Battery: Sources for Group 96R ⭐AGM⭐

Finding an AGM in our stock group size can be challenging.

So feel free to share your sources and experiences.

Looks like 'Zon has some at the moment for $150.
https://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Battery-Automotive-Warranty-Replacement/dp/B0H4YSMRC6/

Don't forget to reset the BCM after install.

BEFORE installation, check manufacture date, measure voltage, check against various charts and send back if was allowed to get too low.
Some places will let them get low on a shelf but top-off right before selling. This is not helpful and hides the true condition of the battery.
The only way to keep a battery healthy is to periodically charge it, while in storage.
This is why OLD batteries are not good; next to no one maintains them on the shelf.


Prior discussion on charging system with AGM...
https://www.fiestastforum.com/threads/agm-battery-concerns.24120/

Primary reasons for avoiding standard lead acid include:
* they leak acid and rust out the battery tray
* there is a ground beneath the battery tray that is also affected by the leaking acid

What about Gel or Li-Ion?
* Gel isn't available in 96R anywhere.
* Tiny light weight Li-Ion batteries aren't for folks who crank under frigid temps. (CCA claims may only be realistic for warmer climates/conditions)

It's good to know there's another one out there, even though I never heard of that particular brand. Advance Auto was selling a platinum branded one for a while, but that's been discontinued-
https://www.fiestastforum.com/threads/battery-replacement-how-often-which-one.23016/

I got this LifePo from Amazon almost two years ago, no issue in the desert heat.... It has a built in jump start that saved me while chasing a parasitic drain is a direct fit in our stock battery boxes

Battery measured 12.72v upon receipt. This is identified as a Start/Stop battery rather than a traditional starting battery. Instructions say not to install if it's not reading >12.6.. The documentation has proper English, very detailed. It quotes an 8% drop every 90 days. The documentation leads me to suspect this could be a quality product. IIRC the documentation claims thicker glass mat for better durability.

There is no date date on the battery. A code stamped onto it, has no obvious translation. The short-sides of the battery have an obvious bulge.

Because a battery can be charged right before ship I wanted to load test the battery. Looking into those, they are cheaply available. The load testers however do not actually load test the battery. They send a small AC current through the battery to measure internal resistance, then calculate possible load handling capacity based upon the results. There is a cranking test which presumably measures voltage drop while installed in the vehicle. Obviously it's neither cold and the engine won't generate anywhere near a 600 Amp load. So I guess there isn't much of a point. I doubt the local parts stores still have the old style load testers, that actually generated a load for the battery.

Some batteries require "activation" before use or ship. IIRC that helps minimize the need for maintenance while stored. Consumer documentation makes no mention of this.



Anyway, time will tell. My primary ride is two wheels so the car does a lot of sitting; less than 80k on the clock, soon to be ten years old. Add to that, has been very rarely driven since the suspension was damaged following a hit-and-run while parked by a package delivery van/truck. .