New Battery

I work hard not to :)......... and you should talk gezzzzzz you spend a week at an Island paradise and have the hide to call THAT work.

Brian

Yep, as usual Sand Man is on the money. You need a specialised Cranking battery (or at least a hybrid).

I'm having a great run with Supercharge Gold Series with 760CCA (I actually have 2 of these connected "dumb", just for starting the rather larger-than-usual 6.5 diesel). Maintenance-free and seem to be doing the job very well.

Cheers

Roachie

Get either another wet cell CRANKING battery, or another Trojan, as at $200+ for a Extreme your not getting any vallue for money in a Cranking battery that can be bought for much less $$

Don't know where you got your price for the Extreme Mainey but I buy mine from K-Mart at about $165.00. I also wait till they have thier 20% off storewide sales that are on a fair bit and grab them for around $130.00! Best way to go in my opinion! :-D

Cheers
Scoey!

Mainey,

One of the very good features of the Extreme battery is the robust construction of the internal plates. Purposely designed for the rougher travel encountered in off-road travel.

Scoey,
Ummm, I checked on battery prices because I have to get a new Cranking battery soon, they were $215 at Kmart last Saturday.

I will get an unbranded Cranking battery for less than half the price and very similar specs (620cca)

If you check the prices of the Supercharge Gold you should be able to buy them for around $180.00 at present, 760CCA, 160 min RC and Calcium/Calcium expanded grid so they have both good corrugation/vibration resistance and long standing life with very low discharge.

Graeme, don't tell everyone that :-))
there will be a shortage of 'golds' soon with guy's changing up from Extremes to 'golds' with their 2 yr warranty and huge 760cca v 620cca capacity.

G'Day Mainey,

That's a helluva a difference between the west and the east coasts! Got mine only a few months back - glad they're cheaper here!

Cheers
Scoey!

Just been to K-Mart tonight and the Extreme is definitely listed here in WA on the shelf at $215. And I'm pretty sure that isn't for the 700CCA unit either - I'm 99.9% certain that it only had 6xx on the label... but will have another look on Saturday when I do the rounds.

Fleggy,

Yes, they are $215 for a 620 CCA (cranking) battery.

I just rang Supercharge locally here in Perth and they have the 760CCA sealed units @$170 and the 660CCA un-sealed units @$140 - both being the battery suitable for use with Landy and Patrol diesel donks.... *cue thinking music!*

For just $170 you get 760 CCA, what's there to 'think about' lol

Yeah, good point Mainey if I was just considering the Exide and Superchange, it certainly would be a cinch! But, a couple points I was still thinking about were that the Supercharge isn't made in Aus (they are imported) and secondly I can get the Century N70ZZL4WD for the same price. Less CCA (by only 60) but I'm not sold on the idea of sealed batteries as yet - admittedly only because I don't know enough about them and haven't had any experience with them; but that's enough reason for me at this stage as I need something rather urgent! I also have a mate that's a fan of the Century batteries and has been super impressed with his, so that's another factor in how I reached my particular decision.

So Brian, after hijacking your thread (sincerest apologies!), have you sourced a new battery for yourself as yet?!

Is better than paying $205 for an Extreme

Bought it for $170-odd, RRP is approx $240.

I bought an N50 size since the N70 is too big for my Suzi. However I think the Allrounder N50 has the same specs as the Extreme N70 (might be wrong though)

He's telling you porky pies mate.

NO battery will survive from complete draining on more than a few occasions before it is well and truly buggered.

Regardless of the type of battery, once sulfation occurs it is extremely difficult to reverse the damage.

I have a relatively new Exide Orbital that was flattened once too often and will now not accept a charge that lasts.

There are devices around that supposedly reduce, or even reverse sulfation but I believe once a battery has been "clobbered" it's dead for good. My smart charger includes a cycle that will supposedly reverse minor sulfation, but it has had no effect on the orbital.

well should I use vocabulary like, he's simply miss-led or even un intelligent ?
or put it more robustly and state the auto lecy is an absolute ferkin idiot and a liar

He probably meant he couldn't remember HIS name :-((



And for what it's worth this is the very first post I have ever made anywhere, that denigrates another person
(and for that I'm truly sorry)

He! he!

At least I was a little more subtle Mainey:-))

No need to apologise though mate, the auto leccy remains a faceless and nameless character of fiction.
Glad he's not on my list of vendors though.

I went to Kmart this morning and N70Z Extremes were definitely . . $215
even less 25% is still ~$166

$184.99 in Melbourne less 25% + 2 year warranty no questions asked.

