T105 or CR-235

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
There are instances where -guaranteed- reliability are warranted. Like when a person is way the hell and gone remote boondocking on vacation and a bad battery virtually destroys the vacation ($3,000 vacation versus perhaps 185 dollars in cost of batteries)...

Name brands now days DOES NOT in any way shape or form mean that the product with that name will live up to the "reputation".

Name brands are nothing more than a trade mark name and are sold like a cheap watch.

There LOTS of folks buying and using Sams and Costco GC batteries with LOTS of success. I would bet that there ARE plenty of commercial AND GOLF COURSES USING Sams and Costco batteries.

I am noted for being a hell of a cheapskate. Being I am familiar with storage batteries and the inconvenience and overall cost of premature battery failure you could not suck me into buying the "Low Cost Leader" for love nor money. I am here in Mexico, and when I buy a battery I DEMAND RELIABILITY, because in the end, a cheap battery is going to end up screwing me to the barn door.

"Good" batteries (AKA more expensive) does NOT GUARANTEE any more "reliability" over the lesser lower cost ones. If you ABUSE the name brand (more expensive) batteries they WILL FAIL just as quick as the lesser cost ones.

I USED to think along your lines of though for many years, bought THE MOST EXPENSIVE Die HARD batteries for my vehicles.

My diesel tractor battery, replaced the OEM battery at 4 yrs with a Die Hard. That Die Hard just got replaced with a Sams battery THIS WINTER. Thats only TWO YEARS of "service". That battery at Sears was $135 and at Sams $87.

OK so you say that is only ONE example..

Well here is another..

Our 2006 F250, OEM battery went 5 years, replaced with a DIE HARD at a cost of $140. Just replaced that Die Hard THIS WINTER with a Sams battery at a cost of $90 The Die Hard BARELY made THREE YEARS.

Some folks do not mind installing batteries, alternators, and starters with velcro fasteners and wing nuts. It's purely price and lifetime guarantee that matters to them. Wearing out tires returning garbage to the vendor never enters their mind.

I PERSONALLY hate paying MORE and GETTING LESS "use" or "service" for things which IS what you get now days.

But like I mentioned, with ALL GC and DEEP CYCLE type batteries, ABUSE by the owner WILL DESTROY the cheap ones AND THE EXPENSIVE BRANDS just as fast.

CARE is where it is at, not price. Batteries ARE a CONSUMABLE ITEM and the deeper the discharge the MORE is consumed.

Warranty is only as good as the paper it is written on and getting battery manufacturers to stand behind the warranty will be a chore. In most cases YOU have to TAKE the battery to a "authorized" dealer. They are not coming to you... Many manufacturers now days are changing the warranty term, cheapening the warranty coverage so buyer be aware. Just because you pay more and they offer a longer warranty does not guarantee the batteries will last longer or your will get any money back if they fail.

I have a set of 2-volt batteries that have lasted 2-1/2 times as long as the "Industry Standard" but they cost 180% that of the lesser battery. It's not just the purchase price for me, it's the forklift and 18-wheeler needed to make them available for warranty. Did I mention the hassle and out of service factors?

2 Volt batteries are a "specialty" battery AIMED at a specialty use (mainly industrial use like Telcos, forklifts and such). They tend to be more spendy due to LESS "demand" not to mention have larger capacity. Therefore they do cost more, we are NOT talking about that type of specialty battery.

GC batteries are lower cost due to the fact that the manufacturers DEDICATE MORE SPACE to BUILD MORE of them. Building them in larger bulk quantities LOWERS the manufacturing cost. Does not necessarily lower the quality..

So when someone insists on obtaining a battery with the best reputation, they have their reasons. Those reasons are absolutely just as valid as reasons given for purchasing the least expensive battery a person can find.

Many folks are like "lemmings" and will FOLLOW AND run right off the cliff when another does the same thing.

The same principal applies, basically folks bought a MORE EXPENSIVE ______ (fill in the blank with YOUR favorite item) and was SATISFIED with the "purchase". Therefore they BLINDLY RECOMMEND the product BECAUSE THEY WERE SATISFIED with said product.

Doesn't mean the product IS THE "BEST" or better just because it was more expensive. The recommendation is due to the person FEELING the product met their expectations.

I respect both when the reasons are justified. But please don't try and compare a US Battery and Oxide or other low price leader with a Trojan, Crown or Rolls. They are batteries designed for a SPECIFIC market.

In many cases like GC batteries the difference in the service life WILL be very close, so close that the extra cost of the more expensive brand IS NOT WORTH IT.

If one was able to get a Crown, Rolls, Trojans or other expensive brands for the same price as a Sams or Costco then by all means buy it but I would doubt you will get close to the Sams price or Costco. If you do, I would suggest CHECKING the DATE of manufacture codes, because there is a good chance the expensive brand heavily discounted is AN OLD DATE.

When I was researching what battery to get for my TT, I did check with a local battery distributor for Trojans. They WERE TWICE THE PRICE of my Sams club GC batteries. They did not have the Trojans (or any other GC batts) in stock and would take a week to get them in.

I walked into my local Sams and they had PALLET LOADS of GC batteries at half the price of the Trojans. Pretty much made up my mind that I was not paying for the name..

We are talking RVs and CAMPING, not like it is MISSION CRITICAL LIFE SUPPORT not to mention most FLAs will give you a WARNING (less capacity) BEFORE THEY QUIT.

AStinker- wrote:

AStinker- wrote:
Which is better buy? Besides cost per amp hour

Trojan T105 225 20 Hr Amp Hour $105.00 = $ .47 / Ahr 62 lb
or
Crown CR-235 20 Hr Amp Hour $90.50 = $ .39 / Ahr 63 lb
or
Energizer 6 Volt Premium GC2 235 20 Hr Amp Hr $111.00 = $.47 66lb

Assuming a 50% max draw down and if 50% will be able to top charge to 100% within 3 days.

Average draw down approx 30%

Batteries will be on float charger when in storage.

Your opinion & why please.

I edited original post & added a 3rd The Energizer (at Sams Club) and added the weight of each.
corrected typo

AStinker- wrote:
Which is better buy? Besides cost per amp hour

Trojan T105 225 20 Hr Amp Hour $105.00 = $ .47 / Ahr 62 lb
or
Crown CR-235 20 Hr Amp Hour $90.50 = $ .39 / Ahr 63 lb
or
Energizer 6 Volt Premium GC2 235 20 Hr Amp Hr $111.00 = $.47 66lb

Assuming a 50% max draw down and if 50% will be able to top charge to 100% within 3 days.

Average draw down approx 30%

Batteries will be on float charger when in storage.

Your opinion & why please.
corrected typo

AStinker- wrote:
Which is better buy? Besides cost per amp hour

Trojan T105 225 20 Hr Amp Hour $105.00 = $ .47 / Ahr 62 lb
or
Crown CR-235 20 Hr Amp Hour $90.50 = $ .39 / Ahr 63 lb
or
Energizer 6 Volt Premium GC2 235 20 Hr Amp Hr $111.00 = $.47 66lb

Assuming a 50% max draw down and if 50% will be able to top charge to 100% within 3 days.

Average draw down approx 30%

Batteries will be on float charger when in storage.

Your opinion & why please.

I edited original post & added a 3rd The Energizer (at Sams Club) and added the weight of each.
corrected typo