Drakon AGM batteries

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Came across this searching for a bci 78 battery just pre shopping my next battery. They are nice looking, with better stats than anything I've seen a 4 year warranty but pricey. There's even a video of them shooting a battery twice with a 270 and starting a truck with it.

Thoughts or experience? Wondering how the warranty works.

http://www.impactbattery.com/brands/drakon-batteries/

NorthStar engine start battery gets shot but still works…: http://youtu.be/WA1Y51x0fpE

Some more info for the lazy clickers.

Drakon 40882 Battery Features:
Proudly Made in USA
Shockproof High Impact Case
Extremely Vibration Resistant
Low Self Discharge Rate
Ultra-Premium AGM Technology
Brass Terminals
Leak-Proof / Spill Proof
99.99% Pure Lead
Single Source Engineering
ISO 9001 & 14001 Certified
48 Month Warranty
Over 400 Cycles to 80% DOD
 
I have a group 27 NorthStar.

It is Impressive in its ability to quickly start my engine.

I've had 2 fully charged marine group 27 flooded batteries not match it in cranking speed.

I do cycle it as well, and it holds more voltage under discharge than a larger flooded deep cycle battery rated at 39 more amp hours. 130 vs 91.

When Cycled deeply, I believe they require a high recharge rate.

Odyssey specs 40%. 40 amps for a 100 amp hour battery.

When I first got mine, it would not take any more amps at 14.7v, but when it rested the voltage fell to 12.78.

Northstar claims fully charged rested voltage is over 13.

One discharge to 50% and a 25 amp recharge rate woke up the battery. It held 13.07 volts for days afterward without any loads or other charging sources added.

Seems to me the Drakon battery is just a 40$ sticker on the Northstar battery with some extra marketing mumbo jumbo thrown in for good measure, to inspire confidence.

Batteries plus re labels a NorthStar battery as X2 Power and adds another year to the warranty.

These super low resistance AGMs can ask for so much current from the alternator when very depleted, it might reveal weaknesses in the vehicles charging system.

I've seen mine pull well over a hundred amps through an upgraded charging circuit, when discharged to ~55%. The larger flooded battery tops out at 65 amps
 
AGM batteries do NOT do well when deeply discharged. OPTIMA makes a deep discharged model. If not used regularly, use a battery tender. Many 1997-2004 Corvette owners use them, since the car's computer is located under the battery and a leak causes MANY problems.

Here is some more info about them:

In traditional flooded batteries, the positive and negative grids hang inside a box submerged in an acid solution. With AGM batteries, positive and negative plates are separated by an absorbent glass mat that holds the electrolyte like a sponge. This minimizes the potential for electrolyte spillage.

OPTIMA AGM batteries also use a higher purity of lead than many other AGM and typical flooded cell batteries at 99.99% pure, virgin lead. This higher purity means fewer contaminants and a lower incidence of gassing, which extends battery life and increases performance.

The OPTIMA battery’s design advantages include lower internal resistance and greater plate area for superior starting power, the ability to recharge much faster, and higher voltage characteristics during discharge. And it’s virtually spillproof, whether it’s cracked or damaged. Also, OPTIMA AGM batteries withstand vibration like a champ.

OPTIMA batteries high performance AGM battery benefits:
•Impressively high cranking characteristics in a small battery
•Higher charge acceptance during AGM battery charging
•Sealed maintenance-free design
•Virtually spillproof
•Shock and vibration resistant
•More power per pound as compared to standard batteries
•Long service life
 
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I guess if you're going to be driving through a battlezone, a battery that can take a couple rounds might be useful. But not here in Pennsylvania.

These look like somebody started out selling marine batteries (which allows the huge markup), and decided to pitch to the automotive buyer as well.

AGMs do a little better than a flooded type for deep discharge, but you sometimes give up a little on max CCA and Ah.

The best feature of an AGM is that it is completely sealed, which really helps prevent venting and spillage problems in a trunk/compartment mount.

The other poster is right about Optimas; I am unimpressed with the newer ones.

I think for the typical passenger vehicle, an East Penn/Deka AGM is plenty of battery, is cheaper, and has a better warranty.
 
What is your reason for wanting such a high end battery?

I certainly did not need one, for me it was a bit of overspending and some bragging rights and curiosity as to how it would perform in my usage.

I do have many tools to measure battery performance, and the Northstar is impressive, but if cycled deeply I believe it requires large recharging currents likely beyond what most vehicular charging systems can make and hold, even if the vehicle were to be driven long enough.

I should have been more clear in my first post in this thread. My 930 CCA Northstar battery cranks my engine faster than two Fully charged flooded marine batteries, rated at 650 CCa each, together in parallel, could.

Odyssey's and Northstar's "pulse" cranking amps ratings could be more than just marketing mumbo jumbo.

When my 620 CCA group 31 flooded deep cycle battery cranks my cold engine, the voltage will drop into the 8 range and takes about 1 second to catch

When my 930 CCa Northstar cranks my cold engine, the voltage barely touches 11 and it catches in well under a second.

It startles anybody standing nearby who was not expecting it.
 
I probably won't go that far up the chain for a battery, i just happened to be searching for my particular group size to see what was out there that i haven't seen and came across the Drakon. Right now i have an Autocraft Gold and using the AAP discount code makes it under $100 with a 3 year warranty hard to beat.

I just can't see spending $250 for a 5 year warranty when i can get the 3 year for $100. If i could find a batteries plus code to make it under $200 then it might be desirable.

My current charger will only do up to 15 amps, but is rated for 12 volt flooded, agm and gel cell batteries, so it probably wouldn't work well if i discharged it all the way and tried to recharge at 15 amps.
 
Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
When my 620 CCA group 31 flooded deep cycle battery cranks my cold engine, the voltage will drop into the 8 range and takes about 1 second to catch


What vehicle do you have that takes a single group 31 battery? I have only seen 31s in diesel applications and they have at least two in parallel.

The Duramax's take two 78s and the Fords take two 65s.


I read your post again. I suspect you are using two marine 31s in parallel.

Upon reading your post yet again, I suspect you are using the 31s on a gasoline engine, since I have never come across a diesel engine that starts in under a second.
 
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My manufacturer recommended battery size is a group 24, the La 318 engine only is said to require a 650 CCA battery IIRC.

I cycle this specific group 31 daily, it was not designed as a starting battery. The group 31 size was originally designed to be a starting battery with in excess of 1000 cca.

I do not think the case design/size translates well to deep cycle internals/applications. It requires very high voltages for a lot longer to return the Specific gravity back upto the baseline maximum, compared to smaller Deep cycle 12v jars or 6 volt golf cart batteries in series.

The Northstar AGM outperforms it in terms of voltage held during loads and in cold cranking amps. I have pulled 70 amp hours (out of 91) from the NS, and it still easily cranked my engine, but then at 2000 rpm, it was pulling over 100 amps from my alternator, causing the single v belt to squeal.

I've never gotten the 31 to ask for more than 65 amps, and this number tapers quickly
 
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