Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/150744
BATTERIES: HEAVY DUTY allows them deliver power and be recharged very quickly. On the downside, AGMs cost a bit more and are a bit heavier than flooded batteries with similar capacity. (The terms "AGM" and "gel" are sometimes used interchangeably, to the peril of battery buyers!) DOWN ON GEL I would not recommend gel batteries for heavy-duty pickup applications. Charging voltages above 13.8 volts are generally too hot for gel batteries and can drastically shorten their lives. Most vehicle charging systems reach at least 14.4 volts, and I would not want to risk feeding the most expensive type of lead-acid battery that diet on a daily basis. MULTIPLE PURPOSES How batteries are built plays a key role in how long they last and how they are best used in your pickup. Lead-acid batteries, the old standard, deliver power as the acid in their electrolyte combines with the lead in their plates. Turning over a cold engine calls for producing a lot of battery power quickly so "cranking" batteries are built with a large number of thin plates in order to expose a maximum amount of plate surface area to the electrolyte. Each engine start causes a relatively shallow depth of discharge in the battery HEAVY DUTY BATTERY COMPARISON CHART BRAND ACDelco ACDelco ACDelco ACDelco ACDelco Crown Crown Crown Crown Crown Crown Crown Deka Deka Deka Deka Deka Deka Deka Deka Deka Deka Everstart Everstart Everstart Everstart Exide Exide Exide Exide Exide Exide Exide Exide MODEL Voyager M24MF Voyager M27MF Voyager M29MF 60 Series ACDM24DC 60 Series ACDM27DC 24DP550 27DP800 24DC85 24DC95 27DC105 27DC115 31DC130 Marine Master DP24 Marine Master DP27 Marine Master DP31DT Marine Master DC24 Marine Master DC27 Marine Master DC31DT Sea Mate 8A24M Sea Mate 8A27M Sea Mate 8A31DTM Intimidator 9A34M 24DP4 24DC6 27DC6 Maxx 29 ORB34DC-36 MegaCycle MC-31 MegaCycle XMC-31 Nautilus NC-24 Nautilus NC-27 Nautilus Gold NG24 Nautilus Gold NG27 Nautilus Gold NG31 PURPOSE Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Dual Purpose Dual Purpose Deep Cycle Deep Cycle Deep Cycle GROUP 24 27 29 24 27 24 27 24 24 27 27 31 24 27 31 24 27 31 24 27 31 34 24 24 27 29 34 31 31 24 27 24 27 31 TYPE Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded/Maint-Free Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell AGM AGM AGM AGM Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell AGM/Spiral Cell AGM AGM Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell Flooded Cell followed by an immediate recharge by the engine's alternator. Running accessories with the engine off can result in a deeper discharge, and deep discharge/recharge cycles are hard on a leadacid battery's plates. Purpose-built, "deep-cycle" batteries have fewer but thicker plates designed to stand up to deep cycling. Unfortunately, while some deep cycle batteries have enough plate surface area for engine starting some do not. Dual-purpose batteries are designed with plenty of plate surface area for engine cranking and the plates are tough enough to survive moderate deep cycling. If you accidently run your battery down too far once in a while you won't hurt this battery as much as you would a pure cranking model. Note: The label for any battery used for starting CCA 550 600 675 550 650 440 est. 800 est. 448 est. 584 est. 313 est. 676 est. 800 est. 550 650 700 500 575 650 525 580 800 785 550 500 720 675 750 700 925 500 575 400 550 725 AH (20hr) 69 88 105 75 (est.) 96 (est.) 75 120 85 95 105 115 130 65 80 100 75 90 105 79 92 105 55 105 75 115 125 NA 100 100 70 100 80 105 115 RC WEIGHT 140 44.6 160 50.1 210 58.8 125 41.2 160 49.3 85 40 180 60 110 44 140 50 140 51 170 60 200 66 120 42 150 49 185 57 130 45 175 53 185 59 135 53 175 63 200 69 120 41.5 140 NA 100 NA 160 NA 205 NA 100 41 200 71 200 68 120 43 160 56 140 51 182 60 205 62 PRICE $106 $115 $125 $93 $106 $88 $124 $104 $113 $114 $129 $153 $136 $156 $197 $157 $184 $209 $248 $292 $320 $234 $65 $58 $70 $75 $259 $265 $289 $101 $115 $129 $140 $160 8 PROPICKUP Big Book 2013 ProPickup_2013BB_Batteries.indd 8 8/6/13 9:31 AM