Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

doctorZeus
doctorZeus Registered Users Posts: 24
I'll give you the price check.. my local Sam's Club had the Duracell GC2 6V "Golf Car" batteries for $84.52/each. They all appeared to be nice and new with "H3" stickers. (FYI- The East Penn date codes for these batteries = H is the 8th letter in the alphabet, so H = August, and the 3 is the year 2013). Florida has a $1.50 state fee on each battery, Sam's has a $15 core charge on each battery, and then .06 sales tax brought 4 of these to an out the door price of $428.32, or $107.08/each. To compare, I paid almost exactly $140 each for Trojan T-105s from a local golf car store which was about $20 and $30 cheaper than the next two places. And that guy made it out like he was giving me the deal of the century, and was getting such a dynamite deal only because I bought 6. Hmmmm :) (Jeez I hope he was able to feed his family that week.)

From what I can tell, they seem to look and feel (and weigh!) identical. Not exactly sure what I'm doing with these new GC2s yet, I'll let you know if it sounds interesting though.

So what's the opinion of the "cheapo Sam's and Costco" 6V batteries? Most of the threads I could find on google were around a year (or more) old, but it seems that the polarization of the solar community was closing up a bit with more people starting to accept them as worthy.

So what say you guys? What's your opinion and experience if you've got it?
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Comments

  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    I've had no problem, several threads here about Sam's club and Costco golf cart batteries. FWIW - Sams clubs in Florida, Missouri and Kansas all have very liberal core acceptance, a car battery is fine and I've even had them accept a lawn tractor battery for core exchanges. I really do think Trojan makes a premium product, but don't feel they merit the cost difference. If it was only $33 I might even consider a Trojan, but it's $50 difference around here, last I checked.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    1st I would trust SAMs Club reviews from SAMs Club customers. 1 out of 5 stars.
    2nd Duracell is a corporation that has been subcontracting to manufacturers (East Penn/Deka) for their deep cycle batteries. It appears that the Duracell is a East Penn/Deka Pro master battery "rebadged". Duracell may have made a name as a name brand for Alkaline Battery technology, doesn't mean it's a great deep cycle.
    3rd for the name and that it's Chinese cells, subcontracted US corporation (assembled /manufactured/recycled), I would say its an extremely expensive yet lacking longevity for a deep cycle. Most claim 2 year life span from these batteries.
    I would trust brand names like Trojan or Concorde for 6v golf cart batteries. If you are trying to cheap out I would look into Exide AGM's, Vmax tanks AGMs.
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    They are a Good battery for the price. A normal bank will last 3-5 years just like all the rest of them. Just because they are cheap they still require all the same care as a expensive set.
  • Thom
    Thom Solar Expert Posts: 196 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    1st I would trust SAMs Club reviews from SAMs Club customers. 1 out of 5 stars.
    2nd Duracell is a corporation that has been subcontracting to manufacturers (East Penn/Deka) for their deep cycle batteries. It appears that the Duracell is a East Penn/Deka Pro master battery "rebadged". Duracell may have made a name as a name brand for Alkaline Battery technology, doesn't mean it's a great deep cycle.
    3rd for the name and that it's Chinese cells, subcontracted US corporation (assembled /manufactured/recycled), I would say its an extremely expensive yet lacking longevity for a deep cycle. Most claim 2 year life span from these batteries.
    I would trust brand names like Trojan or Concorde for 6v golf cart batteries. If you are trying to cheap out I would look into Exide AGM's, Vmax tanks AGMs.

