jimbo53188
Full Member
Your Question: Why is the Odyssey better than Optima and is it worth the cost difference?
When comparing Optima to an Odyssey, you are comparing a 10 year old technology to a brand new one. To be more specific, the parent company (Enersys) invented and has owned both products. They owned the Optima technology and plant and finally sold off Optima over ten years ago to move on to creating Odyssey. The older spiral product and technology was abandoned because of the new technology which is now Hawker, trolling thunder, and now Odyssey.
Specifics:
Warranty
4 year full replacement vs. 1.5 year prorated
1 to 2 psi vs. 6-8psi bunsen valves
lower psi still vent while charging and this alone can contribute to failure as well as gassing
pure virgin lead vs. recycled lead
pure lead lasts longer
old spiral agm vs. thin plate
spiral equals less usable space, less reserve, less shock and vibration ability
lower resistance
charges faster, puts out higher cranking amps, contributes to longer life
more lead in the same physical size
The last one here is critical for the troll motor application. The amount of lead in a battery is the contributing factor when determining reserve capacity, or the ability to run electronics, pumps, lights, or a troll motor. Look at the physical weight of a battery compared to the same group size of a competing battery. For example.
Optima grp 24 weighs 38 lbs (34M) and an Odyssey grp 24 weighs 55 lbs (1500T).
Optima grp 31 weighs 59lbs D31M and an Odyssey grp 31 weighs 78lbs (2150)
Flooded vs. AGM (a personal choice)
Flooded product is less expensive and lasts a couple of years. The good thing about it is it is cheap. The bad thing is you have to add water, you have to deal with corrosion, and you have to replace every couple of years. There are reasons why they do not last long. By design they calcify faster because they loose charge faster. This is an issue because it leads to internal failure. The more calcification the more resistance, the more resistance the more heat and finally failure. By keeping them on an onboard trickle charger you have serious gassing issues and drying out concerns unless you constantly maintain them. Most manufactures of flooded product use recycled lead with calcium and antimony which contribute to the internal failure of the product. It makes life shorter, but it makes manufacturing cheaper. That is why you can save money and buy a 50 dollar grp 24. I wanted to get away from all of that flooded maintenance. If you do go the flooded route buy the heaviest one you can find in the size you like because weight equals reserve capacity.
AGM is more expensive, it lasts longer, and can be a set it and forget it solution for many years. The bad thing is the initial cost and there are a lot of garbage AGM?s out in the market. Some AGM's dry out in the first couple of years because of poor bunsen valve technology. Some have little lead and are not good for reserve capacity. Some claim to be AGM and are a flooded/AGM product. A Odyssey AGM has a service life of 6 to 10 years. They are maintenance free and can be left on an automatic charger like a ProMariner for the life of the battery. No worries about gassing or drying out. Look at the warranty of the product you are going to buy. Most of the Odyssey batteries have a 4 year full replacement.
I spent some time putting this together and I really enjoy discussing batteries. I tried to just give the facts, but I am an Odyssey fan and have one in everything I own that takes a battery.
( reply from my battery supplier )
When comparing Optima to an Odyssey, you are comparing a 10 year old technology to a brand new one. To be more specific, the parent company (Enersys) invented and has owned both products. They owned the Optima technology and plant and finally sold off Optima over ten years ago to move on to creating Odyssey. The older spiral product and technology was abandoned because of the new technology which is now Hawker, trolling thunder, and now Odyssey.
Specifics:
Warranty
4 year full replacement vs. 1.5 year prorated
1 to 2 psi vs. 6-8psi bunsen valves
lower psi still vent while charging and this alone can contribute to failure as well as gassing
pure virgin lead vs. recycled lead
pure lead lasts longer
old spiral agm vs. thin plate
spiral equals less usable space, less reserve, less shock and vibration ability
lower resistance
charges faster, puts out higher cranking amps, contributes to longer life
more lead in the same physical size
The last one here is critical for the troll motor application. The amount of lead in a battery is the contributing factor when determining reserve capacity, or the ability to run electronics, pumps, lights, or a troll motor. Look at the physical weight of a battery compared to the same group size of a competing battery. For example.
Optima grp 24 weighs 38 lbs (34M) and an Odyssey grp 24 weighs 55 lbs (1500T).
Optima grp 31 weighs 59lbs D31M and an Odyssey grp 31 weighs 78lbs (2150)
Flooded vs. AGM (a personal choice)
Flooded product is less expensive and lasts a couple of years. The good thing about it is it is cheap. The bad thing is you have to add water, you have to deal with corrosion, and you have to replace every couple of years. There are reasons why they do not last long. By design they calcify faster because they loose charge faster. This is an issue because it leads to internal failure. The more calcification the more resistance, the more resistance the more heat and finally failure. By keeping them on an onboard trickle charger you have serious gassing issues and drying out concerns unless you constantly maintain them. Most manufactures of flooded product use recycled lead with calcium and antimony which contribute to the internal failure of the product. It makes life shorter, but it makes manufacturing cheaper. That is why you can save money and buy a 50 dollar grp 24. I wanted to get away from all of that flooded maintenance. If you do go the flooded route buy the heaviest one you can find in the size you like because weight equals reserve capacity.
AGM is more expensive, it lasts longer, and can be a set it and forget it solution for many years. The bad thing is the initial cost and there are a lot of garbage AGM?s out in the market. Some AGM's dry out in the first couple of years because of poor bunsen valve technology. Some have little lead and are not good for reserve capacity. Some claim to be AGM and are a flooded/AGM product. A Odyssey AGM has a service life of 6 to 10 years. They are maintenance free and can be left on an automatic charger like a ProMariner for the life of the battery. No worries about gassing or drying out. Look at the warranty of the product you are going to buy. Most of the Odyssey batteries have a 4 year full replacement.
I spent some time putting this together and I really enjoy discussing batteries. I tried to just give the facts, but I am an Odyssey fan and have one in everything I own that takes a battery.
( reply from my battery supplier )