The NorthStar AGM Battery + Voltage Booster Upgrade

My Northstar 27f lasted just under 1 year to the week. Talked to the vendor I purchased though and after sending him pics of it failing a load test- I should have another one coming in the mail by the end of the month. I have and use the 0.5 volt booster listed on the previous page. At least they have a good warranty. Wouldn't want to be spending that money again if I didn't have to.

 

$23 Low Profile Mini-Fuse Alternator Voltage Booster - Toyota Tacoma/4Runner/Tundra
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Low-Profil...ter-Toyota-Tacoma-4Runner-Tundra/164473578711

@mightytacoman Is this the booster you are using?

 

Why not the Ford diode fuse thing through mouser or elsewhere. It was all of $4 plus shipping

 

It's the one I ordered before I knew that one existed, is the honest answer. It was significantly less expensive and more available than the Australian one.

 

That's what was available at the time compared to the long wait. Nobody knew about the Ford option back then either

 

I guess

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-booster-upgrade.604478/page-27#post-22846240

discussion discovering it was march of last year



the ebay special is essentially what a few posters here had built with diodes and an add a fuse.

 

I wonder if you could make a lithium battery with Calb cells or similar, from China, with similar specs to the Northstar 27F?

 

Bad news about the Northstar 27F. When I called the shop to buy one I was told Northstar was bought out last year and these batteries have ceased production.

The shop was willing to sell me a group 27 they have on the shelf, but I'd have to spend time and money on a longer harness to hook it up.

 

Never fails. Somethin’ good gets bought out by those who want to hang on to the coattails. Just like optima went I suppose.

 

Interesting. I was told by a shop that northstar is still making them but did them in batches with the next batch due out for warranty work end of this month and further production after that

 

IIRC, Enersys acquired Northstar in late 2019. The good news is Enersys is the parent company of Odyssey.

Odyssey remains a well-respected battery brand so, at least for now, they don't appear to be going the way of Optima.

It appears Odyssey still offers an ODP-AGM27F. Specs aren't quite as good as the NSB-AGM27F, but they're not bad.

 

That was actually my first choice but I didn’t know the dealer well & I got the Northstar at cost plus.

 

So if northstar really is out, am I potentially screwed on getting this bad one warrantied?

 

The shop I talked to this morning said it was Feb 16 2020.

Yes, about 184 minutes of RC. I don't have a lot of faith that the test conditions are exactly the same between manufacturers. I'd be happy with an Odyssey.

I was able to locate a Northstar 27F by sheer luck, and I got a good price on it. I'll pick it up tomorrow.

 

Shop I spoke to this morning said the 4 year warranty would be honoured on the Northstar 27F I'm buying tomorrow.

 

Doubtful. Odyssey is, and Northstar was, a reputable company. I'd expect honoring Northstar warranties to be part of Odyssey's obligations under the buyout.

I'm not sure when the ink dried, but the buyout was announced in late 2019...
"READING, Pa., Sept. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnerSys (NYSE: ENS), the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of N Holding AB, the parent company of NorthStar, from Altor Fund II."
"EnerSys, the international battery manufacturer, has bought competitor NorthStar for $182.5 million, the firm announced on September 19."

Odyssey also refers to a 2019 acquisition...
"Since the acquisition of NorthStar Battery Company in September 2019"

 

Odyssey will no longer be making group 24, 27 batteries. Emailed them and they told me to get X2Power:

 

Interesting. I've been waiting a month for my X2 at batteries+bulbs. It came in last week, but they shipped the odyssey. The biggest difference is the warranty, if an issue you'd have to ship it back to odyssey.

I'm glad I decided not to take it and wait out the X2. It's supposed to come in this week, hopefully.

 

Agreed. Odyssey's site still shows both 24F and 27F batteries as being available. Batteries Plus similarly shows X2 24F and 27F availability. Northstar shows neither.

Shipping batteries around for warranty service is somewhat cost-prohibitive, so that's a definitely downside for Odyssey.

 

I placed an order about two weeks ago for an X2 from Batteries+. Website listed availability, but the shop called and said they didn't have it in stock (no one had any in the Utah region). They expected restock on February 5. I figured I'd wait until next week.....