Ryan Hall 
Advanced Member
Posts:521
 | | 08 Jan 2009 06:56 PM |
| So what are your opinions on batteries? I need a new battery for my D2 just dont really want to spend $150 on a new red top Optima. Any thoughts? Thanks Ryan | | |
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Craig Miller
Posts:11799
| | 08 Jan 2009 08:05 PM |
| Odyssey from Roemer Offroad. Call Britt. | | | |
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Nate Skate
Advanced Member
Posts:725
| | 08 Jan 2009 08:05 PM |
| I have a Deka "Intimidator". If you get past the silly name, it's an AGM battery that's cheaper and maybe a little more reliable than Optima, at least in desert situations. It was review favorably in OJ. | | | |
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Todd Eliason
Veteran Member
Posts:3515
| | 08 Jan 2009 08:51 PM |
| check the price on the Sears Die Hard Platinum. They have been rated as good AGM Batteries. I think the best is the Odessey from Britt, but it won;t be less than a Optima. I am not sure I would ever buy an optima again though.
If you do want the red top, Joes Sports has a 20% off coupon on any two items for the next 3 days. it would save at least 30$ | | | |
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Rick Lindgren
Power User
Advanced Member
Posts:986
| | 08 Jan 2009 08:56 PM |
| Odyssey are about the best I know of for what we do. They handle deep cycle, heavy output, multiple recharges when drained down to nothing and they are built specifically for getting banged around, mounted sideways, whatever.
Tough, reliable, and several sizes to meet your needs for space and single/dual battery setups.
As Todd said, not the cheapest though.
I like mine. :-) | | | |
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Ryan Hall
Advanced Member
Posts:521
| | 08 Jan 2009 09:36 PM |
| Thanks for the responses. I will call Britt tomorrow. | | | |
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Nevak Risew
Veteran Member
Posts:1200
| | 08 Jan 2009 11:26 PM |
| I recently needed a battery and bought the Diehard I think Todd is talking about, and plan to get one more to run with a Hellraoring battery isolator when funds permit. This battery has the same specs as the Odyssey and same shape. Rumor has it they are the same battery. I wish I'd thought of Roemer.
DieHard Marine Battery, Platinum PM-2 - Group Size 34M
Sears item# 02850134000 Mfr. model# PM-2
Threadjack- battery isolators/combiners? What are you guys using? I'm thinking Hellroaring, but would like to hear other thoughts. | | | |
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Todd Eliason
Veteran Member
Posts:3515
| | 08 Jan 2009 11:32 PM |
| I always thought Hellroaring was one of the best for the money. But the recent Overland journal article chose solenoid based models... I am looking forward to hearing opinions... I have the hellroaring in the box in my garage just waiting to be hooked up to dual Odessey batterys backing up my Optima... Man I need to get this project done. | | | |
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Nevak Risew
Veteran Member
Posts:1200
| | 08 Jan 2009 11:41 PM |
| I should probably read my OJ and not just look at the pretty pictures? OK. I will. I'd still use the roaring since you already have it. If you want to sell it...pm me! | | | |
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Todd Eliason
Veteran Member
Posts:3515
| | 09 Jan 2009 12:14 AM |
| Check with Scott before you buy one (a bic)... Evidently the Range Rover already has an isolator and the wires are in the back by the spare tire. You could easily add a battery there, but it won't combine. I guess it is hooked up to the trailer circuit for towing powered trailers. not sure if that will meet your needs, so a isolator /combiner may be needed anyway.
Kinda cool though! | | | |
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Ryan Hall
Advanced Member
Posts:521
| | 09 Jan 2009 05:59 AM |
| Kevan, that battery is $200. I was hoping for closer to $100. Any body have any experience with Duralast at AutoZone? | | | |
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Craig Miller
Posts:11799
| | 09 Jan 2009 08:46 AM |
| Costco sells Optima. | | | |
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Tony Sims
Veteran Member
Posts:1231
| | 09 Jan 2009 09:28 AM |
| I've got the Hellroaring setup and two Optima-style batteries. Works.
