I had a pair of Optima's in my old F350 that were drained from sitting. Thought for sure they were goners, but after a week of boosting them, and then a slow charge they recovered. Since then I bought 2 new chargers that have separate AGM and Gel settings. What a difference they make for recovering AGM batteries. I have one (AGM) in my RC trailer that got discharged from the solar panel lead coming loose, and the new charger was able to bring it fully back, thought for sure it was done for, but has been perfect ever since.

 

Y2KW57
I was talking about Motorcraft replacement batteries.
I used to sell Parts for 2 Ford dealers, and one Lincoln Mercury dealer so I have connections that most people do not.

 

Optima batteries are all AGM

 

Yes, Optima batteries are absorbed glass mats wound into a spiral shape, patented 45 years ago. When Optima batteries first emerged in the consumer market 31 years ago, they were made in the USA (Colorado), with high quality virgin lead, and the company was owned by Gates Rubber. Even when Gates ditched Optima in 1990, the Scandinavian company that bought Optima still maintained the USA production facility, US manufacturing employees, and the high quality lead content and process controls that allowed Optima to gain traction in the motorsports and military spheres. Throughout the 1990's, all the way to the turn of the century, the reputation of Optima batteries was well regarded.

Then, in 2000, Johnson Controls acquired Optima. Soon thereafter JC shut down the Colorado facility, dismissed all the US workers, and moved the entire production of Optima batteries to Mexico. At the same time, JC had the Mexican made Optimas built with recycled lead, instead of virgin lead. (Note: recent Optima marketing materials state that Optima is using 99.9% pure lead.) It didn't take long for consumers to notice the difference in Optima battery performance, even though the difference in lead quality can not be seen underneath the case. It isn't just the fact that Optima batteries no longer have the same quality content that their original formulation once had (Note: recent Optima marketing materials state that Optima is using 99.9% pure lead), it isn't just the fact that Optima batteries are no longer made in the USA (while the Odyssey and Northstar batteries ARE made in USA), and it isn't just the fact that the military dropped their acquisition of Optima batteries in their light service vehicle fleet. It is the entire constellation of these factors, combined with the poor user experience repeatedly reported throughout the 2000's that make the Optima battery second tier compared to the Enersys Odyssey and Northstar AGM batteries recommended above.

But there is more... the rectangular Odyssey and Northstar batteries provide more energy density within the same footprint as the Optima design, due to all the space wasted between the cylindrical form factor of the 6 individual Spriacells. Furthermore, the Odyssey and the Northstar batteries are Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL), which further enhances the energy storage and dispersal density per cubic measurement of space. The lead is reported to be 99.9xx% pure virgin lead, and when rolled out to very thin plates, with more of those plates stacked together, the surface area for the chemical reaction that creates the cranking amps is increased over the physical capacity of the Optima.

So not all AGM batteries are created equal.

 

I just got 2 850CC motorcraft batteries for $305 out the door. 3 years warranty plus 100 month prorate or something like that.

 

I have had nothing but poor service life out the Motorcraft batteries over the last half dozen years, both the original purchase over the counter recycled lead and the warranty replacements. I've had better luck with the recycled lead battery versions at WalMart, $96 each with a 3/5 year warranty. But I don't wait for them to weaken so I can warranty them for vehicles with critical electronics like a 6.0L, I consider them a rented or leased item and will flip on my dime every 3 years before the capacity is fully diminished for a claim. $5.33 a month rental charge for the pair, less than HBO.

 

This is how a lot of guys look at it, and if you follow that kind of schedule, you'll probably do quite well. It drives me nuts to replace something before it's fully "used up" so I don't go this way, but it might save me some hassle if I did.

 

I have an advantage in that I use a battery tester to check the capacity as it ages. With a 6.0, you can use the starting voltage drop as a guide.

