Forum Discussion

Sea_Dog's avatar
Sea_Dog
Explorer
May 06, 2014

Interstate Battery

Well, it did it again.

My class C has been in storage since Oct first.
Sat unattended through the coldest Canadian winter
in many years.

Went down yesterday and the unit, Ford 460,
started right up as though it had only been sitting an hour.

Why am I telling you this?
The battery was installed on June 8 1999.
It now has well over one hundred thousand miles on it!

Say what you like, I think this is amazing!

15 Replies

  • I use to really like Interstate. The newer ones just are not holding up. I wander what they have done that the qualitiy is not what it was.
  • I replaced my Motorcraft battery (original) in my F250, recently. I got 10 years, one month out of it. I have a 1500w sound system and Ford's bogus door switches that keep the interior light on, sometimes, while I'm away.
  • I'm not a battery designer, or engineer, or connected with any battery company. That said, I have talked with many people in the auto trades industry that swear by Interstate batteries where cold weather is a factor. Seems they are built for the lower edge in temperatures. I have used them in my Cube and gotten 8-10 years service. My coach batteries are now AGM's and have no track record. The chassis battery is a four year old Interstate, but gets regular charging, so can't speak to the holding charge time.
  • I feel old batteries are a live or die story. Not a battery but maybe you or a friend.

    chevman
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    My batteries were install in 2008/2009...

    I get the same result leaving my batteries on my OFF-ROAD RV. They are totally disconnected however...

    I fired them all up a couple weeks back after sitting since October last year unattended. Good for yet another season... These are the standard issue GP 24 Interstate batteries that usually come with the new trailer.

    I started out with four 85AH installed but I lost one right away in 2008 trying to keep the trailer plugged in all the time and it had a single mode converter/charger. Boiled the fluids out of one battery and it shorted internally. After that I installed a 4-stage converter/charger unit which did great from there on. Now here lately I have just been switching my batteries totally out of the circuit and let them set unattended for the winter season. They were charged to a full 100% when I disconnected them in October and last week when I tested them they were at 12.4VDC.

    They are back running off my trailer converter/charger now

    If I get my planned 120WATT Solar Panel installed for evaluation this season that will become my battery tender over the winter months

    Roy Ken

About RV Tips & Tricks

Looking for advice before your next adventure? Look no further.25,138 PostsLatest Activity: Jun 06, 2025