    I can only tell from my experance . They are working great at 3 plus years . Deca is not a trusted brand ?
    Off grid since 1984. 430w of panel, 300w suresine , 4 gc batteries 12v system, Rogue mpt3024 charge controller , air breeze windmill, Mikita 2400w generator . Added 2@ 100w panel with a midnight brat 
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    1st I would trust SAMs Club reviews from SAMs Club customers. 1 out of 5 stars.
    2nd Duracell is a corporation that has been subcontracting to manufacturers (East Penn/Deka) for their deep cycle batteries. It appears that the Duracell is a East Penn/Deka Pro master battery "rebadged". Duracell may have made a name as a name brand for Alkaline Battery technology, doesn't mean it's a great deep cycle.
    3rd for the name and that it's Chinese cells, subcontracted US corporation (assembled /manufactured/recycled), I would say its an extremely expensive yet lacking longevity for a deep cycle. Most claim 2 year life span from these batteries.
    I would trust brand names like Trojan or Concorde for 6v golf cart batteries. If you are trying to cheap out I would look into Exide AGM's, Vmax tanks AGMs.

    OK to be sure we are comparing apples to apples, the brand sold in Missouri/Kansas is Energizer, but flooded 6v golf cart batteries from Sam's Club web site has 2 different listings for Duracell brand 1 REVIEW AND IT IS 5 STARS! and a second that has 2 reviews with 1 star each. They also have 2 listings for Energizer brand, one with one review and 5 stars and one with 4 reviews 2-1star 1-4star and one 5 star. Remember it's more likely someone who has problems will write a review than someone who's been happy. Someone in North Dakota having a battery freeze over winter, sounds like a poorly charged battery and cold weather. someone who uses batteries seasonally in Florida, the other way around, poor maintenance.

    My experience (with Energizer 6v) was extremely good. I used 4 in a 12 volt system for a year, then used them in a 24 volt system for 4 years, They lived outside in Missouri, they ran an air conditioner during the summer months and were often taken down to 50% or lower DOD during those months. They worked well for me, unless I abused them. I have killed a set in a 12 volt system, that I left for 3-4 months and left the inverter on with now real charging, I had a single panel on them, but in the shade and it became leaf covered. That was my fault!

    There are more positive results here, on this forum than negative. I do want to know who you've poled to say "Most claim 2 year life span.."?
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    Here's my argument:
    Trojan: 5~10 year life span, max guard separator technology, 36 month warranty, $140
    DEKA/Duracell:2~3 year life span, hybrid marine technology, 12 month warranty, $80

    You get what you pay for, it's an investment. No one takes into account cost of inflation to reinvest into batteries 3 years down the road. After a second purchase of the DEKA/Duracell you would of spent more than for 1 Trojan ($160 for DEKA/Duracell VS. $140 for Trojan) not including core charge and fees. If Trojan becomes defective early warranty alone is that safe guard for a much better built and reliable product.

    I've dealt with batteries for years being an automotive sport enthusiast and a GC for battery and grid systems.

    DEKA- good for automotive cold cranking starts
    Trojan- Excellent for reliability, longevity, and overhaul.
  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    Trojan: 5~10 year life span, max guard separator technology, 36 month warranty, $140
    DEKA/Duracell:2~3 year life span, hybrid marine technology, 12 month warranty, $80.

    Trojan is extremely overhiped and they believe they can get away with higher price. Their warranty is worth nothing.

    US battery sold in discount stores have very depressed prices because these discount stores do everything to push the price as low as they can. That's their business model.

    Otherwise, they should be the same. And if it is some difference, it's very small.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    Here's my argument:
    Trojan: 5~10 year life span, max guard separator technology, 36 month warranty, $140
    DEKA/Duracell:2~3 year life span, hybrid marine technology, 12 month warranty, $80

    And here's where your argument falls apart: apples and oranges. The Trojans you list are deep cycle batteries, the Deka's are RV/Marine hybrids. So they are not actually comparable.

    There is nothing wrong with either brand, providing you buy the right kind of battery. Deka is East Penn (aka US Battery) and they are fine.

    I agree with Northguy about the Trojan's; like Surrette they are charging a premium price for the name, and it is not justified. Although I would buy Trojan over Surrette as I haven't seen a lot of people writing in here with problems of low SG, dead cells on new batteries, trouble with customer service, and high operating Voltages in respect to Trojan; only Brand S.
  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    NorthGuy wrote: »
    Trojan is extremely overhiped and they believe they can get away with higher price. Their warranty is worth nothing.

