Whats the best Battery

[DonsBolt]

Yo guys the battery in my Lightning finally died, I got a good 4 years out of it so I am not complaining.

Though if I have to buy a new one, might as well get the best one possible.

I could just go to Sears and get a die hard, but figured I would ask your opionions

Thanks

 

[bigbri69]

diehard came out with a new battery that is the shizzz.my brother just installed two in his truck.cant think of the name but if you check there web you can read about it.thay back it with like ten year garenty.it is the best battery on the market as of now.it has more cca than optma.if i was gona buy a battery it would be the one.

 

[astark]

I would like to have one of these someday, and think they are the best, but they are also pretty expensive.

http://www.remybattery.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=PC1500T

 

[trailpsycho]

The Odysseys are supposed to be very good. Raaayyyy2 also recommended the Deka Intimidator series...they can be purchased online or available through Speedway Auto, if you have one local. HTH.

 

[csjr]

The Deka's and Odyssey's are very similar--AGM technology. They make all kinds of sizes and CCA ratings. We abuse our Deka's at work running mobile radio units and they have been flawless for over 3 years with no signs of letting up. I bought a new Odyssey to replace a stolen Deka. It was smallish in size (10"x10"x10" or so) and puts out 550 CCA. Price was slightly North of $160. The next step up will probably price around $200. Most marine stores carry these. The web sites list all the stats. Good luck! Oh, BTW--I killed an Optima red top (left ignition on after working on the wiring--duhhhh), but it had been purchased at a Costco warehouse and had a 3yr total replacement warrany--no prorating. I got a replacement for the cost difference--I think they've gone up like $30 in the past 3 years to around $130.

 

[DonsBolt]

I just went to the Die hard site, called Platinum, and starting at about $179

I will check out the Dekas in the morning
the Intimidators look real good, but there Ultimate might be good enough for me, and maybee a little less money
They have a distributor in Rhode island, which I have to go that way this week anyways.

Anyone have any idea what the dekas cost?

 

[trailpsycho]

Don-

I am pretty sure that Rayy discussed them in a thread and provided a link to an online place that offered free or very cheap shipping (plus no tax). Price was less than my Optima Red Top that I had bought jsut weeks before the thread started.

http://www.remybattery.com/category.aspx?categoryID=263196 is a link to the Remy site covering the Deka Intimidator...thats pretty reasonable for a quality battery. I priced shipping (they give you your choice of shipping provider...it was about 17.83 to IN)...HTH.


However, After sitting on the shelf for 22 months, with only intermittant usage as a jump for the lawn mower, the Red Top started the new 5.0 without a hiccup after testing the heater and priming the fuel pumps for many minutes, and performing several other pre-fire tests. I only trickle-charged it O/N a few days before I planned to fire it up. I have been impressed with it so far...but for the money, I would go with the Deka since they are about the same price. Good luck.

John

 

[trailpsycho]

Here is Rayyy2 discussing the pros of the Deka http://www.classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62842&highlight=Deka+Intimidator

 

[Apogee]

Just curious, but who's making the Platinum for Sears? Last I checked, JCI makes most of their lower end batteries (although I've noticed that DEKA picks up the slack sometimes to help them meet their commitments), but JCI doesn't make AGM batteries, so it must be someone else.

I've been out of the industry for a few years...losing touch.

As great as the Odyssey is from Hawker, it's pretty tough to beat the value of the DEKA Intimidator batteries IMHO. East Penn Mfg (DEKA) has economies of scale working in their favor, an on site smelter, and other production advantages that Hawker does not have, resulting in their being able to offer a battery better than others offer, at less cost. Hawker is probably a slightly better battery, but at significantly higher cost. Unless I win an Odyssey, I'll by an Intimidator next.

 

[johnmlebel]

i still run optima dry cell batteries in all my vehicles the one in my stang has been in there for about 5 years and sets all winter and starts right up in the spring no tender or charger on it

 

[scsm76]

Just curious, but who's making the Platinum for Sears? Last I checked, JCI makes most of their lower end batteries (although I've noticed that DEKA picks up the slack sometimes to help them meet their commitments), but JCI doesn't make AGM batteries, so it must be someone else.

I've been out of the industry for a few years...losing touch.

As great as the Odyssey is from Hawker, it's pretty tough to beat the value of the DEKA Intimidator batteries IMHO. East Penn Mfg (DEKA) has economies of scale working in their favor, an on site smelter, and other production advantages that Hawker does not have, resulting in their being able to offer a battery better than others offer, at less cost. Hawker is probably a slightly better battery, but at significantly higher cost. Unless I win an Odyssey, I'll by an Intimidator next.

Looking at the pictures of the die hard platinum they look identical to a Odyssey except for color. If they are made by Hawker, I would think that is good news.

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

If you are not going to be too abusive, why not consider a regular wet cell battery. East Penn/Deka's wetcells get set into a layer of epoxy before the acid is added. This helps keep the plates from moving and makes for a much more durable battery.

If you are going to go AGM, a step up from wetcell, then the Deka Intimidator is the best value. It can now be bought for around $120US online, and weighs around 42lbs. The Odyssey PC1500 usually costs around $180-200US and weighs 52lbs. Like how I had to put "around" before the weights, seems these vary from one official site to others. Gotta love battery companies. Weight is key in a lead acid batery and a very good indictator of quality. More weigh = more lead. Optimas come in at 36-38lbs.

So if you compare the Odyssey to the Deka, you get 25% more lead, for 40% more cost. Best way of looking at it I think is comparing a Cadilac(Deka) to Rolls Royce(Odyssey).

