Restoration Battery Failure

[Clark K.]

Yikes! My year-old tar-top style reproduction gel battery died a couple of weeks ago. I had paid about $300, including shipping, for it so that my '65 coupe would have a battery that looked as original as possible.

I had realized that even though I drove the car about once a week, the battery would be better off with a trickle charger between drives. So, I had been using a Lectric Limited "Battery Butler" Float Charger. The Battery Butler cycled on and off, as designed, so as not to overcharge this battery. When I called early this week to report the battery as dead, a very nice lady on the phone told me that this charger would not keep this battery fully charged.

All kinds of warnings came with the battery, all of which I took heed. When the battery would no longer hold a charge, it was very inconvenient NOT to be able to jump start the car. Jump starting with this battery installed is expressly warned against in big red letters on the instruction sheet. So, I had to buy another battery, a conventional water/acid battery to use until I got the gel battery issue resolved.

Well, the packaging, insurance, and shipping for returning the battery for a warranty claim cost over $78! I am hoping that they will send me a new battery which is what the paperwork states for batteries that fail within a year of installation.

What are your experiences and recommendations? -Clark

[Patrick H.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Mine was installed about 5 years ago in my 72, still works fine. At least, it did a couple of weeks ago. I have a knife-style cutoff switch that is on the battery and 99% of the time it is disconnected. Unfortunately the 72 is more "museum piece" at times than car to be driven.

I use a Battery Minder, the same unit that Restoration Battery sells though I bought a couple elsewhere and one from them. No issues at all.

I have no idea why they don't want you to jump it, except for the fact that most people probably don't do the process correctly.

[John D.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

In July/Aug 06 I bought the top of line Resto battery. As I have mentioned before this unique battery has never discharged. Never ceases to amaze me how well it holds a charge. JD

[Michael J.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

I bought one of these for my '67 a couple of months ago and have not installed it yet. The curious thing is that I bought a Battery MINDer Plus for maintaining it, as many on the board here stated that is the device Restoration Battery recommended in their delivery literature. But when mine was delivered, the tag on the post says "The only Maintainer recommended for this product is an Odyssey Optimizer #0MAX-12A-1B or a 10 amp automatic charger". Does anyone know why they don't like the Battery MINDer PLus anymore?

[Chuck S.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

I bought one of these for my '67 a couple of months ago and have not installed it yet. The curious thing is that I bought a Battery MINDer Plus for maintaining it, as many on the board here stated that is the device Restoration Battery recommended in their delivery literature. But when mine was delivered, the tag on the post says "The only Maintainer recommended for this product is an Odyssey Optimizer #0MAX-12A-1B or a 10 amp automatic charger". Does anyone know why they don't like the Battery MINDer PLus anymore?

My opinion is that these resto batteries are not made by Restoration Battery, but are supplied to them by a manufacturer. Someone at Restoration Battery probably forgot to remove the manufacturer's ad-hype tag to sell their "Odyssey Optimizer".

This tag recommendation is much the same as RB's recommendation to use ONLY a "Battery Minder". A 10 amp charger is just an ordinary battery charger...if that will work to meet their recommendation, just about any trickle/float charger should meet their "requirement".

[Jack H.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

I had a friend from the UK who restored his '67 in England. He packed it into a container and shipped it Stateside for NCRS and NCCB (Bloomington Gold) judging with a restoration battery that had been purchased, shipped to England and installed within the first year of ownership.

The battery died at Bloomington refusing to take a charge. Fortunately, Restoration Battery had a booth at Bloomington and we removed the battery and walked it over to them. They confirmed the battery was dead, but would NOT honor the warranty!!!

The story was: can't give you a replacement until this battery has been sent back to the 'factory' and autopsied. But, we CAN sell you a replacement battery and then issue a refund later, after the battery has been certified to have failed due to warranty covered fault.

The car's owner who'd flown from England to the Bloomington meet reached into his wallet and pulled a credit card out. Was he a happy camper? NO!!!!

But, they did ultimately refund his second purchase after several correspondence exchanges. Plus, the car went on to capture Bloomington Gold Certification as well as NCRS Duntov Mark of Excellence...

[William D.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Purchased my first restoration battery for my roadster, 6 mnths later it died. Sent it back under warranty. After multiple phone exchanges a new battery arrived. Two years later it is still running fine. I do use their recomended battery charger.

Bill

[Bob H.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

I have purchased 4 batteries and had an issue with one of them. It began discharging within a couple of days. This battery was only about 6 months old. I made sure the disconnect switch was open and tried charging it. It had a dead short. When I called they did not believe me so I sent it back. They said they would open it up and determine why it failed. I got the feeling they were going to figure out what I did to it and not warranty it. After 2 weeks and 3 calls, They finally decided to replace it. The replacement was fine and the others I have purchased are doing well. I do use the battery minders.

PS: I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND hanging onto the original shipping cartons for the warranty period. Otherwise, proper packing for return will be difficult. I know!!

[Michael J.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Wow! Lots of horror stories around about these batteries. It is obvious the materials, workmanship, and quality control is completely lacking in these batteries vs. Optima or InterState for instance. I have never had any of these type batteries fail within 3 years of being new. Buy Beware I guess.

[Stan E.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

I had two of their wet cell batteries die just after the first year.

[Edward J.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Just received my first resoration battery today, hope its not going to be a problem, do the newer maint free gel batteries seem to be working out okay for those of you that have them? thanks Ed

[Patrick T.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Just received my first resoration battery today, hope its not going to be a problem, do the newer maint free gel batteries seem to be working out okay for those of you that have them? thanks Ed

You are going to get a point deduct no matter which Restoration battery you use. I had a wet cell RB and got tired of acid dripping down onto the frame. So I got the maintenance free RB and keep a Battery Minder on it 24/7 and no problems, except a 2 point deduct. PT

[Edward J.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

2 pts is okay, I guess its a configuation deduct.

[Patrick T.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

2 pts is okay, I guess its a configuration deduct.

The judging sheet said..."obvious repop".

[Edward J.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

I guess theres no way to fool the judges, but thats there job to know, although my C3 resto battery is a close as it will ever be. and I think we all know that its as they say- just a copy of the original ( don't care for the word repop. its seems so slange, and to pay all that money for such a small item). let face it how many batteries are out there that are original, I am jusy playing the game the best I know how.