When should batteris be replaced?

[rgreenwell8962]

I am prepping for a week long trip and making sure everything is up to par for our journey. In doing so, I am looking for advice on batteries. I have a 2001 2500 SCR equipped with two batteries: one starting battery and one deep cycle battery. I have attached pictures, though they are from a cell phone and I apologize for the clarity.

The starting battery is: is a Megatron Marine and RV and reads as follows.....
Jan 05
Marine deep cycle
Mega tron marine rv deep cycle
Srm-24 550 cca 690 mca spr

The second battery is the large deep cycle and I have attached pictures of this one. Unfortunately the date of manufacture cannot be determined because it appears as though all of the littel round circles that have the month and day have not been marked. The picture labeled 16102006 is printed on the plastic cover. Could this be the date?????? How often should this battery be replaced?? Also, can anyone decode the numbers on this battery for me so I know the details and specs for this battery please? I opened the littel hatches on each individual cell and there is fluid in them, varying levels, not filled all the way to the top. How full should they be?

I will post a response to include the final picture.
Thanks for the help.

[rgreenwell8962]

final picture.....

[seapuppy]

well..I can tell you that if they are over 5 yrs old...they are probably at the end of thier lives....batts usually last about 5 yrs...second ...the water level should be up to the bottom of the fill tube...all of them...don't over fill cuz when charging..the water expands and will spill onto the batt's and onto the fiberglass or into the batt box...

the first is obviouly a deep cycle batt...185 cranking hrs.....meaning that at a few amps...the batt will last roughly 185 hrs....but that rarely happens..

the second is the actually golf cart batts.....you have 6 cells at 2.5 volts per cell....

your going to have to replace all 6 cells at once....if you plan on replacing all of the batts....

SP irate:

[rgreenwell8962]

Thanks SP

On the 2nd picture in the bottom right, there is a long number: 16102006

Could this be the date???? Oct 16 2006?????

[seapuppy]

yeah...that could be the date....


if that's the case...then it's only 3 yrs old....just check the electrolites and clean all of your connections to the batt....clean all the posts....use dielectric grease on them when reinstalling them.....

make sure all connections to the batts' are tight too...then you should be good to go..


SP :hello:

[SilveradoSS]

Heat is the number one destroyer of batteries. If yours are like mine and right next to the engine it seems like every few years you need a new one. In our area the second worst thing is the winter cold. I remove them and put a trickle charger on them for the winter.