exide megacycle agm 200

mazzasec wrote:

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he said about 279.99.

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That seems a bit high.  I think Advance Auto quoted me $420 after Colorado's ridiculously extortionist 8.5% sales tax - for a pair of Yellows a few months ago - I used to live on the East Coast and Batteries Plus is seriously overpriced.  They're good for obsure watch batteries or maybe for a Carbon Monoxide dector, but you should shop for car batteries at auto parts stores, seriously dude.  Or even three seconds on google:

https://www.autobarn.net/opbatdeepcyc.html

Free shipping and no sales tax.  I'd be real suprised if you couldn't fit that in your car - the difference between that battery and the exact size you are looking for is like 3/4 of a inch.  Battery bays are pretty forgiving.

mazzasec wrote:

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So then I ask them if they got any batteries of equivelant power but cost less. He said "ya" and directed toward the Exide MegaCycle agm-200. He told me he was the only store that carries them and will out do the optima d31t by ALOT. They were 199 and he said the price is soon to go up to about 400.

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I find this all highly suspect, particularly given that you happened to walk in right before the price was about to double. (?!)  Absolutely none of those Exide links give a amperage at the alleged 200 minutes of reserve capacity, so this number is totally worthless.  To be honest, the battery looks like a standard deep cycle - but for a RV?  I dunno - again there really isn't enough information to go on.  I can tell you that I wouldn't install lead-acid batteries anywhere near my stereo equipment - the Yellow Top's a dry cell - I would be MUCH more comfortable with spill-proof Optima's in my trunk than a sloshing acid battery.

I've been using Yellow Tops for awhile - these batteries are incredible - and I'd be extreamly suprised if ANYTHING of the same size could outdo the capacity of a Yellow Top by "alot."

I mean return them for no other reason that you could get equivalent gear for less money - or better gear for the same amount.  I couldn't imagine those Exide batteries would outperform a standard DieHard deep cycle. 

Again, the d34 is a like 3/4 of an inch wider than the 31 - I installed a d34 in my 31 battery bay - this is a physical size thing, it doesn't make a difference electrically.  I'm sure you could get it in your battery bay, but the point really was that Yellow Tops do NOT cost 280 dollars anywhere except Batteries Plus.

Kinetiks are pretty popular amongst tuners these days, and from my understanding is comparable to the Optimas - outstanding for car audio installs - if a bit more expensive.  I don't really care for the stylings of the Kinetiks either - but that's not really a big thing.

The 31's are a little taller and thinner - they have slightly different specifications as far as total capacity, CCA's, etc., but the point is that they are Yellow Tops that are built to take abusive current demands - and this is really the key here - not total power storage capacity but the ability take the abusive nature of a large, subwoofer amplifier.  Constant 100-amp spikes are much harder on an electrical system than, say, a steady 20-amp pull.

I mean - I'm sure the battery you got will do the job - you certainly paid enough for it and you are paralleling TWO of them.  All I'm saying is that for my money, I'd get Optima's.  Or Kinetiks - but not lead acid Exide batteries.  Here I do think specialty equipment is warranted and appropriate.  Reds or Yellows (well, Yellows) - but not Lead Acid fishing-trawler batteries.  I just don't think that is an appropriate solution.  Perhaps some members here would argue with me - I dunno.

It may not make a technical difference in your particular installation, but IMO a proper car audio battery (or two) is the *proper* way to do things.  Sort of like why you are fusing all over the place. 

ESPECIALLY when you are paying the same amount of money!

I mean the hazard here is really theoretical - and lead acid batteries start sloshing around - audibly - after a few months of use (if not when they're purchased).

I've heard some things - totally anecdotal but this kind of stuff scares me - of fumes emenating from them, etc.  I would NOT keep a lead acid battery in the passenger compartment or the trunk.  I mean what if you got in a bad accident and thing ruptured on a passenger - they'd be scared for life if not posioned to death.  The thing could catch fire, explode - I dunno. 

I'd get the specialty dry-cell batteries from Optima or even Kinetik - it would be my purchase.  I believe they would be technically better for your application mostly because of the way they handle voltage spikes - not so much because of technical capacity.  Like I said, the rest of my reasoning is more abject paranoia . . .

I mean, I'm really scared of global warming, too.

From what I've read, the exide battery he has and the Optimas are all lead acid based AGM batteries.. WRT construction, they're all built the same way.

Jim

Mad Scientists wrote:

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From what I've read, the exide battery he has and the Optimas are all lead acid based AGM batteries..

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 Yup!  I read the "lead acid" part without the "AGM" part.  I was up all night reading about the differences and technical design - although I still have major reservations about the Exides.

I still wouldn't put the things in my car.

mazzasec wrote:

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any opinions on the DEKA intiminator

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Yea.  Go to the optima or kinetik route.

My feelings on the subject are simply that this is a very, very critical part of your stereo (and car).  Don't cheap out.  Buy the name brand.  Sometimes you want the name brand - and this is one of those times!  I've been through ALOT of batteries - a few fishing trawlers/marine batts like the excides when I felt like I really needed to save the money, I was never happy dude I'm tellin ya- the ONLY battery that has EVER stood up to my JL amps is my Optima Yellow.  They are just better.  I die by that brand.

Have you priced a pair of Yellows at Advance Auto or Pep Boys?  They can't possibly be more than 10 or 20 more than the Excides were!

I've never seen them priced up at $280 anywhere.