Giving up on Odessy Batteries

[Tartan Terror]

A week ago I told of how good Odessey was about replacing a battery that was just one month over the stated warranty period. I have no problem with the way it is being handled but due to other Odessey failures in young batteries I have decided to choose another brand. Last summer I got an Odessey for my truck and one month later it failed and needed to be replaced. Just this weekend It failed again and I put the 5 year old Delco I had removed and was sitting on a shelf back in and it fired right up. Another warranty claim pending. Very disappointing.

 

Well all this prompted me to compare and I found the Odessey PC545 I was using in the bike, supposedly the best I could get, had 14AH and 185 CCA. Well the regular Yousa battery has 18AH and 270 CCA and if I wanted to pay more I could get the high performance Yousa and get 18AH and 310 CCA. I just ordered the Yousa from the local auto parts place and was done with it.

 

 

Everyone watch your Odessey batteries. The failing of the battery in the fall may also have contributed to my engine knock from ignition problems. Either way my trust is gone.

 

PS. Does any one want a good deal on the new PC545 Im recieving under warranty?

[Condor]

Everyone watch your Odessey batteries. The failing of the battery in the fall may also have contributed to my engine knock from ignition problems. Either way my trust is gone.

 

PS. Does any one want a good deal on the new PC545 Im recieving under warranty?

 

I have had a couple of Odysseys fail too Scott. Although the last one I sent in because it was giving a 'bad cell' reading on my charger was returned because they couldn't find a problem, and when I put it back on the charger it was fine. I wonder if they just changed it out and said they didn't??? Anyway, that's why I decided to start testing one of the Deka EXT18L AGM's by East-Penn Mfg., and the fact that it has the same footprint as the OEM Yuasa, the cc's are higher, and the retail price is much better, had a lot to do with it. Anyway, it's in the bike, and I know it's early, but so far...so good. The 2ndGen is the Deka EXT20L. Another nice thing is they have dealers all over the US, so if you can find one nearby is saves a bunch on shipping costs.

http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/ZipSearch.aspx?pageid=843

[Tartan Terror]

Actually I did a comparision on Battery web and they offered that one too. I had my eye on the interstate one as well but I chose because I could have it in my hand today. I didnt have my eye on the Interstate HD battery which was 310 CC.

 

Condor you are or were a Odessey dealer right? Did you get many complaints on that battery?

[scubarider]

That's strange. I have various Odesseys in my bike, airplane and lawnmower. I have never had one to fail on me. I have always trusted them and never a performance problem.

Dennis

[Condor]

Condor you are or were a Odessey dealer right? Did you get many complaints on that battery?

 

Nope... the only deal I could get was dealer on the 680 and 545 because of the group buys I did for the board. Seemed like a pretty good deal at the time. Things change...

[BoomerCPO]

I was in on the Odessey group buy last year that Condor did for us.

 

So far so good with my Odessey! Course I keep mine on a battery maintainer throughout the year when I am not riding..........

 

Boomer.....who is still grateful to Condor for his time and trouble.

[Magnum]

PS. Does any one want a good deal on the new PC545 Im recieving under warranty?

 

I need a new battery. What is a good deal? Do you really want to sell it?

[BoomerCPO]

Does any one want a good deal on the new PC545 Im recieving under warranty?

 

What is your price + shipping?

 

Boomer........who likes having 1 bird in hand and 1 in de bush as well......

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Years ago, I read that the more CCA a battery has, for a given size of battery, the more it is prone to failure. Seems logical to me. You pack thicker plates in there more closely together, its more vulnerable to heat, freezing, vibration, and internal shorts.

 

And back in the day, sure enough, when the premium motorcycle battery was a DIEHARD battery, from Sears I think, those batteries seemed to fail after 2 years, and the el cheapo and lower AH/CCA motorcycle batteries from PK Supply lasted 5 years or more.

 

( Back in the 60s and 70s, PK Supply was a small auto parts/variety store)

[1BigDog]

I was never a fan of those gel batteries. Those AGM's have been around forever. Almost all of my AGM's have lasted at least 3 years with the exception of the period last year with the charging issues. I now have a Batteries Plus AGM.

[RedRocket]

Come to think of it, I've really had better luck overall with Yuasas than I had with AGM batteries. I've barely gotten 2 year at most with them.

[greg_in_london]

Well I was using plain Jane lead acids with continual starting problems when someone lent me an Odyssey which was not being used. Despite sometimes leaving it for months at a time between start-ups the Odyssey has been reliable for about four years. I don't know how old it actually is.

 

I'm thinking about buying another AGM which will fill up the space completely for the time when I have to return the Odyssey. I certainly recommend it, but maybe a good gel battery would have been fine too.

 

I've got an unfilled lead acid just sitting on my shelf if anyone locally thinks they're as good.