    US battery sold in discount stores have very depressed prices because these discount stores do everything to push the price as low as they can. That's their business model.

    Otherwise, they should be the same. And if it is some difference, it's very small.

    I guess it's different strokes for different folks. All the suppliers and vendors I deal with I hold to a Master Service Agreement. If they carry a brand, and that brand carries warranty, I hold the vendor/distributor/supplier accountable for those warranty conditions, not the manufacturer, merely because they sell at MSRP, easily making a profit of 25~30%. I buy in bulk of more than 4, I know that most consumers beat up batteries past the the recommended DOD, and when something goes wrong with warranty, liability is on the vendor/distributor/vendor, not me because when I install its a matter of making promises I can't keep because ultimately the manufacture said it would be true, according to the sale of the distributor supplier. I take no accountability on those terms or conditions. I've had no problems with my warranty returns.
    from my perspective I sign contracts with clients, I'm technically 3rd party as, I'm an installer and I don't want those kinds of liabilities passed on to me based off of what the manufacturer claims. If anyone ever has the slightest hint they may be paying to much, all I can say is get it in writing with a signature. Then again I come from a world of contract language where everything in writing is crucially important for liability or failure.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    I come from an end user perspective, I want the most bang for the buck. I actually believe Trojans are likely to last a year or 2 longer(I don't buy that they will make 10 yrs of service without tender care AND good luck), but at roughly 80% higher cost, I'll take 5 years out of the Energizer batteries I purchased from Sam's club (and I freely admit to having abused the batteries I got 5 years of service out of!!!)
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    There are probably 300 of them on my boat dock in banks of 8-10 , I never hear complaint one about them other than the Gas costing $10 a hour to re-charge them. I'll give them 10 out of 10 stars as a good value for the money. If you want to see how they look inside , take a flashlight and look into the cells and the thickness of the plates. Then go look inside a Interstate HD battery. The HD batteries get the 230 Amp Hrs from jamming a bunch of thin plates into the same case.

    One place I have read people complaining about them is on the EV forums, they put them in a Converted Pickup truck or electric car and run them into the ground and take them back every 6 months for a replacement and some were refused, so I could see some of them giving them a low rating. After all it is a Golf Cart battery, you never know how they are used and charged, they are probably pretty tapped out after 18 holes of Golf. I see Bass Fishermen with them on their trolling motors and running big lights a night.
    .
  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    Then go look inside a Interstate HD battery. The HD batteries get the 230 Amp Hrs from jamming a bunch of thin plates into the same case.
    This is disturbing since I have purchased eight of these. You are correct about the thin plates though.
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    verdigo wrote: »
    This is disturbing since I have purchased eight of these. You are correct about the thin plates though.
    I bought a set of 10 Interstates that a guy had for the core charge that were a little over a year old. I put in a set of Sams Duracells. When I got them to the shop I was going to equalize them and see what the problem was. Well, I was checking the water I noticed the plates were all pushed over and couple were shorted. He had used one of those water bottles with a spring cutoff spout and it had bent the plates over. I looked at how thin the plates and separators were. I then looked at a regular 210 amp GC-2 and the plates looked twice as thick. Now I know how they get the larger amp rating, by using thinner plates and putting more in them. The weight is about the same on both. There is no proof that one battery is any better or would last longer than another, just more plates, but thinner. It does make me wonder when I see batteries of the same size with different amp ratings, what do they do to get the higher amp ratings.
  • Volvo Farmer
    Volvo Farmer Solar Expert Posts: 209 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    I bought four of the Sam's GC2 batteries back in '04, they were the "Stowaway" brand. Anyway they lived on basically float charge with 160W of panel in a garage situation since then with very occasional weekend use for lights, saws, air compressor, etc. I pulled a couple out of that service and used them in my solar powered golf cart about six months ago, and they both recently died. Positive posts were visibly pushed up. SG in one cell went away in each battery. I got two more Energizer brand at Sams to replace them. Cost was right about $85 plus tax. I had a couple automotive batteries as cores. I think they are an excellent value for the money, and having experienced the short end of a Surrette battery warranty (read pro-rated). I think these types of battery are an excellent value.

    solarcart.jpg
  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    VF, you must have an extra Volvo emblem to put on the front of the golf cart...keep the fleet compleet.

