Old interstate batteries: how long they can last for ?

[jfguay2]

Hello,

I have an opportunity to buy many old interstate batteries "Workaholic", which I think are originally rated @ 225 amp/h. I believe they are at least 8 years old. They seem to hold a charge since the equipment they are hooked to is still working. How best can I assess them. I think 8 years is already a stretch for these batteries.

How much do you think they are worth? The guy has 8 of them, all hooked together.

[mapmaker]

Hello,

I have an opportunity to buy many old interstate batteries "Workaholic", which I think are originally rated @ 225 amp/h. I believe they are at least 8 years old. They seem to hold a charge since the equipment they are hooked to is still working. How best can I assess them. I think 8 years is already a stretch for these batteries.

How much do you think they are worth? The guy has 8 of them, all hooked together.

They are worth the value of scrap. Why do you suppose he wants to sell them? --mapmaker

[PNjunction]

The WORST way to start a solar project is by using used batteries that still seem to work. With batteries that old, even if they were well taken care of, by the time you install them, they could only have a month left to live in the first place.

Going used, using new-old-stock, or cheap deals too good to be true, is starting off on the wrong foot. It is also a waste of money that you could have been applied towards a new set of new batteries that you'll be buying shortly anyway.

[SunEagle]

I have a couple of 6v 232ah interstate batteries in my RV. They charge up real nice but unfortunately one discharges back down to 4.4volts. (bad cell)

They are only 3 years old if you want them.

[ChrisOlson]

I have an opportunity to buy many old interstate batteries "Workaholic", which I think are originally rated @ 225 amp/h. I believe they are at least 8 years old. They seem to hold a charge since the equipment they are hooked to is still working. How best can I assess them. I think 8 years is already a stretch for these batteries.

How much do you think they are worth? The guy has 8 of them, all hooked together.

These must be the Interstate GC-2's? I'm sure they are quite a bit a lower on capacity than they were when new and most of the golf courses around here get 5 years out of those batteries in their golf carts. If they are GC-2's they are actually made by US Battery, and have been for many years. At 8 years I too would suspect they are at end-of-life and only worth scrap value. I believe your Interstate dealer allows $12 each for scrap price, so I wouldn't give more than that for them.

[mapmaker]

If they are GC-2's they are actually made by US Battery, and have been for many years.

Eight years ago those GC-2 batteries were made by US Battery. But that is no longer true. Interstate's L-16 is still made by US Battery.

--mapmaker

[ChrisOlson]

All these batteries that start with part # U are made by US Battery for Interstate:

http://www.batteries-faq.com/activekb/questions.php?questionid=52

The U2200 is the GC-2 232ah battery.

[SunEagle]

All these batteries that start with part # U are made by US Battery for Interstate:

http://www.batteries-faq.com/activekb/questions.php?questionid=52

The U2200 is the GC-2 232ah battery.

That is the 232ah battery I have in my RV but it is labeled U2200UT. Not sure what the "UT" stands for.

[ChrisOlson]

I don't know what that UT would stand for either. Interstate adds an extra number and different suffix to most of those batteries - like the US Battery 185HC XC 12V floor sweeper battery is a U1850HC from Interstate. And, even though you order it by the U1850HC part number, on the label it simply says 1850HCS.