Costco vs Sams Club 6V Golf Cart Batteries

[crcr]

Hi,

I'm about to buy two new 6V golf cart batteries for my TT. I am choosing between the Costco and the Sams Club 6V batteries. Here is all the stats provided for each battery where I live:

Costco: Interstate battery, Item #517990, size GC2, Reserve Capacity, 100RC, $79.99 ea

Sams Club: Emergizer battery, size CG2, 107 RC minutes @ 75 amps, 220AH, $81.83 ea

Dimensions of the batteries is identical, at 7" W x 10 1/4" L x 11" H. I know weight is important, heavier indicating more lead plates, but I had no scale to measure the weight of each. Both have 12 month free replacement. I realize the AH is probably the most important factor here, since price is pretty close to equal, but the Costco battery did not provide that information. Can anyone tell me what the rated AH are for the Costco Interstate battery?

Any other comments about pros and cons of one of these over the other, would be welcome. Thanks in advance for any information!

[falconman515]

RangerEZ wrote:

falconman515 wrote:

crcr wrote:
I later weighed one of the same batteries in the pic in a different Costco, and it did not weight 66+ lbs. It weighed only 62.7#, IIRC, 4 lbs less than advertised!

63 lbs. 6V batteries are 208AH

67 lbs. 6V batteries are 232AH

Perhaps for the batteries you are looking at, that may be accurate. But, the T-105s are 225ah and weigh "only" 62 pounds. That said, I suppose that if you have the choice, get the heavier one if you can.

To clarify the batteries I am aware of and have personally seen measured are Coscto and Sams Club 6V batteries (keep in mind those are the batteries in question here in this thread titled "Costco vs Sams Club Golf Cart Batteries").

I am not giving information on any type of batteries like Trojan etc. because that's not what this thread is about and would be off topic information.

If you are looking at Costco or Sams that's what you will be getting based on weight.

Also do not trust the signage at Sams Club stating they are 220 Amp Hours ... They more than likely are not!

I got an expensive postal mailer weight scale that will weigh up to 400lbs to the exact weight and the batteries that we're stated as being 220AH on the sign weighed 62.8 lbs. ... which makes them a 208AH battery (see my previous post showing proof of weight vs. AH)

I would NOT buy a battery from Sams and think it's 220.

Some others out there MAY be ... but I doubt it ... nothing anywhere states they are making 220AH batteries for Sams.

Hope this all helps.

Look back at my previous post for more information on what I have uncovered in regards to Costco and Sams 6V Batteries.

[RangerEZ]

falconman515 wrote:

crcr wrote:
I later weighed one of the same batteries in the pic in a different Costco, and it did not weight 66+ lbs. It weighed only 62.7#, IIRC, 4 lbs less than advertised!

63 lbs. 6V batteries are 208AH

67 lbs. 6V batteries are 232AH

Perhaps for the batteries you are looking at, that may be accurate. But, the T-105s are 225ah and weigh "only" 62 pounds. That said, I suppose that if you have the choice, get the heavier one if you can.

[time2roll]

crcr wrote:
I later weighed one of the same batteries in the pic in a different Costco, and it did not weight 66+ lbs. It weighed only 62.7#, IIRC, 4 lbs less than advertised!

Did it say the weight or capacity on the battery or the shelf lable?
I would trust the battery more than the shelf.

[falconman515]

falconman515 wrote:

crcr wrote:
I later weighed one of the same batteries in the pic in a different Costco, and it did not weight 66+ lbs. It weighed only 62.7#, IIRC, 4 lbs less than advertised!

63 lbs. 6V batteries are 208AH

67 lbs. 6V batteries are 232AH

(weight is rounded up, most are in the XX.7or8 range though)

[falconman515]

crcr wrote:
I later weighed one of the same batteries in the pic in a different Costco, and it did not weight 66+ lbs. It weighed only 62.7#, IIRC, 4 lbs less than advertised!

63 lbs. 6V batteries are 208AH

67 lbs. 6V batteries are 232AH

[RangerEZ]

My Trojan T-105 Plus batteries weigh 62 lbs. each.

[crcr]

michelb wrote:

crcr wrote:

windows 7 screen shot


windows 7 screen shot


Here are the 232aH GC batteries currently at my local Costco. I will be relieving them of a couple of them in a week or two. The dates on them are current, so I hope to find some 4/13 ones there by the time I purchase mine.

FWIW, I purchased this model (517990) of battery from Costco in Orlando last week. They were $89.xx (+ $9 core) and had a date of 4/13 but the sign there has them as 208 Ah. They do appear to be idential to the Interstate U2200 (232Ah) that are currently in the mh.

If I can get around to it, I'll try to weigh them before installing them (didn't have a scale when I bought them).

I later weighed one of the same batteries in the pic in a different Costco, and it did not weight 66+ lbs. It weighed only 62.7#, IIRC, 4 lbs less than advertised!

[michelb]

crcr wrote:

windows 7 screen shot


windows 7 screen shot


Here are the 232aH GC batteries currently at my local Costco. I will be relieving them of a couple of them in a week or two. The dates on them are current, so I hope to find some 4/13 ones there by the time I purchase mine.

FWIW, I purchased this model (517990) of battery from Costco in Orlando last week. They were $89.xx (+ $9 core) and had a date of 4/13 but the sign there has them as 208 Ah. They do appear to be idential to the Interstate U2200 (232Ah) that are currently in the mh.

If I can get around to it, I'll try to weigh them before installing them (didn't have a scale when I bought them).

[falconman515]

crcr wrote:

So the Sams battery claims 220 aH compared to a claim of 232 aH for the Costco battery, whis is slightly lighter. Confused by now? You should be. 🙂 So for myself, I ignore the claims as to aH and the advertised weight, and weigh them myself.

