Optima or Duracell AGM batteries?

[Oldschool]

It's battery time after 5 years using Trojan batteries and looking for comments from users of Duracell AGM or Optima D31M.
Tom

[sTony]

Five years on the Trojans and you're gonna switch brands?

sTony

[Randy Walker]

Hey Tom,
I too have used Trojans for the last 10 years in multiple boats because that's what was in the boats when purchased. I made the switch to the Optima D31m's when it was time to buy new batteries (before another boat upgrade) and love them...Fast charge time, no more checking fluid levels/adding fluid, no more charging boilover, no more smell while charging, more shock resistant, more powerful...they are REALLY AWESOME!

If you end up going with the Opti's...Enjoy!

Randy

[Oldschool]

Thanks Randy.
The Trojans are good batteries and Ive used them years. The maintenance is the big issue and a primary consideration I'm thinking of changing over to the AGM technology like Optima.
Tom

[Rich hamilton]

I have been impressed with the optima's (all 4). Bought them from the factory with free shipping

[wccjanel]

Optima
Maintenance free is the way to be.

[mark poulson]

You can buy the cheaper Costco maintenance free deep cycle batteries, and have Trojan John rejuvenate them when they "wear out".
He posted here a while ago, and Homer (Mike Iljin) did a report on a battery John did for him.
With that said, I love my Optimas. I bought the D35s when I still had my Tracker, and the same batteries are now in my Ranger.
If I had it to do over, and had the money, I'd get the D31s. More amps.

[Lugnut]

+1 for the Optima's

I ran Optima's in my old Skeeter.....AWESOME!!!!! Put Thermo's in my Ranger....not so awesome. Then switched them out for Optima's back to AWESOME!!!!!!!

[macinckirk]

I love mine (d31m) on the trolling motor, but I'm not loving the d31m for a cranking bat, make sure u buy there cranking bat if your going to replace all of them


just my 2 cents worth

[macinckirk]

oh 1 thing i have to add just cause this is my thing about the optima's they don't seem to like a 15 amp charge, if you read up on them they do say 10 amp, if your charger is like mine 4 bank 15 each, you may run into a problem (or it my be just my boat) n pop a batt every 6 months or so.

I have 4 and have replaced 2 in less then a year so this also makes a problem for me since i like to run around alot because there not easy to find to get replaced

BUT I do Love them when there working

[Gene Buchholz]

Trojans are great batteries except for the maintenance. What I don't understand is why spend more money on batteries that don't last any longer then a good battery.
Try the AC Delco maintenance free. AC Delco and Trojans are the best marine battery on the market.
Just my 2 cents

[Hollywood]

Try the Deka AGM batteries, a little expensive but well worth every penny!

[Mike Phua]

Just wanted to let you guys know I had brand new optimas put in a year and half ago............and they have gone bad already. Have spoke with the people at Optima and they say my problem is my battery charger is charging a 15 amps per bank and their recommended amps are 2 to 10. Not sure how this is going to turn out as I'm awaiting them to get back to me. Just a little info incase you are also using an onboard charger that is charging at 15 amps. Take care MP

[Randy Walker]

As a follow up to Mike's post, which was excellent information...here's charging suggestions from Optima...

Randy

Optima BlueTop Charging Information
The following charging methods are recommended to insure a long battery life - always use a voltage-regulated charger, with voltage limits set as described below.

BlueTop Type: 34M
These batteries are designed for engine starting applications. They are NOT recommended or warranted for use in deep cycle applications.

Recommended charging information:
Alternator:

■13.3 to 15.0 volts, no amperage limit.
Battery Charger:

■13.8 to 15.0 volts, 10 amps maximum, 6-12 hours approximate.
Rapid Recharge:

■Maximum voltage 15.6 volts (regulated), no current limit as long as battery temperature remains below 125°F (51.7°C). Charge until current drops below 1 amp.
Float Charge:

■13.2 to 13.8 volts, 1 amp maximum current, time indefinite (at lower voltage).

All limits must be strictly adhered to.

BlueTop Type: D34M / D31M/ D27M
These batteries are dual purpose. They are designed for engine starting and deep cycling applications and for use in boats with large accessory loads.

