my group 34/78 battery is going south. I guess it's toast since it's from 2001. Time for a replacement. Want a good deal on a AGM. This car sits for lengths of time and want to try a nice AGM. Wow, they went up in price lately.
AGM Battery . Who has the best deal and quality
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JHZR2
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Why do you want agm? I'm not convinced of their benefit for most (e.g underhood) auto applications. Thermally-based ageing does not change with AGM, so you just have a higher amortized cost.
If in a trunk or underhood, I'd be of different mind.
If in a trunk or underhood, I'd be of different mind.
JHZR2
Staff member
Why do you want agm? I'm not convinced of their benefit for most (e.g underhood) auto applications. Thermally-based ageing does not change with AGM, so you just have a higher amortized cost.
If in a trunk or underhood, I'd be of different mind.
If in a trunk or underhood, I'd be of different mind.
Car is not a daily driven car it tends to sit around. I would rather not have to hook up battery charger if an AGM will hold it's charge longer.
so far best deal is Sears 148 on AGM gold. Have to purchase online for store pick up or price is much higher.
160 for an optima red top on amazon haven't tried costco yet.
http://www.amazon.com/Optima-8078-109-FFP-RepTop-Starting-Battery/dp/B006QH54VQ
Sams's club looks nice but they are too far from me. http://www.samsclub.com/sams/duracell-agm-automotive-battery-group-size-78dtagm/prod3590233.ip
so far best deal is Sears 148 on AGM gold. Have to purchase online for store pick up or price is much higher.
160 for an optima red top on amazon haven't tried costco yet.
http://www.amazon.com/Optima-8078-109-FFP-RepTop-Starting-Battery/dp/B006QH54VQ
Sams's club looks nice but they are too far from me. http://www.samsclub.com/sams/duracell-agm-automotive-battery-group-size-78dtagm/prod3590233.ip
Interstate
Originally Posted By: evandostert
Car is not a daily driven car it tends to sit around. I would rather not have to hook up battery charger if an AGM will hold it's charge longer.
Would it be that difficult for you to hook up a Battery Tender?
Car is not a daily driven car it tends to sit around. I would rather not have to hook up battery charger if an AGM will hold it's charge longer.
Would it be that difficult for you to hook up a Battery Tender?
Costco no longer sells Red Tops (or ANY Optima products).
IF you can get/use Sears Club rewards and get the counter guy to accept the online internet pricing, as well as online coupons, the Die Hard Platinum will not be much more than that D.H. Gold AGM price, for a MUCH better battery (EnerSys Odyssey).
I paid 78, tax included, with all of the discounts, and 'core' fee returned.
IF you can get/use Sears Club rewards and get the counter guy to accept the online internet pricing, as well as online coupons, the Die Hard Platinum will not be much more than that D.H. Gold AGM price, for a MUCH better battery (EnerSys Odyssey).
I paid 78, tax included, with all of the discounts, and 'core' fee returned.
148 looks like the winner here is sears
My vote is (and has been for 10 years and counting) Hawker Odyssey. I seriously doubt that you can get a better made battery. If you size it right and pay some attention to your charging system then it's as cheap as a typical sealed lead-acid.
My first Odyssey lasted about nine years and was 1/3 the weight of the OE battery (in two different cars).
My second Odyssey is smaller, lighter, cheaper and packs more punch than the first one. I'm a happy camper!
My first Odyssey lasted about nine years and was 1/3 the weight of the OE battery (in two different cars).
My second Odyssey is smaller, lighter, cheaper and packs more punch than the first one. I'm a happy camper!
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Originally Posted By: martinq
My vote is (and has been for 10 years and counting) Hawker Odyssey. I seriously doubt that you can get a better made battery. If you size it right and pay some attention to your charging system then it's as cheap as a typical sealed lead-acid.
My first Odyssey lasted about nine years and was 1/3 t
I'm hoping this one I just bought will last me >10 years with regular charging with the EnerSys/Schumacher charger specific to it.
My vote is (and has been for 10 years and counting) Hawker Odyssey. I seriously doubt that you can get a better made battery. If you size it right and pay some attention to your charging system then it's as cheap as a typical sealed lead-acid.
My first Odyssey lasted about nine years and was 1/3 t
I'm hoping this one I just bought will last me >10 years with regular charging with the EnerSys/Schumacher charger specific to it.
The near total lack of gassing and dirty terminals is the reason i buy them. Never have to clean terminals again under normal circumstances. The optima is hated on the jeep boards but imo guys are not using them in the correct applications. I put 2 of azones agm's in my ford instead of driving 45 minutes each way to sears in the mall
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
I'm hoping this one I just bought will last me >10 years with regular charging with the EnerSys/Schumacher charger specific to it.
The real trick to AGM life is proper temperature-compensated charging and very few chargers have it.