 

I guess is tall depends on which Walmart you go to? I bought an Everstart Maxx group 65 four years ago, it failed after only 14 months. I took it back to the store where I bought it, a Super Walmart, and was told that they only sell batteries and to get it replaced I'd have to take it to a Walmart with an automotive department where it could be tested. Then if they didn't have that battery in stock, they would give me a voucher to return to the selling store with to get my battery replaced.
The closest Walmart with testing capabilities was 22 miles away. I made the drive, they replaced the battery on the spot but I had to wait in line for an hour as if I was there for a repair. I carried the battery in, they wrote up a repair order and told me if the battery wasn't bad there would be a minimum labor charge for the test.
It was around that time that Walmart batteries starting showing up marked as being made by Johnson Controls, and the replacement has lasted 4 years now.
I've bought Walmart batteries for years, still do, but the warranty is a hassle here.
The last two from Walmart no longer say made by Johnson Controls and the price went way up over this past summer. The batteries that were $93 are now $165. They now offer an unbranded super cheap option for $50 in most common sizes. Its lighter than the Everstart and Everstart Maxx batteries by about 10 lbs on average.
The warranty on all of mine says 3 years, not 5, no prorate at all. That must be something new?
I have found that those that fail early, fail before the 3 year point, those that last, tend to last far past the warranty period. I've got one in my tractor that's over 8 years old now.

I made the mistake of buying Interstate batteries for my one F250, they're pushing two years old now and were replaced twice already. Even with fresh batteries, it will not cycle the glow plugs twice and crank the engine. I kept getting told it had to be something wrong with the truck, so I switched them to the other truck that didn't have the issue, which had a pair of Walmart batteries in it, and the problem followed the batteries.

I was always a big fan of East Penn batteries but the last four or five I had in various pieces of equipment were junk and didn't last a year. I put a Federal group 65 in my 4 cylinder Ranger and it lasted only 9 months.

I bought a brand new Walmart Everstart Deep cycle for my boat in June, it runs a trolling motor and the fish finder. I keep it out of the boat on an automatic battery maintainer made for deep cycle batteries. I noticed last night that the maintainer's red light was on and that the battery volts were barely 12.01 v. A specific gravity test shows two weak cells. Its got a pro-rated 1 year warranty. Maybe I should have gone with the $49 Value version if all I was going to get is 5 months out of it.

The problem seems to be that they all have issues these days, the days of rock solid batteries seem to be gone. I've had good and bad from nearly all makes lately.

 

I usually hang in the 6.0 forum so most of my battery discussions are over there.

That's not the experience I have at my local Walmart. With the farm and home I maintain 11 batteries so I get to play with this more then many. This local Walmart does not have an auto dept so when I have had a warranty issue I go up to the returns counter with my batt and sales slip, tell them it went bad and they tell me to go get a replacement. I've only had to do that twice for many years. What you describe is what I had to go through with my last, and I mean last dealing with a Motorcraft battery at the dealer.

Walmart has had a change in suppliers for number of years now, and I think the last two or three have settled back down. Talking about a Group 65 battery, the pricing did go up but has returned lower and now with a longer warranty. Group 65 were below $100, kicked up to $120 from memory, and now back below $100. The version for the last few years are a sealed top, vented to the sides. These are 3/5 warranty.

Here is a different group that I just bought for my son while I was doing repairs on his Jeep. Way more expensive then a group 65. I take my battery tester with me when I buy a battery, so I can test its capacity. We can all see the date codes on the batteries, but I prefer to check capacity. For one thing, I can match the Superduty pair up so they are equal, but for a fresh battery (and group 65 at Walmart typically are manufactured the same month) I can tell checking over a few the highest, and the ones with an internal issue that have low capacity. I recommend doing the same if you are buying at Advance, et al. They even have the tester right there!

You can't see the date code, but this group 34 was a week old with good voltage and good capacity for a 800 CCA spec.



This is one of my F-350 batteries. They have been in the garage for about a year while I screw with the motor. May 2016 manufacture from the date code, good headroom for the CCA, and voltage high. Notice the vent top right. This one was off the battery maintainer maybe two months ago. I have 2 maintainers for 11 batteries, they get moved around. I'd call it 2 years of service. Even with vehicles or equipment that I normally run, I do at least put a maintainer on the battery over a weekend down when I can. It take a long time to fully change a battery and local running never fully charges then up, and without a full replenishment, they loose capacity earlier then they should.



Notice the 65N. that's build for northern environments, the southern stores get the S built differently for the higher underhood temps.


I'm of the opinion most aftermarket battery manufacturers have some failure rate. It might go out of the plant OK, but then shipping, stocking personnel, phase of the moon, whatever. But at least by checking the batteries before you purchase it you can avoid the odd lemon.