Yep ... that's why I dead set on them letting me weigh them ... I knew that for sure the 208ah were the 63 lbs and the 232ah were 68 lbs ..... So when I saw the the weight was correct but they claimed 220ah on them I was pissed.

But regardless I knew that I was getting the max 232ah with the premium battery and I wanted to most amps I could find so I said screw it and paid the extra 50 bucks em'

Now it;s time to get em installed and charged and see how well they do.

[crcr]

lawtonglenn wrote:

falconman515 wrote:
Found Trojan 105's here in town for $125

Is the extra $75 for 2 of em worth it over the Costco batteries?

I know this is gonna be a dumb question but money is an issue ... but battery life for a weekend is 'More' of an issue ... I need to make it through a weekend on 6 sixers if possible.

Today I purchased two new Trojan T-105s for $100 each here

North Country Golf Car, Bow NH

If you are concerned about truth in advertising, when it comes to these 6V batteries, Costco is no better than Sams Club. In the city I live in, with numerous Costcos, all the Costcos have the same Interstate 6V batteries, but one of their stores here, on the label, said the battery was 232 aH, and claimed it weighs 66.8 lbs I think it was. So I took my digital bath scale, which from experience I believe to be very accurate, and I weighed the Interstate labelled 6V battery at Costco. It weighed 4 lbs less than advertised. So I went to Sam's and weighed their battery with the same scale, and it was 2/10 of a pound heavier than the Costco battery.

So the Sams battery claims 220 aH compared to a claim of 232 aH for the Costco battery, whis is slightly lighter. Confused by now? You should be. 🙂 So for myself, I ignore the claims as to aH and the advertised weight, and weigh them myself.

[wearenh]

falconman515 wrote:
Found Trojan 105's here in town for $125

Is the extra $75 for 2 of em worth it over the Costco batteries?

I know this is gonna be a dumb question but money is an issue ... but battery life for a weekend is 'More' of an issue ... I need to make it through a weekend on 6 sixers if possible.

Today I purchased two new Trojan T-105s for $100 each here

North Country Golf Car, Bow NH

[falconman515]

OKAY .... SO I decided to not take anyone word for it on Sams Clubs supposed 220ah batteries ... the flyer below shows them at 208ah and even their website shows 208ah ... and I couldn't find anything online to say they make 220ah 6 volt batteries.

I talked with the girl in the automotive dept. and said I believe there signage is Wrong and wanted a scale to be able to prove this.
They did not carry bath scales so she let me take a expensive shipping scale form a box in the office department so I knew the weight would be EXACT being a shipping scale.

After plugging it all in I weighed the more expensive Premium battery that as you can see below shows it be 67 lbs. ... and guess what it was 66.8 lbs. exactly so of course they round up to 67

Then I took the regular battery that Sams Club signage says 220ah ..... Now if the battery listed in the flyer is 208ah and weighs 63 lbs., you would think that of course the batteries that show 220ah would weigh somewhere in between (maybe like 65 lbs. or something right?) .....
I weighed them and guess what ... exactly 62.8 lbs. !!!!!

Those batteries they are stating to be 220ah ARE NOT 220 ... they are actually 208ah

I was Pissed when I saw this told them they are advertising false information cause the weight does not lie (I mean really one is 66.8 and states its' 67lbs and the other 62.8 and states it's a 63lbs ... which is correct ... but not what the sign says).

I made many changes to my rig to accommodate 6 volters as opposed to 2 regular 12 volts to get the max AH possible so I of course went with the 232ah Premium Energizer batteries.

The price difference is 50 bucks but I think 50 bucks is worth an extra 28 amp hours for sure (maybe not so much if they "Really" we're 220 but they we're not).

Any my battery days are over ... 2 new ones sitting in the garage and will be put in the trailer this weekend.

I just wanted to relay this information out there to guys looking at the Sams Club "Supposed" 220ah 6V ... They Are Not 220!!!

Thanks again for all the help guys and I hope this information I gathered helps others as well.

Chris

[mena661]

2oldman wrote:
Let us know what happens when one of your 12v "goes bad." I'm dying to know not only what really happens or if it EVER happens.

I hear this a lot but a bad battery in parallel doesn't automatically take the other out. Last year one of the two 12V's that came with my rig took a crap. When I bought the rig, I never checked that batts because I was replacing them anyways. I kept them in parallel sitting in the garage until I could figure out what to do with them. When a friend asked for them, I went out to check them and one was a little low in voltage from full and the other was MUCH lower (like 50% SOC). I charged both separately until "full" then ran one equalize charge (BD1093) until "full" again. The good one was 1.285 and other was 1.260 plus the voltage was dropping (wasn't holding full charge). Who knows how long that one battery was bad.

[HiTech]

falconman515 wrote:


Is it worth the extra $50 bucks for an extra 12 amp hours between the 220 and 232 series Sams Club Batteries???

If you have room for 4 batteries then probably not. 4 of the cheapies would get you a lot more amp hours. At a much lower price per amp hour.

If you only have room for 2, then it is worth it if you are getting up half an hour early because your furnace went out on a cold night. It is a lot of money to pay for marginally more amp hours. But if you NEED the amp hours, it is well worth it. It really depends how you use your batteries.

Jim

[MEXICOWANDERER]

It's easier to hurt a car jar battery than a cyclable battery. I had a customer referral who decided to replace the six six-volt GC's in his five carts with SIX group 27 Trojan batteries. Their maroon case "Deep Cycle" 12-volt batteries. He chortled that the carts would go twice as long before needing to be recharged.

Net result. One and a half years of lifespan out of the group 27's versus 4+ years for the T-105 battery.

We palletized the 30-junk group 27's for recycling to Trojan.

He said he rued the day he got the bright idea of substituting batteries.