Interstate batteries

[jddrawbar]

Same here Bill, with all the rolling stock around here, batteries are a big issue. The only good service I've ever gotten was with JD Strongbox batteries. 14 years on my primary loader tractor. They are pricey, but give good service. Latest battery was a Deka, I'll see how that works out.

 

[Roger in Iowa]

TSC batteries now say by Interstate.

 

[Texasmark]

How long do your tractors sit between runnings? If it's a long time then don't blame the battery. I used to have short battery life on lots of my things including road vehicles till I started using battery maintainers....trickle chargers on the ones that sit. Amazing how my battery expense has literally disappeared! I get them off ebay for a song. Probably have a dozen of them and run extension cords to power them out to locations where equipment is parked without electricity.

 

[Blackhole49]

Have you tried hydrogen peroxide?

 

[caterpillar guy]

Never had good luck with interstate batteries and had pretty good time with Deka or Exides.

 

[DoubleO7]

Did you try charging it after you got it out of the tractor?

I have had a battery or two that would not take a charge because the battery to cable contact surface needed a good cleaning.

 

[Crazy Horse]

For information and for what it's worth, here is some website info from 2019 (probably hasn't changed much). Mind you, any one of the three manufacturers could make whatever their customer wanted for price and quality. Here's the info ....

Car Battery Brands

Most aftermarket car batteries sold in the U.S. are made by three companies that build them for retailers: Johnson Controls, which supplies more than half of the market; Exide; and East Penn. May 20, 2019

Most of the names you can buy at regular stores are made by the 3 listed.

 

[Kansas4010]

My 4010 needed new batteries a little while ago. Went to the JD dealer to get two new ones. While I was putting them in the car the parts guy said Interstate now makes jd batteries. Said they were identical and could get them cheaper at the Interstate store. The 2510 batteries went bad a week or so later so I decided to try the Interstate. Got them home and set them right beside the new jd branded batteries I hadn't put in yet. The case looked identical so I got out my new battery tester. It prints the results and quite frankly the jd brand battery tested better. Before anyone brings it up yes the tester is on the cheap side. I just got it so can't testify to how accurate it is. I think I still have the slips. In the spring I needed batteries for the 4430. I decided to try Interstate. Not very impressed. I also put on brand new cables and the alternator is charging but the batteries barely start it and a couple times didn't without putting them on a charger. Just seems like one battery isn't up to the job. The other 4430 with 2 year old jd batteries cranks and starts no problem. I'm considering switching the batteries from one tractor to the other and see for sure if the batteries are really the issue.

 

[wore out]

''Interstate now makes jd batteries''

HUH? They don't even make their own batteries, they are a distribution company!

''Who Makes Interstate Batteries?

The Interstate battery system of America markets and distributes batteries as a privately owned firm does. However, these Interstate batteries are products of Brookfield and Exide Technologies. Founded in 1952, the company also markets motorcycles, lawnmowers, marine/RV, mobility, and other lines of batteries.

These batteries were formerly a product of Johnson Controls, a firm that manufactures about 65% of the marine, truck, and automotive batteries marketed in the United States. Nevertheless, Brookfield and Exide Technologies recently partnered with Interstate Battery System and are now the sole producers of these batteries.''

 

[Kansas4010]

You might want to check how current your
information is. The company your talking
about no longer exists. Exide declared
bankruptcy in 2020. It was broken up and
sold off.

 

[Stephen Newell]

I had one that lasted about six months and I took it back and got another for free. Took it home and the new one wouldn't take a charge so I took it back and got another and about two months later it quit. I was done at that point so went to walmart and got what I used to call a neverstart battery. That was in 2014 and I'm still using the walmart battery.

 

[jimg.allentown]

As of 2020, there were only 3 manufacturers of batteries in the US. Exide, Johnson Controls, and Deka (East Penn manufacturing). As of the end of 2020, Exide went into bankruptcy and was subsequently liquidated and sold off. That leaves 2.
So, as it stands, Interstate is just a BRAND, and could be from EITHER manufacturer. You could very well be getting the same battery from the same manufacturer at Wal-Mart - or John Deere.
Also note that no manufacturer would intentionally damage their own reputation my making inferior products deliberately.

 

[L.C.]

The savings on batteries has paid for my Battery Tenders.

 

[DoubleO7]

Exide, the brand is still out there.
Likely made in India as some company based there bought the battery brand and/or it's assets.