New AGM Batteries

[LandShark]

Recently my truck would not start after leaving the glove box open over night. Figured the 4 year old batteries must be weak if they couldn't power a small bulb overnight so I did some testing and determined that the passenger side battery would drop almost 2 volts just sitting out of the truck overnight. Drivers side battery seems to be in very good condition. I usually get about 7 years out of batteries, both car, truck, and even boats, so I was a bit disappointed.

Ended up with Walmart Everstart AGMs. About $165 each plus tax. Left the blankets off. Have never used AGMs before but the write ups are good and they were just a few dollars more than flooded batteries.

Will report back in 5 years.

 

[lpennock]

You do realize that the blanket is to protect the batteries from engine heat don't you?

 

[nukegm]

my last truck - 2016 2500 6.4

toasted the battery after not driving for a week

nothing left on etc.

truck was a year old

not impressed

cheers !

 

[AH64ID]

I hope they work out for you. Personally I’m done with expensive batteries in the truck. They only perform better for about a year, then worse. I’m not sure why, but the cheaper batteries have worked much better. I wonder if it’s the charge voltage??

I’ll still run $$ batteries in the camper, as it’s night and day in that application.

You do realize that the blanket is to protect the batteries from engine heat don't you?

I always understood they were part of the cold weather package, and there to keep them warm longer after shutdown.

Never seen battery blankets on a truck without the cold weather package, but I also don’t see too many trucks without the cold weather stuff.

Either way, I wouldn’t remove the blankets.

 

[lpennock]

The blankets are actually to keep the batteries from getting as heated by the engine. Heat us harder on batteries than cold. Heat is why it is hard to get more than 2 years out of batteries in Phoenix. Cooler climate sees 4 or more years.

 

[TCDiesel]

If your truck sits for more than 3 -Days this is the only way to save the Batteries, I made My own Quick-Disconnect. You must purchase Tenner that 7W or higher.
These New trucks system Kill batteries by mill-Volts usage after being Factory Unlocked.

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[TFucili]

Those OEM blankets may be wonderful, but I had a leaky battery that was concealed by the blanket. When I pulled the battery there was a puddle of acid in the tray. Good thing it's plastic. Blanket went in the waste can.

 

[Cummins2014]

Recently my truck would not start after leaving the glove box open over night. Figured the 4 year old batteries must be weak if they couldn't power a small bulb overnight so I did some testing and determined that the passenger side battery would drop almost 2 volts just sitting out of the truck overnight. Drivers side battery seems to be in very good condition. I usually get about 7 years out of batteries, both car, truck, and even boats, so I was a bit disappointed.

Ended up with Walmart Everstart AGMs. About $165 each plus tax. Left the blankets off. Have never used AGMs before but the write ups are good and they were just a few dollars more than flooded batteries.

Will report back in 5 years.

I have had good luck with AGM for my electric boat motor. The Interstates at Costco are just a few dollars less for the flooded, those AGM's are a good deal.

 

[Wayne M.]

I guess it’s 10 months since I batted around batteries here. I made it through the winter and then some with my 2013 Die Hard Plats in my Ram. We will see when the heat cranks up over here. Still have my blankets.
My R/T? I had to change that one already. Seems that it had a short or other issue, was causing a 15v charge rate, and started leaking at the (+) post. New Advance battery in H8 size (sale+coupon) and now it’s happy again, showing less than a 15v rate.

 

[GrantP]

Blanket went in the waste can.

Me too. It'd be a hard sell for me to believe it makes a temperature difference under the hood, it's probably more useful as an "acid absorber".

 

[KCJackson1]

Had eye surgery last fall and thus couldn't drive (once the first eye recovers, have to do the same to the other eye)... tried to go out and start the truck when I could but would get to busy stretches with work and forget; I work full-time from home, and it's an apartment complex, so the dually is outside. In late February, I realized I hadn't gone out to start it in weeks, gave it a crank and got nothing. Called my roadside assistance, they came over and jumped it, and all seemed ok for a while - figured the cold air got to it, but nothing worse. In the meantime, decided to get a jump box, and after about 2 months, batteries wouldn't start. The box showed both batteries at about 10.8-11.0 volts. Again, worked for a while as long as I was diligent about getting out there and running it for 15-30 minutes. Last week, had to hit it with the box again, both batteries around 11. Enough is enough. My eye has recovered to a point where I'm comfortable driving locally but not yet on highways - and this would actually be my first venture out by myself in 8 months. Had to go anyway because a new eye drop prescription can't be delivered as it must be refrigerated, so I had to go pick it up. Across the street from my Walgreens is a fairly new Advance Auto Parts, and as they advertise, batteries are installed for free. So I went there and got two of their group 65 AGMs, 750 CCA ($199 each), 0-36 month full replacement, 37-84 month pro-rated. Old driver's side battery was swollen (not good), so it was a timely buy. Cummins fired instantly when they were in, and I'm a little more confident the AGMs will be ok as my driving time s-l-o-w-l-y increases back to normal.

