Cost of 8D Batteries

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Cost of 8D Batteries

October 13, 2016, 06:39:50 am

Can anyone explain why the cost of 8D batteries at O'Reilly is roughly 75% of the cost of any other battery? I know they are made by East Penn and have the same 1 year warranty as most other batteries but I'm a firm believer of "if it's too good to be true, ---".
I like to save money but I don't like to make purchases that I regret down the road.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #1 – October 13, 2016, 07:51:08 am

I can't explain why they are cheaper but we bought 4 approximately 2 years ago . We haven't had any issues with them thus far. Faith and Bob

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #2 – October 13, 2016, 08:31:57 am

O'Reillys also gives a 10% active and retired military discount as well

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #3 – October 13, 2016, 08:36:33 am

Parts Plus is even cheaper, and I've been using their batteries for several years without problems.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #4 – October 13, 2016, 08:50:15 am

I assume you are speaking about the 8D AGM batteries at O'Reilly's... Was the best price around and I did a lot of research to try and be sure that these are made by East Penn also labeled as Deka/MK. I bought one to replace the two Optima Red Tops about three years ago, and four for the house about a year and a half ago. They are doing fine thus far.
Don

Quote from: Larry & Karen Pontius – October 13, 2016, 06:39:50 am

Can anyone explain why the cost of 8D batteries at O'Reilly is roughly 75% of the cost of any other battery? I know they are made by East Penn and have the same 1 year warranty as most other batteries but I'm a firm believer of "if it's too good to be true, ---".
I like to save money but I don't like to make purchases that I regret down the road.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #5 – October 13, 2016, 09:30:19 am

Links are nice, I couldn't find AGM batteries on the Parts Plus site. It may be the way the site handles the iPad browser request though.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #6 – October 13, 2016, 09:38:34 am

O'Reilly's might lose money on each 8D AGM battery sold, but they make it up on volume.

PS: We have had 2 of them in our coach for 3 years, and they work great!

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #7 – October 13, 2016, 09:45:20 am

O'reillys has probably figured out the freight better than anyone else, or they have their own fleet of trucks to move stuff. My suspicions are they have a great price overall on all their batteries from the manufacturer, and somehow do not have the freight imputed into the selling price, most likely since they have that cost as a fixed cost with a fleet of delivery trucks.

Let's say Manufacturer pays freight to O'reilly's distribution center for a truckload of various size batteries. No freight so far. Then O'reilly's has a fleet of trucks that make regular delivery runs to all the stores. That cost is probably spread product based on the $$$ value of the product, not the weight. So, O'reillys would be "charging" the customer (the store cost and ultimately the end user cost) a fraction of what the freight would actually be if calculated on weight. Probalbly at other vendors stores, the freight is figured into the cost of the battery (vs. separately invoiced). If that is the case the seller would likely add gross margin to the entire cost, which puts margin on the battery and the freight.

Long answer, but my outsider looking in guess is that it is as a result of two factors, O'reilly's buying power might explain some of the difference, but I would bet that how O'reilllys handles freight costs and margin on freight cost explains most of it.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #8 – October 13, 2016, 10:48:31 am

When I bought 3 of these batteries from O'Riellys, they signed me up to a points program. About a month later, I got a $30.00 gift card, so that was a nice bonus. Needed to get some fuel treatment and it worked out well.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #9 – October 13, 2016, 12:29:01 pm

Our coaches had gel batteries new. Double the cycle life.

Just saying.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #10 – October 13, 2016, 01:07:35 pm

I bought three AGM 8D batteries in 2015 November, from Top Quality Batteries. Discount Prices. UPS, Solar, Marine & More | Apex... (search for APX12-260 and pick 8D from list).
Cost was $350 list plus $97 shipping per battery, and discounted to $420 each delivered to the Slabs in California.
Apex batteries also had Gel batteries which were $675 delivered but Apex claimed that their AGM batteries cycle as well as any Gel battery because of blah blah blah.
I am trying the Apex AGM batteries and hope that they last longer then the Lifeline AGM batteries which died at 5.5 years, while the thirteen year old Lifeline Gel I still had had greater measured amphour capacity (20AH and 40AH for AGMs but 65AH for Gel).

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #11 – October 13, 2016, 01:50:05 pm

The latest version of the mk gels have a different plate attachment method internally and their(mk) engineer said while he had had many foretravel owners mention 10-12 years life with their gels he thought the newer version might have double the life again.

Plates pre charged now and tested BEFORE installation

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #12 – October 13, 2016, 02:22:47 pm

Were I buying only three at once when I bought four O'Reilly AGM's, I would have considered getting Gels instead at the 50% or better cost premium that the GELs command. As I was upgrading from two GELS as installed originally to four 8D's batteries, even if the Gels had twice the cycles per the same depth of discharge, I believe I will come out ahead in the long run. Be that as it may, I was almost ready to build my own Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries out of the prismatic cells, but decided on the AGM's as a way to punt that project down the road a few years until the cost of the new battery technology comes down. At which point, I will have a use for four half used AGM's which will typically not be discharged to less than 80% or so with (very) occasional 50% discharges. With 980AH total and over 400 useable without exceeding 50% depth of discharge, I think that gamble will work out.
Don

Quote from: Caflashbob – October 13, 2016, 12:29:01 pm

Our coaches had gel batteries new. Double the cycle life.

