AGM Battery replacement?

[Clovisb31]

Hello,
I'm thinking about replacing the OE flooded lead acid battery with an equivalent size AGM type battery.
The Tacoma charging system provides 13.9 Volts to the stock OE battery.
An AGM battery typically needs 14.4-14.6 volts to properly charge.
Is the alternator/charging system voltage able to be changed/increased to allow for proper AGM charging?
Does anyone know what the procedure is? Is a dealer level Scan tool required to do this modification?
Thanks in advance.

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[bigd9247]

I know OTT can change the programming for an AGM battery. I'm not sure if there are any other ways to change it. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

 

[JustDSM]

I know OTT can change the programming for an AGM battery. I'm not sure if there are any other ways to change it. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

This is correct. We can change the charge profile to an AGM-specific setting (no extra charge).

 

[Andrace]

The Optima yellow top has an exact fit, and the anti-gravity battery monitor I have shows that it fully charges. No issues

 

[32spoke]

AG

Hello,
I'm thinking about replacing the OE flooded lead acid battery with an equivalent size AGM type battery.
The Tacoma charging system provides 13.9 Volts to the stock OE battery.
An AGM battery typically needs 14.4-14.6 volts to properly charge.
Is the alternator/charging system voltage able to be changed/increased to allow for proper AGM charging?
Does anyone know what the procedure is? Is a dealer level Scan tool required to do this modification?
Thanks in advance.

AGM batteries have less impedance and typical take a charge more efficiently, they gas off at 15 volts and since oem manufacturers are not requiring a different alternator, different software, then I would respectfully advise you that any voltage above 12.8 volts is going to charge a 12.76 volt battery if the battery is healthy. I sell three brands of AGM batteries- when we place AGM batteries on a charger, the AGM setting oscillates the charge. Regular wet lead acid batteries take a fixed charge. you will be fine installing an AGM battery, I promise you
I recommend Odyssey or Optima, not so much Deka.. I sell all three. Deka’s seem to mix recycled lead with virgin lead- though reflected in the price, less power less life span- please never let an AGM battery see 15 volts- they will blow off their sealed emergency vents- at 15 volts, they gas off and the battery becomes a pressure vessel.

 

[Clovisb31]

AG

AGM batteries have less impedance and typical take a charge more efficiently, they gas off at 15 volts and since oem manufacturers are not requiring a different alternator, different software, then I would respectfully advise you that any voltage above 12.8 volts is going to charge a 12.76 volt battery if the battery is healthy. I sell three brands of AGM batteries- when we place AGM batteries on a charger, the AGM setting oscillates the charge. Regular wet lead acid batteries take a fixed charge. you will be fine installing an AGM battery, I promise you
I recommend Odyssey or Optima, not so much Deka.. I sell all three. Deka’s seem to mix recycled lead with virgin lead- though reflected in the price, less power less life span- please never let an AGM battery see 15 volts- they will blow off their sealed emergency vents- at 15 volts, they gas off and the battery becomes a pressure vessel.

This is exactly the information I was looking for . Thank you.
I'm surprised to hear your opinion about Deka. I thought they were the last US battery manufacturer and seem to get a lot of positive reviews.
My Daughter has a 4 year old Yellow top Optima which came in her recently purchased used
2014 Wrangler. I notice it's stamped "Made in Mexico"which seems to be the norm for most batteries these days. But the Yellow Top is an AGM installed into a Wrangler that came equipped
with a flooded lead acid battery as original equipment. So this is a test in progress on that vehicle. And it seems to charge fine at 13.8 volts so I'm not afraid to switch my Tacoma to AGM.

 

[Will721]

I've heard mixed reviews on optima batteries, has their quality improved. I used to install them all the time and infact still have a yellow top that's still working despite being over 10+ years old. If they are back to that quality, I'm definitely a buyer again.

 

[Andrace]

This is exactly the information I was looking for . Thank you.
I'm surprised to hear your opinion about Deka. I thought they were the last US battery manufacturer and seem to get a lot of positive reviews.
My Daughter has a 4 year old Yellow top Optima which came in her recently purchased used
2014 Wrangler. I notice it's stamped "Made in Mexico"which seems to be the norm for most batteries these days. But the Yellow Top is an AGM installed into a Wrangler that came equipped
with a flooded lead acid battery as original equipment. So this is a test in progress on that vehicle. And it seems to charge fine at 13.8 volts so I'm not afraid to switch my Tacoma to AGM.

For what it's worth, I have ten years on an Optima Red top with no issues. It shows its age now that I don't drive that car daily, and probably should be replaced. I was perfectly comfortable with the Yellow Top from this experience.
I recently installed this on my ten-year-old red top to test it out, and it works great. I'm considering adding one to the yellow top in my Tacoma.

 

[Clovisb31]

For what it's worth, I have ten years on an Optima Red top with no issues. It shows its age now that I don't drive that car daily, and probably should be replaced. I was perfectly comfortable with the Yellow Top from this experience.
I recently installed this on my ten-year-old red top to test it out, and it works great. I'm considering adding one to the yellow top in my Tacoma.

This is interesting. I have read a few reviews on this "Super capacitor" device. There are a couple of utube videos on it also. I wonder how it will extend the life of any battery used with it. time will tell as these are fairly new to the market.
Question, do you have a yellow Top installed in a Gen 4 Tacoma currently or an older Tacoma?
Thanks.

