X2Power SLI31AGMDPM (Group 31 AGM) battery, long term user experience.

I think I will go group 31 route, but don't think I need a 400 battery. Something with a little better price point

 

Post your experience here. I get a lot of interest regarding this thread. I'm sure there are others out there with your thought process. It would be great to see other options that are available.

 

It should out last many of the other batteries and comes with a 48 month warranty. Can’t beat 48 month warranty

 

At least not for that type of battery

 

Update X2 Batteries now come with a 60 Month full replacement warranty from Batteries + Bulbs. Just had 1 installed in the Tacoma and 1 installed in the Forester.

 

Damn.

Does this 60-month warranty cover the entire product range? IIRC, the dual-post, marine variants had a slightly shorter warranty.

 

You are correct.
That was for a 27F looks like some have 48 month and others have the 60 month.

 

As for "maintaining" this size battery, what kind of solar equipment do you need? Would just a panel that plugs into the 12v cig outlet work? Or do you need a solar controller/charger etc? I would gladly add a panel to the roof to top it off and keep it full, but I'm not interested in all the crazy parts/wiring needed to do your average solar setup. Just looking to plug in and maintain.

Any products that would do this? I have seen "maintainer solar panels that seem like they are for people who own a vehicle they don't use frequently. I use my truck daily, just want to be able to keep it topped off. Preferable from the sun.

 

Anything above 10 watt panel and you need a charge controller. And if there is any draw on your battery, and I do mean ANY, the little charger panels won't be enough. I personally went the dual battery route after hearing those that drove offroad a lot with the group 31 under the hood experienced cracking metal in the fenders from the extra weight.

 

Good dialogue regarding solar. I routinely topped my Group 31 off with an AGM-specific wall charger. I plan on do the same when I install a Group 31 in my current Land Cruiser via Slee's battery bracket.

I had this battery setup in my Tacoma for a year before selling the vehicle. Lots of corrugated roads in and around TX, NM, and AZ. After hearing about the cracks earlier in this thread, I added an inspection of the fender/headlamp housing to my routine oil level check when I refueled. I never saw any signs of fatigue.

My assumption is that owners who are experiencing this issue are not using a mount hefty enough to secure a Group 31 battery. And of those with a PB Cage, or similar, do not retorque their bolts at a regular interval.

 

Glad yours isn't cracking. I welded up a battery tray underneath my flat bed off the frame, and made it the size of a group 31. So I am well into the 2nd battery set up now lol. Too far to quit. I will be adding 150w of solar, and be powering two fridges off it, a center console fridge and a fridge freezer combo bolted to flatbed.

 

Very nice. I think you'll find the Group 31's capacity to be plenty. I hardly put a dent in mine with a 37qrt ARB.

 

Bit of a thread revival here, but I went ahead and just pulled the trigger on a Group 27M X2Power SLI27AGMDPM battery from Batteries+Bulbs after reading this thread. When comparing the Group 27M's 92AH capacity with the Group 31M's 103AH capacity, I figure the 10% increase in deep cycle capacity wasn't worth the extra cost of the custom bracket, which now can't be purchased anymore since Pelfreybilt is no more . Slee offroad looks like the only place that makes a 31M bracket for a 2nd gen Tacoma.

The 27M still has plenty of cold cranking amps at 930A, when the factory spec for cold climates is 710.

Curiously, they also offer the SLI27FAGMDP, which is a Group 27F battery that is an OEM direct fit for the Tacoma, marketed as a starting battery, but also is described as a dual purpose starting/deep cycle battery. It appears to have the same dimensions (although BCI dimensions actually specify the 27F is a tad shorter than the 27M), is $20 cheaper at $360, has a 60mo warranty vs 48mo, and has an identical 92AH capacity. I'm guessing that, with all other things equal between the two, there may not be any real difference in battery chemistry between the two, and the M just has extra screw posts to make it a marine battery for the extra $20 cost difference. And now that I see that there is a $30 rebate on the F, I think I'm gonna go ahead and cancel my order and get the exact fit replacement. Wow, I kind of did a 180 here with this post...

 

That's the exact battery I plan on getting in the next couple months. I agree with everything you said.

I on the other hand need those extra posts, so I'll stick with the marine.

 

What’s the reserve capacity of the 2 you mentioned? I know one is 195RC.

ETA:
They’re both 195RC. The 27M has double posts, the positive on the opposite side and 150 more CCA’s than the 27F.

 

The 150A difference is between Marine Cranking Amps and Cold Cranking Amps. Cold Cranking Amps are the same between the two. Besides extra/flopped terminals, everything else looks totally identical.

They're taking 20% off online orders for truck batteries this month, and have a $30 mail in rebate for the 27F, so in comparing the Group 31M + Slee Offroad bracket, I'm getting 10% less capacity, but at 50% less cost.

Works for me!

 

What’s the code for the 20% off? I see 10% off by ordering online and picking up in store but nothing about 20% for truck batteries. Thanks.

 

Promo Code: CDP13135

 

No good. Thanks anyways.

 

CDP13175 I'm so helpful I missed a number.