    Ralph
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    Testing a set of Batteries is a long process, First you have to start on a new set and it has to be real world and based on the way they are being used, then you have to wait 3-5 years. I have a test set in their 3 year. This a set of 10 Sams GC-2's ( 1,100 Amp hrs ) that have charged @ 250 amps to gassing voltage of 14.2 V on every 50 % dod discharge. Absorb was done @ 100 amps.

    The reason for the test was to see if they could be fast re-charged to cut gas consumption in half. The answer is Yes. In 2 years I was able to pay for the set ( $ 900 ) in fuel savings alone. I have several other tests going on, I am out of room to hook up anything else at the moment. I have 3 battery chargers being tested at the present time plus 6 desulfaters. I de-bunked the PF correction that was posted here many times about how good a charger with PF is.

    http://forum.solar-electric.com/showthread.php?19402-Meanwell-PB-1000-vs-Iota-DLS-75&highlight=meanwell



    Attachment not found.
  • DMJ72
    DMJ72 Solar Expert Posts: 131 ✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    There is another thread with some info on these batteries :

    http://forum.solar-electric.com/showthread.php?16737-Golf-Cart-Battery-Lifespan-Question

    I have 4 of these (Eveready Branded) - same battery as the Energizers and they are made by Johnson controls. My set are made in Mexico. I am going to put them in a 24V setup. A few off-grid users in Jamaica are using them with good results.

    My only difficulty with them is that I can't find the charging & equalisation parameters :(
  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    verdigo wrote: »
    This is disturbing since I have purchased eight of these. You are correct about the thin plates though.

    Thin plates means its a low resistance high discharge, which equates to a high "COLD" cranking amps battery. So in most cases you may get away engineering smaller diameter AWG conductor, the down fall is that the amount of heat, and PH chemistry created from the electrochemical effect compromises the plates at a greater rate than plates that are thicker. So batteries designed for solar I.E (Concorde, Trojan, Surrette), or the Chinese brands (VMAX tanks, XS) last longer as the plates won't be compromised from a higher rate of resistance.
    example a marine or car battery uses thin plates for high cranking cold amps. An alternator at 5000 rpm may peak at a 25~30 amp discharge, however from the lower resistance the alternator would draw 5 amps at idle, yet make the battery fully charged after 15~20 minutes of in town driving or in park.
    thin or thicker plates don't make the Ah of a battery, the level of liters of liquid electrochemistry are what make up the total Ah of the battery. Thickness of the plates may consume some area of the same proportionate size of the battery, but then it's only marginal differences consistent to density by maybe 5 or 10% of the entire make up.
    generally why I prefer spending the extra money on solar batteries and just using thicker conductors. From an engineering standpoint solar batteries or batteries with thicker plates last longer.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    I wonder if my paper shredder can do sheepskin?
  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    Thin plates means its a low resistance high discharge, which equates to a high "COLD" cranking amps battery.

    Hmmm. Must be some other principle at work in the design of the Interstate batteries, because a 232 ah 6 volt battery is not a high "COLD" cranking amp battery.
  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    I bought a set of 10 Interstates that a guy had for the core charge that were a little over a year old. I put in a set of Sams Duracells. When I got them to the shop I was going to equalize them and see what the problem was. Well, I was checking the water I noticed the plates were all pushed over and couple were shorted. He had used one of those water bottles with a spring cutoff spout and it had bent the plates over. I looked at how thin the plates and separators were. I then looked at a regular 210 amp GC-2 and the plates looked twice as thick. Now I know how they get the larger amp rating, by using thinner plates and putting more in them. The weight is about the same on both. There is no proof that one battery is any better or would last longer than another, just more plates, but thinner. It does make me wonder when I see batteries of the same size with different amp ratings, what do they do to get the higher amp ratings.

