Do you believe that motorcraft actually manufactures batteries, and they are somehow superior to that which is available in Autoparts stores? It could be the very same battery sold at walmart, with a very expensive motorcraft sticker.
Also never buy batteries from places that do not sell a lot of batteries.
Batteries self discharge, 15% per month at 75F, more at higher temperatures, less at lower.
The longer the battery rests at less than full charge, the more capacity it loses. A battery that has been sitting on a shelf and allowed to self discharge to 60% state of charge over several months already has had a significant portion of its lifespan knocked off, assuming the purchaseer even bothers to actually fully charge it once they get it, which most will not, as they assume their alternator is some physics defying instant battery charger.
Asking if a battery needs to be charged is like saying, I am hungry, should I eat? Assume The Lead acid battery is hungry, always.
The word 'trickle' must set off some sort of seratonin burst in the human brain.
Does anyone ever see what voltage their 'trickle' charger is getting the battery upto?
Does anybody know how much amperage the battery is accepting at that voltage?
Each and every Lead acid battery ever manufactured wants to be 100% charged, at all times, and kept cool. Anything less than this is detrimental to their longevity and performance to some degree.
Actually fully charging a battery requires voltages in the 14's be held for a period of time. Lesser voltages on a still healthy battery takes much much much longer, and on an older abused battery will never get it 100% charged to its maximum potential remaining capacity.
Many 'trickle' chargers will Never exceed 13.6v and the battery, especially an older used battery, will never ever get fully charged even if left on a 13.6v trickle charger for a month.
The battery accepts how much amperage it wants at the voltage reaching the battery terminals.
If it only needs 0.6 amps to be held at 13.6v, A 100 amp charger will only produce 0.6 amps to maintain 13.6v.
a 1.5 amp maintainer will only be able to produce 1.5 amps to get the battery to 13.6v, at which point the amps will taper. A maintainer is not Going to seek 14.5 volts. If one were able to use that 1.5 amps to seek 14.7v instead, 100% state of charge is likely, in a few more hours, but at 13.6, it will need days, and if one were to dip a hydrometer, might likely see that a week at 13.6v has specific gravity well below the 1.275 level which is usually the full charge density of the electrolyte, but this can vary slightly.
Green lights on battery chargers silently mock the human who believes them, and the battery cries, as the potential to be fully charged was there, but not achieved.
DO not buy old batteries.
Do not assume your vehicle charging system will ever fully charge a discharged battery.
Do not assume a well marketed smart charger is actually fully charging the battery, despite the soothing green light.
If one actually desires to reach 100% charged, and give the battery the batterygasm it seeks, a charging source capacble of mid 14 volts will be required, and one might need to trick the charger several times into seeking and holding 14.5ish volts.
The temperature compensated hydrometer is the battery polygraph, as to state of charge. Resting voltage is extremely misleading and voltage is not like a gas tank level indicator.
A battery that is truly regularly fully charged will easily outlast its warranty period, even in South Texas.