# Battery Choice -- Opinions, Please



## MUTiger72 (Sep 7, 2010)

I have two STX38 John Deere tractors. One has an EverStart battery (possibly from WalMart) that shows a manufactured in "MAR 09" sticker on it. It looked terrible when I removed it from the tractor: it had lots or corrosion on the terminals and was generally covered in oily dirt. In fact, the positive terminal bolt and nut were corroded to almost nothing! I have slow-charged it and it now shows 12.9 volts at rest. It says 275 CCA (cold cranking amps) on the specificaton sticker The other is a DieHard that looked better, but was also low at the time I got it. Apparently this one was in a tractor with a blown engine that hadn't run in awhile. I also cleaned it up and slow-charged it. It now reads 12.83 volts. It says 340 CCA on the specification sticker. It has a manufacture date of 03/06 (March 2006.)
Both voltage readings were taken after overnight rest after charging the previous day. 
I will keep one of the batteries. Opinions please: which battery is a "keeper" and why -- the older DieHard or the newer EverStart?
thanks,
Jim
Webster Groves, MO


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Either one would suit me, but if I had to choose, I'd opt for the newer battery, the Everstart. But that's just me.


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

From what you describe, I'd go for the WM Everstart. Neither WM or Sears make their own batteries. Both Co's buy private label from a battery mfgr. The mfgr they buy from may be different depending upon location in the country.

The Sears battery has some age and as you said had been sitting for a while. Not know how long "for a while" was, there could be some sulfate issues that are hard to recover from.


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## KevPH (Oct 1, 2008)

Take "both" batteries to your local auto parts store for a free load test. Make your choice, the keeper, from the results.


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