Blemished batteries

[Chris142]

My dad was always very frugal. Must be where I got it from! He always bought blemished batteries or "Blems".

I have not seen that stamped on a battery in years. What made a battery a blem? My dad said it was usually a case defect,made crooked or scratched.

Sound right?

 

[CharBaby]

Yeah I remember "Blems". We used to have Blem tires too. I think there are less to be found maybe due to better overall quality???

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
Yeah I remember "Blems". We used to have Blem tires too. I think there are less to be found maybe due to better overall quality???


That, or maybe due to liability. It's cheaper to toss out an otherwise good product and write that off than it is to have to deal with one lawsuit due to an injury or death caused by something completely unrelated, but which a lawyer can point to a "defective" product that never should have been sold, even if it was sold as being imperfect and had nothing to do with the injury/death.

 

[maxdustington]

My cheapskate Dad gets recycled batteries these days. I'm not sure why you would cheap out on a battery, maybe I will understand when I am 50+.

 

[NormanBuntz]

If you look up the East Penn or Deka websites, you may find a distributor near you who sells blems below retail. For instance, I found one in Orlando, FL this past winter. Warranty was less than the standard one, but the price was right.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
My cheapskate Dad gets recycled batteries these days. I'm not sure why you would cheap out on a battery, maybe I will understand when I am 50+.

I bought a "second" battery to run my drywasher about 4 years ago.I used it once the it sat in my garage until last year when I put it in my tractor. Price was about $30

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by Chris142
Originally Posted by maxdustington
My cheapskate Dad gets recycled batteries these days. I'm not sure why you would cheap out on a battery, maybe I will understand when I am 50+.

I bought a "second" battery to run my drywasher about 4 years ago.I used it once the it sat in my garage until last year when I put it in my tractor. Price was about $30
This is in a truck that gets driven infrequently. I understand cheaping out on something you don't rely on, but that's the exact type of vehicle I would want a decent battery in.

What the [censored] is a drywasher?

 

[Trav]

Blems as I remember them were always a cosmetic blemish nothing functional. I got a blem one time with nothing more than a long but not deep scratch in the case.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by maxdustington


What the bleepl is a drywasher?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5DTHCv2LRI

 

[Squirrelee]

I purchased several Deka blems a few months ago, and the reason they gave me for it being a "blem" was that a stamper / label machine went down and "X" number of batteries went through before anyone noticed. Since the batteries weren't properly stamped, they were pulled and were now "blems." The batteries look spotless on the outside and were 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of their non-blem counterparts. I believe the warranty was 90 days.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted by opus1
Originally Posted by Char Baby
Yeah I remember "Blems". We used to have Blem tires too. I think there are less to be found maybe due to better overall quality???


That, or maybe due to liability. It's cheaper to toss out an otherwise good product and write that off than it is to have to deal with one lawsuit due to an injury or death caused by something completely unrelated, but which a lawyer can point to a "defective" product that never should have been sold, even if it was sold as being imperfect and had nothing to do with the injury/death.


Good point.

 

[bugeye]

I have been using Deka blem batteries since the 1970's. Never a problem. Good reliability at 5+ years service when I replace. Usually give to a family member or use in the tractor for many more years. Not all terminal arrangements and case sizes are available.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by bugeye
I have been using Deka blem batteries since the 1970's. Never a problem.


Lucky - you are right there, where they are made.

I have had good luck with Interstate batteries. The dealers are just so rare, though.

 

[Nick1994]

Could have just had a scratched.

My dad being in the auto body business always got batteries free from work, they were being tossed anyways. They'd have a scratch on them from the wreck and he'd use them in various projects.

 

[bbhero]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by bugeye
I have been using Deka blem batteries since the 1970's. Never a problem.


Lucky - you are right there, where they are made.

I have had good luck with Interstate batteries. The dealers are just so rare, though.



Great point Linctex... Hard as all get out to find a dealer.

 

[Piston_slap]

You can find Blemished batteries as close as your nearest Wal*Mart tire & auto store. Their agreement is to have the manufactures print the word "Blem" on the bottom. You didn't think you were getting a Premium 900 CCA battery for $86 did you? I think the term blem goes further than cosmetic case defects and probably slips into the are of lead plates and internal welds.

 

[Hootbro]

Local indy parts store sells "blems" that are big chain store return batteries that have sat unsold on the shelf for a year or more. They get load tested and new "blem" labels applied and sold for close to 50% off with a 90 day warranty or a one year warranty for an extra $10.

For the real cheap charlies, most of the salvage yards around here will sell salvaged pull batteries for $25-$35 and a 30 day warranty. They do a brisk business on those batteries.