Recommended charging information:
Alternator:

■13.65 to 15.0 volts, no amperage limit.
Battery Charger:

■13.8 to 15.0 volts, 10 amps maximum, 6-12 hours approximate.
Cyclic Applications:

■14.7 volts, no current limit as long as battery temperature remains below 125°F (51.7°C). When current falls below 1 amp, finish with 2 amp constant current for 1 hour for D34M and 3 amp constant current for 1 hour for D31M.
Rapid Recharge:

■Maximum voltage 15.6 volts (regulated), no current limit as long as battery temperature remains below 125°F (51.7°C). Charge until current drops below 1 amp.
Float Charge:

■13.2 to 13.8 volts, 1 amp maximum current, time indefinite (at lower voltage).
All limits must be strictly adhered to.

Safety Information:

■Always wear safety glasses when working with batteries.
■Always use a voltage regulated battery charger with limits set to the above ratings. Overcharging can cause the safety valves to open and battery gasses to escape, resulting in premature failure. These gasses are flammable! You cannot replace water in sealed batteries that have been overcharged. Any battery that becomes very hot or makes a hissing sound while recharging should be disconnected immediately.
■Failure to fully charge a battery can result in poor performance and a reduction in capacity.

[Leon Pugh]

Just wanted to let you guys know I had brand new optimas put in a year and half ago............and they have gone bad already. Have spoke with the people at Optima and they say my problem is my battery charger is charging a 15 amps per bank and their recommended amps are 2 to 10. Not sure how this is going to turn out as I'm awaiting them to get back to me. Just a little info incase you are also using an onboard charger that is charging at 15 amps. Take care MP

Mike I see a lot of batteries and I have not seen 2 bad Optimas in the last YEAR, most AGM , (Optimas included) batteries that are returned are not bad. There are special charging procedures if they have been drained to below 12 volts. As long as the temp is kept low 15 amps will not harm them. The alternator on the big motor will hit them with over forty amps for a short period of time under the right conditions. Less than 10 is best for any battery. Do not leave your batteries on the charger continuously unless you are positive that it is working properly. Check it with a voltmeter often to make sure it is automatically reducing the charge rate as designed. A 15 amp charger means that it is rated to charge at up to 15 amps not that it will in all cases. If properly designed when the battery is low it will start of as high as 15 amps and as the state of charge comes up it will automatically keep reducing the amps down to a maintaining level. Buy good chargers and check them once in while, disconnect it after they have come up. Reconnect it the day before your next trip. Make sure the float charge mode falls in to that 13.2 to 13.8 range. I prefer it on the low side.

[macinckirk]

Just wanted to let you guys know I had brand new optimas put in a year and half ago............and they have gone bad already. Have spoke with the people at Optima and they say my problem is my battery charger is charging a 15 amps per bank and their recommended amps are 2 to 10. Not sure how this is going to turn out as I'm awaiting them to get back to me. Just a little info incase you are also using an onboard charger that is charging at 15 amps. Take care MP

Mike I see a lot of batteries and I have not seen 2 bad Optimas in the last YEAR, most AGM , (Optimas included) batteries that are returned are not bad. There are special charging procedures if they have been drained to below 12 volts. As long as the temp is kept low 15 amps will not harm them. The alternator on the big motor will hit them with over forty amps for a short period of time under the right conditions. Less than 10 is best for any battery. Do not leave your batteries on the charger continuously unless you are positive that it is working properly. Check it with a voltmeter often to make sure it is automatically reducing the charge rate as designed. A 15 amp charger means that it is rated to charge at up to 15 amps not that it will in all cases. If properly designed when the battery is low it will start of as high as 15 amps and as the state of charge comes up it will automatically keep reducing the amps down to a maintaining level. Buy good chargers and check them once in while, disconnect it after they have come up. Reconnect it the day before your next trip. Make sure the float charge mode falls in to that 13.2 to 13.8 range. I prefer it on the low side.

well since its been bugging me i had to check and i have pop/replaced 3 not 2 bats in the last year, 2 on the big motor n 1 on the trolling motor. and i'm sure my charger is working right and i really don't think they like the 15amps, you can tell because the tops of all my bats are poped up like they are getting hot/boiling

not trying to say you don't know what your talking about, but we will have to agree to disagree on this

mike please let us/me know what they say, looks like i'll buy a new charger since i got a grand in bats in my boat

PS. Tom to tell you the truth if I had it to do over again i would buy from sears that way i would have more places to go for replacment but thats just me

[Oldschool]