    I still plan on using them and will probably get eight more. They seem to get pretty good reviews. When I get back to the shop Monday I will take a look at the 210 ah version. I have 4 of those in inventory. Being new to Solar I will probably kill them (I am told anyway) so my use of them as far as reliability goes won't be much use to anyone.
  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    verdigo wrote: »
    Hmmm. Must be some other principle at work in the design of the Interstate batteries, because a 232 ah 6 volt battery is not a high "COLD" cranking amp battery.

    According to interstate their marine and golf cart batteries use what they call pinnacle technology which uses thinner plates for a higher discharge of CCA.
  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    According to interstate their marine and golf cart batteries use what they call pinnacle technology which uses thinner plates for a higher discharge of CCA.

    Do you have a link for that? I read about their "pinnacle technology" but what I read seemed to apply to automotive batteries. The labels on the actual battery just state 232 AH and 122 min @ 75 amps. Nothing about CCA. The ability to handle higher discharge rates and I assume faster charge rates may be a plus for a noob like myself.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    Increased cold cranking Amps is achieved by greater plate surface area. It doesn't matter how you do it. Also it is not a battery characteristic of concern for RE applications so it is irrelevant, other than being an indication that you are probably looking at the wrong kind of battery.
  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    Increased cold cranking Amps is achieved by greater plate surface area. It doesn't matter how you do it. Also it is not a battery characteristic of concern for RE applications so it is irrelevant, other than being an indication that you are probably looking at the wrong kind of battery.

    It appears that interstate back in 2000 implemented their pinnacle technology for automotive and commercial. In (2004 or 2005), my vendor was unable to get the exact date when manufacturing changed to pinnacle for all battery makes to simplify manufacturing processes between all the product lines. "All Interstate batteries as of now use Pinnacle technology". Cold Cranking AMPs is a term used per application of the hybrid Marine Battery, and motor cycle SLA battery types interstate offers, but not limited to the term CCA for flooded automotive as well.

    The only other technology that interstate/optima offers is spiral AGM technology which is separate from the pinnacle line of batteries.

    Heres the article from back in 2000.
    Attachment not found.
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    Increased cold cranking Amps is achieved by greater plate surface area. It doesn't matter how you do it. Also it is not a battery characteristic of concern for RE applications so it is irrelevant, other than being an indication that you are probably looking at the wrong kind of battery.
    Coot said it right, anybody that is trying to sell you a Battery based on CCA for Solar use, run the other way.
  • PNjunction
    PNjunction Solar Expert Posts: 762 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    It appears that the Duracell is a East Penn/Deka Pro master battery "rebadged".

    Yes - rebadged. Look at the Deka / East Penn Promaster GC series intended for floor scrubbers, golf cars, forklifts etc. Seems to be a bit heavier duty than a typical marine hybrid, which according to East Penn has thicker grids, heavy duty active material, separators etc to take a bit more deep cycling, but perhaps not as much as a dedicated RE deep cycle would.

    For more info just search for
    East Penn Promaster 0248.pdf
    East Penn Promaster 0250.pdf
    East Penn Golf Car / EV battery care guide.

    Looks like the specs for these flooded GC's are basically no more charge current than RC/3, and no higher than 16v, although equalization is ok according to their care guide application manual. Also, they appear to be a "low-antimony" type of doping, rather than lead-calcium, so the self-discharge rate might be something to keep an eye on.

