My battery is getting weak again and this time I am leaning towards using either Walmart H7 or Sears H7/94R battery. The Sears store is particularly convenient for me so that's where I am leaning even though it is a little more expensive. I have some questions please:

1.There is a hose coming off the left side of the OEM battery - see picture, where the yellow arrow is pointing too. What does this little hose do and where does it go too?

2. What do I do with this hose when I replace the battery? Will the new replacement battery have a similar outlet to hook this hose into?

3. Walmart offers the H7 for around $110 I think. Sears offers a regular battery and a $200 battery with AGM technology Sears AGM 94R battery. From online reading, it seems AGM battery is better so I'm leaning towards this. Any comment on this topic? The extra money is worth it correct?

 

Vent hose - is discussed in almost every battery post.

 

AGM Battery

 

Thanks for the replies. I found some more info on AGM as well and now wonder if it is necessarily better (I don't mind the cost difference, as long as it is indeed better)??? It appears then Porsche OEM battery is wet cell, and so are the replacement Walmart and cheaper Sears batteries, while Sears most expensive choice is AGM.

I also wonder if the AGM cell will have that vent/drain hole on the side, as it is supposedly "dry"/maintenance free?


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http://www.batterystuff.com/kb/artic...-basics.html#3
3. Wet Cell (flooded), Gel Cell, and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) are various versions of the lead acid battery. The Wet cell comes in two styles; Serviceable and Maintenance free. Both are filled with electrolyte and are basicly the same. I prefer one that I can add water to and check the specific gravity of the electrolyte with a hydrometer. The Gel Cell and the AGM batteries are specialty batteries that typically cost twice as much as a premium wet cell. However they store very well and do not tend to sulfate or degrade as easily as wet cell. There is little chance of a hydrogen gas explosion or corrosion when using these batteries; these are the safest lead acid batteries you can use. Gel Cell and some AGM batteries may require a special charging rate. If you want the best,most versatile type, consideration should be given to the AGM battery for applications such as Marine, RV, Solar, Audio, Power Sports and Stand-By Power just to name a few. If you don't use or operate your equipment daily, AGM batteries will hold their charge better that other types. If you must depend on top-notch battery performance, spend the extra money. Gel Cell batteries still are being sold but AGM batteries are replacing them in most applications. There is a some common confusion regarding AGM batteries because different manufactures call them by different names; some of the more common names are "sealed regulated valve", "dry cell", "non spillable", and "Valve Regulated Lead Acid" batteries. In most cases AGM batteries will give greater life span and greater cycle life than a wet cell battery.
SPECIAL NOTE about Gel Batteries: It is very common for individuals to use the term GEL CELL when referring to sealed, maintenance free batteries, much like one would use Kleenex when referring to facial tissue or "Xerox machine" when referring to a copy machine. Be very careful when specifying a battery charger, many times we are told by customer they are requiring a charger for a Gel Cell battery and in fact the battery is not a Gel Cell.

AGM: The Absorbed Glass Matt construction allows the electrolyte to be suspended in close proximity with the plates active material. In theory, this enhances both the discharge and recharge efficiency. Common manufacturer applications include high performance engine starting, power sports, deep cycle, solar and storage battery. The larger AGM batteries we sell are typically good deep cycle batteries and they deliver their best life performance if recharged before allowed to drop below the 50% discharge rate. The Scorpion motorcycle batteries we carry are a nice upgrade from your stock flooded battery, and the Odyssey branded batteries are fantastic for holding their static charge over long periods of non use. When Deep Cycle AGM batteries are discharged to a rate of no less than 60% the cycle life will be 300 plus cycles.
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Advantages of an AGM Battery

There are several advantages to an AGM battery, which include:

• Unspillable. This means even if these batteries get tipped on the side or turned upside down the electrolyte is not going to spill out of an AGM battery. That makes this battery good for the environment and safer to handle.
• An AGM battery never needs watering. It is considered to be maintenance free. This makes these batteries ideal to use in situations where getting hold of water to water a battery may be an issue.
• AGM batteries don't give off any gas when being charged so there is less worry about having the right ventilation when charging an AGM battery.
• AGM batteries can withstand very low temperatures without freezing or cracking.
• AGM Batteries are highly vibration resistant due to their sandwich construction, making them the ideal battery to use in circumstances where vibration could otherwise be an issue.

