A few battery questions

[Zero]

1. Are the AutoCraft Gold batteries decent batteries? I've never purchased one, but there is one under the hood of the new to me daily driver I just purchased. Manufacture date is 10/09. I put it on the CTEK, charged it fully and it seems to be doing well.

2. How do I identify a battery that is made by Johnson Controls and who do they manufacture batteries for?

3. What advantages does an AGM battery have over the typical lead acid battery? Does the AGM's have any disadvantages?

4. Which type of batteries do you guys prefer, low maintenance (water can be added) or the maintenance free (water cannot be added) and why?

5. I'd like to increase my battery knowledge; point me in the direction of a web site that will allow me to do so.

Thank you.

 

[dparm]

AGM is good for high-stress applications since it is completely sealed. You can mount it crooked, sideways, tight spaces, etc. Works well for vehicles that might be on the track or off-roading, too. It doesn't need venting. Unfortunately you cannot top it off.

I wouldn't sweat it too much on who makes the battery. Just buy the one with the best specs you can find. There's often a wide range of CCA values in a given size. For my car's battery, it often went from 760-950! Same for reserve time; I saw a range from 120 to 185 minutes.

 

[Rand]

They are fine batteries. Nothing special, nothing bad.

 

[Mr_Joe]

My local WalMart has batteries made by Johnson Controls, some level of 'Ever-Start'. The name Johnson Controls is one the battery in small print. I just get my batteries there, sealed, no way to add fluid.

Word is there are only 3 major U.S battery makers. The the most part the batteries are all just relabeled for different stores.

 

[J. A. Rizzo]

AGMs have some advantages and some disadvantages. They can last longer as long as they aren't overcharged, mostly because they aren't vented the same way a maintenance free battery is vented, and they recombine gases to keep the electrolyte level higher over time than a maintenance free battery. Odyssey batteries are pretty good, with equivalent or higher CA and AH ratings, but the cost is about 2x a maintenance free battery. Generally speaking, if there's no problem you need to solve with an AGM, a highly-rated maintenance-free battery is probably a better value.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: J. A. Rizzo
Generally speaking, if there's no problem you need to solve with an AGM, a highly-rated maintenance-free battery is probably a better value.


Most of the European autos come with AGM from the factory, even though they appear to be a basic application. Not sure what the reasoning is behind that -- perhaps a longer maintenance interval?

My M3 has an AGM, but it is mounted in the trunk behind the passenger wheel well. My old S4 had an AGM in the engine bay right up against the windshield...major [censored] to get that thing pulled and replaced.

 

[Donald]

If it has removable call caps, the corners of the cell caps are notched at 45 degrees if its a JCI.

Whether its a good or bad battery, just load test it and hope for the best.

Best is to test with 1/2 CCA for 15 seconds and check voltage (temp compensated).

 

[moklock]

An Autocraft battery from around that time should be made by JCI. As mentioned if has the vent caps JCI was the supplier.