OEM battery replacement help...

I’m on the fence about whether or not to pull the trigger on the AGM X2 / Northstar 24F for ~$320 at Batteries Plus vs a Lead-Acid Interstate for ~$115 at Costco…

I don’t mind spending the extra $200 for quality and peace of mind, but I can’t tell if it’d be wasted in this case.

I've dug through TW quite a bit and narrowed it down to those two options. Not interested in Optima red or yellow tops (quality issues since moving to MX) and for the other big store brands are a couple bucks more than Costco for pretty much the same quality.

Some background….
I don't have any fo the big electric items on the truck (yet)....no winch, light bar, fridge, etc. I’ve never had the OEM TrueStart battery in my truck last a full 12mo. Every Jan since I’ve had the truck I’ve brought it back to the dealer and they have replaced it for free under warranty. The truck is weekend vehicle (drive a work vehicle during the week) and it gets well below 0F here in Minnesota in the winter. I’ve had the truck for 4 winters now I’m on my 3rd replacement. It’s a joke really. The only thing that’s ever saved me in a pinch is the $100 jump pack I keep in the glove box (and there have been several pinches).

This thread by @crashnburn80 has a ton of great info on the AGM upgrade option but sent me down the rabbit hole...
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-northstar-agm-battery-voltage-booster-upgrade.604478/

If I’m reading this thread right, the 3rd Gen alternators don’t have a sufficiently high voltage output to maintain an AGM battery (14.0v-14.4v vs 14.4v-14.8v) and there’s no easy way to boost the 3rd Gen alternator voltage….if that’s the case, is the extra up front money for the AGM X2 wasted because the insufficient voltage will decrease it’s life prematurely?

The OEM TrueStarts are rebranded Interstates, so I know going Costco means more of the same….but if I get lucky and get more than 2yrs out of one battery, I’m ahead….plus I’ve got the jump pack in a pinch?

What do you guys think? Costco until there's a voltage boost trick for 3rd Gens? Or will the AGM last as long as it should in these trucks?

 

Following as I’ll be replacing my oem battery to accommodate a winch, compressor, and some other things eventually.

 

Look into dual batteries.

 

So FWIW my battery on my 2017 crapped out already... and I replaced mine with a Northstar 27F. To keep with the factory look and basic system I purchased the battery tray from a 2nd Gen Tacoma with tow package (they came with a 27F). In my opinion if you’re gonna upgrade to a more substantial battery why not get a larger capacity one as well for a small amount of addition cost...

 

If you don’t have any electronics to power just get a lead acid. Our alternators aren’t designed to charge AGM so you would need to install a Redarc or similar to manage battery power and charging. Again since you don’t have anything that requires battery power it would be wasted.

I have all of that on the OEM battery and almost 4 years later it’s still fine.

 

If the truck sits during the week I would put a battery tender on it

 

Yeah the 27F is on the table too...

edit: looks like for $5 it's got an extra half hour reserve capacity...

 

I have a dual battery setup planned down the road. I don’t currently have a ton of lights to run off the start battery. Only the compressor and winch from time to time while the vehicle is running. I have money to spend on lockers/armor/suspension now. I keep a lithium battery pack charged as a backup.

I’m planning an upgrade to a camper shell down the road where I will dedicate a box to house an auxiliary battery or two. Just not needed or in the cards right now.

 

EVERSTART

 

This sounds like a great plan. Cap is on my short list too.

 

This is very good advice regardless of which type battery you decide on.
I put the tender on mine every 2-3 weeks and let it stay overnight...my oem battery is still going strong!

 

I should also mention....the Batteries+ warranty is 5yrs on the X2 while Costco is 3yrs on the Interstate...

 

If you jumpy to the end of that NorthStar thread, it sounds like OVTune will soon release an AGM charging update for 3rd Gen, which will programmatically adjust the charge voltage up vs the 2nd Gen solution of using a diode to boost charge voltage. If you do not adjust the charge voltage, you'll want to use a wall charger periodically for optimum battery health to avoid sulfation. Not doing either of these will decrease battery life, though that doesn't mean it wouldn't outlast your short lived lead acid batteries. AGMs should outlast lead acid (when maintained correctly) they have better resistance to vibration for off road, have greater power density and in the case of NorthStar can also deep cycle. But if you don't need one and don't want to deal with the charging headaches in 3rd Gen, there is nothing wrong with buying a quality lead acid battery.

 

I did see the bit about OVTune working on a 3rd Gen solution. That’ll be helpful for a lot of us

 

Go big or go home.

 

Haha I usually live by those words but truck money is allowance money and it has to be rationed

 

Just get the lead acid battery. A well manufactured lead acid battery works fine if it's going back in the stock location.

Also, bigger size batteries weigh more. More than one person has bent the radiator support by putting a giant battery in the stock location.

 

I need a new battery too. I'm on my 2nd stock battery. The Toyota batteries suck.

That being said, most places are only offering AGM options. It must not be a big deal to under voltage charge an AGM as many posts on this site indicate.

I still think my previous post is still valid though.

 

My 10/2015 stock battery just died and since I am am OVTune customer I just picked up an AGM. I am optimistic to have a a good run on this battery upgrade with the right software solution. Here's to improving stick crap!

 

I have been using Fleet Farm batteries for over 30 years with great luck. They stand behind them and I have had 1 replaced under warranty. A 72 month batter for under $100 they are hard to beat. Fleet Farm is an upper mid-western company so not sure if you have one close by, but worth giving them a try.

https://www.fleetfarm.com/service/d...-battery-72-mo-650-cca/0000000218432?bc=13226