Upgrading the battery

I've been searching and reading up a lot about upgrading the battery in my 2016 OR which still has the original battery. I haven't noticed any issues on startup, but I'm thinking about being proactive before winter sets in and upgrading the battery.

My electrical mods are pretty basic, with the only additional electrical upgrades being a lightbar, LED bed lights, and an ARB on board air compressor. However, I do also have a winch that I use occasionally so I am keeping that in mind with my decision. At the moment I am not looking to go dual battery. I might add a fridge down the line, but that is more of a long term goal and not really close to that happening at the moment.

From my reading I think I know the following things:

• The stock size is 24F, but larger 27F batteries can fit with the addition of a battery tray from a second gen.
• AGM batteries are superior to lead-acid batteries.
• Northstar batteries are strongly preferred (I know I just missed the group buy), and Optima batteries have fallen out of favor but were once considered the best.

I have also read about the downsides to both of these upgrades and that is where my questions are, as I would like to know more about the negatives to both going up in size to 27F, as well as upgrading to AGM.

Is the concern regarding the additional weight of the 27F valid? I don't wheel my truck every weekend, but it does get used off road, sometimes rather hard. I don't want to risk cracking components due to the added weight.

Is the voltage booster necessary when upgrading to an AGM battery? At this moment I am not looking to add more complexity to my electrical components so if this is a necessity I think I would buy another lead-acid battery and then reconsider once that battery has reached the end of its life.

Aside from Northstar, what are some other companies to consider? Right now Autozone has a 20% off sale which is why I had Odyssey or Optima in mind but I am open to all suggestions.

 

I replaced my 24F at the 28 month mark (it literally waited for the warranty to expire before it did) and put in a 27F Duracell from Sam's Club. Zero issues.

 

I may be wrong on this, but i thought i've read people having issues with the size 27F siting too close to the oil filler neck and hitting it when off roading?

 

I know I’ve read about clearance issues with larger batteries, but I don’t know if it’s with 27Fs or with 31. Would be good to know beforehand though good point.

 

Mine fits like it was supposed to be there.

Is there a difference in battery room between the 4 cylinder and the V6?

 

Perhaps engine size? V6 larger than 4 cylinder?

 

There was a guy on here the other day saying that the 2020's "supposedly" upgraded and now come with 27F from the factory. I think the oil filler clearance issue was for larger batteries.

 

I have the V6 - 27F battery fits fine. That location is not recommended to go any larger, however.

 

My battery recently failed (a week or two ago) and I replaced it with a champion AGM in the 24 size. Eventually want to go dual battery, but it's down the road.

 

Interesting.. thanks for the information.. i too would like to upgrade my OEM 24f to an aftermarket 27F but was hesitant on the clearance concern.. Hopefully someone with a 2020 model can chime in and confirm
thanks..

 

Do you mind sharing what the clearance is now between the new 27F battery and the oil neck filler? pictures? thanks in advance..

 

Because you plan to cycle your battery down (fridge/winch) you might actually be a candidate for an AGM. The manufacturer will describe the ideal charging conditions for them, as it is different than standard SLAs but may not be enough to make a difference.
Larger is not always immediately better. I run a very small isolation battery for stuff I like to be always on. That’s my use case. Generally cheap replicas of OEM specs are all you need. As far as quality I feel all batteries are more of a commodity and you are just plain lucky if they last 4-5 years.

 

I was hoping someone with a 2020 would confirm if that is the case or not too.

 

So you guys are saying that a 27F fits in the 24F tray? Or do I need a different tray? Just curious for when I need to replace mine.
Thanks in Advance!!

 

You can get a Battery Tray for a 2nd Gen with Tow Package or trim your current tray to fit the 27F IIRC.

 

I definitely like the sound of the benefits from an AMG. It seems that the charging voltage for the 3rd gens isn’t enough for that Northstart batteries, and there’s no way to spoof the system as described in this thread. That means buying and using a 120v battery charger which I would prefer to avoid. Aside from Northstar what are some other AMG brands to consider?

 

The 27F fits in the 24F tray (I think they’re the same size). In the 2016...



...the 27F fits exactly within the tray and doesn’t interfere with anything.

 

Cold Spec

 

At least some of the 27F batteries are substantially larger than the 24's.

In fact, I couldn't find a 27F AGM that would fit in my tray without trimming.

I think the Northstar is over 2" longer and a 1/2" wider than the OEM 24F.

Just a heads up to others, as apparently they aren't all created equal.

 

Or put a 1/4” hard rubber mat or other material in the old tray so the larger battery sits slightly higher without the need for trimming the tray.

I placed some insulation in the tray to keep the bottom of my new battery warmer in the winter, and to maybe reject a little heat in the summer.