Lots of good information posted, thanks.
My on board charger is Cul M Rite Pro-Pak III now NOCO Genius and has been working good.
The charger appears to be 30 amps;10 amps/each bank and should be OK for AGM's, will contact NOCO and confirm the amp rating.
I will take the dead Trojan 225 and hard charge it to see if it's gone to the grave. The other batteries are OK, but the same ventage and should be changed out as a set. Cost is a factor, but not a major issue.
I have used both Delco's and Trojans for decades and will change if there is an advantage in performance and maintenance over the life of the batteries.
As bass anglers we rely on our trolling motor and batteries 90% of the time on the water and spend a lot of time at home keeping them in good working order. This is why cost is not a major factor, if you get what you pay for. Again, thanks for all the good info.
Tom

[Mike Phua]

I appreciate the info Leon..........when i first got my optima's I will tell you that one of the batteries had a bad cell. So they gave me another one to replace it. My boat is a fairly new Ranger Z520. Alot of the manufacturers out there are using the Dual Pro charging systems and thats what I have. I've had Anglers check out my battery charger and they can't find anything wrong with it. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens here in the next couple of days to see how optima handles this situation. All i know is they are making a big deal about my charger charging at 15 amps and thats not recommended for their battery. I told her all the boats that we sell at Anglers all have the same charging system and she didn't have an answer for me. MP

[Leon Pugh]

oh 1 thing i have to add just cause this is my thing about the optima's they don't seem to like a 15 amp charge, if you read up on them they do say 10 amp, if your charger is like mine 4 bank 15 each, you may run into a problem (or it my be just my boat) n pop a batt every 6 months or so.

I have 4 and have replaced 2 in less then a year so this also makes a problem for me since i like to run around alot because there not easy to find to get replaced

BUT I do Love them when there working

Sounds like they be overcharging, if I understand you correctly that they are the cranking batteries, you better get the charging system checked out. Over charging will kill any battery rapidly. BTW use use deep cycle for cranking as well, they will last longer if maintained correctly. Bass boats have to many current draws off of the cranking battery. It is being used as a deep cycle and that is what it needs. Disagree all you want, But you might want to consider who you are disagreeing with. Over forty years of experience as a specialist and instructor in automotive electronics.

[Leon Pugh]

I appreciate the info Leon..........when i first got my optima's I will tell you that one of the batteries had a bad cell. So they gave me another one to replace it. My boat is a fairly new Ranger Z520. Alot of the manufacturers out there are using the Dual Pro charging systems and thats what I have. I've had Anglers check out my battery charger and they can't find anything wrong with it. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens here in the next couple of days to see how optima handles this situation. All i know is they are making a big deal about my charger charging at 15 amps and thats not recommended for their battery. I told her all the boats that we sell at Anglers all have the same charging system and she didn't have an answer for me. MP

Mike I live in the Sacramento area and would be glad to check out the on board chargers and the big engine charging system for you or anyone else that needs it at no charge as my time permits. I just ask, give my sponsors a shot at your business when you need something that they provide. If you live near I will come to you.
Check the article I posted in the library on batteries:
http://www.westernbass.com/dotcom/libra ... ml?id=3282

[Marc]

Tom,
I don't have any first hand experience with the Optima's as I have been running the Trojans as well, but since Trojan appears to have dropped their great starting battery (ST1100) I will eventually need to replace my starting battery. When I do, it will NOT be an Optima, unless they manufacture a model that has a minimum of 205 Reserve Capacity (RC).

We have always in the past paid attention to the CCA ratings only of starting batteries, but those days are long gone. Running aerators all day puts too much load on a starting battery that doesn't have enough Reserve Amps. Add to that large screen sonar/gps units, larger bilge pumps, better interior lighting, GPS antenna/receivers that use power, etc. and you had better have a starting battery that has high numbers in both CCA and RC. Otherwise you will find when you start your outboard at the end of the day that your sonar shuts off due to voltage drop, or even worse you find yourself looking for help.

Many DFI outboards require a minimum of 1000 CCA. I prefer 1100 CCA and at least 205 Reserve Capacity. Hope this helps. I don't have a problem with maintaining a wet cell, but I may spring for a Sears Platinum AGM for my next starting battery.

ciao,
Marc

[austinraja]

Many maintenance free batteries will not accept a charge if totally discharged as they contain calcium oxide between the grid and the active material. The calcium oxide has a high electrical resistance and confuses the alternator or charger into thinking the battery is charged!