Battery Replacement

My batteryis shot. I had a standard autozone battery. Any special recomendations out there? New types anybody recomends? Not powering anything but a radio (after starting, that is).

 

2X on what Focker said. I have used them extensively on my vehicles and on large-bore Diesels and I have only had one fail within the warranty period, and that was partially my fault for not being observant about an issue in my charging system. I had a couple of shorted diodes in my alternator which were constantly drawing on the battery when the engine was stopped, but I didn't notice it until I had another issue which caused the diode issue to surface...

 

Both my Old Jeep and van have Deka AGMs. They have been there for several years and still work fine. The Volvo has a Sears international battery, not quite as tall as a standard American battery but has worked for about 7 years now after I figured out the bad ground wire going to the alternator. Darn alternator is completely rubber isolated.

 

I'm one of those Optima FanBoyz. I have a ton of them (12 I think?) And most of them are 10+ years old now. I just replaced the ones in my Duramax truck last fall. They are 10 years old. They have been retired to the farm where they each are powering an 80's GM truck. I have had one fail, a yellow top deep cycle, and it made it 11 years.

Maybe some choices other than Optima, but AGM all the way. The secret IMO to longevity is disconnecting the battery in everything that you don't use regularly. I go 6+ months on some of the farm equipment, hook up the battery, and fires right up. Amazing shelf charge life compared to lead acid cells.

 

Just as an aside, I got 12 years out of my stock Harley battery. Do yourself a favor and go buy a battery maintainer / trickle charger. I got 10 years out of the six batteries in my motor home. There are a few places on the internet that have good information on prolonging battery life. A few years ago I had to replace all of the darn things in the motor home. It took a bite out of my hip pocket.

 

Another vote for Interstate!

 

The optima in my jeep is way more than 10 years old and still works fine.
I can also recommend Interstate and Sear Diehard.
I've been getting good batteries at Batteries + Bulbs lately also.

 

I just replaced an auto zone battery last week. Got 5 years out of it and it was like 120 buck. they gave me 33 bucks back. Is not really a good deal and next time I need to go get interstate or some other brand.

 

I have a Excide AGM that is 17 years old and still going strong. Optima seams to have recently turned the corner after going through a few years that they didn't last more then a year or so. The newest generation of Interstate AGM looks like it has some serious possibilities.

 

that's where I buy AGM battery's

 

If you are in Sheboygan WI, Farm and Fleet Battery - 7 year. Have them in my diesel trucks. Have had good luck with Optima batteries too.

 

Just went to the Optima site.....$225......ouch.

Edit...just went to Amazon and $147 and free Prime. Much more reasonable.

 

i have had good luck with the duralast gold batteries from autozone. i had a optima red top around 10 years ago and it only lasted just shy of 2 years before it died.

 

so....turns out it is a bad alternator on my jeep? The engine will run with dead battery, and good alternator, right? time to upgrade. Mean Green here I come...
I was driving along, and my radio dies. I though sh*t. wtf. I turned around and started heading for home, and it sputtered and died. luckily I was within a push-able distance to a farmhouse where the owner threw the jeep on a charger for 30 minutes and offered me an ice cold beverage while we waited . good people are out there yet, just spaced farther apart I guess.

 

Never underestimate the importance of a good *working* voltage regulator. This whole time, i was wrong. Thought it was the battery, then the alternator. Installed a new voltage regulator. Now im ready for my first long haul road trip!

 

Glad you got it going...