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.

Buy Car Batteries & Charger for Sale Online | 12v Car Battery

Buy car batteries & car battery chargers for sale online at Super Start Batteries. For 12v car batteries & car batteries near you, call 1300558521.

superstart.com.au

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!

 

[RoyJ]

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

It's more likely Odyssey's quality slipped, than anything incompatible with the Ram's charging system. Lead acids are simple, even TPPL - supply a constant voltage above 14.0 and it'll charge fairly decently.

Purists will say: but you need to supply 14.7V till amp draw goes below 200mA or whatever to reach full charge. Sure, in a lab maybe, but OEMs that run TPPL (Audi, Mercedes, BMW) NEVER use that charging algorithm. In fact, they're always under-charged due to start-stop system.

Speaking of which, if you run an H7/H8/H9, like Ram / Jeep and many others, look for new German take-offs on Facebook. Their batteries are every bit as good as an Odyssey, and I've scored many for around $100 - $150, full health.

 

[Datsun Man2]

For a Starter Battery I'll stick with Odyssey as they are made by Enersys and are good quality Batteries. For a House Battery I have a Renogy Core Series 100 AH Battery with the appropriate DC-DC Charger. Hope that helps.

 

[VinceAtReal4x4's]

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.

Buy Car Batteries & Charger for Sale Online | 12v Car Battery

Buy car batteries & car battery chargers for sale online at Super Start Batteries. For 12v car batteries & car batteries near you, call 1300558521.

superstart.com.au

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

This is not accurate. Lithium simply can't supply high amperage over more than a few seconds depending on what you have exactly. Winching isn't going to work with the tech as of 2026. Doesn't matter how many you stack. Any 4x4 that might use a winch or some other high amp application needs a conventional battery, for now.

 

[VinceAtReal4x4's]

Look at Full River batteries. They use the thin plate tech like Odyessey does but cheaper and they will actually answer the phone unlike Odyssey which is IMPOSSIBLE to get a hold of and why I will not buy from them.

 

[IdaSHO]

I've had beyond excellent service from Duracell batteries.
AGM in the vehicles and 6V FLA for the camper house batteries.

As for Odyssey, tough to tell. While ALL MFG lead battery have suffered in the past decade or so,
there are many, many stories about Odyssey not being anywhere what it once was.

 

[dstefan]

Long reply — sorry!
I’ve had 5 Northstar AGM Batteries since about 2010. They have all been excellent and never let me down (NO affilition with them orBatteries+). They are owned by Enersys who owns Odyssey, but different batteries and made separately.

Their retail motorsports batteries are very well made and have the standard Group designations. Batteries+ sells them as X2 power with 4 year replacement warranty so available all over US. They have great specs. https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli27agmdp

These are true Northstars and the specs match exactly what's on the Northstar site. These were what Sears sold as DieHard Platinums and how I learned of them. I had an Odyssey in a good dual set up in my old Tacoma; these are definitely more impressive.

Northstar #1:Mid 2010 to 2017. Sears DieHard Platinum. Group 24, Starter, ran winch (with idle), ran 50qt ARB fridge in uninsulated bed. NO special charging for two years. Dual battery system 2012ish with Optima Yellow top house battery, which killed my Northstar. Died in 2017 as dual system automatically linked the two for starting. I occaisionally put a higher voltage charger on in last two years.

NS#2: 2017: Batteries + X2 Power version: Grp 27 in same Tacoma system with Odyssey as House, no issues. Sold w/ rig in ’20. Occaisional high volt garage charge.

NS#3: 2018-’23: B+ X2 Power Grp 27 (~90 ah), in 4runner. Ran my 50qt ARB overnight daily on 4-5 extended trips (mostly not offroad). Never dropped below 12.3-.5v running fridge overnight on 2-3 week trips w/ daily driving. Lasted to 2023 in Phoenix heat in daily driver with occasional high volt charge for long term health.

NS# 4: Replaced #3 in 2023 in 4runner. X2Power, DD, some trips with fridge, Occasional hi volt charge and occasional use of BatteryMinder AGM trickle charge when sitting. Zero issues. ALL cases here are with stock Toyota alternators.

NS#5: 2021 Group 27, X2Power as starter in Tundra rig, zero DD then is used offroad and stationary camping (4-5 nights without starting). Feeds 100ah Lifepo house battery via 25 amp DCDC National Luna charger (no solar). No issues. Trust it completely in remote places (the Maze, the Swell, etc). Truck sits for periods and has parasitic draws so I hi voltage charge 2-4 times a year, before trips. If sitting > 3 weeks, the resting voltage will reach 12.5. Now just keep it on a BatteryMinder AGM trickle charger (the approved trickle charger for Northstar and Odyessey according to their CS rep, who I’ve talked to 3 or 4 times and has been really helpful and educational on how to maintain these).

Finally, I ALWAYS sit any battery that’s going offroad on a good vibration absorbing mat to protect the plates from vibrations as much as possible. YMMV!