Costo Interstate Battery best price/performance of any Flooded Lead Acid Battery?

Hey Sunking,
I've just retired a set of Costco GC batts after 5 years of service. It seems that for my system, I probably hit a calender failure before a cycle life failure. Looking into T105re, but at a projected life span of 8-10 years, current prices tell me I'd need 15 years to eek out any long-term cost advantage over the Interstate GC2. I've run two sets of the latter in an off-grid duplex simultaneously with identical systems with nearly identical outcomes in capacity and performance declines at 5 years. I replaced one set with another from Costco already and am getting around to the other.

I realize that other systems will vary, but at my real-world DOD rate at 10%/ day with a few periods discharging at 30% DOD, the GC2 has been a value, I think. These were my first sets of batteries and we live on the system full time. Can anyone give me a concrete reason that, in my particular case, the T105re would be a better deal than the Interstate? The price difference after shipping is just under 3x more for the Trojan. Would you bet on 15 years for some carbon mystery oil and magic paste from Trojan? Based on Sunking's calendrical life expectancy, I'm not so sure. I know what I got from the cheaper batteries.

[Sunking]

Thanks but that doesn't solve the problem.

What problem? If you give ignorant, stupid, dangerous, or bad advice, you will get corrected. If you do not like it, leave.

As for the Mods, well it is like this IMO. They know me, and what I am driving at. They know it is not personal. When I am absent, they email me personally asking what might be wrong, and they can use some help on some threads with giving bad or dangerous advice. I help a lot of people willing to learn and listen. Saved countless people a lot of money and frustration. People come here looking for me. I have no patience for ignorance or fools.

Perhaps your skin is thin.

[J.P.M.]

Thanks but that doesn't solve the problem. He infects most threads on this forum whether I ignore him or not. He drives away a lot of new members who are just looking for some helpful advice. This guy who many people have a problem with should receive a nice long ban IMHO. If he hasn't learned his lesson after that he should be removed permanently. That's what it would take for me to be a regular participant here. I'm guessing many others feel the same.

Folks start out welcome or at least neutral here. Some are just plain ornery and dangerous in the incorrect information they seem to want to bloviate about and get banned, or just move on.

Seems to me mods are more tolerant of misinformation than some others might think wise, but in such cases erring on the side of toleration and also allowing some frank reality from informed posters is, on balance, probably a better way to increase the flow of information provided the bad information is caught and corrected.

Also seems to me that a lot of the time those corrected for bad, incorrect and/or unsafe statements confuse being called out for errors/misconceptions with verbal abuse. Many of us learn the difference in our teens.

Some folks never do.

All of us have things we don't like. None of us have our feet nailed to the floor so it's easy to move on if we don't like how the game is run. You seem done as much by writing, in a prior post, that you've given up on this forum. Apparently you've changed your mind ?

[sdold]

You beat me to it, I deleted that post to re-do it and add a couple of things: First was that I hope you stay and give the ignore feature a try, and second, the reason those kind of folks are tolerated here is because the info they provide significantly outweighs the abuse. I understand your frustration, I guess I've just learned over the years to not take posts like that personally.

Edit: There's another reason one particular individual is tolerated, and it's because he is good at sifting through posts and picking out code violations and unsafe practices. I don't mind taking some flaming here if it means not burning down my house. That was pretty good, flaming, not burning my house down.

[hammick]

If you'd like to remain on the forum and avoid seeing posts by any user, you can try the "ignore" feature. Here's how:

(From the Help files)

How do I ignore another member?

If there are particular members that are bothering you and you do not wish to see their posts or receive Private Messages from them, then you can add these members to your 'Ignore List'.

In the top right of the forum, click your Username. A dropdown menu will appear and from here you need to select 'User Settings'. On the page that appears, click 'Account' and scroll to the bottom. In the text area next to 'Ignore List', enter the Usernames of users that you want to Ignore.

Thanks but that doesn't solve the problem. He infects most threads on this forum whether I ignore him or not. He drives away a lot of new members who are just looking for some helpful advice. This guy who many people have a problem with should receive a nice long ban IMHO. If he hasn't learned his lesson after that he should be removed permanently. That's what it would take for me to be a regular participant here. I'm guessing many others feel the same.

[hammick]

I gave up on this forum because of all the negativity of one member. We all know who I am talking about. Usually I would not let one person keep me away but the moderators won't reel him in. Too bad. I have a lot I could contribute here but I'm not going to open myself up to the constant abuse. Now if the mods would take care of the problem this would be a very productive forum with a lot more participation.

[azdave]

He did not start on page 1

No kidding?

[Sunking]

I happen to need batteries for my 36V golf cart so I started reading page 1 without noticing the date.

He did not start on page 1

[azdave]

Your very first post and you dig up a 3 year old thread.

That's how you know he's the new guy.

I happen to need batteries for my 36V golf cart so I started reading page 1 without noticing the date.

[Sunking]

Folks, whenever someone puts another down, to try & impress other bullies that he's "all that," is when all should give him the razz-berry & bail on his bragging butt. I am not impressed over a guy's credentials when he posts them to really jazz you about his level of 'whoa-boy' greatness - especially when his MSEE & PE status can't be verified - I didn't note that they were certificated. Got it, hotshot?

Your very first post and you dig up a 3 year old thread.