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Andy Hough
Basic Member
Posts:455
| | 09 Jan 2009 10:57 AM |
| I run an Interstate MegaTron 2. It is just a run of the mill battery, nothing special, but I have always found them to be strong and reliable. 875CA/700CCA 75 month pro-rated warranty. They run about $100, but I think I got mine on sale for around $80. I had no issues starting the truck with this battery even when it was 15F outside. 
www.interstatebatteries.com/cs_estore/Products/RT/PID-MT-34(Automotive+Truck).aspx | | | |
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Craig Miller
Posts:11799
| | 09 Jan 2009 11:44 AM |
| The interstate battery ican't be turned on it's side. Tipping a battery on it's side is relatively common when offroading, in an accident, or during maintenance. If it was me making the decision, I'd spend the extra $20 for the red-top at Costco. | | | |
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Andy Hough
Basic Member
Posts:455
| | 09 Jan 2009 12:03 PM |
| I haven't had any issues with fluid leakage from the battery when off road. It is true that this battery cannot be installed horizontally or upside down due to it's need to vent gases from the top. | | | |
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John Herrick
New Member
Posts:37
| | 09 Jan 2009 12:05 PM |
| Posted By Ryan Hall on 01/09/2009 5:59 AM
Kevan, that battery is $200. I was hoping for closer to $100. Any body have any experience with Duralast at AutoZone? I've got one in my daughter's Jeep for a couple years now...no troubles. It's just a basic battery. I run an Optima Yellow now and it's OK, really too new to rate. It was free. The previous 2 in the offroad Jeep were Eveready by Johnson Controls. While not an AGM, they worked really well, survived a few Team Challenge competitions and the Rubicon and Moab a couple of times as well as a lot of local wheeling. For my application they had really good numbers, far beyond the Optimas. | | | |
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Nevak Risew
Veteran Member
Posts:1200
| | 09 Jan 2009 01:02 PM |
| Andy,
I understand the cost issue. For my purposes I really need a deep cycle. I killed a new DieHard within 8 months due to cycling it too many times while in camp. If you're not running a bunch of accessories like fridge, winch, camp lights, inverters, etc.. a good lead cell is probably going to do you fine. Interstates are supposed to be pretty good. Just pay attention to the CCA rating and get the highest rated one you can afford, would be my recommendation. If you're running a bunch of accessories with the engine off, I'd strongly encourage a deep cycle. | | | |
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Craig Miller
Posts:11799
| | 09 Jan 2009 01:33 PM |
| Posted By Andy Hough on 01/09/2009 12:03 PM
I haven't had any issues with fluid leakage from the battery when off road. It is true that this battery cannot be installed horizontally or upside down due to it's need to vent gases from the top. That doesn't mean it won't. If you roll, do you really want battery acid leaking all over when it only costs a few bucks more for a red-top Optima? A red-top isn't a deep cycle though. I run two yellow/blue tops in parallel to get both the high amp output for starting/winching and the benefits of a deep cycle. I'll switch to Odyssey next time. We are talking cheap batteries here so a single red-top is a pretty good value. An odyssey will last longer and will likely cost less in the long run. Craig | | | |
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Winston
Basic Member
Posts:123
| | 09 Jan 2009 06:22 PM |
| Craig's right about the lower, long-term cost of an Odyssey. I have had the same Odyssey PC1700 in the D90 since August 2001. It's close to 8 years old, and showing no signs of age yet. Better story, this Odyssey repaced an identical PC1700 that had been in the D90 probably 3 years. I had an electrical fire in the battery box caused by a poorly placed 2 ga winch cable wearing through it's insulation and sending all that amperage to ground through the battery hold-down rod while I was driving at Hart Mountain in July '01. It literally burned a hole right through the side of the Odyssey case and you could see the core. It had zero effect on the battery. I only replaced it with a new one becuse the idea of a hole in my battery bothered me, not because it affected the battery.
As a side note, this electrical fire also did no damage to the truck other than toasting the hold-down rod and a few feet of 2 ga cable. I like the PC1700 so much, I bought one for my Nissan Frontier before the truck had 1000 miles on the odo. | | | |
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