But still I think for a battery that lasts 7 years (in my case) you would have to be happy.

Robnicko, are you sure it's an N70 series Extreme ???

The Exide N70 series appears to be available in 2 different capacities and both are sold as heavy duty "extreme" batteries.
The N70ZZ4WD which has a claimed 700CCA and the N70ZZH which has 640CCA.
The N70ZZH is sold as an "extreme" industrial battery, and while evaluating these recently when I was looking for two new starting batteries the franchisee at Battery World in Taren Point Sydney claimed the N70ZZH was a better [ie preferred] battery for reliable use in remote areas because it had a greater volume of electrolyte.
The battery is the same physical size.
Nice story but useless information really as the reserve capacity says it all and these N70ZZH units only have 155 mins RC vs 170CCA for the N70ZZ4WD Extreme.
The point he also made was the N70ZZH is usually discounted thro' the Chain stores . Suggest you really check to see what you are being offered.
Incidentally I bought 2 Supercharge Gold.

Yes, the Extreme is a "legend" in the minds of some guys, the N70 series is stated by Exide to be a passenger car cranking battery, with 620cca and 150rc and 30cm long, normal size for a larger Cranking battery like the Landcruiser etc. with a smaller footprint Extreme also available for smaller cars.
The longer/higher and costlier 86 series is 700cca and 180rc.

Now with replacement battery costs increasing due to rise in the lead/metal price many may be swayed into getting second opinions and realising there are various other battery options available, some are rebadged.

With the (CCA) battery rating system all you need is a high enough cca number, with all other options being equal, at a lower price and you have a better financial deal.

K Mart sell the Exide Extreme N70EX which is 620 CCA.

Fleggy,
What "specs" do you require that only these two brands can offer you ??

Mainey I should clarify that statement - basically CCA at this stage, and what's been pointed out above - and only the two mentioned here. I'm not overly concerned if the numbers differ a helluva lot as I don't really understand most of it myself. I understand (sort of!) the principal of CCA (the higher the better - but I'm sure that's a VERY simplistic view of it), but that's about it.

I was trying to think of other brands today and scoured the forums for hints. I've seen AGM mentioned but they seem to be more of deep cycle type, and the Odyssey or Optima? I can get a Century N70ZZL4WD for $160 through a work discount - are the Century's any good?

Fleggy, I am not saying the Extreme is not of fantastic build "quality" as it's an excellent Starting battery for most ppl.

However, the Extreme will revert to only 6 months warranty when used as a deep cycle only or Accessory battery.

The warranty expressed on the battery is only for starting purposes both commercially (18 months) and private (24 months) The hybrid design that allows for cycle duty is within the function of the vehicle electrics, many large transporters have multiple electric devices that draw battery power with the vehicle running and this is the intended purpose of the hybrid design.

Whereas a deep cycle design caters for supplying power with no alternator running into it. It will supply power for a designated time depending on the amp draw rate.

Any battery used out of the specified application (heavy duty cranking) could have the warranty totally voided, the Extreme does have the potential for light cycle duty and is naturally a very robust starting battery.

AGM's are more expencive than conventional wet cel batteries, and are more useful as Accessory batteries because of their very low internal resistance they will recharge faster and more complete than wetcel batteries.
Wetcels are more suited to hot engine bay conditions because the battery acid can be replaced via the 6 filler plugs however this is not possible in sealed batteries and causes premature failures.

As to brand, look for long warranty and high CCA rating when looking for Cranking batteries, and Extreme fits this extremely well with it's 2 year warranty if you happy to pay the price and only need 620cca, as it's suitable for 6cyl Landcruiser diesel motors.

Thanks for the info Mainey, much appreciated. Whichever battery I end up settling on will be the cranking battery only as I already have an Exide Endurance as my auxillary battery so the full warranty should apply.

As it stands at the moment, I'm starting my car off the Endurance (aux) battery as the starter battery is stuffed. Not ideal I know but I'm pretty sure any warranty on that existing battery has lapsed, and starting from it won't be for long! I hope I don't kill it also in the mean time....!

Brian if the manufacturers specs for your vehicle state a 500 CCA battery is recomended, then you are only wasting money (and space) using 720 CCA which will be a larger footprint.
Yes, it will crank (slightly) faster and you may not be able to judge it, it's not required.

Thanks Mainey,

I figured this would be the case, so I did intent to only get what was required.

Thanks to all that did respond.

Brian