Just saying.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #13 – October 13, 2016, 02:47:47 pm

Those "Lifeline GPL-8DL" house batteries are not cheap....$627.00 each (excluding installation). We'll see how the long term is, they were installed in late 2014, and so far, so good. I think a lot of battery life is in the type of charging when one is at the pier. We have the "Zantrex True Charger 40+ 3 stage with /remote voltage & amp readings". The starter batteries are "Optima 800 CCA spirals", installed in 2012. Watching the charger beats t.v. most of the time!

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #14 – October 13, 2016, 03:56:02 pm

Boy, I must have really screwed up!! Five years ago, when we bought our coach, we went to our local Northern Battery outlet and bought a new 8D battery. I said to the manager that when one of these batteries goes the other one is "sucked down" by the bad battery. He told his worker to replace BOTH batteries. Cost us $180.
One battery has since died (the coach battery) so I moved the five year old engine battery over to the coach connection and then proceeded to put in a large 1000CCA truck battery with a 7 year warranty.
The old 8D wet cell battery is still going so I guess $180 wasn't a bad deal.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #15 – October 13, 2016, 08:03:51 pm

We need to pester O'Reilly's into selling the gels............ maybe at a great price.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #16 – October 14, 2016, 10:13:56 am

O'reilly's is a great price. How about a low price?

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #17 – October 14, 2016, 10:30:09 pm

I wasn't aware you were talking about AGM or gel type 8D batteries. The batteries I've been using from Parts Plus are ordinary 8D batteries. They're really good batteries for a little over a hundred dollars if I remember correctly. I posted the dates and prices I paid on here several times if you wanna look it up. If your coach has the batteries located in a place where you can check / add water to them you really should take this into consideration. I only have to check / add water once a month, which is really easy on my coach.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #18 – October 14, 2016, 11:03:52 pm

Wet cell is the most tolerant of abuse and overcharging. I agree, if easy to fill, wet cells will probably give you the best service for the price.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #19 – October 14, 2016, 11:07:57 pm

Cable corrosion and hydrogen gas are drawback to flooded cells

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #20 – October 15, 2016, 12:21:22 am

Wyatt, I have 3 AGM lifelines I put in March 2011 so hope they last ,me longer than 5 1/2 yrs.
They have been charged solely by solar since day 1 and when we are boondocking we seem to be able to use them just like when new.
JohnH

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #21 – October 15, 2016, 01:10:41 am

My wet cell batteries are under the entry steps. When I had two 8D wet cell batteries it was almost impossible to check fluid level in the cells back under the steps. I removed one 8D, rotated the other 90 degrees so it is oriented front to back axis of the coach, and then put the 1000 CCA maintenance free truck battery inboard of the 8D. Don't need to check that one. Rewired the batteries so orientation was possible. Added battery/alternator monitors just above the steps and on the low wall.
Now easy to check and easy to remove both batteries.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #22 – October 15, 2016, 06:50:58 pm

I don't have any corrosion issues with my wet cell 8D batteries. I'm a full timer so my batteries get used, checked, and replaced with new batteries regularly. I doubt I'll ever own an 8D battery long enough to get any corrosion. My current batteries are three years old and I'll probably replace them at the very first sign of trouble. The Parts Plus 8D batteries are so affordable that I can replace them often and still be far ahead financially over AGM or gel batteries. I believe the cost difference was over three times as much for an AGM the last time I checked. The battery box is vented to get the hydrogen gas out of the coach so that's not a factor either. The limiting factor is whether or not you can get to the batteries easily to add / check the water. Many of the older coaches are set up for easy battery access.

Apparently the price difference now is about four times as much for an AGM... the price difference may have gotten wider? According to one of the major manufacturers that makes both AGM and ordinary wet cell batteries the AGM is usually slightly inferior in performance, which sorta shocked me, both that an AGM could be inferior and that an AGM manufacturer would admit that. I found the information in a lengthy discussion on another forum where a member researched it and found a page on a major battery manufacturer's website and he linked to it. This will freak out a lot of people, that something with newer technology that they paid a huge amount more for usually isn't as good as the older technology. In reality it's a general rule of thumb to live by but whatever.

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #23 – October 15, 2016, 08:09:58 pm

I found these on sale: $595 each. I'm replacing mine in the spring.

Deka/MK Battery 8A8DLTP-DEKA Sealed AGM Battery, 12v 245 AH

Re: Cost of 8D Batteries

Reply #24 – October 15, 2016, 08:35:59 pm

Quote from: Jeff & Sandy – October 15, 2016, 08:09:58 pm

I found these on sale: $595 each. I'm replacing mine in the spring.

Deka/MK Battery 8A8DLTP-DEKA Sealed AGM Battery, 12v 245 AH

I believe that deka makes the o'reilly agm battery, about $440 with no discount.http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/SSBL/AGM8D/N2493.oap?ck=Search_N2493_-1_-1&pt=N2493&ppt=C2428
Cheaper with o'rilley card or military discount.

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