Disadvantages of AGM Batteries

While AGM batteries have a lot of advantages that make them the ideal batteries to use in many circumstances, they do have a few disadvantages that should be noted:

• The cost of the AGM battery makes it a less attractive choice than the flooded lead acid battery for most every day uses.
• The deep cell AGM battery can only be discharged to 50% whereas the flooded lead acid deep cell battery can be discharged to 80%, which means that the flooded lead acid battery will run longer on a single charge.
• If an AGM battery is overcharged it will definitely shorten its life and could immediately kill the battery. So extra care must be taken when charging these batteries to ensure they are not overcharged.

Although an AGM battery does have some disadvantages, it is still a great alternative to flooded lead acid batteries in many situations.
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After 4 years I installed the Interstate equiv and it cranks sooo much faster than the stock battery. Local 76 station is an interstate dealer so was an easy choice for me, the garage they have attached has been around since I was a kid thus well trusted and regarded in the area. I did the install myself on the Turbo of course!

 

FWIW, the indy shop that works on my Benz also does a ton of Porsche work, both new and old. They recommend staying with the type of battery the car was designed with: in this case, wet cell. [for a dedicated track car, then an AGM might be considered] They recommend Interstate as well - only one documented battery failure in the last 10 years in their shop.

Good luck!!

 

I have a boat and it uses 4 wet cell batteries (3 trolling motor and 1 for cranking and electronics). I also did some research and AGM is used if you do a lot of off-road, there is lot of vibrations, movement where the battery gets tilted, etc. A lot of boat folks like the AGM's for this purpose, but in the end Wet cell performance in terms of CCA's is the same. I'm still using wet cell for my P-car and boat. AGM is overpriced and not worth it unless you have Motorcycle, Jet Ski or other powered vehicle that can turn over.

Go for Wet Cell and the best CCA's as posted in previous comments. I also use a battery maintainer and still using the same OEM battery. Knock on wood.

 

I recently replaced my battery with the one from Walmart. No issues so far.

There will be similar place on the replacement battery to plug the vent hose into.

 

AGM are really good batteries. I own a boat as well and tournament fish. I use AGM batteries and have about 1000$ in them. I am going to lithium soon at about 2500$.

As to the OP. Pop the top of your wet cell and add some DISTILLED water. Unless you warped your lead panels you should be able to get some more out of it.

Wet cell DO NOT have more CCA. They are one thing. CHEAPER.

Also the AGM can take a charge WAY less than 50%. I prove it EVERY tournament.

You have a vent house because of the heat generated. Thats why you need to fill your battery to keep the levels up. The heat evaporates the water. It needs to vent hence the hose

 

Heat can evaporate the water...but the hose is to allow venting of the gases generated by charging. That's why you want to be careful when handling the vent hose and making sure it's not kinked - gassing generates acid.

 

thats were I was going but got ahead of myself trying to tell him to add some water

 

Walmart battery is a perfect fit and has vent outlets on either side with removable plugs. They had excellent reviews from CU. The gas that is generated in a lead acid battery is hydrogen. The hydrogen needs to vented outside of any closed compartment hence the hose. It is a safety issue.

 

Thanks everyone for the very helpful replies; I decided to go with the Walmart battery. Took about 15 minutes to change and am glad I did it myself because I don't think the guys at Walmart or Sears would have been as careful getting the battery in and out. I stood/crouched inside the front trunk to lift the battery out - was so worried the platform I stood on may collapse. Well we now know it could hold 150 lbs LOL. The start now sounds and feels much more powerful.

FWIW, the battery has two size/type designations on its label: H7 or 94R (what are these anyway?) but if you are going to do google search, it is known on the Walmart web site as "Walmart H7 battery," and on the Sears web site as "Sears 94R battery."
The Walmart battery has 2 vent holes, one left, one right. The vent hose is then connected to one hole and the other hole is plugged closed with a plastic plug/**** supplied with the battery. I mentioned this because the OEM battery in my car doesn't have the other hole plugged up.

Last question please: am I supposed to check water level on these batteries? Once a year? (I have not been checking it at all, thinking erroneously the battery is maintenance free.) The dying OEM battery's water level is full btw.

 

Exceedingly painfully boring topics.

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http://www.progressivedyn.com/battery_basics.html
When should I add water to my batteries?
How often you use and recharge your batteries will determine the frequency of watering. Also, using batteries in a hot climate will require more frequent watering. It is best to check your battery water level frequently and add distilled water when needed. Never add tap water to your battery. Tap water contains minerals that will reduce battery capacity and increase their self-discharge rate.
Warning
A brand new battery may have a low electrolyte level. Charge the battery first and then add water if needed. Adding water to a battery before charging may result in overflow of the electrolyte.
What is the proper electrolyte level?
Battery electrolyte levels should be just below the bottom of the vent well, about ½ - ¾ inch above the tops of the separators. Never let the electrolyte level to drop below the top of the plates.