Thread: "Both batteries must be the same type"?

Originally Posted by popotla

“Both batteries must be the same type, otherwise both will be damaged.”

Hi popotla and this is nothing more than an urban myth.

You can run any type of 12v lead acid battery with any other type of 12v lead acid battery and all will be fine.

If fact, running dissimilar types of lead acid batteries can actually be beneficial.

For example, most of the D3, D4 and RRS ( at least 95% of them ) fitted with my isolators, run a Calcium/Calcium cranking battery wired in parallel with an Optima Yellowtop AGM auxiliary battery and the AGM helps to keep the Calcium/Calcium cranking battery fully charged.

Just get the battery you want and you will be fine.

That is interesting. The message I received from Tayna, a well-known UK supplier was as follows:

Thank you for your response.

You can only use the Varta I1 battery if you are replacing both, if you are replacing one battery then you will have to use the YGD100860 Enduroline. Failing to do so will damage both batteries.

Again, a company that does not know it’s own products.

My isolators have been on the market for 25 years and there are tens upon tens of thousands of them in use, including nearly 4,000 D3, D4 and RRS fitting with my isolators and as posted above, at least 95% of these are fitted with Optima D34 Yellowtop AGMs while the cranking batteries are Calcium/Calcium and these two batteries are about as different as you can get.

Not only are these vehicles fitted with these two different batteries, the D3s have had my isolators fitted with the Optima batteries for nearly ten years now and there are no problems reported because of the use of the two different batteries.

Furthermore, the Optima Yellowtop I fitted in my D3, then my D4, and then in my RR, for the last 18+ months, it has been used as my wife’s Toyota Seca’s cranking battery.

That’s a 9 year old battery, still in use after all those years in dual battery setups.

You will have no problems mixing batteries in your setup.

nearly 4,000 D3, D4 and RRS fitting with my isolators and as posted above, at least 95% of these are fitted with Optima D34 Yellowtop AGMs


I no longer feel special

Originally Posted by amazing

I no longer feel special

Sorry Amazing, I should have added, not just in Australia, but world-wide.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Sorry Amazing, I should have added, not just in Australia, but world-wide.

Well amazing isn't in Australia.....

The day my auto electrician lectured me on this was the last day I ever gave them my business.

Yep, Amazing was my first Chinese Customer.

But this digress from popotia’s dilemma