AGM Battery

john in la · Feb 20, 2021

Been noticing the 6 year old battery in my 2015 Ram pickup seemed weaker than normal over the past month or so.
Sure enough this cold snap and not going to work for a week has done it in.
Truck would not start today.
So been looking for a new H7 battery for it today.

Found these two batteries at wal mart..

H7 flooded
CCA 800
3 year free replace
$149.76
In stock

H7 AGM
CCA 850
4 year free replace
$169.77
Needs to be ordered

Seems the AGM battery is worth the extra $20 for the extra year warranty.
But I do not know anything about AGM batteries.

So give me the scoop on replacing a stock flooded battery with a AGM battery.

buickanddeere · Feb 20, 2021

AGM battery in my snowmobile is still starts the engine after four years of service . The flooded cell batteries do not last two seasons .

Steve@Advance · Feb 20, 2021

I put an Exide AGM in the wife's Honda CRV about 6 years ago.

This was the 3rd battery, the original lasted about 2 years, the next one 2 years, then the Exide was installed. I just found out it was dead.

I haven't been out to look at it, if it really died or something was left on. It's now our daughters car, probably something left on.

I just bought an AGM for my truck. Wanted to have it because it's about time for the old battery to give up. I got this one from Rock Auto, about the same price as a lead acid at the auto supply.

Not many places stock them here and when they do they are around $200.

John T · Feb 20, 2021

Ive had flooded lead acid in cars trucks tractors and RV's forever it seems but lately chose AGM in the RV so I dont have to worry and mess with checking and adding water and Im not looking back yayyyyyyyyyyy one happy camper they have performed well. For the RV Im studying researching and considering Lithium Iron Phosphate in the future as I do a ton of dry boondock camping and utilize a lot of stored battery energy for day to day electrical needs. Any will work fine its your money and your choice.

John T

sotxbill · Feb 20, 2021

I had tried them when they first came out.. And only got two years out of them.. but that was a long time ago. The optima's did slightly worse than the flooded batteries. I would hope that they are better by now. On my rv, the batteries die more from electrolytic getting low after being on a "storage" charge all year. My"built in" charger is too hot I guess.

guido · Feb 20, 2021

John in La,

Replace it with an agm. They have different charging requirements then the flooded lead acid battery.

Besides, a 6 year life is not do shabby, especially in a hot climate,

Guido.

6cylpower · Feb 20, 2021

AGM batteries in my snowmobile barely made to the one year warranty. I got out of sync with the season and just use the pull rope instead. That was Batteries Plus brand though and one month a year usage...

buickanddeere · Feb 20, 2021

Excide from Crappy Tire .

MarkB_MI · Feb 21, 2021

> For the RV Im studying researching and considering Lithium Iron Phosphate in the future...

John, I put an LiFePo<sub>4</sub> battery in my motorcycle and I've been pretty happy with it. These batteries are popular for motorcycles because they pack a lot of capacity in a small package, and they're ridiculously light. The only real downside is they don't like to be cold. When it gets down around 40 (yes I do ride when it's cold), my bike doesn't want to crank. The standard solution is to turn on the lights for 20-30 seconds to warm up the battery, then the bike will start.

I wasn't aware they're being used in RVs, but it sure would allow you to put a lot of capacity in a small space. Must be pricey, though.

Geo-TH,In · Feb 21, 2021

Yes. AGM battery doesn't exhaust acid fumes causing terminal oxidation and battery holder to rust.

Some vehicles require AGM battery.

I don't know when GM started putting AGMS in cars. But for the last 17 years they came from the factory with AGM.

I wouldn't buy a vented battery for a lawn mower because the bouncing splashes the acid out.

I feel the AGM lasts longer.

