Battery acid crud on top of battery

dodge guy wrote:
There are only about 3 or 4 battery manuf. each seller puts their name on the battery.
Yes they are all junk, even the new AGM’s don’t last much more than 3-4 years. I bought one of the newer AGM’s for my Excursion 10 years ago. It was still in it and working perfect when I sold it in March!

I think it's luck of the draw for the most part and selective memory for some. I don't remember NOT having to replace batteries, either my dad in the 80's or myself once I was growed up, in the 90s until now.

I can think of 2 instances of "bad" batteries" in the last 20 years or so. 01 Ram, original battery went to battery heaven 3 years later.
Optima Red tops, bought one for the boat, lasted a year, got warranty new one, thought maybe because I just unhooked it from the boat for about 4 months an no maintainer it died. Got a total of 4 batteries for the price of 1, each a year apart basically and #2 and 3 were maintained religiously in the boat. Battery #4 got pulled and put into the old Jeep, got neglected mostly, never driven, charged, once in a while then never for a few years. It lasted 7 years? or so. Same time, a new, maintained, yellow top bit the dust in under 2 years.

Those aside, I can think of a dozen or more batteries that lasted as long or are still going longer than they should right now. Including the 2 original batteries in the 07 Ram. They got the RTV treatment for leaky posts at about 6 years old. Got swapped for a couple used AGMs that needed a home at 7 years but still worked ok at that point.
Those 2 "used" Odyssey AGMs are still in the truck now and they started life in the boat in 2008 and 2010 iirc.