Absorbent Glass Mat batteries - worth it?

Oneofsix

Oneofsix

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So, need a new battery for the lawnmower, looking at TS website and I see these AGM batteries - are they any better than traditional lead acid types? They do cost almost twice the LA type of the same size and at least for TS, it has to be shipped.
Thoughts?
ETA- the last one lasted about 4 yrs.
 
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The agm is all I run in anything that has alot of vibration. When my tractor needs a new one it'll get one as well

I have a business account at batteries+ so my cost isn't near what otc price is. Usually about 20% more than flooded acid.
I average 12-18 months more with an agm as well. I assumed it's because the lead plates degrade faster being vibrated and falling apart faster.
 
Yes.
Mine in the boats and ATV have lasted longer over all. The big plus is I have not seen corrosion on any of the battery terminals.
When you move them around and deal with them they are cleaner.
I know on the ATV, older one with a carb that was causing problems, it would crank and hold up longer. I had a battery replaced and it would kill the battery fast. Had to keep it on charge the full time working on it.
Returned for an AGM and it never went dead,.finished the repair and replaced the carb and the battery did fine. That was SBS acid and AGM. Night and day difference on them in my ATV.
 
What ever you get be sure to get yourself a battery tender if don't already have one.

I had a lawn mower battery one year that was few years old already and it wouldn't start my mower at the beginning of the season so I jumped it and mowed the grass. Next week same thing. After the third week I started to think a new battery was in order. Instead I got a tender and put on it and left it till it made it to maintain stage. After that it started fine the rest of the season and I used it for another 3 years.

About 2 years ago I sold a motorcycle and removed the pigtail wires for the tender and noticed the battery had 2011 on it. It was still starting the bike ok.

A tender will greatly increase the life of the battery.
 
If you go that way, make sure they have a long warranty. Because they’re sealed, they need to be charged slower to keep from building up excess pressure.
In industrial equipment they don’t last as long, and come with a 90 day warranty instead of one or five year warranty.
 
Schattenreiter said:
What ever you get be sure to get yourself a battery tender if don't already have one.

I had a lawn mower battery one year that was few years old already and it wouldn't start my mower at the beginning of the season so I jumped it and mowed the grass. Next week same thing. After the third week I started to think a new battery was in order. Instead I got a tender and put on it and left it till it made it to maintain stage. After that it started fine the rest of the season and I used it for another 3 years.

About 2 years ago I sold a motorcycle and removed the pigtail wires for the tender and noticed the battery had 2011 on it. It was still starting the bike ok.

A tender will greatly increase the life of the battery.
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This. A battery tender makes a huge difference. I keep one on the lawnmower and my gas powered golf cart. It makes a world of difference on the golf cart in winter
 
Eeyore said:
looking at TS website and I see these AGM batteries
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Not sure I could buy a battery from TS.

Check out Batteries plus or any battery store in your area. Lots of the big box stores have old batteries in inventory and you are wasting money buying a battery that has been setting more than a month or two. When I get batteries that is question number one. What is the build date on the battery?
 
Yep get one from batteries plus(interstate)
 
Schattenreiter said:
What ever you get be sure to get yourself a battery tender if don't already have one.

I had a lawn mower battery one year that was few years old already and it wouldn't start my mower at the beginning of the season so I jumped it and mowed the grass. Next week same thing. After the third week I started to think a new battery was in order. Instead I got a tender and put on it and left it till it made it to maintain stage. After that it started fine the rest of the season and I used it for another 3 years.

About 2 years ago I sold a motorcycle and removed the pigtail wires for the tender and noticed the battery had 2011 on it. It was still starting the bike ok.

A tender will greatly increase the life of the battery.
Click to expand...
THIS!

AGM batteries require a slightly higher charging voltage compared to lead acid, in order to get a full charge. Since most vehicles are designed for lead acid, they can’t fully charge an AGM, resulting in a slow death.

I know this from my time of building car audio systems as well as Toyota off roaders and would bet the same holds true for lawn & power equipment, motorcycles, etc. In some cases it’s an easy fix, such as replacing a $15 relay, as is the case in Toyota’s. In others, a trickle charger may be the way to go.
 
LeeMajors said:
The agm is all I run in anything that has alot of vibration. When my tractor needs a new one it'll get one as well
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This.

I've had LA batteries in two tractors. They just can't handle the vibration and run angles. The battery in the 1st tractor leaked before I replaced it. Some aggravation cleaning up the result.

When I bought the 2nd tractor the OEM battery was immediately ousted for an AGM.
 
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