Bad Interstate battery

marcsbigfoot20b27 wrote:
The real question here is why does a 2 month old battery boil out only one cell?

If one cell on a good battery is low as in exposed plates, will this cause it to boil out more? IE sulfur smell.

Sounds like a defective cell.

^^BINGO^^

YO Doug, act your age, not your shoe size. I understand your upset but the name calling has to stop.
I respect the fact that you are a master RV tech with years of experience. I'd like to keep that respect, period!

Yep and distributors used to be savvy about battery problems. Times they are chngin' especially when minimum wage employees get involved.

When I worked for an Interstate Dealer there was very little question on how the battery was used or maintained. Just need something to verify the in use date to qualify and the battery was swapped. Having a happy customer was far more important than to squabble over anything else.

The major vendor I contracted to would never question a customer over a dry cell. One sniff confirms the presence of H2S hydrogen sulfide which is red-handed proof the battery is bad. Manufacturer's defect. This defect occurs most commonly within the first 60 days. GNB batteries proved to be catastrophic for this defect along with ALCO batteries. Both were dropped like a hot rock.

With regard to Trojan and Rolls, these people have personnel that answer questions about battery failure. Interstate relies upon the knowledge of their distributors which in turn is passed on to their vendors (businesses who retail the product).

A battery that is ill-maintenanced and exposes the plates will have its lifespan reduced. Uncontrolled overcharging can gas all of the water but little of the H2SO4. This destroys the battery -- all of the cells. The sulfur smell comes when concentrated sulfuric acid attacks the bottom of the plates. Sulfuric acid concentrate can reach gravities above 4.0

Let's say the battery I just purchased takes a dump under warranty down here. I need another battery just to get to Costco. So I buy one. When I get to Costco I get MONEY not excuses. I can go to the tire dept and snag another battery or go on a shopping spree or take the money and run. Try that with a battery that you bought somewhere else.

My toad provides utter paradise for a battery

Mild temperatures

Gear reduction starter motor

Never cycled. EVER! No radio no lights left on.

Less than eight milliamps parasitic draw.

A voltage finish rate in the mid thirteens. The ECU gives voltage readings like a roller coaster but in the end the battery will go a few years without needing water. Until I encountered a Johnson Controls broken through-wall-connector and a Gonorrhea imitation battery, the batteries lasted an average of 8+ years.

That means this battery should be a Lifetime Battery at my age.

The real question here is why does a 2 month old battery boil out only one cell?

If one cell on a good battery is low as in exposed plates, will this cause it to boil out more? IE sulfur smell.

Sounds like a defective cell.

dougrainer wrote:
I Stated that it is up to the Retail dealer to verify condition of battery. IF there is evidence of fault/misuse, then Interstate trusts the dealer to NOT do a warranty claim. Unless the cells are dry or low or case is cracked from freezing, there is no other way to verify that the customer did something to cause the failure, hence the no questions asked part of the warranty. 6 volt RV deep cycle have a 1 year warranty except the PF series 6 volt which is the 6 month warranty. Letting just 1 cell get low is an area that Interstate has never denied a claim by us. Doug

No, you said "no questions asked. PERIOD." That's not part of the warranty, and any dealer is at least going to ask what's wrong with it.

The OP already said a cell was low. So, unless he refills the cell after the fact and fails to tell that to the dealer, the warranty is gone. Placing a warranty claim for a battery which was obviously not properly maintained is fraud, plain and simple, whether it's the consumer or a dealer.

mike-s wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
1. Interstate 12 volt DEEP Cycle RV batteries have a 1 year no questions asked free replacement. PERIOD

You say that as if it's true. It isn't, you're making it up and being emphatically wrong. Here's what's actually in the warranty:

Interstate Battery Warranty wrote:
This limited warranty does not cover batteries that are merely discharged, or that are damaged due to abuse, neglect, misuse, fire, accident, collision, explosion, freezing, theft, overcharging, alteration, improper installation, use of special additives, unauthorized attempt to repair, or failure to keep the battery properly maintained.

Letting a cell get low on electrolyte is a failure to do proper maintenance. PERIOD.

I Stated that it is up to the Retail dealer to verify condition of battery. IF there is evidence of fault/misuse, then Interstate trusts the dealer to NOT do a warranty claim. Unless the cells are dry or low or case is cracked from freezing, there is no other way to verify that the customer did something to cause the failure, hence the no questions asked part of the warranty. 6 volt RV deep cycle have a 1 year warranty except the PF series 6 volt which is the 6 month warranty. Letting just 1 cell get low is an area that Interstate has never denied a claim by us. Doug

OP is gone.

dougrainer wrote:
1. Interstate 12 volt DEEP Cycle RV batteries have a 1 year no questions asked free replacement. PERIOD

You say that as if it's true. It isn't, you're making it up and being emphatically wrong. Here's what's actually in the warranty:

Interstate Battery Warranty wrote:
This limited warranty does not cover batteries that are merely discharged, or that are damaged due to abuse, neglect, misuse, fire, accident, collision, explosion, freezing, theft, overcharging, alteration, improper installation, use of special additives, unauthorized attempt to repair, or failure to keep the battery properly maintained.

Letting a cell get low on electrolyte is a failure to do proper maintenance. PERIOD.

1. Interstate 12 volt DEEP Cycle RV batteries have a 1 year no questions asked free replacement. PERIOD
2. It is up to the Retailers to verify the failure and Interstate trusts them to do that. Boiling out 1 cell would not be a customer caused issue. When batteries boil from time or failure, they usually boil all 6 evenly, until the plates are exposed and then there will be a difference
3. The poster that stated he(dealer) dropped Interstate because of problems. Don't believe a word of his story
4. We have sold Interstate for 30 years and yes, you get the occasional failure. ALL products will have failures. But, I have and all others at the Dealership have Interstate's in their personnel vehicles when they needed replacement and I would never have another brand battery
5. I will doublecheck, by my understanding of Interstate 6 volt deep cycle batteries are 6 months warranty.
6. Check other brands, but Interstate will replace ALL batteries in a battery bank if just one fails under warranty.
7. RV batteries will last almost forever, IF YOU MAINTAIN THEM ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS.
8. Very few People maintain their RV batteries as required and when they fail, they blame everyone else except themselves. Doug