Would you buy this battery?

[spencertron]

Or maybe two? I'm looking for a good deep cycle battery to use as a second battery. Maybe this would make a good starting battery as well since I looked it up and it's a 1000 CCA battery. Just wondering what your opinions are since I'm not an expert on the subject. Thanks all.


http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=25659011&cat=&lpid=&search=rv battery&ad_cid=12

 

[spencertron]

here are some specs. It's the ups12-400mr
http://www.batteryshelf.com/spec_sheets/cd_highratemax.pdf

 

[half k cruiser]

For another $30 you can get one that is for sure meant for a vehicle application. That one you showed just seems iffy to me.

 

[spencertron]

For another $30 you can get one that is for sure meant for a vehicle application. That one you showed just seems iffy to me.

are you referring to like a walmart everstart? Or is there another battery in the $80 range?

 

[coax]

For 50 bucks it may be worth a try. If it was a data center UPS chances are it was rarely discharged and also kept in a temperature controlled environment (~74 degrees) so it could have a lot of life left. On the flip side, it could be for sale because they had a long outage and ran their batteries down, or they got too warm, etc.

Can't speak to the durability of the battery in a vehicle where its subject to SUBSTANTIALLY more vibration than a stationary UPS. That's the only thing that would concern me. Who knows if its just a re-branded/re-tagged standard battery or if its constructed differently internally and the plates are possibly not attached as well.

 

[floridan surfer]

I don't think you can even get an everstart for $80 anymore. For $50, heck I'd try it.

Pat

 

[half k cruiser]

are you referring to like a walmart everstart? Or is there another battery in the $80 range?

Dunno what they charge at Walmart, I get my batteries from a battery dealer, about $89 for a truck battery. Better warranties and more CCA then what you find at auto stores or the mart.

 

[spencertron]

Cool! Yeah I did a little research on them. They're an AGM battery so vibrations shouldn't be a problem, right? On one website it talked about how it was a group 29 battery and that it was perfectly suitable for automotive applications, that's just not their main market focus. The ad says that they had a constant trickle charge for the last 4 years.

 

[BILT4ME]

I would NOT use this battery! Even though it is rated for airline travel and DOT rated, it's MAXIMUM temperature is +160°F. Your underhood temperatures will exceed +200°F and this battery could explode.

Having designed material handling equipment for battery plants (Johnson Controls who does about 60-70% of ALL batteries), batteries are NOT created equally. Get a battery designed for automotive use.

If you want to start looking at battery types, you also have to consider the charging systems and operational services. Personally, I will go Interstate Battery whenever possible. They have thicker plates in them that give longer life and more durability. I like the Gel Cel (Optima I think) because it can handle the rough riding of off-road or incline angles some here would experience without leaking.

Contrary to that, I will buy the Everstart batteries of Wal-Mart because of Wal-Mart's return policies. I NEVER have a problem returning something to WM, when I have difficulties returning things to Interstate. It's a matter of how often you want to deal with it. Interstate you can deal with it every 6 or 7 years with regular use. Everstart- every 3 or 4 years.

Based on the charging systems, I cannot use an auto battery in my son's wheelchair, as it cannot do the deep discharge without causing high amounts of heat that will kill the battery, plus if it is a lead-acid liquid cell, it cannot taker the bouncing and angle changes a wheelchair experiences without leaking.

Don't put a deep-cycle battery in your truck because they are designed to be trickle-charged (low and slow) so they can handle the heavy use and discharge rate of trolling motors without getting the heat damage. However, an automotive charging system can cook the battery and shorten it's life by charging too quickly.
I have lived in areas where it gets cold and I always want a high CCA (Cold-Crank Amps) for every vehicle I buy. I will buy the highest CCA available for that size and shape. (Typically you get the longest warranty as well.) This makes it more reliable if I am on the road and need to power extra accessories. If needed, I would do dual batteries with a high-amp alternator (my old truck used to have over a million candlepower of lights on it), but make sure you have the proper isolation between the batteries and you replace the batteries in pairs only. If one dies, you replace BOTH.

There is a LOT of science in the batteries we use.

Get the RIGHT battery for you application and use. Don't try to shortcut it or you WILL have a problem. I've seen batteries blow up due to excessive heat and it's NOT pretty.

 

[spencertron]

interesting, i never even though to look at the heat rating. I'm actually planning on keeping the battery in the rear of the truck (in the storage drawers) where temps should never get above about 115-120 at the absolute hottest. Are there other issues you see other than the heat? I think i'll keep my regular starting battery and am now only considering buying one of these for when I do my duel battery setup.

 

[spencertron]

The guy selling them said he used them as a house backup, cabin backup, telecom backup, and as an aux. battery in an RV. RV aux and land cruiser aux should be pretty similar, right? Essentially doing the same thing and running the same equipment?

 

[Funner]

The guy selling them said he used them as a house backup, cabin backup, telecom backup, and as an aux. battery in an RV. RV aux and land cruiser aux should be pretty similar, right? Essentially doing the same thing and running the same equipment?

Yes, IMHO you will be fine using these as house batteries or auxiliary batteries in the back of your LC. I am pretty sure all batteries suffer in higher temperatures. I don't believe there is special sulfuric acid that holds up to heat better than others or lead plates that withstand heat differently.

 

[livinoffroad]

Don't skimp on batteries.
Test them thoroughly, for drawdown, before buying. Maybe a parts store will let you use their tester.
Don't skimp on batteries.
If you buy a pair, and they're connected, the weaker one will draw down the better one.
Don't skimp on batteries.
Not that there's anything wrong with these batteries.
Don't skimp on batteries.
If they fail, will he stand behind them?
Don't skimp on batteries.
I live off grid, in a solar powered house, so everything I have, runs on batteries.
Don't skimp on batteries.
If your batteries leave you stranded somewhere, you could easily spend more, getting un-stranded, than you saved on these batteries.
Don't skimp on batteries.
I have small batteries in my shop, I use for other 12 volt demands, like testing equipment, etc. Maybe these would work well in that capacity?
Don't skimp on batteries.
I have 4 connected in series, to make up my 48 volt house system. The best one is only as good as the worst one, sooo...
Don't skimp on batteries.
I bought my Sears DHP from the SLC store on sale, for around $160.
Seems cheap to me, but then, I...
Don't skimp on batteries.

 

[western flyer]

Even in the back of my 80, I bet I could kill one of those batts in one Baja trip. The combo of extended washboard vibration and inevitable fast charging would likely be quite tough on it.