Best Battery Choice?

[emagine]

I need to replace one of the two stock batteries for my 2005 Air 226. I may consider adding a third battery at some point with the new battery in this 2nd bank (dual bank setup). The good battery that I have is an Interstate Workhorse, which I believe is just a cranking battery (1st bank). I would like to use the 2nd bank for the sound system. So, my question is... What would be the best battery type and manufacturer choice to go with? Gel, dry, etc? Optima, Odyssey, etc? Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[DavidF]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

Only my opinion and I am sort of a cheapskate (is that how you spell it) when it comes to batteries....I would purchase a deep cycle battery and reserve it for sound system use. If your starting/cranking battery dies on you it can be used to start the engine in an emergency. A properly cared for lead/acid battery can last a long time. Cranking batteries do not like to be deep cycled which might happen to a battery driving a sound system while relaxing after a hard of water sports.

[CradGen2]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

Best I have had. optima are ok too.
http://www.kinetikaudio.com/

[bchesley]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

I am kinda with DavidF on this one. I had a Walmart ever start battery last 7 seasons in my last ski. I currently have two 27 series dual purpose starting and deep cycle batteries made by continental that work great too. Any battery will work just fine for many seasons if you take care of them. The problem is most people dont take care of them. There is nothing wrong with a gel or AGM battery except the cost. All of the AGM batteries that I have used have been great except the cost. So in my case if I can make a regular wet cell battery last then I see no need to spend the money. You need to ask yourself if you are willing to maintain a battery properly.

[gride300]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

i have optima blue tops and love them. my buddy has everstart and they seem to last a long time and he does 0 maintenance on them. i think it depends on your stereo draw alot for what type batteries you choose.

[Chris4x4Gill2]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

Unless you have to mount the battery upside down, or soemthing goofy like that, save your money and get the biggest deep cycle you can fit from walmart

[ffmedic74]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

I am going to recommend Deka Batteries. They also have another similar to an optima. I have heard from two battery dealers that optima has been having quality issues.

[crowland]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

I wanted quality batteries, but didnt want to pay Kinetic and Oddessey Prices. I couldnt find the manual for the batteries that I have, but they were batteries that came out of an Uninteruptible Power Supply.

http://www.cdstandbypower.com/produc...df/12_1029.pdf

They were installed as part of a back-up power generation system and Companies will replace these batteries arrays every few years, just because. They have probably never even been used and have been well maintained/charged during the time they were installed. I was able to pick up 3 of them for about the cost of one Deep Cycle Optimas. They are 135ah each, so one of them has a long amp hour than either kinetic or oddessey comparable batts and is about double what an Optima D31DM can do. I picked mine up from a family friend that owns a power/generator company, but you can find them all day long on Craigslist, at least you can in Dallas.

[gride300]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

agm type batteries do not get tossed around like regular wet ones which makes them good for boat apps. however, my buddy just replaced his on his 05 for the first time since he ordered the boat new back in 05.

[emagine]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

Thanks for all the information. I appreciate the responses.

[DanielC]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

I was under the impression that it is not good to mix battery types. The slightly different chemistry them causes different discharge and charge rates, and one battery ends up doing most of the work.
That might have been a sales pitch to sell two batteries.

[DavidF]

RE: Best Battery Choice?

DanielC - that is probably true, but if you have a battery selector switch, you can control which battery you want to charge or discharge seperate from the other. Might only be a problem if you keep the switch on "both".

[ZANDERSANTE]

I had two Marine batteries in mine before.. Now that I upgraded the stereo I took one out and linked two Optima Yellow Tops together on one bank to run in the cove all day without having to start the boat. I left the other Marine battery as my starting battery. I was told just yesterday by a fellow boater that even when I only select one battery bank over both that the alternator still charges everything.. is this true? I've also heard that you need to have the same batteries but that was only when talking about putting a battery charger on them.. I friend sells CTEKS chargers that were developed by Optima so I got one of those and charge my Yellow Tops every night when I put her up on the lift.

ps. Optima still has their $20 rebate till the end of the month.. everything helps..