Look at warranty and figure cost per month.
George

Geo-TH,In · Feb 21, 2021

Before you buy any battery look at the date.
I looked at AGM battery for more at Battery +.
One battery had sit on the shelf for a year. Seen similar old new batteries in Sears and Walmart. So check the date and take a good voltmeter. The 1 year old battery was about 12.1v. No thanks.
George

Phil Tibbetts · Feb 21, 2021

Don't use AGM batteries but the 2004 JD5103 and the 2004 Kubota L3400 tractors I bought new and the batteries both lasted for at least 10 years. That tells me that there are batteries that will last a lot longer than anything you can buy off the shelf. I've been using the Wally world and Sammy's batteries for years and get from 4 to 5 years out of them. I just but the highest cranking capacity they have. IMHO

John M · Feb 21, 2021

Not all GMs come with AGM batteries. Neither my 08, or my 13 Siiverado had AGM batteries, not di my wifes 06 LaCrosse.

bc · Feb 21, 2021

I was looking for a battery for the ford 1500 tractor. Regular and AGM were close in CCA with the regular commercial 31 battery having the higher CCA than the H7 AGM. The way it was described to me is that the AGM have more reserve capacity which is good for vehicles and RV's with stuff on that is draining the battery. For the diesel tractor with nothing on, I got the commercial 31. Sam's has the Duracell AGM H7 (94R group size) for 179.48 with 800 CCA and 3 year full replacement warranty (no proration above that).

I was comparing the duracell commercial size 31 for $109.82 with the duracell agm deep cycle marine and RV battery size 31 for $179.74 and the duracell marine deep cycle battery size 31 for 99.90. Originally looked at the H7 at walfart but the commercial size 31 for $109 was rated at 950 CCA so I opted for the higher CCA on the diesel tractor.

Russ from MN · Feb 21, 2021

We have AGM's in our motorcycles, biggest reason is no danger of corrosion. Years ago I was at a big tractor show and a guy had an AGM in a big 4 cylinder MM tractor. the battery was a 6 volt Optima, looked like 3 dry cells glued together. Spun that big engine right over and started it, I was impressed.

Geo-TH,In · Feb 21, 2021

2005 buick. AGM. 2004 Malibu AGM
2007 GMC. AGM.
All were purchased new.

Rollie NE PA · Feb 21, 2021

My wife's 2015 Jeep came with a AMG battery. It lasted two years. She shut the Jeep off one night and when she tried to restart it 15 minutes later the battery was dead. Tester showed 12.5 volts but only 200 amps. I replaced it with a AMG battery because of the charging system. The replacement is going on 3.5 years.

Russ from MN · Feb 21, 2021

I think most AGM's last 10 years, at least up north. Batteries last longer in cool temperatures if you treat them right. If you leave a big engine out in -30F and expect to start it with no preheat nothing will last.

Sprint 6 · Feb 22, 2021

The only AGM batteries I have known to last are Optima spiral cell batteries. I had a red top in our Pontiac Aztek that was used when I got it from my FIL. It had been in our Aztek 8 years when I sold the car, don't know when it was bought new.

Personally, my experience with AGM batteries is pretty poor. I worked in service at a gm dealer when they debuted them in the 2004 Corvette. JUNK! We had to replace the battery under warranty in every Vette we sold, some while they were still on the lot. It was so bad, gm even quit replacing them with AGM and went back to flooded. The charging system has to be optimized for AGM, and these were existing models, so I think that was the problem. Personally, I think a flat plate style AGM battery is more sensitive to how it is charged than the Optima spiral cell, I think that is why the Optimas last.

Modern AGM equipped vehicles have charging systems optimized for how an AGM needs charged, so replacing with an AGM is important. In fact, some of the current gm cars can tell if the battery installed is not an AGM and cause charging system codes to set.

I am still not a believer in AGM for long life, unless it's an Optima. They are expensive, but worth it, in my opinion.

buickanddeere · Feb 22, 2021

As previously stated .
Overcharging and too high of charge voltage will rapidly ruin an AGM battery .

Bob - MI · Feb 25, 2021

Local NAPA dealer told me not to spend the extra money on AGM. He said that they don't see the gains to offset the extra costs. Your pricing structure is a little different however:

$149.76 = $49.92/yr, $169.77 = $42.44/yr. The extra cost of the AGM breaks even in 40.8 months so you have 7.2 months to celebrate before the AGM warranty expires.

Either that or save the $20.00 now and buy a case of beer.

AGM Battery

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