Posted by Jim Allen on November 19, 2009 at 07:18:42 from (209.173.160.22):
In Reply to: Optmia Battery posted by Brian Wollen on November 18, 2009 at 19:03:06:
jdemaris said: (quoted from post at 15:34:23 11/19/09) Those high cold cranking amp are provided by sacrificing reserve capacity. I'll take a cheaper flooded lead acid battery with more amp hours any time.
I admit I have a bit of negative bias since AGMs have so much hyperbole in their advertising. I've had to change-out many failed AGM battery banks, and convert back to conventional flooded lead acid batteries.
Granted, there are advantages to using AGMs in certain applications. I see little advantage in farm tractors.
In comparing specs, I see little difference in reserve capacity between AGMs and flooded lead acid batteries (in comparable sizes, granted there are a lot of tractor sizes Optima/etal does not accommodate)
The bigger question is whether, or how much, reserve capacity plays a part with a vintage tractor owner. I think not all that much. Most of us want cranking power, longevity and low self discharge... traits where the AGMs usually beat the other types.
As to hyperbole, my definition of that word must be a little different than yours, and I wouldn't use that term to describe the Optima ads I've seen. In any case, the FTC exists to curb true hyperbole if you have the "goods" to send them. What I would call "Advertising Excess" occurs in all areas, and can be mighty annoying, but I don't see that any of the AGM manufacturers are any worse than, say, Die Hard or Interstate battery ads. Even great products can have annoying advertising. But so can bad ones, so you just have to learn enough to develop a "BS-Detector."
Can't argue about the high price! It's worth it to ya, or not. If my experience is any indicator, Optimas are worth the money. Getting 12 years and more out of a set of batteries is very good payback (that diesel truck typically ate a set of flooded lead acid batteries every four years or so, even with a 160 amp commercial alternator). I have managed as much as seven years out of a good conventional battery (Interstate) but it wasn't all that much cheaper than the Optima I replaced it with.
Anyway, perhaps you have a more detailed point to make over the reserve capacity issue. Maybe I'm dismissing that too much.
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