By the way, that free battery installation at Advance... it's not just 'put it in and goodbye'. Cleaned the cable connections and used an appropriate amount of dielectric spray, cleaned and WD-40'd the mounting nuts as a couple had more than their share of rust, and for $3.49 each side, sold me the terminal kit which includes an O-ring for the positive terminal to keep it clean. They also connect a trickle charger under your dash to make sure you don't lose any of your electronics settings.

For the jump box, I got the NOCO GB150 4000 amp. Turns over the Cummins instantly and only weighs 8 pounds. Highly recommend it.

 

[seafish]

Me too. It'd be a hard sell for me to believe it makes a temperature difference under the hood, it's probably more useful as an "acid absorber".

Heat, not cold, is the ENEMY of batteries, as anyone driving our trucks in Arizona will tell you.

I am pretty sure that the battery insulation blankets on modern cars are to keep heat from the engine compartment
OUT of the battery so it can potentially live a cooler and longer life.

Of course, our trucks powered by the mighty low RPM I6 Cummins really do NOT run that hot in the engine compartment, so perhaps tyou are right that they don't do much on our trucks. That being said, I would NEVER remove the one on my wife VW tdi, what with the close confines of the engine compartment, forcing the battery location so close to the turbo.

 

[TCDiesel]

If vehicle sits for more than 3+ Days and you do NOT install solar charger (7+w) this device will suck up your wallet.

https://www.bosch-mobility-solutions.com/en/products-and-services/passenger-cars-and-light-commercial-vehicles/interior-and-body-systems/body-electronics/electronic-battery-sensor/

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[BDaugherty]

I’ll pay more for the AGM batteries just because they cut way down on terminal corrosion.
My ‘03 had Advance gold it it when I bought it in 2011. Back in 2017 had to replace them. I went with AGM from Oreilly due to best price at the time. A few weeks later, I had to replace the batteries on my F450 7.3L service truck. I used the same ones again. No complaints so far. Dodge sits for weeks at a time without problems.

 

[Wayne M.]

This was going on with my AGM in my R/T. I didn’t think it was possible, but I guess that battery sensor felt that battery should have been getting 15+VDC. I saw that on the dash, and then I smelled it a week later.
I gave the sensor a good neutralizing with baking soda, and since changed the battery with a H8 AGM from Advance. It’s now charging normally. I never had a chance to put the midtronics tester on the old one to see what the problem was.

 

[TCDiesel]

2013 and Up Have the EBS and software, thats why the 11.8 and NO workee. Also the More quiz MO's the more drain to power source.

 

[lilbxl]

I just put Duralast AGM’s in my truck. Truck is a ‘14 and original batteries lasted till just 2 weeks ago and my truck sits for 2 weeks at a time. Hopefully these last as long.

 

[seafish]

I just put Duralast AGM’s in my truck. Truck is a ‘14 and original batteries lasted till just 2 weeks ago and my truck sits for 2 weeks at a time. Hopefully these last as long.

As noted above, it is MUCH better for battery longevity if you can hook them up to either a solar or plug-in trickle charger to help keep them priorly charged while the truck sits for that long a period of time!!! It is a relatively inexpensive way to maintain your battery investment.

 

[Gumby79]

Interstate Batteries are my go to . Finished a 8month job in north Tx fixing Fed Ex trucks 1-2 years life out of anything ells . Engine heat was not a factor battery (1 gas,2 Cummins ) are just inside the passenger doir on the Step van platform. Changed out the last of 25 FoMoCo @15months interstate is more spendy but so are better rotors.
I feel for those with the new technology trucks 3years in montana 4years in Oregon on my first Interstate. had a lift pump failure just before a trip . I thought it was just gelled fuel from Ut change filler and blead the injectors 2x lots of cranking but no dice . Left on trip for 6 months. Got home put on new lift pump blead the injectors agen all with out useing a charger on a single (1st gen) Interstate Battery

 

[LandShark]

I did give a fair amount of thought to leaving the battery blankets off. The only reason I could come up with for keeping them is if you have battery heating pads, they will save a bit on energy costs. Heating pads for batteries are typically only used in really cold areas ( think arctic/Minnasota/north Alaska).

Batteries will come to ambient temperature within a couple of hours no matter what if you don't have some type of active heating/cooling.

They seem to attract a huge amount of dust and I don't know of another vehicle, ever, that uses them in moderate climates. They also hide potential problems (leaking/corrosion). I've been using vehicle batteries for over 50 years and the shortest battery life I've ever experienced has been with using RAM battery blankets.

I haven't tossed them in the trash yet, so if anyone has a good reason to use them, I would like to hear it.