AGM batteries best prices available?

[davil]

need to replace and increase batteries banks
Has anybody purchase recently?prices?where?
thanks

[a64pilot]

There are inexpensive AGM’s and you get what you pay for. A bargain brand AGM will still cost $$,and likely will leave you very disappointed in a year or two.
If you have to have an AGM, buy Lifeline, but be prepared to pay, and be sure your charging systems are compatible, most are not.
If you can possibly live with a flooded battery, you can get very good ones for far less than a quality AGM, and they will likely last just as long
from Sams Club, Walmart and I have heard Costco. Not sure someone will come along and be precise I’m sure

[kimtrang]

Lifeline battery prices are ridiculous, at least here in Australia. Surely there brands approaching the quality at far better prices.

[davil]

thank you
when I outfitted my Tartan back in 1998? I went Lifeline,6 of them,was discounted "deal".
2 years later one went dead and have replace,so the longevity became a painful reality,now facing the same task am not as sure as I was then about going gel or amg,just reading what Denali Rose has to say about regular wet batteries have me rethinking the whole issue.
In any case I am curious as well as interested to see what and were purchases recent.
Prices seem to be quite wide for same specs.

[ohdrinkboy]

I bought 2 at bass pro shops (not lifeline) 12 years ago. I'm afraid they are on their last leg, but can't complain. I am not a cruiser though and they live with a trickle charger on.

[a64pilot]

No, at 12 years you can’t complain
You definitely got your money’s worth

[ggray]

I just installed 4 VMax Tank 6v batteries.

So can't say anything about longevity yet.

[ranger58sb]

We got 11 or 12 seasons from our first bank of Odyssey PC-2150s (12V G31s). Our second bank is in its 9th season.

I changed that first bank to a group of 4x Lifeline GPL-4CTs (6V GC2s) -- to increase our capacity on that bank -- but only have one season on them so can't say about longevity yet. A point, though: I asked the local dealer if they'd match on-line prices... and they did. That price ended up being WAY less than MSRP.

Firefly looks good on paper, depending on comparison details, but at greater up-front cost.

-Chris

[john61ct]

Lifeline, Odyssey, Northstar for NA market.

Full River in Australia.

Call for a local seller, don't pay shipping

[dugsmith98]

I recently purchased Lifeline 4D’s from a distributor in Delaware. No taxes and no markup by the retail stores. ‘Battery Connection’ in Wilmington DE. Found their prices on line and drove to their warehouse to pick them up.

[davil]

Hi
still shopping for prices
West Marine has a one day only sale today
WEST MARINE
Group 31 Dual-Purpose AGM Battery, 105 Amp Hours
$254.99?

Any experience with West Marine batteries?
Any body know of a better price on 31 group? AGM

thanks

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by davil

Hi
still shopping for prices
West Marine has a one day only sale today
WEST MARINE
Group 31 Dual-Purpose AGM Battery, 105 Amp Hours
$254.99?

Any experience with West Marine batteries?
Any body know of a better price on 31 group? AGM

thanks

Price is not a good way to buy AGM batteries as AGM batteries are not all created equal... The WM batteries are made by East Penn / Deka. They are not a deep cycle AGM product. The East Penn GEL product is however an excellent deep cycle battery. I would urge anyone considering AGM batteries, to be used in a deep cycling application, to read the May 2015 and Aug 2015 issues of Practical Sailor.

[davil]

OK
advice accepted and very much appreciated
thank you very much
will then continue looking
take care
David

[john61ct]

Still stand by my post #9, can't go wrong there.

If you need true deep cycling, but can't afford a quality AGM designed for that usage, better to just not buy AGM.

[transmitterdan]

I have always had 4 group 31 90-110 AH AGM’s in parallel on the sailboat. Boat came with Lifelines but they were EOL. Replaced with Trojans and they lasted 6 years. But the charger was mis-programmed and float was set too high.

The house bank is also the auxiliary diesel start. Separate battery for genset. When I started engine using 4 Trojans G-31 all the electronics did a low voltage reset. This spring i went back to Lifeline AGM. No more electronic resets and life is good again. Lifeline supply the best AGMs you can get IMO.