Battery Replacement time - Trojan or Deka?

[taoshum]

Same idea here.. Interstate, Costco, Sam's (All same manufacturer) gives much better "Bang for the buck"

Bang for the buck, right on!!  Especially these days.  And, warranty service everywhere we go, even Mexico...  There are CostCo, Sam's and WM's in Hermilsillo, Cabo, etc.
 
You didn't include Wal-Mart?  Is CostCo or Sam's better than Wal-Mart?  The only reason I ask is that even though there are lots of Sam's and many CostCo Stores, there are Wal-Marts "everywhere" and if it comes to a warranty issue, naturally it will happen a long distance from Sam's or whatever but there will be a WM... I guess they might not have the same battery though...  Anyway, does WM get their batteries from the same place as Sam's? CostCo?  How do I find out?  Thanks.

 

[sheltie]

FWIW - I replaced six T-105s yesterday and they cost $112 each here in central Texas.  Much more expensive than they used to be a couple years ago, but the price has slipped a little in the past few months.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Anyway, does WM get their batteries from the same place as Sam's? CostCo?

Short answer is no.

Each battery will have a manufacturer code that identifies who actually made it, and few house brands (e.g. Walmart's Everstart label) get all their batteries from the same manufacturer. The problem is that Walmart doesn't carry much in the way of deep cycles and none with their own private label on them. The closest thing is a Minnkota Trolling Motor battery, which is actually pretty decent and made by Johnson Controls. You won't find a 6v golf cart battery at Walmart, but you probably will at Sams or Costco.

The Walmart Everstart Marine Maxx is what many people buy for their boats and RVs. It is a decent enough "marine" type battery, but that does not make it a true deep cycle. It's basically a gussied-up automotive starting battery and so does not hold up under constant discharge and recharge cycles like a battery designed as a deep cycler. Figure on a 2-3 year life for that sort of battery under light duty use (weekend trips in the RV).

 

[bigskymt]

Costco gets their golf cart batts from Johnson Controls who in turn get them from US battery.
  Johnson rates those batts at 225 AH, Costco rates them at 205.
  Costco sells those batts for about $75 each.