What batteries for me?

[LemonyGuy]

Let me start off by saying I know next to nothing on how to pick what battery I need and if you know of like a big guide thread or anything else about what battery to get please share, I'm all for learning about something I don't know about. Now that thats out of the way, I got my car that needs to have its electrical finished off before I can go much further, I'm only running about 3k with a single run on SHCA 1/0 to the back, proper frame grounds and big 3. I was thinking I could get away with a single cheap agm battery up front and 1 or 2 larger agms in the back. This is a trunk build so I'm limited to 2 or 3 if absolutely needed batteries in the trunk. This is on a tight budget as it always is so no XS power, ganna be sears or autozone agms, what ever is better for the price. I can and will be able to throw the batteries on the charger every other day or so. So, what batteries are for me? Oh yea, its an 01 Chevy Malibu with some Napa battery in, not sure what kind.

[reedal]

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/69019-xs-power-battery-wattage-guide/?fromsearch=1

I know you said no xs power, but you can still use their provided info to find what you need. And if you go to their website 4xspower.com and use their OEM replacement and other tools on the homepage, use them to figure out what group number battery you need under your hood, then go from there about what extra batteries you need for support

[LemonyGuy]

Alright so for the under the hood battery, it says I need a bci group 75. This battery would be for starting so I would just go with any agm battery that fit right? Ex power doesn't make any group 75s but they had a kit and a d925 with it.

As for the extra batteries, would it be better to run 2 batteries of equivalent specs to one 3k battery or just buy one big battery and way down the line buy another? Or Should I go for 3 matching group 75s that add up to one 3k and have one as my starting batt?

Do you have any experience with any other batteries, say sears or autozone or anyone else that is budget friendly?

Thanks for the quick reply bro.

[reedal]

I'm no battery expert or even close. I just want to try and help you. What's your total budget, that will help a lot. And also info about your car, make/model/year/engine size. Are you able to look at your current battery and see it's specs? Such as size and cranking amps it puts out? And if you have a car manual, check in there to see if it tells you how many cranking amps you require. That way we can get you the right under the hood battery, and then we can work on your reserve. If you can find an AGM to replace the one under your hood, then i would say one big battery in the back would probably be enough in the back for 3000W if you have a HO alt. But if you're running the stock alt, then i would say maybe two group 31 batts and a charger to top them off once a week depending on your useage of your system

[LemonyGuy]

My car is a 01 chevy malibu with a 3.1L engine, I have no defined budget I just want to keep it as low as possible because i'm going to slowing add all the batteries. I don't plan to add a HO alt unless I go any bigger which isn't in the plans for this car. I check my manual for the cranking amps but didn't find it. This is my current battery under the hood http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Battery-NAPA-XDT-75-Month/_/R-NBP75XDT_0398832403

[reedal]

for under your hood

http://www.autozone.com/routine-maintenance/battery/duralast-platinum-battery/377104_928503_0/

for your reserves, two of these. I've never used/heard of them before but droppinhz sells them so maybe they're decent. You can open a thread asking them about it.

http://www.droppinhzcaraudio.com/block-shakers-12v-110ah-2000-watts-high-performance-car-audio-battery/

I would say you might want about 200AH total for your extra batteries, but i'm not too sure, maybe someone with more knowledge/experience can clarify.

and to charge them without the HO alt

http://www.droppinhzcaraudio.com/hf1215/

depending on whether you go full tilt, how bad your voltage drop is, how long you play, etc., you may need to charge daily or weekly. Not sure what equipment you're running, but if you've got a legit 3000W in your daily driver, i'd suggest grabbing an alt.

[magillaru]

Get the biggest agm you can fit under the hood and a group 31 in the back, check for voltage drop and go from there. You might be okay on stock alt.

Most of those agm's from Sears,etc are rebranded deka's, you'll be fine with that.

Also, you may want to check online (eg. Remybatt) for an agm for pricing to avoid getting charged core fees from a store.

[LemonyGuy]

for under your hood

http://www.autozone.com/routine-maintenance/battery/duralast-platinum-battery/377104_928503_0/

for your reserves, two of these. I've never used/heard of them before but droppinhz sells them so maybe they're decent. You can open a thread asking them about it.

http://www.droppinhzcaraudio.com/block-shakers-12v-110ah-2000-watts-high-performance-car-audio-battery/

I would say you might want about 200AH total for your extra batteries, but i'm not too sure, maybe someone with more knowledge/experience can clarify.

and to charge them without the HO alt

http://www.droppinhzcaraudio.com/hf1215/

depending on whether you go full tilt, how bad your voltage drop is, how long you play, etc., you may need to charge daily or weekly. Not sure what equipment you're running, but if you've got a legit 3000W in your daily driver, i'd suggest grabbing an alt.

I like the batteries but if i wear to find a battery similar or identical stats but was a car audio battery, would that work? Also, I have a battery charger, its nothing fancy but it worked for boat battery and stuff, will it work?

[LemonyGuy]

Get the biggest agm you can fit under the hood and a group 31 in the back, check for voltage drop and go from there. You might be okay on stock alt.

Most of those agm's from Sears,etc are rebranded deka's, you'll be fine with that.

Also, you may want to check online (eg. Remybatt) for an agm for pricing to avoid getting charged core fees from a store.

If i wanted to do this over the drop in replacement, how would i mount it and should i remove the original battery tray, than measure and add?

[reedal]

As long as you get agm batteries and aren't mixing agm with regular lead acid, then a different battery with same specs should be fine. And that charger you already have will only work if it can charge AGM's. Find the manual, see if there's a button to select agm, or Google it before you do it