single battery recommendation?

[seanpistol]

I am searching for a quality battery for my rig. I don't plan on running a dual battery setup and don't plan on running any electronics that are constantly on such as a fridge. I will run a winch and a few accessories such as a light bar, electric fans and an air compressor hooked up to a fuse block. I don't plan on using the winch unless the truck is running to maintain the battery charge.

I know it's a lot of personal preference- can you recommend a make and model battery you would recommend looking at?

 

[Montana Cruiser]

I'm sure others will chime in with specifics about it, but I had great luck with a Sears Diehard Platinum in my 4Runner, I ran my fridge most of the year and had no issues. The new GX will be getting a Diehard Platinum soon!

I am searching for a quality battery for my rig. I don't plan on running a dual battery setup and don't plan on running any electronics that are constantly on such as a fridge. I will run a winch and a few accessories such as a light bar, electric fans and an air compressor hooked up to a fuse block. I don't plan on using the winch unless the truck is running to maintain the battery charge.

I know it's a lot of personal preference- can you recommend a make and model battery you would recommend looking at?

 

[1911]

Odyssey, or it's re-badged equivalent the Sears Platinum Die-hard.

 

[ebg18t]

I used the Diehard Platinum ($250) in my last truck with excellent results. My current truck is using Duracell AGM's from SAMs club ($120 each). The Duracells have worked out well, even when being used with my fridge they hold power well and recharge fairly quick.

 

[RangeBrover]

Diehard Platinum Marine, Group 31. You'll never want for another battery again. I run mine with an ARB compressor, winch, and lights. Haven't had a single issue other than almost breaking my back installing it because it weighs almost 60 pounds. I've run a fridge off it also for 3 days with driving and had juice to spare. If you can't fit a 31, I've seen a lot of guys run the 34 with similar results.

 

[seanpistol]

I'm still running my original battery that I believe will need to be replaced in the very near future. I am just now adding a winch to the truck. Once again, I don't forsee a situation where I will not be able to have the truck running and the alternator charging the battery while winching. I will not run any other accessories while the truck is at a campsite.

Is there anyone that thinks a stock replacement battery such as something from Costco, and carrying a jump pack would be just as good of a setup as the Diehard marine group 31? I want security to get home after a night of camping in the woods.

http://www.amazon.com/Antigravity-B...sr=1-2&keywords=antigravity+micro+start+xp-10

 

[xplrn42]

Diehard Platinum Marine, Group 31.
No other.

 

[seanpistol]

Seems like the general consensus!

 

[unseenone]

I know Odyssey are quite popular. I have ready a lot about charging issue with them. I am so far quite pleased with the DEKA Intimidator AGM I got. Under no circumstances would I recommend anything that Interstate is selling.

 

[4x4junkie]

I'm still running my original battery that I believe will need to be replaced in the very near future. I am just now adding a winch to the truck. Once again, I don't forsee a situation where I will not be able to have the truck running and the alternator charging the battery while winching. I will not run any other accessories while the truck is at a campsite.

Is there anyone that thinks a stock replacement battery such as something from Costco, and carrying a jump pack would be just as good of a setup as the Diehard marine group 31? I want security to get home after a night of camping in the woods.

http://www.amazon.com/Antigravity-B...sr=1-2&keywords=antigravity+micro+start+xp-10

At the moment I do think the best value is with Costco's batteries.
Used to be Delco Voyager batteries... But unfortunately like a lot of stuff nowadays, they chose to cheapen the product (hand it off to someone else who would build it cheaper with little regard to quality) rather than bring it's price inline with whatever it was costing to manufacture it (incidentally I've been seeing some hub-bub around here that the DHP isn't what it used to be either).

Costco recently switched their battery branding to Interstate (obviously still made by JCI), which no doubt they are not the greatest. But as cheap as they are, if you can get even 3 short years use out of one, you're likely ahead of the game (an AGM battery would need to last 10+ years to break even price-wise, which I don't see very many do outside of the occasional early Optima that was manufactured back around the time it was still Gylling). Nursing a Costco battery with a desulfator once a year could allow you to get a lot more life out of it (certainly this isn't something a quality battery needs unless it's been chronically undercharged, but it still beats paying triple the $$$)

 

[unseenone]

I hate to say it, but I used to be an Interstate fan. That was 5 200.00 batteries ago, not one lasted more than two years, 6 Golf Cart Batteries and 6 Deep Cycle batteries. All the same short life, despite maintaining the crap out of them. You can do Deka for the same or nearly the same money, I'll give them a try for a while. My shop has also dropped them due to the high failure rate. They also will beat you out of the warranty as well, the last one lasted 1.5 years.

Just consider spending a few more dollars with something decent. Consider something else. http://dekacatalog.com/ http://www.dekabatteries.com/ I believe it would take the 9A34R & 9A35/85 for the AGM, they list a bunch batteries for the Tundra.

Made in America as well.

Just do the math on the "savings"

 

[4x4junkie]

I didn't say (or intend to imply) that I was a fan of Interstate...

Johnson Controls (maker of Interstate batteries) spews pure garbage out of their factory compared to East Penn or Deka, I fully agree (look what they did to Optima, and now the Delco Voyager, I got Voyagers I bought in 2004 that are still perfectly healthy today, much like many reports about pre-JCI and pre-Mexico Optimas). However I did get right about 5 years out of the pair of JCI Voyagers I bought in 2009... I don't have much reason to believe the Kirkland (I guess now Interstate-branded) batteries at Costco are much different (they certainly look 100% exactly the same except for the stickers on the top & side).

I will admit up front I have yet to buy a Costco deep-cycle, but I intend to when (if?) the 11-year-old Voyagers I have ever do crap out. At $80 a pop (that's 40% of $200) I just don't see how it's that hard to go very wrong.

FWIW, the starting battery in our Ford motorhome is a Costco battery bought in 2010 I believe. It's been neglected and ran down a few times (seems the door step or something puts a small, but constant parasitic drain on it), yet it's still working perfectly fine (I try to top it up with a charger every month or two if it's not driven in that time, but there's no battery maintainer on it).

 

[mezmochill]

Lifeline GPL-31XT 125amp hour AGM will be my next battery.