What are the forum's thoughts on salvage/junkyard 12V batteries?

Recon batteries make more sense the battery mart typically sells them for $35 which is less than the wrecker and they actually are in some cases “new” but with a re-flowed terminal or repaired casing.

Many wreckers test, float and clean up junk batteries but they usually aren’t as good of a deal as a recon from an independent battery retailer

 

Sorry; I'm going to have to raise the BS flag on that one. How do they get a 500CCA battery up to 750CCA. Those reconditioned/refurbishers usually just clean up, recharge and test those batteries. That's how they can offer them for $50. Now a salvage yard sending them out, getting them refurbished, then bringing them back to sell is kinda unheard of here. Most yards around here are glad to get rid of them for pennies, so they don't have to deal with the proper LEGAL disposition of them. Those junk yards are not in the business of paying someone to legally and properly dispose of them.
I know of a few auto parts store that actually carry refurbished batteries, behind the back counter. You'll need to ask for them, so they don't compete with the new ones on the shelf. Those are usually the most common battery sizes (ie. 24 and 24F), a weird AGM battery for a Prius may take a few days; if they can even get their hands on one. Only standard 30 days taillight warranties applies to them.

YMMV

 

In our group size you will not get over 500cca in AGM now lifpo maybe different . 750 to 1000 those group sizes are huge like my volt and Volkswagen Passat v6 or such.

 

No but it's a good core. You'll avoid the core charge and won't have to return to get a refund.

 

In theory traditional 12V batteries can be fully restored if the case can be opened so that the lead plates can be chemically treated. Or I guess mechanically if a thinner plate is acceptable. The trick is resealing the case so that it never, ever leaks. When the top is off the battery posts can be replaced. After all that work it will be as good as new - but not better. To make it better (more capacity) the plates would have to be made larger. That might just be possible with an optima battery since the plate is rolled, but I have never heard of anybody actually doing it.

 

Never seen a chain, some independents do this sort of work. For instance, my son once bought some used batteries for an RV from this fellow:


Lee's Batteries | Battery Shop | Baldwin Park, CA


Used batteries aren't their only business, they also sell new. I would expect any shop in this business would sell both old and new.

 

I used the (controversial) HF solar AGM battery, $76 before discounts. 12V, 35 Ah Sealed Lead-Acid Battery
back when I had a 2nd gen.

There's no vent tube to the outside so hydrogen gas could build up and go boom.

 

A 35 Ah flooded battery won't last as long as the spec'd battery nor tolerate deep discharges like an AGM would, but I guess at $75, you could change it every year or two and still come out ahead.

 

The stock battery is 40-42 Amp-hours, FWIW.

 

Not sure how "refurbished" these actually are. Read the description here:

Certified Refurbished Interstate Batters | Interstate Batteries of New England

In my book that isn't refurbished at all, it is just cleaned and charged. Sounds like they go through the returns and find ones which were good but maybe fully discharged because of problems elsewhere in the car, and were then returned. So rather than refurbished, maybe a more accurate term would be "slightly abused"?

 

I just looked on my Toyota dealer website, clipped the 10 percent off coupon and bought a new toyota battery for $195 USD. A bit pricey, but the original Toyota battery lasted eight years
...

 

Based on the way so many people replace car batteries they way they do flashlight batteries,
I'd say the chances of finding a perfectly serviceable junkyard battery are pretty good.

 

I would buy a junkyard battery without a second thought