A cheap alternative is some 12V solar battery maintainers. You just need enough of a voltage boost to top-up the battery (which your alternator regulator likely will not do). The typical alternator-regulator will charge a typical AGM to 90-something %.
A proper charger will be expensive. A proper regulator will cost much more than the battery.
I'm hoping this one I just bought will last me >10 years with regular charging with the EnerSys/Schumacher charger specific to it.
The real trick to AGM life is proper temperature-compensated charging and very few chargers have it.
A cheap alternative is some 12V solar battery maintainers. You just need enough of a voltage boost to top-up the battery (which your alternator regulator likely will not do). The typical alternator-regulator will charge a typical AGM to 90-something %.
A proper charger will be expensive. A proper regulator will cost much more than the battery.
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Originally Posted By: evandostert
my group 34/78 battery is going south. I guess it's toast since it's from 2001. Time for a replacement. Want a good deal on a AGM. This car sits for lengths of time and want to try a nice AGM. Wow, they went up in price lately.
Stick with a flooded. It will meet your needs. If the AGM were really better, they would have a longer warranty and they don't (for the most part).
CCA is CCA.
You pay more for same CCA and same warranty.
my group 34/78 battery is going south. I guess it's toast since it's from 2001. Time for a replacement. Want a good deal on a AGM. This car sits for lengths of time and want to try a nice AGM. Wow, they went up in price lately.
Stick with a flooded. It will meet your needs. If the AGM were really better, they would have a longer warranty and they don't (for the most part).
CCA is CCA.
You pay more for same CCA and same warranty.
While Many AGMs exhibit low self discharge, some are not much better than flooded batteries. One can usually find manufacturer specs as to max and min charging voltages as well as self discharge rates, as long as one knows who made the battery for whoever relabelled it.
Interstate has never manufactured battery, they market batteries from various manufacturers.
If the vehicle which is not driven much still has any parasitic loads, then any benefit from AGM over flooded is reduced as well.
I have a young Northstar AGM group 27. I like Odyssey and Sears DH platinum too, which are indeed the same internally too. Sears die hard gold AGM are Deka intimidator series batteries and the specs are no where near as impressive as Odyssey in terms of CCA and self discharge
Interstate has never manufactured battery, they market batteries from various manufacturers.
If the vehicle which is not driven much still has any parasitic loads, then any benefit from AGM over flooded is reduced as well.
I have a young Northstar AGM group 27. I like Odyssey and Sears DH platinum too, which are indeed the same internally too. Sears die hard gold AGM are Deka intimidator series batteries and the specs are no where near as impressive as Odyssey in terms of CCA and self discharge
here is my experience owing a few vehicles and campers:
1. fancy blue top AGM battery, totally died right after the 1st year. Manufacturer will not warranty. Tried to revive it per youtube with a $60 AGM charger, no dice. One Mgr from the company from Milwaukee to PM and point out that my battery is gone to lala land.
2. Bought 2007 ridgeline in 06/07 with a build date about 10 months prior to that. I drive this truck ONLY in winter and it sits most of the year, the battery has run down many times.
I used a cheap wally's charger with a desulfation cycle, charge and run cycle 2x in the last 2 years.
This flooded battery still worked well and truck cranked with it was -4F outside and all I did for 2 days were short run to a block down the street and changed sides for snow plow.
You can't pay me to #1.
If you still want to go with AGM, go to a Cat dealership and buy their brand, guess who makes their battery ;-).
1. fancy blue top AGM battery, totally died right after the 1st year. Manufacturer will not warranty. Tried to revive it per youtube with a $60 AGM charger, no dice. One Mgr from the company from Milwaukee to PM and point out that my battery is gone to lala land.
2. Bought 2007 ridgeline in 06/07 with a build date about 10 months prior to that. I drive this truck ONLY in winter and it sits most of the year, the battery has run down many times.
I used a cheap wally's charger with a desulfation cycle, charge and run cycle 2x in the last 2 years.
This flooded battery still worked well and truck cranked with it was -4F outside and all I did for 2 days were short run to a block down the street and changed sides for snow plow.
You can't pay me to #1.
If you still want to go with AGM, go to a Cat dealership and buy their brand, guess who makes their battery ;-).
Originally Posted By: stockrex
If you still want to go with AGM, go to a Cat dealership and buy their brand, guess who makes their battery ;-).
who?
If you still want to go with AGM, go to a Cat dealership and buy their brand, guess who makes their battery ;-).
who?
This place cracks me up... Guy ask about the best deal and quality AGM and post number three is "why do you want AGM?"
FWIW, I've had good luck with Optima and if you have an Advance Auto Parts you can use the discount codes to get quite a bit off if you order online and pick up in store.
FWIW, I've had good luck with Optima and if you have an Advance Auto Parts you can use the discount codes to get quite a bit off if you order online and pick up in store.
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