Better or best automotive batteries for my Overlander? Interstate, Odyssey, Optima, LiFePo, etc.

[Sid Post]

My dual 35-1400 Odyssey batteries in my Tacoma are 5 years old and need to be replaced.

Walmart AGM 4-year warranty batteries are ~$400 and are easily warranted nationwide. Intertate, Odyssey, and Optima batteries will run me ~$700. Lithium options seem to be available for ~$800, but I wonder about compatibility with my 12,000lb Warn winch loads in addition to basic charging, cold weather starts, and use with a 12Vdc vehicle fridge/chest plus lights and air compressor.

One random thought I had was to get Marine AGM batteries to handle low-voltage battery cycles better due to the accessories on my Tacoma, like the lights and fridge unit.

What are the recommendations from people who travel to really remote areas and travel internationally, where a Walmart warranty may not be possible, or a replacement LiFePo isn't an option either? Should I just opt for Walmart AGM batteries that can be matched easily with a dissimilar battery at some remote location?

TIA,
Sid

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

If you do it 'right', once you go to LiFePO4, you will never go back and you will probably never buy another battery either.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[chet6.7]

How many amps does your winch pull? I have a small Warn winch to raise the spare tire on my rear tire carrier. I would like to go lithium as well, but the one I looked at on Amazon can't supply to 200 amps the winch pulls. I will subscribe to see if a Li solution exists that I don't know about.

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

The ability to deliver amps is a function of the BMS rather that the LiFePO4 chemistry.
I am using a 4.5kg, 30Ah, 880A CCA LiFePO4 cranking battery for our 4L diesel, similar to these.

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You should be able to put a couple of batteries in parallel to combine the maximum current.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[Hegear]

not sure if this helps but I bought an odyssey yesterday for my power wagon starting battery. Napa online has a 20% off sale right now. Not sure if I looked up the correct size for you but it would put them at 290 a piece. Sometimes if what you have been using works it’s easier to stick with it.

 

[ExpoMike]

Are you looking for a starting battery or a house battery? They are very different.

For a starting battery, most factory charging systems are designed for standard lead acid batteries and work well for that use. When you start putting in AGM or Lithium, the charging systems are not going to put enough voltage to correctly charge, for long term health of the battery. I ran into this a number of times using AGM in the past and was nothing but a hassle. Most LiFePO4 batteries are not designed for under hood heat and other than a few new ones that recently came out, are not recommended for starting batteries.

For a house battery, LiFePO4 hands down the the winner for this use. You need the correct DC/DC charger, so it will get the correct voltage/amps needed to be charged.

This is not to say that people have not been using any combo of FLA, AGM or LiFePO4 for non recommended use and have been successful. Over the years I have changed my battery requirements and now have settled on using FLA for starting batteries and LiFePO4 for house batteries. I am sure that will change as new technology comes out. I have a part of Walmart EverStart in my M1010. Since this is an ex military vehicle, which has a disconnect switch, so at rest there is ZERO battery draw, these two batteries are now over 12 years old. I throw a charger on them every 3-6 months (I don't drive this really) and they are still working great. Fires the old girl up.

 

[Sid Post]

Are you looking for a starting battery or a house battery? They are very different.

For a starting battery, most factory charging systems are designed for standard lead acid batteries and work well for that use. When you start putting in AGM or Lithium, the charging systems are not going to put enough voltage to correctly charge, for long term health of the battery. I ran into this a number of times using AGM in the past and was nothing but a hassle. Most LiFePO4 batteries are not designed for under hood heat and other than a few new ones that recently came out, are not recommended for starting batteries.

For a house battery, LiFePO4 hands down the the winner for this use. You need the correct DC/DC charger, so it will get the correct voltage/amps needed to be charged.

This is not to say that people have not been using any combo of FLA, AGM or LiFePO4 for non recommended use and have been successful. Over the years I have changed my battery requirements and now have settled on using FLA for starting batteries and LiFePO4 for house batteries. I am sure that will change as new technology comes out. I have a part of Walmart EverStart in my M1010. Since this is an ex military vehicle, which has a disconnect switch, so at rest there is ZERO battery draw, these two batteries are now over 12 years old. I throw a charger on them every 3-6 months (I don't drive this really) and they are still working great. Fires the old girl up.

I have an aftermarket alternator with AGM batteries now, so I'm compatible there.

I run LiFePo4 batteries off-grid. Underhood heat is a good point to bring up. I also have them in my trailer.

 

[Mekcanix]

I just replaced my odyssey with a regular wet acid battery after it died. the issue is I had a 3 year warranty and it was replaced at year 1 and the replacement died just after 2 years. so no longer under warranty which was very disappointing to me. If I understand correctly my system in the 2016 ram 1500 is not designed for the AGM and is killing it. I think its weird my first odyssey lasted almost 10 years in my XJ with a winch and sitting and had a parasitic drain and in my modern truck 2 years max before garbage. I am leaning to learning more about the changes required to properly run a AGM if this is actually a real thing

 

[Zeep]

I put in a Duracell AGM this weekend into my '19 Ram. I've had one in my Jeep for many years now.
Actually, I'm on number 2 in the Jeep. Never had any issues!