Hello all, I have been suspecting my battery going bad lately with the long cranking in the morning and the fact it's 4 years old... Today it let me down and I needed to jump it after just 2 days of sitting! I think the real reason is because it was sitting a week before then I just drove a short distance 2 days ago and it didn't charge the battery fully. Regardless I got my battery load tested at the shop today since I was there anyway and it showed 338 CCA where spec is 650. So it's time for a replacement before winter, my question is what do all of you guys use? I'm looking at either the Optima Yellowtop group 78 battery which has 750 CCA, or the Costco special Kirkland group 75 with 700 CCA. $400 for the yellowtop vs $160 for the Kirkland. I also plan to add a second battery in the near future for overlanding (running stereo, leaving lights on, power station, etc), I plan to mount it in the rear of the Blazer making lead acid not an option. I have also read if you want to run dual batteries they should both be the same, I was originally thinking of running 2 yellowtop group 78 batteries but now I have seen a lot of mixed things about Optima. Hopefully you guys have some good advice, cheers.

 

My first thought is that you might consider getting a jump battery as a backup. I've been using a NOCO GB40 jump battery and it has been great and provides great peace of mind.

Regarding a house battery, I recently replaced my sailboat battery that is used to run my instruments. It is an AGM battery. Apparently these have become quite popular since from what I remember, they can be used for as a deep-cycle and for starting engines. You'll want to double check this of course! This are nice since they can't spill and I think may be more durable which could be good for overlanding where the roads are not quite the smoothest.

Otherwise, I'll be interested in what others suggest for a new battery since I'm in the market for one too.

 

I have been buying my conventional batteries at Walmart. Much cheaper and seem to last just as well as the expensive ones. As I understand, all the batteries are made by a couple of companies for the various brands.

The parasitic draws we see in modern vehicles are a battery's biggest enemy. Run them down too far, too many times and they turn into junk. Car batteries are not designed to be "deep-cycle" batteries. I use a battery maintainer on vehicles that I don't drive every day. Your best bet is not necessarily a high CCA battery, it's a battery with high reserve capacity (a measure of how long it will deliver a low current draw before the voltage gets too low). Good luck!

 

I'd just go with the Costco battery, they are the cheapest and they work well enough. The only thing I don't like about them is the CVS style paperwork that goes with it but that's because of their core exchange. Alternatively, TSC is the next cheapest and I think they carry Interstate batteries. Les is right though, the number of players in that game is small.

 

Your comment about the parasitic draw of modern vehicles has me thinking that I should look at getting an AGM battery.

 

Thanks for the input guys! My brother replaced his f150 battery with a Kirkland 2 years ago and it has been going good so far for him, I did some more research and found Kirkland and Optima batteries are both made by Clarios. I'm leaning toward an AGM for the deep cycle feature, and I have read a few places they do better in the cold. I found another group 78 AGM battery from motomaster which I believe is made by east penn and it comes with all the same specs as the yellow top (750 CCA, 55 ah), for only $270, and a longer 5-year warranty. I have a lead acid motomaster right now and it lasted 4 years almost exactly. I'm still not sure what I'll get, but I'm definitely leaning toward the motomaster right now.

And thanks Christine, a jump pack would give good peace of mind so I could run the battery down more. I may look into one since I don't plan on putting a second battery in until after winter (I have a big trip planned after I graduate and I'll definitely want a house battery for that, okay fine I'll say it, cross-country trip in the blazer!).

 

Check out Optima 8014-045 dual purpose if you want a high-class battery. Great reserve capacity and can deep cycle. $291 USD on Amazon

 

I put a Walmart AGM Everstart Plus in my 1965 Ford in 2017 and it is as good now as ever. Fills up to 12.8v and holds that. A new one in $109 +$12 core. I'm thinking of retiring it and using it for my solar setup.

 

Dang! Good price!! Thanks for sharing.

 

Rather than add a second battery, I went with a single one of these in a battery box in the back of my Blazer. I've never had a problem with it going dead, even with a ton of winching, leaving my 12V refrigerator on overnight, etc. Buy once, cry once.