New battery questions

[Ronjon]

When my battery goes out later this year I want to upgrade to a lithium iron phosphate battery. Does anyone have experience with them or reason not to?

 

2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 LM2 Z71

Group 49/ H 8 battery size

[ember1205]

My general thoughts: 

 

Why -would- you choose a LFP battery over AGM? AGM is better suited for cold weather (especially freezing and below) use and will easily handle the high CCA output your truck needs for Stop/Start functionality. AGM is costly enough, but I have gotten 5 years out of them fairly easily. I have one in my car and keep it on a maintainer when it's parked in the garage (which is a lot). Current battery is going on three years with zero issues.

 

Personally, I would be suspicious of the potential issues that could arise by changing out the main electrical supply in the truck for all of the electronics and monitoring systems as well as being 100% compatible with the charging system in the truck.

 

LFP batteries are generally marketed to those looking to use them in solar setups, EV's, RV's, and boats for specific situational use.

[Ronjon]

I did not know abouth the cold weather difference! That's good to know, yeah I'll stick with an AGM then. Is there really much of a difference between brands of similar CCA specs? The current one is the one that came with the truck in Feb of 2020.

[diyer2]

I buy batteries at NAPA. Johnson Controls or East Penn Man. is the brand I like. I also go by weight. 

[ember1205]

2 hours ago, Ronjon said:

I did not know abouth the cold weather difference! That's good to know, yeah I'll stick with an AGM then. Is there really much of a difference between brands of similar CCA specs? The current one is the one that came with the truck in Feb of 2020.

 

Pretty sure, at least in the current form, LFP batteries can't actually be used for starting and operating motor vehicles (cars, trucks, RV's, motorcycles, etc.) anyhow as they don't provide the heavy amperage required for cranking over a motor.

 

As far as brands, you can pretty much go with what you're comfortable with, really. Just be sure you get AGM and at -least- the CCA rating of the battery that's in there. You'll likely find that most of the brands that are sized correctly for your truck will be similar in price, so you could use cost as deciding factor. Batteries are only made by a few manufacturers and are all pretty on par with each other.

 

Some folks have used Costco in the past because they sold Interstate and offered a great warranty / return., but that has changed and the Interstate warranty is what presides now (and there's not really a cost savings going through Costco).

[redwngr]

Since about 2008 model year, the computer monitors and manages the charging system, based on MANY items that it measures.

It is expecting the battery to match the characteristics of the battery it was shipped with. 

As well as adjusting the % of maximum charge rate it can set multiple levels of idle increase and of 'load shedding'. 

 

There are about five and half 8.5x11 pages in the upfitters manuals that describe this. 

 

They used both flooded and AGM on the 2020's -- depending on engine and features installed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2024 by redwngr