    If I had to put it into a category, I'd say they are more of a marine / motive power hybrid than a standard SLI / marine hybrid.
  • 2manytoyz
    2manytoyz Solar Expert Posts: 373 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    Six years ago, I bought cheap batteries from BJ's Wholesale Club (Sam's Club competitor locally). Exide batteries, made in Mexico. I even added some Enegizer batteries. They all lasted at least 5 years, some went as far as 6. I'm in hot/sunny FL, and my batteries lived in the garage. Even at night, often 95 degrees. By comparison, a car battery often lasts about 3 years in a vehicle here. So despite them being cheap, and a mixed batch, they worked very well, and lasted as much as I could hope for.

    That said, that store no longer stocks 6V GC2 batteries, but our Sam's Club does. So this time, I bought 8 rebadged Deka batteries. American made. Trojan snobs might look down upon my choice, but at $85 each, can't be beat here. Why pay twice as much for something that doesn't last twice as long, or perform twice as good?

    Trojan batteries also have received a lot of bad press on the golf cart forums. EZ-GO had so many issues, Trojan is no longer the battery supplier. FWIW, I do have 4 Trojan 1260 batteries in my cart (came with them), and having no issues.

    So this is what I purchased a couple of weeks ago.

    dscn9480.jpg

    dscn9482.jpg

    dscn9487.jpg

    Ask me in 5 or 6 years if this was a wise choice! I'm satisfied with my previous batteries, so not too concerned about these. YMMV.
  • jcheil
    jcheil Solar Expert Posts: 722 ✭✭✭
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check
    2manytoyz wrote: »
    Six years ago, I bought cheap batteries from BJ's Wholesale Club (Sam's Club competitor locally). Exide batteries, made in Mexico. I even added some Enegizer batteries. They all lasted at least 5 years, some went as far as 6. I'm in hot/sunny FL, and my batteries lived in the garage. Even at night, often 95 degrees. By comparison, a car battery often lasts about 3 years in a vehicle here. So despite them being cheap, and a mixed batch, they worked very well, and lasted as much as I could hope for.

    That said, that store no longer stocks 6V GC2 batteries, but our Sam's Club does. So this time, I bought 8 rebadged Deka batteries. American made. Trojan snobs might look down upon my choice, but at $85 each, can't be beat here. Why pay twice as much for something that doesn't last twice as long, or perform twice as good?

    Trojan batteries also have received a lot of bad press on the golf cart forums. EZ-GO had so many issues, Trojan is no longer the battery supplier. FWIW, I do have 4 Trojan 1260 batteries in my cart (came with them), and having no issues.

    So this is what I purchased a couple of weeks ago.

    dscn9480.jpg

    dscn9482.jpg

    dscn9487.jpg

    Ask me in 5 or 6 years if this was a wise choice! I'm satisfied with my previous batteries, so not too concerned about these. YMMV.

    I have had those exact same batteries from Sams for just about a year now and they are all SG stable and don't seem to be giving me any issues.

    My neighbor has the same ones also and he almost killed them by undercharging them for 6 months. We managed to bring them all back to life with some long EQ-ing. So, I am happy with them so far. Hope to get 5yrs out of them.
    Off-Grid in Central Florida since 2005, Full-Time since June 2014 | 12 X Sovello 205w panels, 9 X ToPoint 220w panels, 36x ToPoint 225w panels (12,525 watts total) | Custom built single-axis ground mounts | Complete FP2 Outback System: 3 x FM80, 2 x VFX3648, X240 Transformer, FLEXnet-DC, Mate-3, Hub-10, FW500 AC/DC | 24 x Trojan L16RE-B Batteries 1110ah @ 48v | Honda EU7000is Generator and a pile of "other" Generators | Home-Made PVC solar hot water collector | Custom data logging software http://www.somewhatcrookedcamp.com/monitormate.html
  • Mark40930
    Mark40930 Registered Users Posts: 5
    Re: Sam's Club Golf Car Batteries - Price and Opinion check

    Just curious jcheil, what is the AH rating on those batteries? I may consider those to use with my 12V setup.