Which Battery is Best

[scottmcd]

Stock Batteries are coming up on 5 years in service! Thinking I should change them out before winter sets in with lower temps. Who has the best battery out there for the CUMMINS? TIA, Scott

 

[jelag]

We compare batteries based on AHR (amp hour rate) or CCA (cold cranking amps) either of these standards represent the capacity of the battery to do work...

Knowing the group size of the battery and its rating from one of the standards above will allow you to compare them... .

There are only a few regional battery manufactures in the country because of the requirements for working with lead and acid in the manufacturing arena... So you'll find one manufacture might make 10 different brands of battery with all using the same cells... . or maybe a few bells and whistles from one brand name to another.....

We often end up at Costco for a great value... . since we usually keep trucks for 500k miles we look for cost per mile and CCA @ 0*F. or maybe its 32*F. Since our trucks see -15 to -20 most winters and sit outside sometimes where they can't be plugged in we buy the highest capacity for the $...

By the time they fail we're usually 4 years or so down the road and out of warranty.....

BTW - 2 batteries in parallel is not the best design... . so remember to replace both if one is bad...

Also all summer our trucks run an inverter for a laptop and a small 12 v. Engle Fridge in the cab.....

Hope this helps you decide what your looking for. .

 

[HBarlow]

I agree with Jelag's advice above.



I buy whatever brand is offered at SAM's Club. The brand name means nothing. There are only a small number of actual battery manufacturers.



Like Jim does at COSTCO, I receive the best value for my buck at SAM's Club along with a great warranty and a nationwide network.



Fancy colors, shapes, and advertising hype won't start your truck any better when it is -20*.

 

[Skydiver]

Scott, what type of test have you ran on your stock batteries?

Scott, there are only 3-4 companies that build wet cell batteries in the U. S. Buy the battery with the best warranty. Remember the warranty is no good if the store is closed when you need to replace a bad battery. For that simple reason many people buy from Wal-mart. I buy my Optima batteries from Sams Wholesale. Optima will take abuse and you won't have to worry about acid leaking on your fenders as I did with my previous wet cell.

 

[MickeyMiller]

My batteries are at 6 years and still holding up well but going to replace them this year. Since I plan on keeping this truck until it actually dies, or I do, I'm springing for a pair of Odyssey 1,750A, 930 CCA batteries. I've had an Odyssey on my '98 Buell since '99, abused the heck out of it including 3 years in Montana and it's still going strong. Figure I'll get 10 years out of them in the truck... by then all vehicles emitting anything except water vapor will probably be outlawed! Besides, adding a winch and air compressor so want the extra battery power.

 

[DavidC]

Just replaced my Auto Zone Duralast at 5 years 8 months. Cost me 110. 00 for 2 replacements. They have a 3 year free replacement 8 year pro rated.



Dave

 

[JDerbedrossian]

I just put 2 optima yellow tops in my truck, I got the top/side post model so I put all my accessories on the side post. Fit perfect no more battery blankets and it turns over so fast its still freaks me out in a good way.



Jake

 

[TimothyLong]

I have used Optima Red Tops before and they are definitely good batteries, but a bit on the pricey side. The Yellow Tops even more so. But the thing about Optima is that they don't make a Group 65 battery (at least last time I checked), which is what our Dodges come with. Optima generally reccommeds a Group 34 as the replacement, but the Group 34 doesn't have the CCA's that a Group 65 battery is supposed to. I never had my Optimas fail, but it took a lot out of them when temps got down around 0 degrees.



Exide is supposed to make some pretty decent batteries and they do make Group 65 battery. I believe that they also make the EverStart MAX batteries that Walmart sells. I'm still running the stock Mopars (amazingly enough). They are 5 years old and haven't had a problem with them yet, though I think I'm living on borrowed time now. Here is a link that might help you make your decision: Yahoo! Shopping - Consumer Reports

 

[Allnew2Me]

MickeyMiller, If you are considering the Odyssey battery you should take a look at the Sears Die-Hard Platimun. It is a rebadged Odyssey but a lot less expensive and a great warranty too.

