Dry Battery or Water Battery? Which is better?

[sgvaibhav]

Hi,

I wanted to know which car battery is better in terms of performance and cost, maintenance free batteries or non-maintenance free battery (water battery)?

I just want longer life, and more reliability (shows signs of failure).
I dont mind opening my hood to fill water at regular intervals.

I want to know which is better in terms of cost, and which is better in terms of performance.

 

[440Magnum]

Liquid electrolyte batteries will almost always be cheaper. There's no such thing as a "dry" car starting battery, the sealed batteries still have a moist mat between the plates that is saturated with electrolyte. They are usually much more rugged and vibration resistant, but are a LOT more expensive. I'd say that the cost/benefit ratio is best for a top quality liquid electrolyte battery.

Now, finding and determining what "top quality" actually is... that is not so easy these days. Here in the states, Enersys and East Penn seem to be the better manufacturers at the moment, but they also build batteries for many retailers so you have to do some homework to know what you're actually getting.

 

[gathermewool]

I've had a couple of issues with wet-cell batteries and local corrosion due to leakage, even though maintained the area relatively clean.

Wet-cells are much cheaper, but the above is what made me finally decide to give AGM's a try in the Subie. If it lasts an extended period, I may replace the Honda battery in the Civic that the previous owner bought with an AGM.

 

[partspro]

I'm not a big fan of AGM batteries. Johnson Controls reduced the warranty on the Optima and I never found that it was that good before. If you are an off-road driver then AGM's are more vibration resistant. Charging AGM's can be somewhat of an issue, you can blow through the media if you Rapid Charge it. Buy a good 'Gold' battery and if your charging system is OK you will do fine.

 

[Eddie]

Agree with 440 Mag. Liquid unless you have a specific problem, like flying your plane upside down. Ha Ed

 

[JHZR2]

Im assuming that based upon the OP, the question is flooded, servicable cells versus a maintenance free battery, NOT that AGM/VRLA is in the mix.

I personally prefer a flooded, serviceable battery. Why? Because the reality is that all batteries, even AGM VRLA batteries, will burp some hydrogen. Recombination of the electrolyzed water is not 100%, and thus over the lifecycle, to maintain proper performance, it would be optimal to be able to easily access and measure the electrolyte, and adjust its properties.

Alas, flooded, easily serviceable batteries are a rarity outside of small lawn and garden ones, and so most are "maintenance free", which have some slight changes to help facilitate the recombination and prevent as much water loss. Doesnt mean that it can't happen. But the caps are harder to remove, and access isnt as convenient, which is why I really prefer a battery with a white case and accessible cell filler holes.

Now, under ideal conditions, like say a C/3 max charge, the recombination of an AGM is so good that the hydrogen release is only maybe 1% of that of a regular flooded battery. And so if your scenario has the battery under a seat, in a trunk, etc., it is nice to use an AGM because the battery is in an installation where it is well suited to AGM, and also because notionally it is in a cooler installation location, the battery will also live longer, helping justify the cost.

 

[Cujet]

While there are some fantastic batteries available now, price is no guarantee of longevity. I've had Concorde brand aircraft batteries, sealed lead-acid, go bad quickly. And, that's a $2400 battery. They are all prone to failure to some degree.

I prefer to minimize risk by purchasing my car, boat and motorcycle batteries from Wal-Mart. Cheap, reliable and warranty anywhere in the country.

I also coat the connectors with a NAPA product, or LPS-3.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I've had a couple of issues with wet-cell batteries and local corrosion due to leakage, even though maintained the area relatively clean.

Wet-cells are much cheaper, but the above is what made me finally decide to give AGM's a try in the Subie. If it lasts an extended period, I may replace the Honda battery in the Civic that the previous owner bought with an AGM.



You and I are on EXACTLY the same page. Liquid electrolyte batteries inherently tend to release corrosive vapors, no matter how well maintained. I'm willing to spend a little more for the lack of corrosion with AGM batteries (and the better vibration tolerance).

Originally Posted By: partspro
I'm not a big fan of AGM batteries. Johnson Controls reduced the warranty on the Optima and I never found that it was that good before.


I really liked the first Optimas I had, they lasted nearly 10 years each. But the last few I've purchased failed in as little as 2 years, which is completely unacceptable for a battery that costs as much as an Optima does! IMO, the Optima is no longer a battery I'd consider. I know we have someone on here who works for JCI, and maybe they are getting the quality back but I've been burned repeatedly and I won't go back until I see a solid track record. I'm trying East Penn (Batteries Plus's re-badged DEKA), and Enersys (Diehard Platinum) based on good reviews versus Optima over the past few years.

 

[SHOZ]

Don't judge dry cell batteries by the Optima. It is a unique design that is prone to a single point failure. Look into an Odyssey if you want one that will last. Not cheap though.