AGM battery recommended?

[BatsTDK]

Was looking around at batteries and prices. Currently, my rig came with a Diehard Platinum AGM battery. Seemed like overkill to me, but whatever… a nice upgrade. In my curiosity search, I looked up what the same battery would be again. And then I stumble upon the Advanced Auto website telling me:

AGM RECOMMENDED: this vehicle is identified as having high electrical loads by a leading researcher.​

Should Denalis have an AGM battery? My truck is all stock.

 

[mattbta]

I once bought that same AGM you have. It didn't last any longer than a lead acid and was only cost effective due to applying warranty pro-rate from another purchase. I'm also stock.

Curious to see other opinions.

 

[RaiderRodney]

I did some research on these after having 2-3 new AutoCraft Silver batteries from Advance shit the bed on me very quickly. I decided to go with the Duracell AGM from Batteries+Bulbs in both my DSM and Hoe. Time will tell I guess but so far so good. I didn't realize Advance was now pushing the Diehards.

 

[Doubeleive]

Ever since a lead acid battery died on me out of the blue I went agm about 20+ years ago and it's never happened again , they will weaken over time and at least give you a ride home, 1 developed a short in one of my wife's trucks after about 30 days apparently a defect

 

[Doubeleive]

The future of course is lithium but there not cheap enough for me yet

 

[OR VietVet]

After installing my Interstate AGM battery and doing the Big 3 at the same time, my charging gauge seems to show the system not working so hard anymore. Not that it did work too hard before, seemed normal gauge readings but now shows slightly lower, even when using the a/c and anything else I choose to use and I did check the system and is functioning normally. So far, never a faulter when cranking engine over.

 

[SnowDrifter]

I tend to prefer AGM... But that's use-case dependent.

AGM is more friendly to lower temps, vibration, and deeper discharges without hosing the battery. They also tend to (but not always) have some lower internal resistance and will charge up quicker for short trips. Fits me better
If none of those apply, then pocket the extra cash and get a traditional flooded battery.

tbh if you really want your battery to last, get an on-board charger from noco or something. Plug the thing in once a week to get it a proper full charge. The chemistry of a lead-acid battery really, really, doesn't like to go in the reverse direction and even at 'full charge' - it takes hours upon hours to fully go to reactants.

Electrical loads is..... Not really specific to anything. Once the vehicle is started, the alternator takes over. Unless you have aftermarket accessories that can exceed alternator output, then that point is moot. Just need to start.

FWIW my current battery is from 2017(I think? Need to check manufacture date) and still operates as intended. Haven't noticed it getting 'weak' yet. Superstart platinum agm from Oreilly's. I did zero market research on the thing, I just needed a battery and that's what they had. I don't buy into Optima's cylindrical nonsense - inefficient packing into a cuboid form factor.

 

[swathdiver]

The charging system in the 800s and 900s is not optimized for AGM batteries. They will work just fine but do not last as long as they could.

Advanced Auto may recommend them for these trucks but ACDelco surely does not even though they also sell AGM batteries.

 

[Mudsport96]

Did an Oriellys mid grade battery in mine 2 winters ago and it seems to be fine. Put one in my 95 f150 in 2014 i think and just had to replace it this summer. It probably would have been okay for another year had my alternator not go e supernova and pumped like 19volts into it. At 3 am heading home from work it was highs and lows on fan on high wipers going and radio set to kill to keep the needle from passing the red danger line.

 

[rockola1971]

Did an Oriellys mid grade battery in mine 2 winters ago and it seems to be fine. Put one in my 95 f150 in 2014 i think and just had to replace it this summer. It probably would have been okay for another year had my alternator not go e supernova and pumped like 19volts into it. At 3 am heading home from work it was highs and lows on fan on high wipers going and radio set to kill to keep the needle from passing the red danger line.

My man cruising down the highway with 10 load resistors on the roof all glowing red....cherry red. BAHAHAHAHA

 

[ScottyBoy]

I did some research on these after having 2-3 new AutoCraft Silver batteries from Advance shit the bed on me very quickly. I decided to go with the Duracell AGM from Batteries+Bulbs in both my DSM and Hoe. Time will tell I guess but so far so good. I didn't realize Advance was now pushing the Diehards.

I too bought a Duracell AGM battery. I purchased it in early 2017 from my local Sam's club. It cost me just under $128 out the door which I thought was a great price, especially since every other AGM battery I saw was about $150 or more before any taxes and stuff. I thought it would have lasted more than 5 years, but I just had to buy a new battery last month. But then again, I've NEVER had a battery last longer than 5-6 years at the most. These Louisiana summers are brutal and take a toll on batteries, just like extreme cold can wear out a battery very quickly. I bought a conventional lead acid battery from Interstate battery this time, mainly because Sam's club didn't have any batteries in stock to fit my truck, with no ETA date.

 

[Rocket Man]

I’m running AGM’s in my 02 and 08. 2 years in and so far so good.

 

[Mudsport96]

My man cruising down the highway with 10 load resistors on the roof all glowing red....cherry red. BAHAHAHAHA

The 95 has 80w lows and 100w highs and brand new tyc housings. Never... i repeat NEVER have those light been that awesome before or since. I will say that of i could put 18+v just to the headlights i would lol.

 

[Sparksalot]

The pair of AGMs I had in theothertwin were still going strong at 5 years old when I traded it off.

The pair in thecopcar are 2 years old. I expect similar life from them.

if you dig, you’ll find there are exactly 3 manufacturers of automotive AGM batteries in the USA. East Penn, Johnson Controls, and one more. Everyone else does private labelling.

 

[rockola1971]

The 95 has 80w lows and 100w highs and brand new tyc housings. Never... i repeat NEVER have those light been that awesome before or since. I will say that of i could put 18+v just to the headlights i would lol.

You could send 18v just to the headlights. You would need a step up transformer and voltage regulator or just a switching power supply that self regulates. Lights probably wont last as long though unless they are LED.

My man trying to see into the future.

 

[MassHoe04]

I bought an Optima Red Top AGM from NAPA in October 2020 for the Jeep I had.

Not all Optima Red Tops are the same. There are others with lower CCA ratings, which are less expensive.
I wanted high CCA and this one had 800 CCA.

It was only 18 months old when I had to ditch the Jeep and the battery that was coming with the Tahoe looked older, so I swapped them out.

The battery in the Tahoe was also an Optima Red top. It looked a little smaller in dimensions, felt a little lethargic on starts, but was still cranking.

I was shocked when I pulled the old one out of the Tahoe to find a mfg. sticker date of 2009!
I would say that battery owed nothing to anybody!

The Optima I had was a top post, but since I paid $269 for it and was a Group 34 (right size for the Tahoe), I got the top-post adapter clamps and dropped it in.

Extreme hot or extreme cold, this battery cranks over and starts strong under all conditions. VERY happy with it!!
I might not even need another battery before this Tahoe gives up the ghost or I get something else, but I would not hesitate to get another high CCA Optima Red Top again.


3 Year Full Replacement Warranty
1000 Cranking Amps
800 CCA
50 AH


Sitting in the Jeep TJ...

With side-post to top-post adapter clamps...

 

[RAMurphy]

I too have an optima battery with high CCAs. It has been installed now for 3.5 years with no issues.