The Odyssey battery for my truck is the 34-PC1500 but the 34/78-PC1500 is the same battery with the addition of side terminals. If you go this route you will have an extra set of terminals to pull power for the compressor, winch and other additions without having to pull power off the top terminals. It just makes it a nice clean way to attach the extras.

 

[JDerbedrossian]

but the Group 34 doesn't have the CCA's that a Group 65 battery is supposed to. I never had my Optimas fail, but it took a lot out of them when temps got down around 0 degrees.

Identical ratings as stock battery(yellow top). I did my research for a couple months before I purchased them.

 

[TimothyLong]

Identical ratings as stock battery(yellow top). I did my research for a couple months before I purchased them.

I never considered the yellow tops due to the price. But this is good to know. Thanks!

 

[wlowe]

MickeyMiller, If you are considering the Odyssey battery you should take a look at the Sears Die-Hard Platimun. It is a rebadged Odyssey but a lot less expensive and a great warranty too.

My vote is also for the Sears Diehard Platinums. I too was going to buy the Odysseys until I found the platinums. Made by the same company that makes the Odysseys, same specs, same size, look indentical except for the color. If I remember correctly Consumer Reports rated the Platinums number one.

 

[Robin]

To reinforce jelag's comment about paralleling batteries, a week ago at a Samboree I saw a large Diesel motorhome with one battery swelled up like a balloon. A cell shorted, the other battery pumped energy into the bad one. The batteries were sitting on the ground, I would bet money that the guys that took them out had no face or eye protection. Every time I open the hood of my Dodge Cummins I take a quick look at the batteries. Using large six volt batteries is much preferable.

 

[JDKammin]

I hear good things about Optima batteries, but have used Interstate in the farm tractors and other vehicles and have been happy with the results of the Interstate batteries.

 

[JDerbedrossian]

I never considered the yellow tops due to the price. But this is good to know. Thanks!

One of the deciding factors was that I was able to get 2 for the price of 1(dont ask how

:-laf). I was also looking at the Diehard platinums till I got hooked up with the optimas.

 

[MickeyMiller]

Allnew2Me and wlowe,

Thanks for the tip on the Sears Die-Hard Platimun... . even if there wasn't a price break the convience of all the Sears locations makes it a no-brainer!

 

[MickeyMiller]

Just did an Odessey/Sears look up: The Sears Platnum is the Odessey Absorbant Glass Mat (AGM) technology battery. . same technology as the Optima batteries. Odessey also makes true dry cells, that's what I have in my Buell. I'm looking at the Odessey 1700Ts or 1700MJTs, I want the dry cells!

 

[wlowe]

Just did an Odessey/Sears look up: The Sears Platnum is the Odessey Absorbant Glass Mat (AGM) technology battery. . same technology as the Optima batteries. Odessey also makes true dry cells, that's what I have in my Buell. I'm looking at the Odessey 1700Ts or 1700MJTs, I want the dry cells!

Correct me if I am wrong, but I was under the impression that AGM is dry cell technology. Odyssey's website seems to imply that all their batteries are AGM design. Also, just a heads up, the Odyessy 1700 line has the -/+ posts on the wrong side for our trucks. You can still use them by turning the battery around but the cables have to stretch farther. Good Luck.

 

[MickeyMiller]

wlowe,

I e-mailed Odyssey asking for an explaination of the difference... I will post their response. I hope they are the same technology because I would prefer to use the Sears version. Wish Odyssey would post the same spec items for each of their batteries and maybe even use the same terminology!

 

[Allnew2Me]

There was a posting a while back over on Expedition Portal regarding the Sears/Odyssey and one of the members spoke with Odyssey to confirm and they are indeed the same. Just a difference in the case color. The explanation for the lesser price had to do with volume, not internal changes or less battery. If you need that much battery it is quite a lot less from Sears. There is a physical difference in size but they are actually smaller than stock if you go with the direct replacement. You can go with the 64 which will give you a bit more CCA but the case is larger and if I remember correctly it requires a little trimming of the case to fit width-wise.



AGM batteries are all dry-cell in the sense that there is no free acid in the batteries. Even if they were to break open there is no leakage. They can be shipped as non-hazardous for this very reason.