AGM batteries
01-16-2017, 07:13 AM
#21
I have actually read the opposite - that AGM batteries can handle deeper discharges without failure which is why they are more suited for marine environments. I HAVE heard that underhood temperatures may affect AGM more (closer tolerances) so they may be failing in corvettes depending on where they are situated - like if the headers run near the batteries (which they do for underhood batteries)...
First time using this Duracell AGM so I will let you guys know if my trunk mounted battery fails in the next few years.
First time using this Duracell AGM so I will let you guys know if my trunk mounted battery fails in the next few years.
Bad ideal in the Vet,
Between the Valeo alternator not able to keep up with the demands of the car sitting at a stop light with the A/C on (read battery not fully charged before the car might being turned off) and the car in sleep mode still draining the battery down still, going to have a short life with a AGM battery in the car (short of putting the car on an AGM battery tender nightly to charge the battery all the way back up each night).
Hence the lead cell battery can be drained to near dead, and charged by up many times without hurting it (short of it freezing). You drain down a AGM short of dead, and you have a 50/50 chance of it fully charging up again from the start.
So short of both a billet alternator to keep the battery charged when you are driving the car/sitting at a stop light, and keeping the car on a tender nightly, the AGM battery is the wrong battery for the C6.
Between the Valeo alternator not able to keep up with the demands of the car sitting at a stop light with the A/C on (read battery not fully charged before the car might being turned off) and the car in sleep mode still draining the battery down still, going to have a short life with a AGM battery in the car (short of putting the car on an AGM battery tender nightly to charge the battery all the way back up each night).
Hence the lead cell battery can be drained to near dead, and charged by up many times without hurting it (short of it freezing). You drain down a AGM short of dead, and you have a 50/50 chance of it fully charging up again from the start.
So short of both a billet alternator to keep the battery charged when you are driving the car/sitting at a stop light, and keeping the car on a tender nightly, the AGM battery is the wrong battery for the C6.
01-16-2017, 09:28 AM
#22
Race Director
I have had good experiences with he Optima yellow and red batteries.
The yellow was in my 4Runner for 11 years and I changes it out figuring it was do, but it was still performing fine. I was heading into Winter and just wanted to be safe.
The red is in the Vette for the last 3-4 years. On a charger for the last two.
The 4runner was a DD so no charger.
The yellow was in my 4Runner for 11 years and I changes it out figuring it was do, but it was still performing fine. I was heading into Winter and just wanted to be safe.
The red is in the Vette for the last 3-4 years. On a charger for the last two.
The 4runner was a DD so no charger.
01-16-2017, 05:43 PM
#23
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '13
When we had our C5, I bought an Optima yellow top to replace the original factory battery. By the time I was ready to install it, even back then, I'd heard so many stories about Optima problems, here and in person, that I gave it to a friend. He moved away so I didn't learn how it worked out for him.
We've been using Delcos since 2001 and no complaints, I usually replace them at 3-4 yrs/30k-45k miles just as a precaution. Only in the last 5 years have we started using a tender if the car won't be driven for a few weeks.
We've been using Delcos since 2001 and no complaints, I usually replace them at 3-4 yrs/30k-45k miles just as a precaution. Only in the last 5 years have we started using a tender if the car won't be driven for a few weeks.
01-16-2017, 09:21 PM
#24
Advanced
I bought this for my '05 a little over three years ago:
http://www.sears.com/diehard-advance...p-02850734000P
I'll start the car every month and drive it long enough to get the oil up to temp. Other than that, the car sits between track days... typically three or four per year. It's never been on a tender and it has never failed to start.
http://www.sears.com/diehard-advance...p-02850734000P
I'll start the car every month and drive it long enough to get the oil up to temp. Other than that, the car sits between track days... typically three or four per year. It's never been on a tender and it has never failed to start.
01-17-2017, 07:24 PM
#25
Point is, two bad Optima red top batteries at one store in the same day tells me they are having a lot of trouble with that battery. I don't trust it. I'll be looking for a different battery soon.
