When is a beasty 31M battery worth it?
- Thread starter Hayes
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I don't know. Those numbers are hard to come by for many batteries. I did try to find charge curves for the Duracells and didn't come up those. I'll keep looking; the RV and renewable energy industries are starting to use them and that will drive interest in tech spec availability.
So, I got a Duracell AGM battery today for my 100.
Of course, the posts are in different spots than on the Diehard Series 31. I had to do some serious jerry-rigging on the cables to make it work. I am going to do this better, but I will need to order some different posts.
Also, the handle is a different design so I had to cut the plastic tabs off the battery for the @sleeoffroad holder to work. I hope I don't have to return it, because I am sure they will flip out.....maybe not since it is Sam's Club and they are clueless
The battery was $150 after $25 instant rebate and I took a POS core up there and avoided the $18 core.
My Diehard is still good, hope I can find a Bass Fisherman to take it off my hands for $100......
Of course, the posts are in different spots than on the Diehard Series 31. I had to do some serious jerry-rigging on the cables to make it work. I am going to do this better, but I will need to order some different posts.
Also, the handle is a different design so I had to cut the plastic tabs off the battery for the @sleeoffroad holder to work. I hope I don't have to return it, because I am sure they will flip out.....maybe not since it is Sam's Club and they are clueless
The battery was $150 after $25 instant rebate and I took a POS core up there and avoided the $18 core.
My Diehard is still good, hope I can find a Bass Fisherman to take it off my hands for $100......
Forgot pics.
Before
After
Before
After
Which one did you go with? The Platinum? Curios to see how it holds up to charging and heat. Looks like they're manufactured by East Penn Manufacturing.
Yes. Platinum
I cleaned up my wiring today. I'm happy with this.
I'm taking it on a big trip mid-January. I'll know then.
I cleaned up my wiring today. I'm happy with this.
I'm taking it on a big trip mid-January. I'll know then.
Wow, lots of connections there! Keep 'em all greased up good. I'm using a group 31 tray and battery connector extension made by another Mud member a few years ago (can't remember who right now), so i didn't have the same fit issues (and I have only one wire/post).
(It was Shaggy101 who made the trays for a while back in '11)
(It was Shaggy101 who made the trays for a while back in '11)
I'm not much of an electrician. I could for sure tighten it up but they are clean.
I've never had any issues with an AGM battery and corrosion.
My truck is a garage queen. Rarely does it get rained on unless I'm wheeling
I've never had any issues with an AGM battery and corrosion.
My truck is a garage queen. Rarely does it get rained on unless I'm wheeling
Looks like the Duracell Plat is a Sams Club only thing. Can't find it online?
FWIW, it looks like the new version of Odyssey chargers are out. Although they don't yet have one compatible with a Group 31 size. Have an email into them...
FWIW, it looks like the new version of Odyssey chargers are out. Although they don't yet have one compatible with a Group 31 size. Have an email into them...
Batteries Plus carries the Duracell AGM Platinum batteries (with a slightly different label style). With some on-line research, you can probably find out who makes them and find the same battery under a different brand? I've seen several manufacturers suggested, but no solid info.
On the connections, AGM batteries are much better than non-sealed about corrosion. However, it looks like several different metals all coming together on those terminals and without some protection, I wonder about galvanic corrosion?
Yep those batteries are crap, both mine failed and had a difficult time returning them. They do not carry these anymore so their "replacement" was the diehard gold that has half the CCA and half the rc. The terminals were about 2" further away so all my wiring had to be extended.. Very fustrating
Ha.....I missed this and now I feel your pain.
I'll keep an eye on them. It is similar to the way I had it for the last 2 years, no new metals introduced and when I took it all apart I did not have any corrosion.
Many of us are "feeling the pain".... I just spoke to my local Sears automotive department, and told the dude about my woes. He said that they have discontinued selling the Platinum DH group 31, but have a replacement AGM. I'm going to go down there tomorrow and have them swap it out. I asked about the dimensions and he said that they are almost identical (we'll see.....). I'll give this swap out a chance, and if I have similar issues, I'll dump DH's forever and look for something more reliable.
Meant to also say that I have the Slee group 31 bracket as well and hope to avoid any mod's to make the dang things fit correctly. Lastly, the guy at Sears hadn't heard that other customers were having problems with the Platinum's but his co-worker had heard that.
So - Went to Sears yesterday..... Spent 2 1/2 hours there, and drove off with their last new Platinum group 31.... VERY long story, but here is what I wanted to share: Yes, the batteries are fubar. My Sears store (Torrance, CA) has been sending them back to the manufacturer because of the problems they've been having with them. Mine was purchased in October of 2013, and I started to have my problems about 3 - 4 months ago. They told me that even boat owners that bought several have had the same problems, as these are actually made for boat applications.
The part that ticked me off is that I told the mechanic the symptoms, he put his charger/tester on it and it showed 11.2 volts, after I'd been driving it for around 2 hours. My auxiliary battery was at 13.1 volts, so you think that would have convinced the salesman and mechanic that the battery was bad, PLUS the fact that they have been returning them to the manufacturer to get their money back...... Didn't matter, they had to "follow procedure" and test it anyhow. 1 1/2 hours later..... the mechanic told me , "yep, the battery is bad" (no sh**!)
Problem is the replacement battery, an AGM gold series will fit in the space, but the battery terminals are located too far to the front of the car for the cables to reach. Great!!! So the dude stares at me ans says, "well, what do you want to do??" My response was, "drive home with a friggin' battery in my car:! So..... the ONLY battery they have that will work is another brand new DH Platinum that they hadn't yet sent back to the manufacturer. So, I had them throw it in, and type on the paperwork exactly what happened including the fact that this is another NEW battery, and the 3 year warranty ticker starts again, which they agreed to do.
Needless to say, that was 2 1/2 hours of my life I'll never get back... I will also be calling Slee on Monday (maybe someone else already has?) and let them know that these batteries are bye-bye and that they may want to fab some different battery brackets for something more reliable.
The part that ticked me off is that I told the mechanic the symptoms, he put his charger/tester on it and it showed 11.2 volts, after I'd been driving it for around 2 hours. My auxiliary battery was at 13.1 volts, so you think that would have convinced the salesman and mechanic that the battery was bad, PLUS the fact that they have been returning them to the manufacturer to get their money back...... Didn't matter, they had to "follow procedure" and test it anyhow. 1 1/2 hours later..... the mechanic told me , "yep, the battery is bad" (no sh**!)
Problem is the replacement battery, an AGM gold series will fit in the space, but the battery terminals are located too far to the front of the car for the cables to reach. Great!!! So the dude stares at me ans says, "well, what do you want to do??" My response was, "drive home with a friggin' battery in my car:! So..... the ONLY battery they have that will work is another brand new DH Platinum that they hadn't yet sent back to the manufacturer. So, I had them throw it in, and type on the paperwork exactly what happened including the fact that this is another NEW battery, and the 3 year warranty ticker starts again, which they agreed to do.
Needless to say, that was 2 1/2 hours of my life I'll never get back... I will also be calling Slee on Monday (maybe someone else already has?) and let them know that these batteries are bye-bye and that they may want to fab some different battery brackets for something more reliable.
Kofoed
SILVER Star
Great. I have an unused (about 8 months old) waiting to be installed in the new Slee tray. I had the same problem with the leads not reached the posts. I was doing something else, waiting to attack this condition.
So............fawk
So............fawk
Yea, may have to just go back to the standard OEM size but upgrade to am Optima or something.
Batteries plus sells an X2Power 27F (rebranded Northstar battery ) that has almost the same specs as the diehard group 31.
