The TRP Truck Batteries manufacturing facility is located near Kutztown, PA. We were taken through the entire production process for a variety of batteries. Admittedly, I never spent a lot of time thinking about batteries until it was time to replace one. When stuck on the side of a road, a battery suddenly becomes high priority.
Taking the tour answered some questions I never knew I had. It changed my mind about some of the things I thought I knew about Group 31 batteries.
Here are the three takeaways from my tour:
- Very few people use the right battery for the job. Increasingly, our trucks are pulling more and more power from electrical systems. Basic Starting Batteries can fail in extreme temperatures and don’t last as long as you think they should. They aren’t built to run everything in a truck and start your truck. They are built to start your truck and slowly recharge. There really is a difference, beyond price, between a Starting Battery and a Dual Purpose Deep Cycle Battery. The first rule is to choose the right type of group 31 battery for what you do with your truck.
- AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) Batteries provide better longevity and power in high stress environments. AGM batteries don’t spill. They also handle vibrations and rough roads better than traditional batteries. AGM batteries offer better, deeper cycling which gives you a longer-lasting battery. If you run off road, land fields, quarries or other harsh environments and AGM Battery can reduce down times and the number of batteries you change.
- Price isn’t everything! Doesn’t it always seem that batteries fail right when you need them most or they are the hardest to replace. Who wants to pay for a road call to replace a battery?
Who wants to run around at 7:30 pm on a holiday weekend looking for a battery that you are going to install in the dark, when it is cold and snowing? TRP batteries have several features that help them last longer and have a more predictable lifespan. For example, most bargain batteries don’t have a full frame around the grids. TRP Batteries feature a full-framed grid secured to the top and the bottom of the battery box. The grid also has a pattern to provide efficient electron flow. The TRP Battery design prevents grids from rubbing through and shorting out. This is the number one way that cells go dead in bargain batteries.
So, the big takeaways are:
- Pick the right battery for the job
- Get an AGM if you run in rougher environments
- Lastly, cheaper isn’t always a better value!