try to equalize them first before replacing. I am very happy with the Sams Club batteries and got the impression that the Costco ones were the same. My first set were Trojan 105's they only lasted 4 years before I had to replace them and were much more expensive than Sams or Costco. I dry camp 95% of the time. What I learned is maintenance is more important than the brand of batteries.

Sams in West Haven has them on the right side as soon as you walk in the front door.
Not sure of the brand.