Northern Tools now

[wjytexas]

I just got back from Northern Tools in Buda TX. I was there to buy a battery for one of my tractors and had the old battery for core. The lady at the register wasn't going to accept it because it wasn't an Interstate like the new one. I told her that was a new rule to me and prepared to walk out. She got the manager and all ended well for me. It's a struggle out there. Whine whine whine.

 

[Russ from MN]

Wow, she was being fussy, maybe new on the job? I think the law is as long as you bring in a battery, anything is good enough. I usually take in a small motorcycle or 4-wheeler battery, we buy them online where you don't need to send one back. So, when I buy a big battery, I take in a small one and then sell the big ones that are junk for scrap, $8 to $10. L&M Supply just has a dumpster outside for the old one, and they take your word for it at the checkout. At Menards you have to take the core battery to the service return desk, and they give you credit for it, but they don't care how big it is.

 

[rrlund]

Wow, she was being fussy, maybe new on the job? I think the law is as long as you bring in a battery, anything is good enough. I usually take in a small motorcycle or 4-wheeler battery, we buy them online where you don't need to send one back. So, when I buy a big battery, I take in a small one and then sell the big ones that are junk for scrap, $8 to $10. L&M Supply just has a dumpster outside for the old one, and they take your word for it at the checkout. At Menards you have to take the core battery to the service return desk, and they give you credit for it, but they don't care how big it is.

Well, now she knows. Live and learn.

 

[GChief]

Well, now she knows. Live and learn.

They need something to complain about

 

[TerryfromSWIowa]

Just a power trip, never had to exchange size for size. Glad you got a manager involved

 

[GChief]

Just a power trip

Really? No chance she just didn't know?

I would be comfortable putting $$ on which one of us is correct

 

[wh]

Here it has to be at least very similar. Needed a battery last year and had no core. Had a lawnmower battery core. Took it and store said nope. Had to be regular size to accept as core.

 

[Russ from MN]

Here it has to be at least very similar. Needed a battery last year and had no core. Had a lawnmower battery core. Took it and store said nope. Had to be regular size to accept as core.

I guess I'm lucky, I turn in a little MC battery and buy a big deep cycle! Maybe the store sells them for scrap, and a small one is only worth a couple of dollars, whereas a big one is $8-10. I don't know who enforces the rules, but the core charge is $10-15 depending on the area.

 

[rrlund]

I guess I'm lucky, I turn in a little MC battery and buy a big deep cycle! Maybe the store sells them for scrap, and a small one is only worth a couple of dollars, whereas a big one is $8-10. I don't know who enforces the rules, but the core charge is $10-15 depending on the area.

Same here. If I've got one that's just a little sketchy but will still stay up to run the cattle scales for half a day or something, I'll turn in some old thing that's bulged from being frozen or whatever, no matter the size.

 

[504]

Scrap ones are barely worth the price of fuel to haul them in. They are paying.11 a pound here

 

[Hobo,NC]

I cut the post off all my cores my battery man does not balk about that. He never seams to be upset if I don't have a core when he writes a invoice he always gives me a core credit. As for the driver of a battery truck I suspect he gets noting from a core except a sore back. There is no doubt on the return trip money is made off a core are they would not haul cores around.

 

[NoDakInMN]

She is probably new and got confused on cores and returns. She was likely told that the returns had to be the same make and model and thought that applied to cores as well.

 

[john in la]

While a battery can be recycled I suspect the core charge is state mandated to keep the batteries out of the landfill.

My battery store sells seconds. 60-70 dollars a battery with a 90 day warranty. The core doesn’t have to be the same group but it has to be the same type. A lawn mower battery can not be used as a core for a car battery.

 

[used red MN]

I cut the post off all my cores my battery man does not balk about that. He never seams to be upset if I don't have a core when he writes an invoice he always gives me a core credit. As for the driver of a battery truck I suspect he gets noting from a core except a sore back. There is no doubt on the return trip money is made off a core are they would not haul cores around.

What do you use the cut off lead posts for? If you save it and sell it as scrap lead you just beat out the guy I know that I titled “most frugal”

 

[TerryfromSWIowa]

Really? No chance she just didn't know?

I would be comfortable putting $$ on which one of us is correct

If she did not know I think she would have asked before denying.

 

[GChief]

If she did not know I think she would have asked before denying.

If you say so

But hey, let's jump straight to the "power trip" judgement

 

[TerryfromSWIowa]

I did and you did not, it is a discussion I agree to disagree.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

She is probably new and got confused on cores and returns. She was likely told that the returns had to be the same make and model and thought that applied to cores as well.

And may have thought that a mistake on her part would come out of her paycheck.

 

[GChief]

I did and you did not, it is a discussion I agree to disagree.

And its telling

 

[moresmoke]

While a battery can be recycled I suspect the core charge is state mandated to keep the batteries out of the landfill.

My battery store sells seconds. 60-70 dollars a battery with a 90 day warranty. The core doesn’t have to be the same group but it has to be the same type. A lawn mower battery can not be used as a core for a car battery.

In most cases yes, the recycling program is mandated by the state. Same as for tires. My experience has been similar that car/truck/tractor batteries are in a different class from lawnmower or powersport batteries. Here lawnmower batteries have their own corecharge and powersport batteries are not included in any program.

Ususally everyone on this site yearns for yesteryear, but on this topic must have forgotten the mountains of hazardous waste that some people used to leave behind.