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Topic: Batteries, batteries and more batteries! (Read 1158 times) previous topic - next topic

Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

I've been researching batteries for the last 2 days and reading reviews and I'm getting burned out.  I was considering purchasing the Alliance Group 31 925 CCA  batteries at Freightliner, but I would have to modify my battery box and Freightliner will not take my group 34 batteries on a core.

So after looking at group 34 batteries I narrowed it down to the Odyssey Batteries Extreme Series, Group 34 850 CCA.  This battery is made and the USA and had a lot of great reviews.  They are a little more expensive than the Optima Red Tops with more CCA.  I was considering the Optima Battery but I was running into a lot of bad reviews.  I also thought about getting them at COSTCO for their return policy but they do not carry them any longer.  They only deal in Interstate.

Anyone here ever had the Odyssey batteries?

John M.
John & Carm Morales

"We travel not to go anywhere, but to just go.  We travel for travel's sake.  Our great desire is to move."

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #1 –
Have been using 2 Optima red tops for start batteries for 2 years,no problems,got them on Amazon prime.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #2 –
According to odyssey's website the extreme design function is to provide the CCA needed AND be a deep cycle battery capable of 400 cycles at 80% discharge.

Probably why the red tops have printed on the top of them "starting batteries" no reference to deep cycling.

My red tops died after 3 1/2 years. 

Not a fair comparison or post of results because I left the headlights on for days and ran the red tops batteries totally dead.

Then I did not know that my crossover charger blew it fuse as the load to,recharge the spiral wound's exceeded its built in 30 amp fuzing so they were slowly being drawn down and only charged when driving.  Or boost switch on which I rarely if ever used.

Changed the boost switch solenoid to a combiner instead.  If either battery bank is receiving a charge of 13.6 volts or more the combiner puts them together.

At the point of a  discharge the combiner separates the banks.

My small solar panel puts out enough watts and volts to cause the combiner to click the banks together.  I hear it work.

Replaced all three red tops last month.  O,Reilly gave me a discount and the price was $758 for three with a $14? $18 credit back for the cores.

Being as I did not hopefully need the deep discharge cycling part of the extreme i rebought the red tops.

Average life here of the red tops exceeds 10 years.

My m11 requires 2200 amps of starting CCA so the 2,400 is more than adequate as we do not have a lot of parasitic draws on the engine side of the system.

If your use does involve larger draws on the engine batteries then  150 extra CCA's and the ability to be able to draw them down a bit without damage may sway your choice.

My guru buddy said my combiner changing both the AGM spiral wound red tops and my mk gels would cause no issues which matches that Foretravel fitted both banks the same way new from them

As Wolfe mentioned here a while ago I intentionally set my non smart alternator and solar panels to charge at max 13.6 volts to not cook the batteries from long alternator drives or from solar input.

The magnum charger is a smart charger and adjusts its charge rate automatically.

The mk gels can theoretically charge at 14.15 volts and the magnums indicator panel shows 14.05 or so at bulk charging times.  The length of the wiring runs and the wiring to the control panel may be the difference I see displayed.

I have not bothered to check the charge voltage at the batteries themselves so far but I feel it's a moot point.

Lowered charging voltages for long runs can have the batteries lose some capacity I understand so an occasional 1/20C slow charge with my craftsman die hard smart charger might restore any future loss of capacity detection. 

Almost for sure overthinking this BUT there are a lot of very knowledgeable owners here
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #3 –
I have used the odyessey  battery in my sand cars... I have always had good luck with them.. My friend not so much.. I had 2 sandcars and both had them and I was happy.. 5 yrs total between both..

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #4 –
John, the Odyssey are a top battery and in BC Canada all the Buses (transit) use them and my Brother Geoff has 2 in his GV for coach power. They can be positioned any way but upside down and they have sustained some deep draw downs and can be recharged without a loss of life. A friend of his sells them so gave geoff 2 to test in RV.
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #5 –
Odyssey Is a data center/telecom quality battery. Much better than anything youll find on the shelf. I think you would be very happy with the performance of them.
95 U300SE

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #6 –
I think the OP is asking which odyssey not if.  Two models spiral or having deep cycle capabilities.  Buses may draw the batteries down more?  Lots of lights and fans on a bus.  I doubt if they have two battery banks
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #7 –
Odyssey only makes one style, and it is far superior to optima on paper. In real life, i think its probably better but I  have no proof. The optima has spiral cells. The odyssey is square and uses 100% of that area for the plates, no wasted space between the circular cells.
95 U300SE

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #8 –
As my brother John has written I have two Odyssey Extremes  as coach batteries, 31-PC2150, I do not boondock so I cannot give any performance criteria.
I am still running the  two red Tops for starting batteries that came with the GV when I purchased it from PO, the Red tops  are nearing their end of life as they are over 7 years old but have not let me down to date.
 
