Battery choice - Napa, AutoZone or Oriley's???

[Strawdawg]

Enersys also makes the Diehard Platinum which is a copy of the Odyssey but a lot cheaper

[Bullitt-]

topcat that is great info. used to be in the auto parts industry, so I knew there are few manufacturers. I sold exide, Interstate (JC), and a few optimas. no real complaints with any. batteries do need maintenance, and can't be left sitting for months without use.  currently have 3 delco deep cycles in my fishing boat, no complaints there either. Never heard of northstar. Where can they be purchased? 

Looks like my local Batteries Plus carries item # SLI24MDC ....kinda pricy
http://www.batteriesplus.com/product/46440-SLI24AGMDP-X2Power-AGM-Battery/560-SLI/4180-Car-and-Truck-Batteries/719946-Dodge/Challenger/1970-to-1971-V8-7-dot2L-440CCA.aspx

[Cudaragtop]

I bought one of these about a year ago.
Cranks my fresh 418 great! So far so good, only time will tell...


http://www.speedwaymotors.com/TurboStart-S27MRL-AGM-Sealed-1969-74-Mopar-Battery-Red-Cap-960-CCA,43756.html?utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=CSEGoogle&utm_campaign=CSEGOOGLE&CAWELAID=1519293779&CAGPSPN=pla&gclid=CJC6rLmJ1L8CFQORfgodzkQAvQ

[jhaag]

wow, those are a pricey. guess I didn't realize that the northstar was an AGM battery. 

[tman]

I have the same Turbostart red cap battery also for over 3 yrs now.  So far so good for my 440.  I maintain it with a Battery Tender.  Anyone know who makes these? 

[Topcat]

Looks like my local Batteries Plus carries item # SLI24MDC ....kinda pricy
http://www.batteriesplus.com/product/46440-SLI24AGMDP-X2Power-AGM-Battery/560-SLI/4180-Car-and-Truck-Batteries/719946-Dodge/Challenger/1970-to-1971-V8-7-dot2L-440CCA.aspx

Batteries Plus and/or Batteries Plus Bulbs sells the Blue top Northstar.
There are probably other battery stores except Interstate all battery that sell them also.

[CudamanTom]

This is all some great info. 
I sure appreciate the inputs!!! 

[burdar]

The ONLY thing that looks right is a reproduction battery. Everything else looks out of place. When the repro battery dies, gut the inside and install the battery of your choice inside.

[brads70]

The ONLY thing that looks right is a reproduction battery. Everything else looks out of place. When the repro battery dies, gut the inside and install the battery of your choice inside.

I tried gutting a repro battery..... didn't work out so well broke it getting the lead out.

[johns cuda shop]

I have almost 7 years on my Optima deep cycle yellow top battery in my truck with no issues. 

[ammo]

We have interstate at our shop.  That's all I have used the last 10 years or so.

[Cudaragtop]

The original battery in my 1998 Ram lasted over 10 years... It never failed but I replaced it anyway just because.
Those are 36 month batteries at best but I guess I got one that beat the averages.
For everything but the Cuda I get "blems" from Interstate. Boat, Trailer, Truck, Honda all have interstate Blems. All are wet cell.
Went AGM only in the Cuda because I don't want to deal with possibility of the acid venting and the Repro looks right. Group 27 lots of CCA!
Had good luck with a Red top Optima Blem before the Turbostart. It was a group 24.

[Strawdawg]

Northstar and EnerSys are the 2 top most sophisticated battery mfg'rs in the U.S.
EnerSys is actually worldwide. They make train batteries and compete against Saft.

Northstar and EnerSys target primarily the Telecom and data center industry.

I'm pretty sure Enersys makes the Odyssey brand.

Here's a picture of a Northstar.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lASicihqebw/UdNvnhi9wlI/AAAAAAAAGuU/Gp1RvEx3JOQ/s1024/DSC_0164%2520%2528Large%2529.JPG

EnerSys does make the Odyssey battery and it makes a copy for Sears that is sold under the Platinum label.  In the early years, some of the side post styles had trouble with the internal connection but that seems to be a thing of the past.  the Platinum sells for around $200 and sometimes less on sale.  It's a lot cheaper than the Odyssey.  Reputation was very good the last time I checked.

For some reason, I think the Odyssey and the Platinum are made in Missouri.

The Yellowtop Optima still seems to have a pretty good rep but the redtop litters the net with complaints.   I have one of the CTECH 7002 chargers that is aimed at AGM batteries and it works better than most, but, once these batteries gets run down (red top), it is hard to ever get them to take a full charge even when they work.   I still have one Optima working and it is now three years old so I doubt that continues much longer.  It is a replacement for another one that died at three years.  Once their warranty was 100% for three years and that prorated for the next three.  They changed that after moving to Mexico.

Penn Deka has an excellent rep with everyone that I know that has tried them but I don't see them around here....

[Topcat]

EnerSys does make the Odyssey battery and it makes a copy for Sears that is sold under the Platinum label.  In the early years, some of the side post styles had trouble with the internal connection but that seems to be a thing of the past.  the Platinum sells for around $200 and sometimes less on sale.  It's a lot cheaper than the Odyssey.  Reputation was very good the last time I checked.

For some reason, I think the Odyssey and the Platinum are made in Missouri.

The Yellowtop Optima still seems to have a pretty good rep but the redtop litters the net with complaints.   I have one of the CTECH 7002 chargers that is aimed at AGM batteries and it works better than most, but, once these batteries gets run down (red top), it is hard to ever get them to take a full charge even when they work.   I still have one Optima working and it is now three years old so I doubt that continues much longer.  It is a replacement for another one that died at three years.  Once their warranty was 100% for three years and that prorated for the next three.  They changed that after moving to Mexico.

Penn Deka has an excellent rep with everyone that I know that has tried them but I don't see them around here....

You are correct! all accurate info posted.
Anothor smart charger is Genius.