Age old question..which battery?

[Pruneda]

So..looks like the Optima Red Top in the Bronco won’t hold a charge after sitting for a few months.

I’ve taken steps to install a trickle charger for the next battery, buuut..what’s everyone running?

This isn’t a DD, and probably sits for 2-4 weeks at a time. What size, type, and suggestions for a quality battery do you have?

Don’t mind investing for the long haul and was considering a Yellow Top.

 

[1969]

A group 24 battery to keep the positive terminal away from the body.

As for brand, I would get an Interstate Battery from Costco. They have a no questions asked 24 month free replacement and prorated up to 36 months if I’m not mistaken. Along with a great price for a great battery!

 

[Broncobowsher]

I've been having great luck with Oddessey/Northstar brand of AGM batteries. 100% virgin lead made in USA. They cost more up front, but last way longer than a traditional battery. Savings in the end.

In a daily driver in AZ, get 2-3 years from a normal battery. At 7 years I changed it simply because I didn't trust it and I thought a cold morning it sounded slightly slower to turn over than normal. Then it sat around and was used to test 12V stuff on the bench for a few more years and has finally died.

I used Optimas for a long time. But when they sold out they were not that great anymore and only good thing was they didn't leak as much (I still had one that leaked). I understand they got better, but I still don't feel they are as good as the old days. They run them on some stuff at work and they last a little longer than a tradtional battery, but it still looks like they have a lot of turnover.

 

[SteveL]

If you stick with the Optima it might be worth upgrading to the yellow top since it sits for weeks at a time.

 

[904Bronco]

Oddesseys... Not inexpensive, I think my last one was $300. My local NAPA got them from the warehouse, previous to that I got them at Summit.

The two in my 02 Superduty lasted 10 years.

As said, Optimas were money back in the day, 11 years from the one in my Track car. You won't see that again from those batteries.

 

[Pruneda]

A group 24 battery to keep the positive terminal away from the body.

As for brand, I would get an Interstate Battery from Costco. They have a no questions asked 24 month free replacement and prorated up to 36 months if I’m not mistaken. Along with a great price for a great battery!

Wanting to go with possibly Yellow Top Optima here, or Odyssey.

So 24 on either accord?

 

[knack]

Along with the new battery, I'm a believer in a manual battery disconnect switch. I have one on the negative cable and switch it off every time I park the truck. No worries about some kind of a voltage drain sucking power.

Unless of course you've got some electronics you need to keep powered up. Then a trickle charger is probably the only choice.

 

[Madgyver]

costco with warranty. modified battery tray to fit. just a 1/4"

 

[Timmy390]

Sams club Duracell AGM. Made by East Penn Manufacturing.

Tim

 

[904Bronco]

I have been using the Group 34 batteries, as they sit lower than the Group 24.
This picture is from my 79 Bronco, but you can get the same battery with the terminals reversed for the early Bronco.

You can lose your mind comparing all the CCA and dimensions available...

I have a 300 amp constant duty disconnect solenoid for my winch, had an incident many years ago with a shorted out winch relay control box and a deep puddle

 

[Yeller]

I’m an AGM fan of anything made from East Penn, they private label a lot of them. Currently all 3 of my Offroad/driving rigs all run an optima. I may be lucky, I’ve not had one last less than 11 years. I do keep them on a trickle charger if that set for more than a week.

 

[nvrstuk]

After calling and talking to Optima I wrote a short "tech article" on them here on CB.

Optima says you NEED to keep a battery tender on an Optima when it sits that long between uses. I got 9 yrs out of my Optima back in early '00 but those days are gone. I use Deka AGM batteries now. OReilly's rebadged ones.

 

[ntsqd]

Snowball came to me with a Motorcraft Group 65 battery marked "BLEM" with a hot stamp. Seemed to work fine, but I knew nothing about it and didn't trust it to go really remote in a single battery vehicle, so I replaced it with a group 65 Odyssey. And not long after I put the blem battery back into service as the 'house' battery under Snowball. Almost every electrical load that I've added to the truck runs off of the house battery. It's still hanging in there years after I expected to be buying another Odyssey.
The Odyssey starting battery has been exceptional. It has sat switched off for too long w/o a tender on it and come back with no apparent side-effects. Not inexpensive, but if you recall neither were Optimas when they came out.

When the Optima's went bad all that I could think about was all of the vehicles designed for and built with Optima specific battery trays. Our off-road tent trailer was one of them. Good thing it really has no need for any battery.

I went thru a bunch of Battery Tender brand battery tenders before giving up on them several years ago and trying NOCO, which have been flawless. About the only thing that I don't like about the NOCO's is their proprietary connector on the battery side. It's just zip cord, I could replace them with Weatherpack's, but it's not worth the trouble.

 

[nvrstuk]

I have 6 actual "Battery Tenders". Green guys, single battery units since I have vehicles, equip, boats, etc parked in different buildings.

I have only had one die and I've been using them for 25 yrs. The one that died I replace with a little trickle charger and was "planning" on replacing it within a week. Well, I didn't and the trickle charger totally fried my 8D battery in my backhoe!!!! Boiled it bone dry- destroyed it. ANY other battery but not that one! Oh well, lesson learned. I use them for everything. Never tried a NOCO but I will sure check them out.

Lawn mower batteries last at least 3 winters with a battery tender instead of one w/o in the past.

 

[Slowleak]

About the only thing that I don't like about the NOCO's is their proprietary connector on the battery side. It's just zip cord, I could replace them with Weatherpack's, but it's not worth the trouble.

I put a SAE adapter on each NOCO and a long SAE pigtail on each battery. I can hookup any battery without messing with clamps and getting to the battery, and I can use the pigtails to connect a jump starter if needed. NOCO’s work great…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DUMADC/?tag=classicbroncos-20

 

[Broncobowsher]

My Northstar in the boat, I think I got it 2017 when I was getting a bunch of batteries all in one year. Been sitting for well over a year, probably closer to 2 years now. New house has taken all my spare time.
Maybe 3 months ago I pulled it out and put it on a battery tender for a night. I was hoping to take it out for a day, didn't happen.
Saw it is still sitting on the garage floor. Have not pulled the cover back to put it back in.
Have one of the new battery testers and went around and was checking a bunch of batteries. 98% charge and 74% capacity. The new truck built December of 2020 that should be in better shape is 60% capacity. End of summer I'll replace it with a Northstar.

 

[Soylent]

I currently have a Duraladt Gold from Autozone and it’s a great battery. Optima’s are junk imo. I had a yellow top that lasted 5 years in my first heap. I tried two more after the company sold and moved production to mexico. Both failed in under a year. Ihad a dual Odyssey setup in my last heap but boy what a wallet biopsy.

 

[Slowleak]

I’ve got a Duracell Ultra in my Bronco. It’s 8 years old now, installed in June 2016, and I haven’t had any problems….

 

[bronco italiano]

Check out Battery Bill. They sell East Penn AGM batteries. I have had very good luck and they are priced a little better than Odyssey.

 

[hyghlndr]

I have been using Bosch AGM 48 month replacement warranty.