[Jack Burton]

Hey guys, so I have a 2014 fj ttue and still have the original panasonic battery. With that said and 10 years around the corner I am looking for a replacement and officially looking for reccomendations and your experience with different batteries. It would be nice to be able to buy a new panasonic battery as this one has been amazing. Anyway, look forward to the input.

 

[RDTCU]

I like the Optima red tops, myself.
10y is pretty good on a factory battery.

 

[linuxgeek]

The one that has a 5 year (non-prorated) replacement warranty. Most battery warranties pro-rate after 24 or 36 months, effectively locking you into buying another crappy battery of the same kind that just failed you. I got one from Batteries Plus (made by Northstar) but I am sure there are others. BTW, I returned a failing one that was 44 months old and walked out the door with a new battery. No cost to me.

 

[FJtest]

Odyssey Extreme 34R-1500T.

This is a highly reliable and highly rated AGM battery, but it is expensive. I frequently go solo into pretty remote 4WD-only areas, so when I replaced the battery on my '14 FJC I did a lot of research on battery reliability and finally selected the Odyssey Extreme series.

As with any AGM battery, you'll get maximum AH capacity and the longest possible battery life if you add an inexpensive plug-in automotive diode in the alternator's battery voltage sensing line to boost the charging voltage by about 0.5 - 0.7 volts.

 

[debFJVT]

I’ve run exactly the setup @FJtest describes for years and 100% love it 👍

 

[Luke]

That’s my next battery.. and forewarning I’ll be pestering both of you to baby step me through the diode part! 🤣

 

[Sanderhawk]

I bought s new battery from Toyota for about $130. Its been probly 4 or 5 years so far and it still fires up like new. So if you don`t want to spend a mint on a new battery check out Toyota. I was shocked they were that cheap

 

[FJtest]

One of the many benefits of buying an AGM battery vs a conventional wet-cell battery from Toyota, Costco, etc. is the total absence of terminal post corrosion with an AGM.

Absolutely the single most common cause of electrical system problems that I've seen in over 55+ years of working on motor vehicles has been voltage drop across corroded battery terminal posts & clamps caused by battery acid seepage & acid vapor venting through the cell caps.

I've run AGM batteries exclusively in my Toyota trucks for nearly 20 years, and the absolute lack of battery terminal & clamp corrosion is amazing.

 

[gbrick911]

24F Premium X2Power AGM from Batteries Plus has been working great for me. Expect to pay about $300+ for them though.
I added the diode from Australia to boost volts from alternator.

 

[Jack Burton]

Do you need an adapter for the odyssey extreme?

 

[FJtest]

Do you need an adapter for the odyssey extreme?

What do you mean by "adapter"?
The Odyssey Extreme needs a spacer plate under it to properly fit in the FJC battery tray - this spacer is supplied by Odyssey.

If you mean the charging voltage booster, then YES, all AGM batteries need the booster for best performance and longest life.

The voltage boost diode can be either one put together by somebody in Australia for $60, or you can very easily assemble one yourself for less than $10 using an Add-a-Circuit adapter and a GM automotive diode in the Mini-Fuse package.

You can just plug the diode directly into the fuse panel where the 7.5A ALT-S fuse was, but this will not provide fuse protection for the alternator voltage sensing line between the fuse panel and the alternator. Using the Add-a-Circuit will maintain the original overcurrent protection that Toyota designed into the electrical system.

 

[fsubzero]

I am using 2 - dual battery setup Odyssey Extreme 34R batteries. I just replaced the starter Odyssey after 6 years. Pay attention to the post location if you go this route. You need the “R” version. (Viper alarm kept draining it when it sat over 2 weeks, family kept unplugging my charger unfortunately). I was using the HKD fuse/diode for many years and just switched to the Voltage Booster Pro out of Texas. Very pleased with unit and service. Note website said out of stock but if you email them they have them. Kept the HKD diode fuse as a backup.

 

[4W2FJC]

@fsubzero why did you switch? What voltage were you getting with the HKD unit and the Voltage Booster unit? Thanks.

 

[fsubzero]

I switched for the reason FJ test explained. For the alternator sensing to stay protected with a fuse. Voltage with booster on low switch was same as with with the HKD. no complaints. But sought to be fully protected.

