Battery Question

pknoerzer · December 2, 2010

I am curious what others are using for replacement batteries in the 2007-10 trucks with gas engines?

I just bought mine used and when I first looked at it at the dealer the battery was dead from sitting. They jumped it and it's been starting ok but now with the cold weather I'm worried. With the engine off the voltage is less than 12 and it takes about ten seconds to go up after starting. Also when I tried to set the tire size with my Hypertech it said the voltage was too low to proceed and it had only been shut down about ten minutes.

Anyway Sears did not have a Diehard with the terminals on the right side, so I'm wondering if an AC/Delco is the only choice?

GasHog369 · December 2, 2010

I just put in a Odyssey and love it!

Its rated as one of the best batteries out there.

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc1500series.htm

It will run you about $270 depending on which style you get.

old-chevy-dude · December 2, 2010

are odyssey like optima (deep cycle gel)?

pknoerzer · December 2, 2010

I just put in a Odyssey and love it!

Its rated as one of the best batteries out there.

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc1500series.htm

It will run you about $270 depending on which style you get.

I'll have to see if they have one for the NBS trucks.

Nick The Great · December 2, 2010

Mine took a crap on me after a day and a half of <0°F weather.

I replaced it with a cheap Napa Gold or whatever and it started it after 3 days of the same weather

Ezrider_92356 · December 2, 2010

i live in bismarck nd, where we see some pretty extreme cold. I have never tried any of the optima style battery i always just replace with the largest battery that can fit in the available space and have never had a problem, replace every 4 years. only time iv ever had a dead battery is if i left something on.

cvandegna · December 2, 2010

In any of my trucks, when the factory battery has died I have put in an Optima yellow top. I never replaced a yellow top, and I run alot of accesories - aux lighting, CB & HAM radios, laptop, air compressor and winch. I seriously tax batteries, and the Optimas perform.

revrnd · December 3, 2010

i live in bismarck nd, where we see some pretty extreme cold. I have never tried any of the optima style battery i always just replace with the largest battery that can fit in the available space and have never had a problem, replace every 4 years. only time iv ever had a dead battery is if i left something on.

Same here in central Ontario. We were able to buy blems from the GM battery plant when it was in operation. Just bought the same sized AC Delco battery that was spec'd for the truck.

IIRC, Johnson Controls bought the battery business of GM/AC Delco which led to the plant closure in Oshawa.

GasHog369 · December 3, 2010

are odyssey like optima (deep cycle gel)?

Very similar yes to a dry design... But it is not a gel . The thing i like most about odyssey is they are made by the same company that makes our forklift batteries at work.. ENERSYS.. There's nothing but great reviews online about them.

I just put in a Odyssey and love it!

Its rated as one of the best batteries out there.

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc1500series.htm

It will run you about $270 depending on which style you get.

I'll have to see if they have one for the NBS trucks.

Look at your battery now to see what code it is for size. I went with the dual post setup on this one where there are posts on top and side. This way i can have my main battery wire to alt going to side post like stock , and i'm going to put my ACC. that i added on to the top post. Coming soon this summer...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P-wqckJ2nM

ColoradoSkiCountry · December 3, 2010

Johnson Controls makes batteries for many of the companies out there, Interstate, NAPA, Costco, and possibly DieHard, AC/DELCO as well as many others, including Optima. That being said, we've had great feedback on here about NAPA, Interstate, and Costco(Kirkland) and Optima brand batteries. If i had to replace my batteries, I would either go with NAPA, Costco, or Optima.

jro909 · December 3, 2010

6 years on ac delco battery...still working great, sits in the cold all day/night starts right up everytime

Diesail · December 3, 2010

Odyssey and Optima are AGM batteries which should not be confused with gel batteries. AGM stands for absorbent glass mat. AGM batteries use basicly the same acid as good old fashion flooded batteries but the acid is contained in the glass mat and completely sealed. Gel batteries are not very well suited for car applications as they require different charging were as the AGM charges the same as flooded batteries.

The GMT-900s use a group 48 battery size. Odyssey makes a replacement for it, model is PC1220 but it is 11.89" inches in width vs a standard group 48 at 11" so I am not sure it will fit. Optima is not making a group 48 battery but "I believe" that a Optima 34R should fit, the R is for reverse posts which is the primary difference between the a group 48 and group 34 battery. There are two companies make a true group 48 size battery in an AGM, Deka and Braille.

Here are a couple of sources for you

Deka AGM

Braille Battery

pknoerzer · December 3, 2010

Odyssey and Optima are AGM batteries which should not be confused with gel batteries. AGM stands for absorbent glass mat. AGM batteries use basicly the same acid as good old fashion flooded batteries but the acid is contained in the glass mat and completely sealed. Gel batteries are not very well suited for car applications as they require different charging were as the AGM charges the same as flooded batteries.

The GMT-900s use a group 48 battery size. Odyssey makes a replacement for it, model is PC1220 but it is 11.89" inches in width vs a standard group 48 at 11" so I am not sure it will fit. Optima is not making a group 48 battery but "I believe" that a Optima 34R should fit, the R is for reverse posts which is the primary difference between the a group 48 and group 34 battery. There are two companies make a true group 48 size battery in an AGM, Deka and Braille.

Here are a couple of sources for you

Deka AGM

Braille Battery

wow! thanks for all the info!

Rat4go · December 4, 2010

I put a pair of Deka AGM batteries in my 2500HD D/A a while back after a one of the new non-sealed batteries i had bought recently covered my wheel well with battery acid and ate the paint and made a mess. Nothing wrong with the charging system, so don't know why that battery puked, but I'm not sure I'll ever put another vented battery in anything after that fiasco.

After just over a year, the Deka's are doing great, and they're made in the US (not Mexico like so many others), and they were relatively cheap compared to other AGM batteries, especially the Optima.

Good luck!

chakis24 · December 4, 2010

6 years on ac delco battery...still working great, sits in the cold all day/night starts right up everytime

here here- me too. never been garaged a day in its life either.

although i think im gonna replace it soon- as i have killed it a couple times. once i left the bed light in the tonneau cover on all night and the other i left my headlights (granted they were the HIDs) and fogs on for maybe ten minutes and the thing couldnt start the truck.

edit: and i think it is bad- my voltage has been wavering the past week so i took it to auto zone and they told me alternator is bad, but i changed the alternator and its still doing it.