Only problem I can forsee going with the AGM battery, is fit, some modern battery locations do not lend to easily being modified to fit different sized batteries.

 

[DonsBolt]

If you are not going to be too abusive, why not consider a regular wet cell battery. East Penn/Deka's wetcells get set into a layer of epoxy before the acid is added. This helps keep the plates from moving and makes for a much more durable battery.

If you are going to go AGM, a step up from wetcell, then the Deka Intimidator is the best value. It can now be bought for around $120US online, and weighs around 42lbs. The Odyssey PC1500 usually costs around $180-200US and weighs 52lbs. Like how I had to put "around" before the weights, seems these vary from one official site to others. Gotta love battery companies. Weight is key in a lead acid batery and a very good indictator of quality. More weigh = more lead. Optimas come in at 36-38lbs.

So if you compare the Odyssey to the Deka, you get 25% more lead, for 40% more cost. Best way of looking at it I think is comparing a Cadilac(Deka) to Rolls Royce(Odyssey).

Only problem I can forsee going with the AGM battery, is fit, some modern battery locations do not lend to easily being modified to fit different sized batteries.

Yo RRRAAAYYYY
My battery in the Lightning is a group 65 with 875 Cold Cranking Amps
well I just got of the phone with the idiots at Deka, they told me I needed a Ultimate 7AG65MF which has only 750 CCA's

So I called the lacal deka distributorm and they told me to go with the regular Lead Acid Battery with 880 CCA's part number 665MS

So looks like I am going to go with that one, and for 99 bucks isn't to pricy

Though there is a Die Hard Platnum with 930 CCA's but it is more money

 

[DonsBolt]

I just noticed some thing funny

Sears has two group 65 batteries
the Truck,SUV Battery is 12-7/8 inches long
the Platnum is 11-4/5

Both are group 65 but one is a inch longer than the other.

My Motorcraft group 65 is exactlly 11 inches long

shouldn't all group 65's be the same size????

 

[OsideDave]

I do not get into the specifics of all the batteries but I have always had great luck with Sears Die Hard Series. I still have a Silver in one of my cars that is 5 + yrs old. Just got a Gold for the Bronco.

 

[Lebe]

but JCI doesn't make AGM batteries, so it must be someone else.

East Penn Mfg (DEKA) has economies of scale working in their favor, an on site smelter, and other production advantages that Hawker does not have, resulting in their being able to offer a battery better than others offer, at less cost. Hawker is probably a slightly better battery, but at significantly higher cost. Unless I win an Odyssey, I'll by an Intimidator next.

I'm in a very battery intensive business (large UPS) and we use lots of JCI AGM VRLA batteries. So JCI has been making AGM for a long time for our standby applications which are usually 12 volt. Don't know about automotive AGM applications from JCI.

We don't use as many Deka in our business but are very satisfied with the ones we have. My best friend is a Deka rep. I plan to use their Intimidator when my EB is ready in a couple months.

 

[DonsBolt]

I don't know what the deal is, maybee it is because I needed a group 65 battery. The platnum Die Hard, barelly fit, but was very tight. the truck/SUV Die Hard didn't even come close. I called up Deka, and the only group 65 that has a equal CCA rating is 12 inches long, so that won't fit either.

I don't know why there isn't any standardization in the size of the batteries.

Since I have a $50 gift certificate from a Ford dealer , I won at a car show, so I got another motorcraft battery, and it only cost me 49 bucks. If the first one lasted since 2001 I should be all set for a while.

I think the main reason it died, is that I have a switch that keeps the intercooler pump running even when the truck is off, which I use at the drag strip. I sometimes forget to turn it off, and have drained the battery down a few times. You go out the next day and wonder why the battery is dead, and then you gou DA I am a idiot, and left the pump running all night.

 

[JaxLax]

if Sears didn't warranty (or ask why) my batteries always came back dead, i'd be broke.
I bought 2 yellows when i started the Green one, i believe the main is #8 and the back-up/winch/stereo is #6

 

[Hogback]

I just bought a Deka Intimidator (9A34) for $119.95 total delivered from Tri-State Battery out of Deleware.
www.tristatebattery.com

If I were going to buy a lead acid battery for even close to that I would go ahead and cough up a few extra bucks for the better AGM battery. At least that way if you need to pull it out and put it in the Bronco to go wheeling you wont have to worry about dumping acid everywhere while on those off-camber situations!

 

[RRRAAAYYY2]

I dont know what is up with the different sized group 65's, as it is a designation of dimmensions.

Now for some fun, this changes from time to time, but the last I heard, Sears, Ford, And Deka where all made in the same place, LOL. Now Deka does make three levels of batteries, I know them as 565, 665, 765 for group 65 series. They have differnt CCA's and warranty periods. Might account for the variance in price. Or Ford may have change suppliers.

Here is a quote from an article about CCA sizes "The most logical step would now be to buy the biggest nastiest battery we could fit under the hood. This is not necessarily true. Say your original vehicle came equipped with a 650 CCA rating. Upgrading to an 850 CCA battery should be more than sufficient. Why not skip the 850 and go straight for the 1000 CCA battery? In order for the battery manufacturer to create a 1000 CCA battery, they need to cram more plates into the same amount space as the 850 and 650 CCA batteries. More plates means more power, but it also means less durability and a shorter life span. So if you don’t need it why waste the money on it? You would be better off spending your money buying a better quality battery. This makes a lot of sense, but we had been in the industry 20 years before any manufacturer explained this to us. "

It should also be noted that Deka usually rates their batteries light, so a 770cca battery from Deka would likely test to the same spec as 1000cca Interstate battery.