What is a good battery

[ftwflh]

My battery has been going down and is at least 5 yrs old.Charging system is good.What size,kind and rating of a battery is best for running and using a winch?

 

[BusaDave9]

Get an Optima battery.
Since you have a winch I would recommend a yellow top Optima.
The Optima Yellow top battery is considered a "dual-purpose" battery. Although it is a deep cycle battery and works well with a winch or other accessories that may discharge the battery, but it is not harmed if you don't discharge it all the way on a periodic basis.

 

[ftwflh]

Need to add that I hate to go over $100 on one

 

[BusaDave9]

Need to add that I hate to go over $100 on one

Good point. You ask for a good battery and I give the best. But in all honesty I don't even run an Optima. There's a trade off with price and I think the Sears Die Hard batteries are very good. So are Interstate Batteries.

 

[BusaDave9]

For a winch it is good to have a deep cycle battery.

Most starting batteries do not like to get drained. It's not good for them.

On the other hand a deep cycle battery (sometimes called a marine battery) is better off if it drains completely every once in a while.
A winch will use draw so much current that it may drain the battery. The best situation is to use 2 batteries: one for starting and a 2nd deep cycle battery for the winch. This entails a battery isolator. Now we are once again talking about more than $100.
I would just go to Sears and get a Die Hard battery. Since you only have one battery be careful not to run the winch too much without letting the battery charge back up. This also prevents the winch from overheating.

 

[052]

Does anyone have currently or heard anything about Drakon batteries? I am going to add a winch soon and these batteries have high CCAs.
Thanks

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Dang-They sure are 'proud' of them-
I run a single, red-top Optima and a Warn 8274 winch. Never any issue.
HINT: When you put the Jeep away for more than a couple of days. Attach a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged.
Your battery will also 'live' longer.
Battery Tender Junior Charger - Walmart.com
LG

 

[Torxhead]

In my opinion, there are a lot of good 12v batteries. What kills them sometimes is poor maintaince. Keeping them charged and having good connections seem to make them last longer. If you are going to get a winch, the size battery, or how many you get, depends on how much you use them. My last Optima in my not much used CJ lasted over 11 years, and I changed it because I thought it was time. In my DD pickup, an Optima only lasted only 5 years, so I replaced it with one from N.A.P.A. and it has lasted beyond what the Optima did.

 

[JimsCJ5]

IMO Batteries are not what they used to be. My first red-top lasted 7 years with lots of abuse. The second one only lasted three years almost to the day. I am on four years with the one in my truck and it needs to be on a tender unless I drive it once per week. The last one I bought was an Interstate because I could get it for $99. We'll see how long that lasts.
The longest warranty I could find was 3 years. I remember when Sears Diehards were lifetime...
You would think with all the money we are throwing at green energy development they would be getting better (and cheaper). HA!

 

[73CJ]

1000 CCA lasted 5 years for me

Yellow top lasted 5 years at 3 times the cost of a

800 CCA seem to go 6-7 years

and I run a hydro winch.

Yellow tops are neat cause they don't leak and match my valve cover but not at 3 times the cost. . .

 

[Lumpy Grits]

I also run 4/0 arc welding cable for all of my high load battery leads.
Use copper connectors also.
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

For many years I've been hooked on Duralast yellow tops from Autozone. But there was an article some where that started me thinking about heavy duty batteries like those found on farm equipment. Supposedly they have everything a jeeper could ask for. Long lasting, even with inconsistent use like most farm tractors live with, you can draw them down deep almost as much as a deep cycle battery, rugged construction and a decent price. There were quite a few choices at our new Tractor Supply Co. For my next battery they might be my choice.

 

[steve1973]

Two of the key factors on battery life are heat and electrical accessories. Heat shortens the life of batteries quicker than anything. Next is how many electronics are running off the battery at a given time. Today's new cars are more likely to max out at 5 years with 3 being closer to the norm as everything has become electronic. I replaced 2. OEM batteries this winter my wife's 2010 Mazda CX-9 with every possible electronic gizmo went 5 years. My 2005 F-AMC 150 went 10 years. Both had mileage within 5k of each other in the same climate.

Be careful if you buy an AGM battery and use any type of charger that isn't specifically made for an AGM. You can ruin them easily with an inappropriate charger.


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[Woolyworm]

Two of the key factors on battery life are heat and electrical accessories. Heat shortens the life of batteries quicker than anything. Next is how many electronics are running off the battery at a given time. Today's new cars are more likely to max out at 5 years with 3 being closer to the norm as everything has become electronic. I replaced 2. OEM batteries this winter my wife's 2010 Mazda CX-9 with every possible electronic gizmo went 5 years. My 2005 F-150 went 10 years. Both had mileage within 5k of each other in the same climate.

Be careful if you buy an AGM battery and use any type of charger that isn't specifically made for an AGM. You can ruin them easily with an inappropriate charger.


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I've read that GEL batteries require special charging hadn't seen that on AGMs.

I have a diehard AGM and it has performed well for me.


Wooly

 

[Woolyworm]

My AGM is a Diehard GOLD AGM and I picked it up on sale about $135.. http://m.sears.com/diehard-advanced-gold-agm-battery-group-size-94/p-02850793000P


Wooly

 

[Woolyworm]

Here is a battery shootout by JP mag

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/154-1303-battery-bashing/


Wooly

 

[007]

For many years I've been hooked on Duralast yellow tops from Autozone. But there was an article some where that started me thinking about heavy duty batteries like those found on farm equipment. Supposedly they have everything a jeeper could ask for. Long lasting, even with inconsistent use like most farm tractors live with, you can draw them down deep almost as much as a deep cycle battery, rugged construction and a decent price. There were quite a few choices at our new Tractor Supply Co. For my next battery they might be my choice.

I totally agree. Implement batteries typically have a deeper recess beneath the plates that allow for the settling of corrosion and thus don't create shorts inside lengthening the life of them.


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[Lumpy Grits]

Two of the key factors on battery life are heat and electrical accessories. Heat shortens the life of batteries quicker than anything. Next is how many electronics are running off the battery at a given time. Today's new cars are more likely to max out at 5 years with 3 being closer to the norm as everything has become electronic. I replaced 2. OEM batteries this winter my wife's 2010 Mazda CX-9 with every possible electronic gizmo went 5 years. My 2005 F-150 went 10 years. Both had mileage within 5k of each other in the same climate.

Be careful if you buy an AGM battery and use any type of charger that isn't specifically made for an AGM. You can ruin them easily with an inappropriate charger.


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Cold kills more batteries
You'll see far more batteries die after the first snow of each year, than you do in the summer.
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

I don't know the how's or the whys of it, but its well known down here in the desert regions that battery's die when the weather changes. Mostly in the spring and fall when it goes from hot to cold or the opposite in the summer, generally if your battery is going to fail it will do it then. I've seen so many battery' fail that it became hard or more accurately harder to find a replacement. Both changes in seasons seem to be about the same as far as lost batteries are concerned.

 

[PaRenegade]

Batteries are like shocks (and frankly a lot of products nowadays), a few places make them and sell to all the others who then re-brand them as their own. I did a little research on this last summer while looking for a battery and it seem most of the common brands (which varies per your area) are made by the same manf. and re-branded for others. If I recall correctly, for example, AutoCraft, Durolast, Delco, Everstart, and DieHard, among others are all made by the same manf. And I know that a NAPA battery is a Deka cause that's what I went with.
So it comes down to a marketing thing. I had found a recent list online but I don't have time right now to look again for it. It's out there though.