12 volt battery brand

[AK49er]

I am thinking about new batteries this winter and just seeing what brand people like and why. I have 2 coach batteries made by different companies and would like to purchase 2 new ones. There are many brands out there and was wondering what the favorites were for 12V. I am not looking to get into the 12V versus 6V issue.

[markopolo]

I've bought a few wet cell 12v batteries from Costco. I'd go there again for wet cell.
I put AGM batteries in this van - just an auto store brand - and am happy with them. I really like the AGM batteries because I never have to check them. They probably cost twice as much as wet cell batteries though.

The top brand (my guess) for wet cell would be Trojan batteries.

[g1g]

I also bought a battery at Costco and had good luck with it. I also had good luck with Interstate.

[mlts22]

I know AGM batteries are expensive, but if I wanted the best (well, next to Lithium-Ion), I'd definitely go Lifeline AGM. The reason for AGM over flooded is the fact that on a charge cycle, there is little to no hydrogen winding up inside the coach, and I do not want to use flooded cells unless there is good ventilation. Probably isn't an issue, but it is one less thing to worry about.

I used to think Optima batteries were good, but I've read some pretty negative reviews of their stuff after they shuttered the US plant and moved their factory to Mexico. Plus, their design seems to be engineered well, but at the cost of amp-hours.

For flooded, I'd look for the best deal on amp-hours. Lifeline, Interstate, and Trojan are all good brands.

[AK49er]

I think my question about batteries should have been addressed in the "poll" section instead of the "general" section. Since I am waiting for my sway bar to be shipped I thought I'd take a look at the battery compartment and do a little investigating in that area. After taking out the sliding tray I primed and painted the interior to make it look a little cleaner, then lubed the bearings on the tray for smoother sliding. This is what got me wondering about batteries. It looks like that if I left the tray out I could man handle a couple of larger batteries in and out as needed. I will have all winter to research new batteries so won't have to be in any hurry. Gotta love tinkering!