What LV Battery (12V) to get for good price in Canada?

I got a number, for the stock battery only, not installed; forget exactly, but it was around $205~215. This was a greater Vancouver dealership.

Still expensive, comparing to regular, under-the-hood lead-acid batteries, but a lot less than your quote. Phone around?

 

A lot more than when I bought from them, but saskbattery is selling the Optima Yellow Top for the prius for 229. with free shipping. When I purchased they sent me one that was only 2-3 weeks 'old'; which was way better than the dusty old stuff on the shelf at CTC made by Exide.

Roland

 

Roland, if you don't mind:

How was your experience with saskbattery? Was the battery tiptop when it arrived, and fit ok?

I'm still on original battery but weighing the options. What with local dealerships asking $273 for the Yuasa, I'm considering the Optima Yellowtop now.

 

Well, I snapped: ordered the Optima Yellow Top battery through SaskBattery:

Optima Yellow Top:
8171-767 DS46B24R

Talking to one of their rep's, I was hooked when he said their current stock was received two weeks ago. Hope it works out, will post an update when it arrives.

Optima battery's info:

DS46B24R YELLOWTOP® Prius® Auxiliary Battery 8171-767 | OPTIMABATTERIES

SaskBattery's info:

OPTIMA 8171-767 YELLOW TOP POST GR#51JIS $229.99 FREE SHIPPING SASKBATTERY.COM

The OEM Yuasa S46B24R GS (comes with the car) seems to have had a price jump. Two local dealerships quoted $273, at least $50 more than when I last checked, about a year back. The Optima Yellow Top OTOH, was $229.99.

Beside being $43 cheaper, purchasing the Optima through SaskBattery had a pleasant surprise: I only need to pay 5% GST tax; provincial sales tax, 7% in my case, is not charged. With all of this, the Optima was ultimately $64 cheaper:

 

Per their claim, SaskBatteries "packed the heck out of it":



Measurements match OEM Yuasa battery. There's a vent opening on positive side.




Initial voltage around 12.6, gonna need some charging, which I would do in any event.

The Solar BA5 tester, set to spiral type AGM and 450 CCA, says actual CCA is 687. It concurs: healthy but needs charging.



Used the Snowflake/Spiral-wound setting for first time. It'll likely charge through the evening. I'll let it sit overnight, recheck in the morning.

 

Does the CTEK charger automatically recognize AGM batteries?

 

No, you select a mode manually. From what I've seen in the CTEK manual, and reading Optima's charging instruction, the snowflake mode is the way to go. Voltage is highest. 14.7.

The charger felt quite warm first time I checked, about 1/2 hour after hookup. Now it's been about 1.5 hours, and it's cooled down some.

Battery feels ever so slightly above ambient temp.

 

I would be interested to know what the final resting voltage is after the charge and also how it measures once it is in the car.

 

Mendel:

How did you reconcile Sask's report of current stock being received 2 weeks ago with the initial 12.6v? I see, via the link you provided, that Optima indicates fully charged Yellow top measures 13.1v.

 

Not sure. I've heard in the past batteries were sold at around 70% charged. Also, just because they received them 2 weeks back (assuming this is true), they could have sat elsewhere for some time.

Still charging..., about 4.5 hours now. Still not that unusual. We'll see.

There's no obvious date on the case.

 

Mendel,

When you recharged your OEM battery a few weeks back, how long did the charger run before it kicked off?

 

I think around 6 hours. The OEM recommend no more than 4.2 amp charging rate, whereas the optima says up to 10 amp. The charger is 3.3, a little poky for the task. Another factor.

 

It had rocking CCA according to my tester. Just a little shagged from coming cross the prairies. I'm thinking good thoughts.

 

4.75 hours of charging: CTEK dubbed it done. Couldn't resist to check voltage, surface charge and all: 13.45.

Will recheck in the morning.

 

That original Yuasa can easily go another 3 years for you......but thinking about your cold winters, I guess swapping it out now wouldn't be a bad idea.

At least now you have a spare

 

I won't lose any sleep over residual life in the OEM, and it starts to feel like Russian Roullete after 5 years.

South coast BC winters are pretty mild, BTW. More so lately, global warming I guess.

 

Installed the battery this morning, and had a drive to my dentist, about 15 km in total, steep hill. Checking when I got home, car shut down:

Voltage at jump point: 13.05
Voltage at battery: 12.95
As measured CCA: 645
(This with Solar BA5)

 

Sounds good, see what the voltage is tomorrow morning prior to starting the car for the first time that day.