Who's running an AGM battery in a weekend driver?

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YY1

YY1

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I've recently had good luck with combo deep cycle/RV batteries lasting at least as long as they are rated, when "normal" batteries seem to be giving up 33% sooner.

My 2017 "48 month" combo won't charge over 10 volts and I'm thinking of getting an AGM this time to replace it.

The same combo/deep battery as I am replacing is $85.

The AGM is $160.

I usually drive my 73 to work on Fridays and shopping and visits on Saturdays when it's not raining and on special occasions.

I'm also considering buying a second one to use in various project cars that don't road drive.
Is this a good move?
 
I have had some AGM batterys last over 10 years in my motorcycles and 4-wheelers.
Never used one in an auto. Also 2x on marine batteries, use them on my car trailer to run the winch, its permently wired to a cheap $15 solar charger from Harbor Freight.... Check the polarity on the HF solar chargers, bought 4 of them, 3 of them the polarity was backwards, took me a while to figure that one out.
 
I had terrible luck with lead-acid batteries, so I switched to AGM batteries decades ago. I run them in everything I own. Spendy, but never had one not make the warranty period.

I live in hot dry Tucson AZ.
 
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Probably better to compare a heavier "premium" wet lead acid to the AGM you're looking at.
I wouldnt call my usage weekend, but nor is it daily. It varies between daily and one a every month dpending on what I'm doing.
Had very good luck over the years with premium batteries whether it was Sears diehard (30 years ago) or Interstate's "MT".
Although I didn't buy a Decca because they didn't have a convnenient to me retailer, they too have a "permium" line that weighs more for the same size battery.
Currently I have a Optima red top in both vehicles - mostly because it makes it easy to swap 'em if needed - but also because of how I sometimes use these vehicles (autocross - offroad).
One downside of AGM is they can be a little picky about the recharge and in particular can not disipate heat quickly when recharged at a high rate.
 
Mattax said:
Probably better to compare a heavier "premium" wet lead acid to the AGM you're looking at.
I wouldnt call my usage weekend, but nor is it daily. It varies between daily and one a every month dpending on what I'm doing.
Had very good luck over the years with premium batteries whether it was Sears diehard (30 years ago) or Interstate's "MT".
Although I didn't buy a Decca because they didn't have a convnenient to me retailer, they too have a "permium" line that weighs more for the same size battery.
Currently I have a Optima red top in both vehicles - mostly because it makes it easy to swap 'em if needed - but also because of how I sometimes use these vehicles (autocross - offroad).
One downside of AGM is they can be a little picky about the recharge and in particular can not disipate heat quickly when recharged at a high rate.
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Yes! My Mopar batt will loose it's charge over the winter. A couple year ago I thought I ruined it but I put the 2 A. trickle on it for a couple weeks and it came back and works fine now.
 
AGM's are being phased out according to the parts counter guy I just talked to with a flooded battery developed in Europe some years back.
 
69hemibeep said:
AGM's are being phased out according to the parts counter guy I just talked to with a flooded battery developed in Europe some years back.
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Now that make me wonder what I have. Mine is a Mopar reproduction battery with 2 separate sealed batteries inside the case wired to the posts. I can see them through the caps.
 
The yard sale Schumacher 15A charger I bought last month has an AGM mode.

Can you use a "regular" (non-AGM mode) maintainer with an AGM batt?
What about the "slow" charge rate on a regular changer?
 
YY1 said:
The yard sale Schumacher 15A charger I bought last month has an AGM mode.

Can you use a "regular" (non-AGM mode) maintainer with an AGM batt?
What about the "slow" charge rate on a regular changer?
Click to expand...
The 2a. setting on my Schumacher is what I use.
 
Thanks.

I've got 2 Schumacher maintainers in the garage and the same brand 10A/2A regular charger.

I'm really liking this new 15A as it has a voltage tester and diagnostic codes built in.
 
I have Optima batteries in two of my classics. The other two have Walmart batteries. One is 10 years old.
 
I have a redtop in my "impossible to get at the battery" car. Six years old, going strong. I have another for utility use, that's ten. When I need to replace the one in this car, it gets another redtop.
On the other hand, my interstates are way less that half the cost of a red top. If they last half as long, I'm ahead.
 
YY1 said:
The yard sale Schumacher 15A charger I bought last month has an AGM mode.

Can you use a "regular" (non-AGM mode) maintainer with an AGM batt?
What about the "slow" charge rate on a regular changer?
Click to expand...
Ive heard that to do that you need to hook the charger to a wet cell and paralell it over to the agm.
 
I've had terrible luck with wal mart brand. None of the last four have made it to their warranty period. The last one was 40% short.