[SunEagle]

Folks, whenever someone puts another down, to try & impress other bullies that he's "all that," is when all should give him the razz-berry & bail on his bragging butt. I am not impressed over a guy's credentials when he posts them to really jazz you about his level of 'whoa-boy' greatness - especially when his MSEE & PE status can't be verified - I didn't note that they were certificated. Got it, hotshot?
And just to show what a blowhard BS artist Mr. "First mistake is you are assuming the battery is 208 AH which is dead ass wrong" actually is: I bought four 6V GC2 batteries from Costco April 2010; they were Kirkland label & were made by Johnson Controls. I installed them in my 5th wheel trailer series-parallel & via a 2000watt Magnum Inverter/Charger, powered a 32" color TV, DVD player, satellite antenna motor, two (2) high resistance heating pads simultaneously, multiple 12 volt lighting fixtures, a coffee maker, yada yada yada. They were labelled at 220Ah (which were more capacity than the Interstate replacements Costco now carries) & I just this week decided to replace them, because the solar panel-charged recovery was getting slower than I liked. IMHO, not bad for $76 each (in 2010) versus Trojan's price point. BTW, I was lazy & because I had to store my rig 30 minutes from home, I often forgot to go water them for 3 months at a time. My bad, or they might still be humming along. This is my first post, but I'm so tired of the braggart aspect we're having to put up with in our Federal gov't today, I just was rubbed the wrong way & had to put my 2 cents in, to let you know that - he doesn't know. If I had to put up with a "sparky" that came on like that with a client or even a team member on my projects (I'm an architect, but have no way to show you my diploma or licenses from 3 states) his ** would be pounding the bricks post haste.
Bill S. aka elkhair

Hello elkhair and welcome to Solar Panel Talk

Try not to let how people make comments here get to you because sometimes what they are trying to say is correct and needs to get the poster's attention even if it seems a bit rude.

Some people understand solar and battery systems but most do not and end up wasting their money building a system that does not perform as they expect.

Others build a system that works because they take the time to understand how to use it and maintain it. IMO most would kill of their first and second set of batteries due to over discharging them. They may learn or may not. Each has their own learning curve.

So hang in there and enjoy the forum. I am sure others will be interested in the details of your system and how you made it work.

[elkhair]

Folks, whenever someone puts another down, to try & impress other bullies that he's "all that," is when all should give him the razz-berry & bail on his bragging butt. I am not impressed over a guy's credentials when he posts them to really jazz you about his level of 'whoa-boy' greatness - especially when his MSEE & PE status can't be verified - I didn't note that they were certificated. Got it, hotshot?
And just to show what a blowhard BS artist Mr. "First mistake is you are assuming the battery is 208 AH which is dead ass wrong" actually is: I bought four 6V GC2 batteries from Costco April 2010; they were Kirkland label & were made by Johnson Controls. I installed them in my 5th wheel trailer series-parallel & via a 2000watt Magnum Inverter/Charger, powered a 32" color TV, DVD player, satellite antenna motor, two (2) high resistance heating pads simultaneously, multiple 12 volt lighting fixtures, a coffee maker, yada yada yada. They were labelled at 220Ah (which were more capacity than the Interstate replacements Costco now carries) & I just this week decided to replace them, because the solar panel-charged recovery was getting slower than I liked. IMHO, not bad for $76 each (in 2010) versus Trojan's price point. BTW, I was lazy & because I had to store my rig 30 minutes from home, I often forgot to go water them for 3 months at a time. My bad, or they might still be humming along. This is my first post, but I'm so tired of the braggart aspect we're having to put up with in our Federal gov't today, I just was rubbed the wrong way & had to put my 2 cents in, to let you know that - he doesn't know. If I had to put up with a "sparky" that came on like that with a client or even a team member on my projects (I'm an architect, but have no way to show you my diploma or licenses from 3 states) his ** would be pounding the bricks post haste.
Bill S. aka elkhair

[hammick]

Sounds like they are working. I would presume that as you go through the winter months the amount those batteries get charged will be a lot less then what you have bee getting since May.

Let us know how well they perform next spring.

The trailer won't be used over the winter. It's stored inside and batteries hooked up to a Blue Sky Energy 30a PWM controller (temperature compensated) with a 100w panel that is mounted to the wall of the barn facing due South. The ABS voltage is set to 15v and absorption time to 15 minutes. Float is set to 13.4v. Auto equalization is disabled. I will be able to check them over Thanksgiving and give them a good equalization then and check water. They will be on their own after that until probably Late March or April.

I'll report back on their condition next Spring.

[SunEagle]

The Costco 208 AH batteries weigh 63lbs each. I have two of them on my travel trailer. Sams Club sells the same battery that is labeled Duracell (or Energizer I can't remember).

I have a 160w panel on my trailer and since I installed them in May they have held SG at about 1.277 They are mostly in float though.

Sounds like they are working. I would presume that as you go through the winter months the amount those batteries get charged will be a lot less then what you have bee getting since May.

Let us know how well they perform next spring.

[hammick]

What makes you think an Interstate battery is equal to a Trojan? That is a bit naive and gullible don't you think? What did you expect the rep to say? "No we cannot hold a candle to Trojan".... Keep in mind all sales people are pathological liars.

If you have Costco 208 AH battery you are comparing a 57 pound battery to a 67 pound horse of a battery.

The Costco 208 AH batteries weigh 63lbs each. I have two of them on my travel trailer. Sams Club sells the same battery that is labeled Duracell (or Energizer I can't remember).

I have a 160w panel on my trailer and since I installed them in May they have held SG at about 1.277 They are mostly in float though.