370Z Battery Life Expectancy

kenchan

np, and thanks for that black&decker link. i wasn't aware of an alternative to the battery tender. this gives us more options.

i have a trusty black&decker 120v air pump for my tires and it's been rock-solid for 5-6yrs.

Huan'z

I feel good on black and Decker. I bought a jump starter with tire inflation still good 5 years already. Got it at Walmart. That thing helps me a lot. Last week my z and my 2011 daily car got dead battery. Thanks to that jump starter I never stuck outside the road. Will Make sure keep my new battery healthy this time.

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SouthArk370Z

To sum it up:
A charger is designed to recharge a battery over a relatively short period of time. Uses high current which generates heat that can damage the battery. Can generate a significant amount of Hydrogen in a short period of time. Great for shops where time is of the essence and any damage to the battery just means a battery sale sooner.

A trickle charger does the same thing as a charger only at lower current. Less heat; longer charging time. Hydrogen produced at a lower rate that can dissipate easier. As has been mentioned, they can damage a battery if used for extended periods. The best bet for most consumers who just need to recharge a battery every now and then. Less expensive than a full-blown charger and easier on the battery, plus lees chance of explosion. It just takes a little longer.

A battery tender (AKA float charger) isn't really designed to charge a battery (they will, just at a very slow rate) but to maintain the charge over a long period of time. For all intents and purposes, zero heat and Hydrogen (but you still want to provide some ventilation to be safe). For long-term storage (RVs, boats, cars, &c).

The lines between the different types can get blurry. There are tenders that can put out as much current as a trickle charger and many chargers have a low current setting that acts like a trickle charger.

Hope that helps.

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kenchan

ive charged my battery with the battery tender. it's just lower power and takes longer vs a standard charger.

for instance when i bought my Z, first thing i did when i got home was plug the battery into the battery tender. it had to charge almost 18hrs before it would float. means how low the charge was when the car was "new" and just sitting on the lot for about 3wks.

car was manfuactured in june09, landed in the usa in july09, arrived at my dealer first week of august, bought by me 2wks later.

Huan'z

I think the black and Decker will do the job. Since it was automatic switch to float mode. I just need to unplug it once in a while. Not bad to stuck outside the road and draining your phone battery to call friends or family for help. 😊

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mults

Keep buying the Stanley Black & Decker ones as I work for one of their divisions in Cleveland .

FWIW, I've used a Battery Tender Plus for over 10 years, and they have always kept the battery charged over the winter. I don't think it matters which one you use, as long as they maintain the "float" level.

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mults
40th Anniversary 'Z', 312.06HP/260.58TQ (Dynosty EcuTek Tune)
Build Date/Number: 1/27/2010 #706
Berk HFC + CBE, R2C CAI, Clear Bra, Cleveland Z Club

wdkwang

4 years old. 42k dd miles. Going strong

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Spooler

They will evaporate and kill a battery with the quickness. I suggest checking the water level of the battery every oil change. I normally will have to add once a year. Low water/acid level will kill a battery quick. Add distilled water. Fill each cell to the bottom of where the plastic starts, not to the top. I checked my battery when I got the car a couple of weeks ago. It was low, I think I got it in time.

kenchan

My G's battery is 10yrs old this month. With proper maintenance still cranking strong.

gr8-wrx

My battery lasted less than 3 years. I don't drive much, though (ZR is my weekend car). After buying my new battery, I bought a Battery Tender Plus.

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Weekends: 2010 Nissan 370z Roadster

Array

2 years 21K miles going strong, no slow start-ups, Chicago area.

MJB

I still have the stock OEM battery in my 09, still cranks strong. Then again I had the battery in storage for almost 2 years so I'm sure it has a lot of life left in it.

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09 Nismo #0483 sold. Viper or C7 next time around.

nomodsjk

My 370z is a 2011 and had 32000 miles when the battery went dead. Replaced it with a yellow top optima

TheGreatOne

3 years...

During winter its been on a trickle charger for 5 months at a time.
My Cup Suspension drained the battery twice

So that could have altered the live.

Went with an Optima Yellow Top as well....starts are so strong now!

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2008 E60 M5 - SOLD
2010 40th Anniversary 370Z - SOLD (and missing her)

sofaonasock

Battery has 36 month replacement and 84 month pro-rated warranty.

After 5.5 years and 50,500 miles, I replaced it with a Wal-Mart 36 month replacement and 60 month pro-rated warranty battery, manufactured by Johnson Controls. (same manufacturer as Sears Die Hard)

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09 370Z Sports Touring 6MT