I used to have good luck with Interstate but the last two didn't make it to the warranty.

I switched to Exide, and the last three have lasted more than their warranty.
Then I switched to Exide marine/RV hybrid deep cells.
The one I'm trading in was a 48 month and lasted 5 years.
That's what i got for the one previous and the one before that almost made it to 7 years.

Exide's car AGM is $160. That seems pretty affordable considering I see other car AGM's at over $300.
720 CCA 36 month free replacement and 84 month warranty (7 years)
But it's almost double the price of the marine/RV hybrid.
I'd almost need to get 8-9 years out of the Exide AGM to equal the hybrid longevity.
Of course it'd save one trip for a replacement during that span.

The AGM I bought for my scooter was the cheapest I could find at $65 vs the regular Yuasa battery at $25.
 
YY1 said:
I've had terrible luck with wal mart brand. None of the last four have made it to their warranty period. The last one was 40% short.

I used to have good luck with Interstate but the last two didn't make it to the warranty.

I switched to Exide, and the last three have lasted more than their warranty.
Then I switched to Exide marine/RV hybrid deep cells.
The one I'm trading in was a 48 month and lasted 5 years.
That's what i got for the one previous and the one before that almost made it to 7 years.

Exide's car AGM is $160. That seems pretty affordable considering I see other car AGM's at over $300.
720 CCA 36 month free replacement and 84 month warranty (7 years)
But it's almost double the price of the marine/RV hybrid.
I'd almost need to get 8-9 years out of the Exide AGM to equal the hybrid longevity.
Of course it'd save one trip for a replacement during that span.

The AGM I bought for my scooter was the cheapest I could find at $65 vs the regular Yuasa battery at $25.
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WalMart Never Start? So far, so good. The only reason I bought one is it was flat and accepted the sticker and cap kit well. If it ***** out I will buy another.

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Battery topper2.jpg
 
I saw that. Looks good.

I was never really concerned with having OEM "wear items" like tires, plugs, or the battery.
 
YY1 said:
I saw that. Looks good.

I was never really concerned with having OEM "wear items" like tires, plugs, or the battery.
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True that. Dang I see my manifolds are looking a little rough. Oh well, That was 12 years ago.
 
Just an FYI —- for years when I think I am going to have to replace a lead acid battery I have used the following procedure.
Put a teaspoon of Epsom salts in each cell , put it on a slow charge for 12-16 hours.
For smaller batteries than average, reduce the amount of Epsom salts accordingly.
I have done this many times over the years with what is about a 75% success rate on gaining another season.
For any doubters, if you are about to replace the battery anyway, what do you have to lose by trying it ??
Yote
 
I have a restoration oe style group 27 in my road runner that if you look in the caps there is a smaller battery and cables. It came with charging instructions and it is all at 10 amps and gives you a amount of time depending on the voltage of the battery. I'm guessing it is a AGM
 
I have AGM batteries in all 3 toys. I got them for a couple reasons, number 1 - they are required on some engines at work - high end engines so it should be good for my junk, number 2, it can be mounted standard/upside down/sideways without issue, and number 3 better with vibration. I have never had an issue with any of them.
 
I used to spend a bit on a battery for my mopar... and to be honest for me it was a waste of money....i now buy a basic UK made, brand you never heard of lead acid top up battery, usually in the summer when they are on cheap... i.e £60. i use the car once or twice a week in the summer and its on stands from september to march.... never charge it and not had a problem in 6 years. i just purchased highest capcity and cold cranking amps that fit on the tray had the connectors the right way round and didn't get near the hood.... old style battery for old style regulator in old car..... modern batteries expect to have charge "maintaned" by ECU controlled 100 amp alternator old style top up lead acid was designed to be pulled down to 12volts or so by starting and expcted to be charged by a 30-60 amp alternator controlled by a device with vibrating contacts.... old style battery for old style tech seemed to fit. and its paid off

i don't run anything much... only addition is a usb charger for the satnav/phone/e cig.

electric fans electric water or fuel pump, well...different needs, different alternator and potentially different battery i just made sure i chose my pumps fans and pulleys appropriately i.e standard or uprated standard all works on a -5*C/23f and at 35*C/95F day

horses for courses as they say... my battery looks wrong but it works.. i could spray it matt black buy some mopar stickers and a topper....its the right shape

anything wrong with the chargeing system/grounding and it will ruin either type of battery in six months

dave
 
Pulled the trigger.

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Went to set it in the car last night and noticed there were some puffy spots on the battery tray.
Further examination revealed some were filled with white powder.
Spent 45 minutes scraping and wire brushing, then tried out a very close match spray can I found that's dang near EW1.

Battery is on a 4x4 block next to the car until this afternoon or later.
 
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