Odyssey Battery

[Ray D]

Has anyone any info good or bad on the Odyssey battery for starting power or for deep cycle?

Ray D

[Sean]

Odyssey is a brand of AGM battery manufactured by EnerSys (formerly Yuasa).  Notwithstanding all the "revolutionary" hype on their web site, it is not fundamentally different than any other AGM.

Odyssey batteries come in starting and "marine" configurations.  The starting batteries are probably fine; "marine" batteries are a compromise between starting and deep cycle performance, and thus excel at neither.  I recommend against them, and Odyssey would be no exception to that.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com
(no relation)

[Ray D]

Thanks Sean,
that is exactly what I thought.  I did not understand some of their specs, called them up and they could not explain their own specs.  Talked to two salesman and they finally gave me the 800 number and they could not tell me either.  I wanted to know about their statement       "Deep cycling capability:  400 @ 80% DOD"   This statement is on every size battery they have

Ray D

[Tenor]

I saw the same quote while I was researching, and I just thought that it meant that the battery would take 400 cycles of discharging down 80%.  Perhaps in english, "400 cycles of 80% depth of discharge".  I was just guessing, so please correct me if I'm wrong.


Glenn

[Sean]

Yes, I believe that they are claiming 400 cycles at 80% depth of discharge.  That, BTW, is typical for an AGM designed for deep cycle use, or maybe even a bit low.  Many AGMs are rated for 500 cycles at 80% DoD (typically also 1,000 cycles at 50% DoD, and 2,500 cycles at 20% DoD).

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[bs4104]

They are pricey but with a 4 year free replacement PRODUCT WARRANTY that not bad.
see:
http://www.odysseyfactory.com/documents/US-ODY-WS-8_0409.pdf

Main West coast distributor is:
West Coast Batteries, Inc.     410 LeRoy Dr.     Corona     (888) 379-2555
ask for Frank (owner) he has a Eagle 10 himself.
Bruce

[Ray D]

Is this a good warranty or a bad warranty.  I am not to knowledgable about batteries, when I read the warranty it looked like they had lots of ways out if they don't want to deal with you.

Okay, here is my problem, I put my electrical box and inverters in next to the start batteries.  Thought was, I would just use AGM's and there would be no problem.  Well there is a problem, I am having problems finding an AGM start battery with lots of starting amps.  It looks like I may have to settle for either a marine type like odyssey or the red optima.

Ray D

[Dallas]

Look at Lifeline AGM start batteries.
http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/rvstartingbatteries.php
Distributors: http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/distributors.php

If you kind of gave us a hint where you are located, maybe someone could help you out even more.

Is this a good warranty or a bad warranty.  I am not to knowledgable about batteries, when I read the warranty it looked like they had lots of ways out if they don't want to deal with you.

Okay, here is my problem, I put my electrical box and inverters in next to the start batteries.  Thought was, I would just use AGM's and there would be no problem.  Well there is a problem, I am having problems finding an AGM start battery with lots of starting amps.  It looks like I may have to settle for either a marine type like odyssey or the red optima.

Ray D

[belfert]

Okay, here is my problem, I put my electrical box and inverters in next to the start batteries.  Thought was, I would just use AGM's and there would be no problem.  Well there is a problem, I am having problems finding an AGM start battery with lots of starting amps.  It looks like I may have to settle for either a marine type like odyssey or the red optima.

Are you worried about something electrical causing problems with flooded batteries?

Odyssey makes starting batteries too, but maybe not big enough for a bus.  They do seem expensive for what they are.

[Sean]

They are pricey but with a 4 year free replacement PRODUCT WARRANTY that not bad.

The four year warranty is not much different from many other brands, and is more or less meaningless unless the battery is defective.  In other words, the warranty does not cover the fact that the battery will hold less and less charge over time due to simple usage.

The way I use my batteries, I can't get four years out of a set, and out of hundreds of batteries I have purchased over the years, perhaps one tenth of one percent of them have turned out to have a "defect in materials or workmanship" -- what this warranty covers.

FWIW.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[TomC]

I have 2 Lifeline 8D deep cycle batteries, and swear by them. They need no maintenance, hold a charge for a long time, and recharge much faster then conventional flooded batteries.  My next conversion, I am going with the 6v versions-the 8D at over 155lb is just too much to try to handle.  Although I have heard conflicting stories about their reliability (hopefully they have fixed them), Lifeline makes a 300amp/hr 6v that looks good on paper (my 8D's are 255amp/hr).  My advantage is that Lifelines headquarters are 10 miles from work.  Good Luck, TomC

[Ray D]

Are you worried about something electrical causing problems with flooded batteries?

I have installed my electrical box and inverters in this area and have read that if I do this I should not use regular wet acid batteries.

Dallas, I live in Yuba City, Ca., just North of Sacramento.

Thanks all,
Ray D

[Ray D]

The board did it again........

Look at Lifeline AGM start batteries.
http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/rvstartingbatteries.php
Distributors: http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/distributors.php

Think I will go for the group GPL 2700,  1020 cranking amps and a 200 minute reserve, looks like a hellava deal.

Ray D

[JohnEd]

RayD,

Wet cells outgas hydrogen and oxygen during charge.  You need a large vent at the bottom of the bat enclosure to vent the oxygen.  You NEED a large vent in the top of the enclosure to vent the HYDROGEN GAS.  That is Oxy and hydrogen gas from the same device in the same enclosure.  Yes, I am trying to beat this to death....might save a life or a newbee.  Generally speaking, you want no device that might make a spark to be co located with the bats.  That being said "what about that bat under my hood?"  Good point!  If you are strongly vented and have absolutely no gas build up.....you can weld next to a bat.....figuratively speaking.  I have been in a shop with 15 foot ceilings and a bat being charged in the open and sitting on a stool inexplicably exploded, sending the top of the bat into the duct on the ceiling and that was dented about a foot in.  Anyone that had been bending over that bat would have been killed AND had a face full of battery acid.  Still, my car batteries are under my hood and UI have never even heard of a car bat exploding under the hood. 

I have seen a lot of guys simply build a vented enclosure inside a bay to isolate the bats.

YMMV

HTH,

John

[Lin]

John,
     You are going to make me a nervous wreck.  Last week, my wife and I came within a couple of feet of stepping on a Mojave Rattlesnake.  He was nice enough to warn us of his presence.  I have been real wary of where I walk or what I touch since then.  Now, you've gotten me afraid of my batteries also!  All I need now is for someone to tell me there is some weird flu going around.