Choosing an AGM chassis battery?

I'd recommend Motorcraft brand, especially if you have a Ford van. I got 10 yrs., one month out of the first one in my truck and it was not treated perfectly (sound system,door ajar switch on 24/7). This is a conventional FLA starting battery.

You ever going to cycle it on purpose?

I think the biggest East penn Deka Intimidator or rebadged intimidator you can shoehorn in would be good. these are relabelled by some autoparts stores and by Sams club and Costco.



If you really wanted high CCA ratings, Northstar And Odyssey. these also have very low self discharge as does lifeline who do make dedicated starting batteries, or at least they market them

Batteries PLus sells NorthStar as X2Power. Nationwide, 4 year free replacement warranty. Not cheap.

Don't think Sears still has their deal with Enersys regarding the odyssey/DH Platinum. Don't think sears will be around in 4 years.

My Northstar-27 needed an initial deep cycle and high amp recharge before it would rest over 13v. Still rests at 13.06v Performing well in double duty as house and engine battery, but recharged very well too. I am around 400 deep cycles and closing in on the end of my third year with it. No 'just as new' claim from me, but still performing very well. I'm impressed with it so far.

Before the depression (and there had been no recovery here), I did a lot of work on the electrics of performance cruisers (read - retired racing keep boats). They all had bad electrics and little diesels that are really hard to crank. The universal fix was a rolled cell AGM. (Optima or Orbital type) These do have lower self discharge and much better cranking power for years to come.

The ONLY reason I don't have one as the main engine battery in my coach is the little thing called "Abrogation of Bankruptcy Statues" that relieved me of many years of scrimping and saving for retirement only to have it taken away and given to people that made more most years than I did. If I had known that was going to happen, I would have lived like the grasshopper.....

Matt

Cheap

Longest warrsnty

Easy to find warranty stores all over

i second the the Sears Platinum
i think are the same battery as Odyssey and cost less
get the largest CCA that fits in spot

mindful that nothing shorts out when you close the hood

Get an AGM of the proper size and you are good to go.
Bosch(PepBoys) and Sears Platinum are two examples.
Yes they have similar fast charging and slow self discharge etc. as the deep cycle versions.

Hi Naio,

AGM starter battery does have low self discharge rates--but the problem is modern chassis have LOTS of parasitic loads.

I got around that with solar and a trik-l-start.

That said, the low internal resistance allows AGM to charge faster to a higher state of charge than flooded. It also means that a partially discharged AGM has a better chance to get the vehicle started than a flooded of the same capacity.

I ignore the battery replacement charts and always put in the jar that is the biggest and meanest that will physically fit.

The ultimate if you can afford it and don't live where it gets cold is LI.

My opinion:

I wouldn't worry too much about the specs. It's a starting battery, it's main purpose is to supply high current for a few seconds to run the starter and spend the rest of its time trying its best to smooth out the alternator's output.

Get the least expensive one you can find that fits in the space given and meets or exceeds the recommended CCA for your motor.

Spiral cells, extra thick pads, fully cast terminals, all this stuff adds a lot to the cost, but overall, performance gains aren't night and day from what a cheap battery offers. That's what I've seen in my research.