Duracell Batteries

Serbonze

Serbonze

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Last week the Jeep wouldn't start. No clicking, nothing. I tried again a few minutes later and it started right up. Weird, but okay.

My wife went to take out the Jeep last night and it wouldn't start. I tried again, nothing, and it wouldn't start this morning either. I hooked up some jumper cables and it started right up. I couldn't remember ever changing the battery since we bought it in July of 2012, and in Florida batteries don't last very long so it kind of made sense. I've also added a winch, so it was probably time for a new one anyway.

I can't tell you how many times I've been under the hood, and even changed the terminal connectors and all of the wires and never actually noticed the brand of the battery.

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Who the hell knew that Duracell made auto batteries?? Certainly not me.

For those wondering, I replaced it with a Duralast Platinum which is an AGM battery.
 
Actually I knew about the Duracell batteries for years now because I put one in my M3. But I agree, most people probably would not even know they made them.
 
One thing I found when doing extensive research on automotive batteries, is that there is something like 5 or 6 total manufacturers of batteries (for autos) in the world. The majority of batteries are all made by one of these manufacturers and then re-branded with their own name.

The same can be said about a lot of things actually. Makes perfect sense too, because it wouldn't exactly be cheap to setup your own battery manufacturing plant.
 
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Chris said:
Actually I knew about the Duracell batteries for years now because I put one in my M3. But I agree, most people probably would not even know they made them.
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I had no idea. I looked it up on my phone, and the only place that I could find that sells them is Sam's Club. Is that the same in Oregon?

billiebob said:
I swear by DieHard... even before Bruce Willis made it famous.
I remember how gorgeous his wife was in Ghost too.
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I looked for the Diehard Platinum, but no stores within 50 miles had it and they don't ship it.
 
Well I went to start the Jeep this morning, and once again it didn't start. :mad:

It took two more tries and then it started.
 
The Diehard Platinum is no longer available, the only way to get that battery now is from Odyssey, its manufacturer.

So what does it do when it won't start? Does the starter crank the engine normally but the engine just won't start? Or does the starter just click when you turn the key to Start?
 
Serbonze said:
I had no idea. I looked it up on my phone, and the only place that I could find that sells them is Sam's Club. Is that the same in Oregon?
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Actually here in Oregon I've seen them two places. Walmart and these battery speciality stores called Batteries Plus.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
The Diehard Platinum is no longer available, the only way to get that battery now is from Odyssey, its manufacturer.

So what does it do when it won't start? Does the starter crank the engine normally but the engine just won't start? Or does the starter just click when you turn the key to Start?
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Hmmm...maybe it was old stock then. There was a store somewhere near Orlando that was showing it in stock. Honestly, I didn't call to verify so it could have been an error in their inventory database. What are you using these days?

Yesterday I turned the key all interior lights, gauges, and radio came on but nothing else happenEd (no click, no crank, etc). When I got the jumper cables hooked up it started immediately. Then I took it and replaced the battery. This morning I turned the key again with the same result as user day. I then tried a second time with the same result, but the third time and it started right up. I have on my list to check/do this week:

Starter fuse
Starter relay
Check/clean firewall and block grounds
Research solenoid failures
Research starter failures
Research ignition switch actuator pin failures
 
I'm still using my Diehard Platinum, I bought it before Odyssey decided to stop making it for Sears Diehard.

Your list of things to try looks right on, it sure sounds like a bad/intermittent connection somewhere. Check the major ground connections and the connection to the battery. If you have a helper, monitor the battery and starter voltages at the starter while someone turns the key to start. If both voltages stay at 12 volts, either the starter is bad or the connection at the starter is bad. If both voltages drop when the key is in the Start position, you've got a bad connection at or close to the battery.

If +12v doesn't show up on the smaller gauge wire at the starter motor connector when the key is in the Start position, that could be caused by a bad actuator pin or bad ignition switch.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
I'm still using my Diehard Platinum, I bought it before Odyssey decided to stop making it for Sears Diehard.

Your list of things to try looks right on, it sure sounds like a bad/intermittent connection somewhere. Check the major ground connections and the connection to the battery. If you have a helper, monitor the battery and starter voltages at the starter while someone turns the key to start. If both voltages stay at 12 volts, either the starter is bad or the connection at the starter is bad. If both voltages drop when the key is in the Start position, you've got a bad connection at or close to the battery.

If +12v doesn't show up on the smaller gauge wire at the starter motor connector when the key is in the Start position, that could be caused by a bad actuator pin or bad ignition switch.
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Thanks Jerry. I agree that it seems like a bad connection. I just need the time to get into the garage and start digging into it.
 
Was pretty faithful to Johnson controls, until they started manufacturing Optimas in Mexico. When time comes to upgrade and install winch, probably try another Deka AGM type...
 
Francis Perry said:
Was pretty faithful to Johnson controls, until they started manufacturing Optimas in Mexico. When time comes to upgrade and install winch, probably try another Deka AGM type...
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I agree with you 100%. Optima is garbage now, and I know @Jerry Bransford will agree with me, as well as many others.

Now I always look at Odyssey as being the best bet, though I'm sure there are others.
 
I think my Super Starter AGM was manufactured by East Penn.
 
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