I got them certainlydepressinglowdownmindmessin' Wintertime battery issue blues

And it looks like they cut the warranty too

 

Hmmm...If they stand behind that warranty, maybe worth a try. Even if starting out with 9% less CCA. The ODP is 17% cheaper.

 

I may be also wrong about EnerSys discontinuing the Northstar brand.

It appears EnerSys is continuing to advertise the "Northstar Pro" as a higher grade battery. They continue to offer the NSB-AGM27F with 930 CCA, after a very slight price increase ($370.79). It seems the usual sources of Northstar are drying up. Maybe Odyessy's existing dealer network is going to sell them.

I could never tell from the Northstar website they even acknowledged manufacturing the X2. From the complaints here, maybe for good reason.

Edit: My mistake. X2 batteries say they're made by Northstar right on the label, and, yes, they (are supposed to) have a 60 month warranty.

https://www.odysseybattery.com/products/nsb-agm27f-northstar-battery/

 

Just for clarification, did you guys run the voltage booster or were you just depending on your own memory to stick a agm charger on it once a month?

 

I’m doing both and hooking up the ctek a few times a week

 

I did neither. A battery should be designed to be usable on a vehicle without special mods or outside chargers.

 

argh that sucks for the X2 and Northstar brands.
my X2 is on a trickle charge most of the time as my truck is not my daily driver.
might have to switch to NAPA when this one is done.

 

Everything I have read said an agm battery will die a short death if it is not topped off, any agm. I knew that going into it. I did not realize batteries plus was selling these as vehicle replacements. I would be annoyed if I bought it and did not know that.

 

It is how it should be ideally, but that's not how it works in real life
I agree with this statement, however the battery is a component of the vehicles electrical system.
Batteries are the definition of compromise: Performance/ Weight/ maintenance/ Size. AGM's require supporting Mods, no different than other performance mods.
If the goal is Zero maintenance, a direct replacement OEM Toyota battery should have been purchased. At an absolute bare minimum stay with the same battery type and CCA range.
An AGM has different charging requirements than a flooded lead acid battery.
The vehicle, regardless of a Tacoma/ Tundra / Bentley does not change it's charging profile when a different battery type is installed.
The OEM charging systems is optimized for OEM battery parameters, when parameters are changed, the system is no longer optimized and performance and battery life suffer.
Stock OEM charging systems will never top off an AGM battery unless a voltage booster is added.
Many just put a battery tender on once a month and don't mess with the trucks electrical system.

Read this thread
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-northstar-agm-battery-voltage-booster-upgrade.604478/

 

I am fortunate that my use patterns fit having an AGM battery with the CTEK charger.

I drive my truck maybe every couple of weeks and store the truck in the garage. I've set up the CTEK charger so that it is easy to plug into an exterior charging cord at the front grille after each drive. After each reconnect, the CTEK charger does it's eight-step charging process (see below). Once the CTEK charges the battery to 14.7V, it begins the float stage (13.6V), with pulse charge maintenance between 12.7V and 14.7V. The only time my Northstar is not charged to 14.7V is when it is on "float", or while it is being used for short durations with the truck.

 

These trucks are not made for AGM batteries...that is why the care and feeding. If you do nothing they will fail for sure....I followed a lot in that Tacoma thread and really have not have had any issues.

 

My Odyssey AGM died after a speedometer recalibrate swap last week. I jumped it and it ran fine. I went to dinner and it was -8 and it started fine. The next day 23 hours later it was dead. Was it from a long cold night of -8 to -10? Maybe I should have never got an AGM? I read my remote starter will add a slight drain. I drive the truck 2-3 times a week. I am debating just getting something basic at half the price. I thought I was getting a care free hardcore battery so I spent the money, you know "You get what you pay for" so I paid a lot.

Odyssey AGM RIP after 3 years and 2 weeks.

 

My experience with Batteries Plus was the opposite. They replaced one for me when it bit the dust a week or ten days before its 3-year warranty expired.