AGM vs. flooded lead acid batteries
- Thread starter TJ Jim
- Start date
For what it's worth , My oldest AGM is from 2010 and the newest is from last year in an ATV . 5 AGM ' s none of them have been on a battery tender .
I haven't seen an AGM need anything special , they work very well and don't leak or need water .
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
I possibly just got unlucky then...
I'll replace it with another AGM, but I'll go a bit cheaper this time. If the heat in AZ only gets me 4-5 years out of an AGM, no point in spending $300+ when I can spend half of that for the same life expectancy lol.
My TJ is also a weekend toy now. It gets driven a few times a month. I'm suspecting I discharged the AGM too much which ultimately lead to its demise. I would probably benefit from a NOCO tender designed for an AGM battery.
I see no reason not to go with this one: https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...gm/v/a/2324/automotive-suv-2000-jeep-wrangler
Order it online and you'll get an additional discount and free shipping to your door. (You'll still have to bring in your core in person). The specs are identical to their more expensive non-marine one plus you get both top posts and marine studs for all your accessories. Warranty is only a year but that's likely due to the fact that boat batteries get heavily neglected and they are not about to get stuck with replacing abused boat batteries for free every season..
BTW mine was made by East Penn as are my other two Superstarts but I understand Autozone may switch manufacturers on some models from time to time.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
This was the exact one I was looking at because of another post you made. Appreciate you dropping it here again.
Just placed my order. Sidebar, do you know if the extra studs on the marine battery are safe to run the winch off of? It looks like the terminals are all one molded unit, so it should be fine. In my prior research, there was some hesitancy running winches off of the front terminals (since those are connected to the main terminal by thinner wires).
I got the impression that AGM will last longer. So I've been using them for previous battery replacements. Though when I went to Autozone for my last replacement, they didn't have AGM in the correct size. When I asked about it, the guy that worked there looked at me like I was making it up. Ended up with an acid battery because I wanted to walk out with one.
I felt like Sam Kinnison:
Do you have an AGM battery?
Yes! AGM!
No, not standard acid.
Gel? AGM?
There should be other types of batteries available, other than standard acid...
HOW DID YOU GET THIS JOB?
I felt like Sam Kinnison:
Do you have an AGM battery?
Yes! AGM!
No, not standard acid.
Gel? AGM?
There should be other types of batteries available, other than standard acid...
HOW DID YOU GET THIS JOB?
Those studs are 5/16" if I recall, maybe even 3/8" and are part of the molded lead that includes the top posts. Since they can be used for marine cranking I wouldn't hesitate to use them for a winch.
My Walmart special cheapo battery lasted over 10 years. I got my $73 worth. Bought another one 3 years ago.
My Wally World battery lasted 7 years, but I don't think they make them as good now.
I've read that AGM can be better suited to applications with harsh temperatures, vibration, and the batteries being drawn down to almost nothing more frequently. I run them in diesel tractors like my 3-cylinder Kubota, and most ATV batteries I believe are AGM now.
I replaced an AGM battery in my BMW two years ago, and it was the factory battery from 2009. I think like anything else a lot of it depends on the build quality. Optima batteries had a really bad run 10 or so years ago, I went through 3 Yellow tops with dead cells that failed suddenly in one month with an XJ before going to another brand and getting a lead acid battery.
The Interstate lead acid in my TJ is currently testing great and has an early 2017 date code on it.
I replaced an AGM battery in my BMW two years ago, and it was the factory battery from 2009. I think like anything else a lot of it depends on the build quality. Optima batteries had a really bad run 10 or so years ago, I went through 3 Yellow tops with dead cells that failed suddenly in one month with an XJ before going to another brand and getting a lead acid battery.
The Interstate lead acid in my TJ is currently testing great and has an early 2017 date code on it.
KennethS
TJ Addict
I agree, it depends upon the quality of the battery. I had Optima Red Tops in multiple vehicles. The one from 2006 lasted over 10 years, but the latest one in the TJ failed in around 3 years while still under warranty.
What brand did you go with? I can't get a battery to last more than a year in my 4wheeler. The factory battery lasted 3-4 years, I've since gone through 3 different batteries over the last 3 years.
It is a Duracell AGM from Batteries Plus. They had a 2yr. warranty everyone else had 6 mo. on the same battery .
There are some comments in this thread about using HP Tuners to alter the charging voltage of the battery. I can easily see this in the NGC3 (05/06) file under System -> General
I do not see the voltage control options in the JTEC+ PCM, Unless someone knows of them being buried somewhere else, I think 97-04 TJs may not have an easy way to mod this. I didn't remember buying an AGM last time I needed a battery, but as I was working on something underhood some days ago I noticed I did so came back to check on this setting and could not find a direct way of editing it.
I do not see the voltage control options in the JTEC+ PCM, Unless someone knows of them being buried somewhere else, I think 97-04 TJs may not have an easy way to mod this. I didn't remember buying an AGM last time I needed a battery, but as I was working on something underhood some days ago I noticed I did so came back to check on this setting and could not find a direct way of editing it.
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ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
I understand the range of voltage our alternators kick out from the factory (13.7v - 14.7v) is borderline sufficient for an AGM battery, and it varies based on the charge demand from the battery. AGM's require around 14.3v as I understand it. Our factory systems may not get an AGM battery to 100%, but I'm guessing the guys that get 7+ years out of their AGM haven't modified the voltage output either.
I have a NOCO on-board battery tender on order. Since the Jeep is a weekend toy, I'll just keep it plugged in. These short rides to grab groceries or drop the kids off at school probably isn't enough to consistently charge the battery whether it be AGM or flooded.
Good thread here about it: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/calling-all-agm-battery-experts.82466/
All stock system here with an AGM that is 10 years old now. My Jeep is a toy that often sits unatended for a few weeks at a time. I do hook up my "smart" charger every 2-3 weeks, so that has probably helped. Typical lead-acid battery life for me in various vehicles has been 6- 7 years.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
Out with the old; in with the new. The Marine terminals are very convenient. Big upgrade. After seeing some of y'all's battery compartments, it's making me really want to clean these wires up.
Sidebar: I put a rag and socket over the terminal clamp and lightly tapped with a hammer to seat them. You can see the indentations on the lead clamps...didn't take much. In hindsight, may not have been the best idea. Anything I should be worried about or keep an eye out for? Everything seems to run fine.
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I have a NOCO 5A on board charger on my AGM battery. I plug it in every evening when we get back to the camper or it stays plugged in when the TJ is parked in the driveway. I don't ever drive mine except on/off the trailer and on the trails. Every time I plug it in, it starts at the lowest level. It takes about 1-2 hours for it to be in the green maintaining level. I will say, the Jeep starts faster once it is fully charged by the NOCO than it does after being on the trails all day.
I also leave the key in the ACC position over night when we are on a trip with the Jeep. That way I can leave my refrigerator on keeping food and drinks cool. The NOCO always gets to the green maintenance light.
I mounted mine inside the Metalcloak fender in front of the battery. Currently I just pop the hood up and feed the cord out to plug in. I have a plug port to put in the side of the fender so I don't have to open the hood. I've just been swamped with work to get that done.
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