01-17-2017, 07:36 PM
#26
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St. Jude Donor '03,'04,'05,'07,08,'09,'10,’17
Not saying you or your parts store guy are wrong, but my experience with Optima batteries has been exactly the opposite of yours. I replaced Red's original Delco when it died at 39 months with a Yellow Top because it could tolerate deep discharging without damage. That YT lasted almost four years and was replaced by another that has lasted four more. I have a third YT waiting in my garage on a Battery Minder. Hopefully the present YT will last until warmer weather, but it's no big deal if it doesn't. I'm prepared.
Deka made by East Penn is supposed to be the cats *** now. I put one of those in my Silverado.
01-17-2017, 07:44 PM
#27
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St. Jude Donor '03,'04,'05,'07,08,'09,'10,’17
Here in southern Florida, an AGM battery lasts between 3 to 4 years max.
Here in southern Florida, a standard lead acid battery lasts between 3 to 4 years max.
Also, I have found that it don't make any difference if you buy an expensive battery or a cheap Autozone or Advance Auto battery .... 3 to 4 years max on all of them.
Here in southern Florida, a standard lead acid battery lasts between 3 to 4 years max.
Also, I have found that it don't make any difference if you buy an expensive battery or a cheap Autozone or Advance Auto battery .... 3 to 4 years max on all of them.
Last edited by need-for-speed; 01-17-2017 at 07:46 PM.
01-17-2017, 09:22 PM
#28
Drifting
Nothing wrong with the ACDelco batteries. They changed manufactures about 4 years ago and their batteries have been stellar since.
Use a battery tender. But put it on a timer as well (they go bad too).
Use a battery tender. But put it on a timer as well (they go bad too).
02-20-2017, 07:26 PM
#30
Drifting
I have actually read the opposite - that AGM batteries can handle deeper discharges without failure which is why they are more suited for marine environments. I HAVE heard that underhood temperatures may affect AGM more (closer tolerances) so they may be failing in corvettes depending on where they are situated - like if the headers run near the batteries (which they do for underhood batteries)...
First time using this Duracell AGM so I will let you guys know if my trunk mounted battery fails in the next few years.
First time using this Duracell AGM so I will let you guys know if my trunk mounted battery fails in the next few years.
02-23-2017, 02:56 PM
#31
Racer
So far I've only used Optima Red Tops when I replace OEM's for about the last 15-20 years. I've had two last somewhere between 7-9 years and none less than 5 or 6 so far and that's including killing them multiple times before I started using Battery Tenders. I'm in St. Louis so we can break 100 degrees in the Summer and sometimes go below 0 in the Winter and I've never had a problem starting.
The OEM Delco in my ZR1 was not performing well at only 3-4 years old so I put another Red Top in it last Summer and will report back if I ever have problems. So far so good.
On a non-Optima note, I've had two batteries crack and short out cells internally. One was 20+ years ago in a normal lead acid (Die Hard), and the other was the OEM Delco AGM in a C5Z06 and was replaced under warranty with a lead acid because GM stopped making the smaller AGM's used in Z06's. I immediately pulled the lead acid battery and put in a Red Top that lasted for over 40,000 miles and around 8 years until I sold the car.
The OEM Delco in my ZR1 was not performing well at only 3-4 years old so I put another Red Top in it last Summer and will report back if I ever have problems. So far so good.
On a non-Optima note, I've had two batteries crack and short out cells internally. One was 20+ years ago in a normal lead acid (Die Hard), and the other was the OEM Delco AGM in a C5Z06 and was replaced under warranty with a lead acid because GM stopped making the smaller AGM's used in Z06's. I immediately pulled the lead acid battery and put in a Red Top that lasted for over 40,000 miles and around 8 years until I sold the car.
02-23-2017, 03:20 PM
#32
02-23-2017, 04:15 PM
#33
Racer
I like the Optima Red Top also. I have one that's two years old in our Subaru Outback and so far it's given me no problems. We have a Duralast Gold AGM in our '07; it came with the car (35,000 miles in the car) but looks fairly new. Hopefully it will hold up well.