Maybe BT Snake isn't "lucky", per se, perhaps he's simply "doing it right".
A couple of common things can greatly impact the life of a battery. Running it down to low is #1. That causes sulphation of the plates and is non-reversible, run it down to low to many times and it will die an early death. Over charging, that burns the plates, permanently damaging them. But the alternator is regulated so how you could over charge? Leaving a trickle charger on it could do the trick, some are regulated better than others, some are not regulated at all. Some will result in an over charge and damage the battery. Of course using a standard battery charger can easily overheat the battery in a much shorter time frame. Your "quick charge" method could also lead to a "quick death" down the road
Actually, do you KNOW what your voltage regulator regulates too? I've seen several that would allow over 15 volts, 14.2 is good, 14.6 is max. Anything greater than 14.6 is going to cause a premature battery failure, or make it die right on time (when the warranty is up)!
And then there are the "deep cycle" batterys, not a good choice for an auto. This type battery likes a SLOW charge, due to their typical use, they often get a BIG, FAST charge, overheats them, shortens their life span. Deep cycles will accept a higher amperage input over a longer period of time than an ordinary battery will. That is NOT good for them, it's just the way they are. That fact could lead to not only over heating the battery but also over heating (and burning out) the alternator. The alternator will definitely work harder when charging a deep cycle than it will when charging a regular battery. The amp output will stay higher, longer, with a deep cycle, more stress on the alternator.
Some thing's to think about for those who seem to have chronic short life battery syndrome...
My two year warranty Walmart battery is going on four years, but I sense it is time for a replacement. I've never run it down to low, never overcharged it, use a good regulated trickle charger if the car is parked for an extended period of time. I take care of it, it takes care of me. Maybe, like BT Snake, I'm just "lucky".
Hybrid Mode