 

[FJtest]

The two drawbacks I see with the booster from Australia are:
1. Cost, especially with the added shipping charges;
2. Non-replaceable internal fuse (fusible link). One model has just a non-replaceable fuse, the other model has both a PTC current limiter (positive temperature coefficient thermistor) that MAY prevent burning of the alternator's voltage sensing wire in the vehicle's wiring harness, AND a conventional non-replaceable fuse. The fuses and/or the PTC current limiter would function only if there were a short-to-ground fault in the wiring harness, or some catastrophic failure in the alternator's internal voltage regulator.

With the home-made Add-a-Circuit voltage booster, both the fuse and the diode are replaceable, and it functions EXACTLY like the $$ HKB booster does, giving about 14.4V when the alternator is cold, which slowly drops to about 13.6V when everything is at operating temperature.

 

[4W2FJC]

@FJtest what are your thoughts on Voltage Booster’s product?

Voltage Booster PRO "Texas Slim" (4th Gen 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, GX470)

VoltageBoosterPRO is a user adjustable, plug and play, diode modification with an inline fuse so that you can increase your alternator voltage to optimize your AGM battery charging.

voltageboosterpro.com

 

[FJtest]

@FJtest what are your thoughts on Voltage Booster’s product?

Voltage Booster PRO "Texas Slim" (4th Gen 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, GX470)

VoltageBoosterPRO is a user adjustable, plug and play, diode modification with an inline fuse so that you can increase your alternator voltage to optimize your AGM battery charging.

voltageboosterpro.com

It looks like a reasonably clean design, but bear in mind there are only five component parts: two diodes, a fuse socket, a two blade terminal block that plugs into the vehicle's ALT-S fuse socket, and a slide switch. These components together cost less than $5, and the circuit board is likely around $3 or less in volume, so there is a massive markup to get to the $85 selling price.

I believe the two diodes are simply connected in series, with the slide switch in parallel with one of the diodes. When the switch is 'open', the forward voltage drop of both diodes is additive, with a total voltage drop of 0.8 - 1.0V (HI output range). When the switch is closed, only one diode is 'in-circuit', so the 'low' setting gives you a voltage drop of only 0.4 - 0.5V (LOW output range).

I don't really see the value of the 'high' setting, as it seems like it would only be useful if you had a defective alternator that was already providing less than the design output voltage.

I'll continue to run with the home made Add-a-Circuit device, as it gives exactly the same voltage-boost performance as the $85 unit, costs less than $6 to make, and still provides fail-safe overcurrent protection via the fuse.

 

[Kevin108]

My last Odyssey lasted two years. My Optima I bought after lasted two years. This time, I went with a conventional group 27 from Batteries Plus. At least it has a 3-year warranty. We'll see if it fares any better.

I had an Optima Red Top from 2010 finally go bad last year, so I know they can be made well, but at this point, I have not been impressed by any of the current generation of AGMs.

 

[FJtest]

My last Odyssey lasted two years. My Optima I bought after lasted two years. This time, I went with a conventional group 27 from Batteries Plus. At least it has a 3-year warranty. We'll see if it fares any better.

I had an Optima Red Top from 2010 finally go bad last year, so I know they can be made well, but at this point, I have not been impressed by any of the current generation of AGMs.

Your experience with both your Optima and Odyssey batteries is totally atypical ... I suspect you have some problem with your charging system, some problem with a parasitic load, or some unusual use-case that allows the battery to become nearly fully discharged again and again.

I'm assuming that you did NOT have a voltage boost diode installed to provide the optimum charging voltage for either of your prematurely-deceased AGM batteries?

Typical service life of a high quality AGM battery, in a vehicle with a correctly operating charging system providing the correct charging voltage, is greater than 6 years. Near continuous exposure to extremely hot climates (Arizona desert areas) will degrade life slightly, while use in cooler climates (Pacific Northwest) will extend life.

 

[robfowler54]

Hey guys, so I have a 2014 fj ttue and still have the original panasonic battery. With that said and 10 years around the corner I am looking for a replacement and officially looking for reccomendations and your experience with different batteries. It would be nice to be able to buy a new panasonic battery as this one has been amazing. Anyway, look forward to the input.

I have the same Panasonic battery as well. I don't think there's a battery out there that will go 10 years, not even Optima. I will buy another Panasonic for sure