I saw a Scotty Kilmer video in which he talked about a Lithium Iron Phosphate motorcycle battery. He mentioned that they weren't available for cars yet due to the high prices. I did a fair bit of research online and saw that some of the ATV/Powersports LiFePO4 batteries appeared to have enough power and capacity for a car like mine (4 cylinder) and come in a very small package. I could not find any references to anyone trying that for an extended period.
I also noticed that there are a number of very high capacity AGM batteries sold as auxiliary batteries for cars with a lot of electronics (sound systems), but their capacities and reserve power make them look like very viable alternatives to regular car batteries. Plus, the manufacturers even state that they can be used in place of the standard battery. The big plus is that they cost $50-100 less than AGM car batteries. The ones I am thinking about are pretty close to the same size and weight of a conventional battery.
So, I'm asking if anyone out there has tried ANY alternative to a standard car battery for any length of time. The OEM battery in my 2012 Mazda3 is still starting the car just fine, but it reads 12.7 volts after a highway run. I can attach my float charger and it will read about 13.5 the next morning, but goes back to reading about 12.7 24 hours later. Four and a half years is actually not bad for a flooded cell battery in Texas so I'm not complaining. I'm just thinking about getting creative with my next battery.
I also noticed that there are a number of very high capacity AGM batteries sold as auxiliary batteries for cars with a lot of electronics (sound systems), but their capacities and reserve power make them look like very viable alternatives to regular car batteries. Plus, the manufacturers even state that they can be used in place of the standard battery. The big plus is that they cost $50-100 less than AGM car batteries. The ones I am thinking about are pretty close to the same size and weight of a conventional battery.
So, I'm asking if anyone out there has tried ANY alternative to a standard car battery for any length of time. The OEM battery in my 2012 Mazda3 is still starting the car just fine, but it reads 12.7 volts after a highway run. I can attach my float charger and it will read about 13.5 the next morning, but goes back to reading about 12.7 24 hours later. Four and a half years is actually not bad for a flooded cell battery in Texas so I'm not complaining. I'm just thinking about getting creative with my next battery.