Geoff & Pat Haygarth
1994 U240 SBI GV 36ft Cat 3116, Allison 6 speed
 Build #4448
2015 Jeep Wrangler Sport

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Jack Lewis –
I too was looking at replacing my two Group 34 batteries.  I wanted to go to AGM.  I ended up going cheap, when our local Bi Mart store put Exide group 34, FP-AGM34, on sale for $120 each and they have a free 48 month replacement and jump-start warranty.  Their price today (12-10-2017) is $139.99 in this emplyee owned Oregon store.  I  The CCA are 770 or 1540 for two.  I was greatly influenced by the combination of the price, the warranty, and a quality retail BiMart store is only a few blocks from my house.

I have now have put on 3,000 miles and have had the Exide Edge FP AGM 34 for 6 months and am very happy at this point.  I did not want to put in the more expensive AGMs until I was able to change out my alternator charge regulator with one made by Balmar that has variable charge values, that I've used in the past.  Now, I've put off that expensive upgrade as I do have a 48 mo free replacement.  I mention the retailer as this is important should you need to use the free 48 month replacement, BiMart has always been the best to me.  It sounds like from the following bad review Amazon buys these from Exide with no warranty like a private branded battery, if so they should sell as "no Exide warr, only ours for 90 days", something is not adding up here.  I talked to BiMart today.  In 3 years carrying the Exide Edge AGM at that store he said they have only taken one back for an issue.  They have only two on the shelf, one 34 and one 65. He said they are on backorder and their supplier is saying there is a national shortage, that they are unable to keep up with the demand.  My guess is 1) they are going to change the warranty, 2) the mfg also has ties to Oddessy or others that are approx $100 more and they will rebage their inventory. The worst review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17H94DHNk4U  and the best review I found was Amazon Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Exide Edge FP-AGM34 Flat Plate AGM Sealed...
As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
Samsung Residential #RF20HFENBSR,
Xantrex SW2012, (3)AGM8D Hse, (2)AGM Grp24 Eng, Victron BMV-712, 1800w Solar 4 LG & 2 Sunpower
Extreme Full Body Pt w/hdlmps, new furn/floor, 4 down Lexus 2004 GX470 AWD curb weight 4,740 lbs
Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Geoffh –
I am still running the  two red Tops for starting batteries
Geoff,

Thanks for the cool photos of your battery mounting.  Although I know (in my head) that AGM batteries can be mounted in any orientation, the thought of batteries being mounted sideways or (even more scary) upside-down just feels wrong.  It's nice to see evidence that it actually works.  Has got me thinking about a way to add a third AGM8D battery to our coach.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #11 –
Geoffh,

A good idea to slightly change wiring.  You have both positive and ground to coach coming off the same battery.

That left battery does most of the "heavy lifting", with the right battery mostly along for the ride.

Suggest moving either house positive or ground to the other battery so that they "share the load".
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #12 –
The more I search the Optima reviews, the more negative comments I find.  Still searching other options.  Thank you all for your input.
John M.
John & Carm Morales

"We travel not to go anywhere, but to just go.  We travel for travel's sake.  Our great desire is to move."

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #13 –
Put in Red Tops to replace same in 2010. Replaced them in 2017 with whatever Sam's Club had at the time. Happy so far. Coach starts. Was happy with the Red Tops but Sam's didn't sell them any longer.
Larry
1996 U295 36'
Build # 4805
Actually we sold it but just like to lurk

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #14 –
Hi Brett,
 Your  assessment of cable set up also caught my Brothers eye,  he changed them soon after when  we went to visit him and his pit.
 I added some clear sheeting to keep dirt off and because of the vertical position of the cable lugs I screwed in a SS screw into the post ( the extreme batteries come with 3/8" screw posts and I screwed the lead posts on  ).
Geoff & Pat Haygarth
1994 U240 SBI GV 36ft Cat 3116, Allison 6 speed
 Build #4448
2015 Jeep Wrangler Sport
 

Re: Batteries, batteries and more batteries!

Reply #15 –
The optimas have a 81% five star rating on Amazon.com  out of 486 reviews
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4