 

[jackvz]

For what it's worth, I have ten years on an Optima Red top with no issues. It shows its age now that I don't drive that car daily, and probably should be replaced. I was perfectly comfortable with the Yellow Top from this experience.
I recently installed this on my ten-year-old red top to test it out, and it works great. I'm considering adding one to the yellow top in my Tacoma.

Now you have me reading up on this supercapacitor sounds interesting and very useful

 

[Andrace]

This is interesting. I have read a few reviews on this "Super capacitor" device. There are a couple of utube videos on it also. I wonder how it will extend the life of any battery used with it. time will tell as these are fairly new to the market.
Question, do you have a yellow Top installed in a Gen 4 Tacoma currently or an older Tacoma?
Thanks.

The yellow top is on my 24 Tacoma non hybrid. Red top I have on a 200k mi scion xb.

The super capacitor is great, my xb can sit for a week and starts like it has 13v every time.

My Tacoma was in the Toyota options research fleet, and had 1,500 miles when I got it. It clearly sat because the battery was weak and I had to jump it a few times after sitting in acc mode, so I had it warrantied. The replacement battery was fine, but I alternate between the two cars and since going to the yellow top I’d say the Tacoma starts up with more grunt, more consistently, than it seemed to with the factory lead acid.

 

[Clovisb31]

The yellow top is on my 24 Tacoma non hybrid. Red top I have on a 200k mi scion xb.

The super capacitor is great, my xb can sit for a week and starts like it has 13v every time.

My Tacoma was in the Toyota options research fleet, and had 1,500 miles when I got it. It clearly sat because the battery was weak and I had to jump it a few times after sitting in acc mode, so I had it warrantied. The replacement battery was fine, but I alternate between the two cars and since going to the yellow top I’d say the Tacoma starts up with more grunt, more consistently, than it seemed to with the factory lead acid.

Great info.
This is why I want to replace my OE lead acid battery with an AGM.
My Tacoma starts fine every time, but it just doesn't seem to crank over very fast. The starter motorseems to hesitate slightly, like it's not getting enough cranking voltage/amperage. I've tested the battery and it checks out fine for CCA/internal resistance/nominal voltage. But I just can't help but wonder if an AGM would get it "over the hump" a bit faster. And also avoid the future problems associated with flooded lead acid batteries ( you know, acid leakage, corroded terminals, etc).
I go to remote mountain tops where there is no chance of a rescue and use my inverter in the bed, so I need absolute reliability .
AGM is clearly the way to go and It seems , based on all the great comments here, that they will
work fine in the GEN 4 Taco's, even without a charging system recalibration.
Thanks guys.

 

[32spoke]

This is exactly the information I was looking for . Thank you.
I'm surprised to hear your opinion about Deka. I thought they were the last US battery manufacturer and seem to get a lot of positive reviews.
My Daughter has a 4 year old Yellow top Optima which came in her recently purchased used
2014 Wrangler. I notice it's stamped "Made in Mexico"which seems to be the norm for most batteries these days. But the Yellow Top is an AGM installed into a Wrangler that came equipped
with a flooded lead acid battery as original equipment. So this is a test in progress on that vehicle. And it seems to charge fine at 13.8 volts so I'm not afraid to switch my Tacoma to AGM.

Optima was acquired by Johnson controls, years back… Johnson controls manufactured batteries,
Including optima batteries at their facility in Monterrey, Mexico. Johnson Controls sold it off after they lost customers from fill rate issues due to in house bonuses based upon certain criteria that corporate folks would manipulate at the expense of their customers- they weren’t collecting enough lead. Johnson controls sold off the facility to a company named Clarios- they make good batteries and the optima ones as well.
Deka is made in eastern Pennsylvania, hence the name East Penn… their AGM batteries typically so not have the same
Power as optima- either from less lead= less weight, or same weight with blended new and recycled lead that has been desulfated. Odyssey batteries are made by the same peeps that make hawker batteries- the best in my opinion. But also very expensive. Just a suggestion, think about one of those tiny lithium jumper packs.. not cost effective but small and might help if the battery for starting thr truck is below the minimum threshold to start the truck-
Enjoy your truck!!

 

[Clovisb31]

Optima was acquired by Johnson controls, years back… Johnson controls manufactured batteries,
Including optima batteries at their facility in Monterrey, Mexico. Johnson Controls sold it off after they lost customers from fill rate issues due to in house bonuses based upon certain criteria that corporate folks would manipulate at the expense of their customers- they weren’t collecting enough lead. Johnson controls sold off the facility to a company named Clarios- they make good batteries and the optima ones as well.
Deka is made in eastern Pennsylvania, hence the name East Penn… their AGM batteries typically so not have the same
Power as optima- either from less lead= less weight, or same weight with blended new and recycled lead that has been desulfated. Odyssey batteries are made by the same peeps that make hawker batteries- the best in my opinion. But also very expensive. Just a suggestion, think about one of those tiny lithium jumper packs.. not cost effective but small and might help if the battery for starting thr truck is below the minimum threshold to start the truck-
Enjoy your truck!!

Your suggestion for a small Lithium jumper pack is dead on (pun intended). I put one in my Daughters Jeep but have not purchased one yet for my Taco. I'm still researching witch one to buy.
On another side issue, maybe best for another discussion, but since you kinda brought it up...
Wondering if the difference between the Deka AGM and Optima yellow Top AGM in power (CCA's?) is due to the difference in physical construction. That is square lead/glass matt cells
on the Deka as opposed to the Spiral wound cells on the Optima. I'll know in 4 years if my Daughters Yellow Top goes 8 years.
Still awake and listening.

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