AGM Battery Upgrade
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,425
Likes: 103
From: Vancouver, BC
AGM Battery Upgrade
My battery started to crap out slowly as it was getting harder and harder for the truck to start after sitting for a while. I have a battery booster/charger/tester that can diagnose both the battery and charging system of any 12V-24V vehicle. Even without using this I knew that my battery was starting to fail. Considering the way I use my vehicle and the upgrades I will eventually have in the future I decided to go with an AGM battery. I'm not going to go into the whole scientific discussion regarding an AGM battery, but here are some things to think about when deciding to purchase an AGM battery:
- Purpose. This upgrade is only worth the money if you will actually use the all the advantages an AGM has over a lead-acid battery.
- Lifespan. These batteries should last around 8-10+ years on a vehicle with a properly functioning charging system.
- Cost. You should only purchase a battery when you really need one, and purchase an AGM battery only if you can get a deal on it.
- Vehicle. Again, due to the cost, it is only worth purchasing with battery if you're planning on keeping your vehicle for a lengthy period of time.
- Build. Not all AGM batteries are alike. Be sure to get one that has been certified to have 99% lead construction.
- Design. The flat plate AGM batteries will out perform practically any lead-acid battery, but there are spiral grid AGM batteries available as well.
To compare my old battery to my new, my previous Megatron battery had 850CCA. My AGM has 930CCA. Though 850 should be more than enough to start a mid-size 8 cylinder engine, the more CCA the better especially in cold weather below -18C.
My future plans are to have an on-board compressor to power my air bag suspension and an upgraded car audio system. The brand of AGM battery I purchased is a Northstar Ultra XD. The retail cost is $270 but I was able to get it for $200. When I do the math it works out well. The battery has a 10 year warranty, 5 years free replacement. Hell my cell phone bill is $100/month, for $200 for something that should last around 10 years is a damn good deal to me!
- Purpose. This upgrade is only worth the money if you will actually use the all the advantages an AGM has over a lead-acid battery.
- Lifespan. These batteries should last around 8-10+ years on a vehicle with a properly functioning charging system.
- Cost. You should only purchase a battery when you really need one, and purchase an AGM battery only if you can get a deal on it.
- Vehicle. Again, due to the cost, it is only worth purchasing with battery if you're planning on keeping your vehicle for a lengthy period of time.
- Build. Not all AGM batteries are alike. Be sure to get one that has been certified to have 99% lead construction.
- Design. The flat plate AGM batteries will out perform practically any lead-acid battery, but there are spiral grid AGM batteries available as well.
To compare my old battery to my new, my previous Megatron battery had 850CCA. My AGM has 930CCA. Though 850 should be more than enough to start a mid-size 8 cylinder engine, the more CCA the better especially in cold weather below -18C.
My future plans are to have an on-board compressor to power my air bag suspension and an upgraded car audio system. The brand of AGM battery I purchased is a Northstar Ultra XD. The retail cost is $270 but I was able to get it for $200. When I do the math it works out well. The battery has a 10 year warranty, 5 years free replacement. Hell my cell phone bill is $100/month, for $200 for something that should last around 10 years is a damn good deal to me!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,425
Likes: 103
From: Vancouver, BC
Oh yeah, my old battery was dated February 2008. 5 years and it crapped out. I priced the least expensive lead-acid battery and it was $120 and it had a total of a 5 years warranty. So for $80 more I have something that'll perform much better and should last twice as long as the least expensive option.