justaddwada

I left my lights on last night like an idiot. This morning I jumped the car thinking that the battery would recharge but tonight when I left work it wouldn't start. I work in an automotive shop so I just grabbed an Interstate standard battery and put it in the back seat just in case.

I know I'll need an AGM battery on Monday but I was wondering if any of the members here have had any success with a standard lead acid battery in a pinch?

Thanks -Wada

Plutoe

There may be something else wrong.

I would check my charging system before I did anything and yes I would use a lead acid battery as long as the specs were the same

novae500

I have advance auto batteries in both my cars.

desired_speeds

I have interstate batteries in both my cars.

WHTEVO

Interstate batteries here.

Aaron

vettdvr

Ok here it is. MY preference is the AGM as per MB spec from carquest. 3 months ago my starter drive was making noise, took it to shop to have a new starter installed. This week the starter failed totally won't make a sound. Towed to shop that did the install 3 months prior. Their reason for fail wrong bat. should not use AGM. ( no cure for stupid here). Ok now since I am trying to get a warranty replacement I am restraining what I think to exactly what I should say. Granted the battery was bought in 09 and was an AGM I, bought the shops "recommended Bosch non AGM." The Bosch is way cheaper than the AGM. Now I want my car back with new starter. Read , how fast can I get it out of the shop.... It is apparent this guy doesn't know batteries from fried fish. The Bosch has higher surge power than AGM but both meet the minimm ratings for the MB manual. What I dont' like is the acid in the trunk. IF I didn't have to pull the exhaust I would have done the first starter change and probably would not be having the starter problem now. I requested a New starter on the initial change but might have gotten new junk yard dog instead. Now I just want the car out and back in my hands. If this doesn't get resolved quickly I will be getting a tow truck again.

Plutoe

Great choice!!

Long Islander

The battery that came with my car (2008 E350) from the factory is definitely not AGM. It has a vent tube and six caps for the battery acid to be checked and refilled.

SAguirre

The W211 (at least the ones with SBC brakes) is supposed to have an AGM main battery. If the dealer or previous owner replaced it with a wet cell battery it might work, but not last as long. There IS A REASON the main battery needs to be an AGM battery:

The MB charging system on the W211s and a bunch of the new models will charge the hell out of the battery when the engine is in power-brake (downshifting) mode. The system can reach 18V when it is doing this. This is one of the ways MB tries to not overload an engine when it is at low RPMs. In order not to burn up the electrical systems in the car, there is a voltage regulator/rectifier after the battery. I am describing the system in a very crude way. I also don't know if they are still doing this on the larger engine models anymore, but it was done on the small engine models).

So, AGM batteries have NO PROBLEM with these voltage fluctuations and work well. A wet battery will not last as long and might even have severe issues when it gets charged at monster rates.

Mercedes Benz put an AGM as the primary battery for this reason. My secondary battery (only on SBC cars) IS a wet cell battery, but it is usually just along for the ride. I will be replacing it (the secondary) with an AGM battery when I need to replace it.

Both my batteries the main AGM and the secondary wet cell battery are now just over 8.5 years old!! If they make it to 10, I am replacing them regardless of how they test. I am surprised at how well even the little wet cell is holding up (I have filled it with distilled water once).

Steve

kraut56

AGM batteries should be charged at 14.8 v max,
regular "low maintenance" at 14.1 max.
Check your car's voltage regulator setting: ignition key on ON, push reset button 3 times, read UB = battery voltage (appr. 12.5).
Start engine, now read voltage: on cars for AGM batteries it goes to 14.7, on older cars for low maintenance it goes to 14.1.

vettdvr

Took me 30 yrs to get a really good fried fish method down. But I have a wet cell not AGM in my E500 but ONLY to get it out of the shop. The guys would not warranty the failed starter with AGM and used that as excuse for starter failure.

I know it had nothing to do with the starter but Wet cell was easy compromise (read cheap battery) vs the AGM I normally run. I plan to leave the wet cell in until it fails or 2 yrs then replace with another AGM. The AGM I use cost about 250% more than the wet cell now in the car. The battery installed is a Bosch wetcell made for the MB but the owners manual clearly calls for AGM. So this will be a test for me to see two specific things.

1) How long does the wet cell last compared to 2 previous AGM's
2) Will it leak in the trunk to cause a corrosion issue

Only time will tell so since the car is now repaired with new starter (the previous starter was a Bosch reman 90 days old).

desired_speeds

I do not trust remans. anymore despite the Bosch name. As far as I know, Bosch do not remanufacture the units themselves. This goes for waterpump, starters, alternators, etc.

wjcandee

You can use the regular Die Hard Gold, Group 49, in this car, no problem. I would NOT use a regular battery that is not sealed and maintenance free, because of the gas danger in the trunk. But a Die Hard Gold is fine. (The Die Hard Gold Advanced IS an AGM battery, and is like $30 more.)

After all the psuedo-mechanic jargon on this thread and others about not using a wet-cell battery on the 2008 E 500 (w211), I just wanted to add my experience. (BTW, some posts say a wet cell will be overcharged, others say it will not be charged enough because AGM batteries need to be charged carefully at a lower voltage so as not to overheat them.)

In any event, the SEARS computer indicates that two batteries are the proper fitment for this car: (1) The Group 49 Die Hard Gold and (2) The Group 49 Die Hard Gold Advanced. The former is $149 and the latter is $179. The former is a sealed maintenance-free battery with that port to attach the vent tube to, the latter is an AGM battery in the same configuration. When I had the battery replaced, given that they sell a jillion batteries a year and warrant them, I assumed if there was an issue with the regular Gold they would have corrected their system by now. The guy told me to save the $30, and in any event they didn't have the AGM in stock that day. When I had them install the battery, the friendly tech told me that he had done 3 cars like mine already that day -- this Sears is a busy one and the used MB population around here is significant, so that made sense. After reading threads on this issue, some with DIRE warnings from non-mechanics, I now have a year of experience to report.

And the answer is: The regular Die-Hard Gold works fine. I just had it tested, and it's like new. The UB Voltage is always 12.0 before start, and goes above 14 after starting. It certainly isn't being undercharged, and nothing seems to have hurt it. If it doesn't last the 5 years, I will report back here and demand that Sears give me a free new AGM battery because it's their fault I bought this one. But I don't think I am going to need to do so. (That said, I probably would have sprung the extra $30 for the AGM just because they are cool and might be a teeny smidge safer if I am ever rear-ended hard on the right side.)

Kamisama

Just curious. Did the agm make 10 or not?

wjcandee

Maybe I am missing something, but the UB voltage (which is taken at the battery) never goes above 14.2V on my car. Perhaps for a second it swings around a nudge higher if it rough-idles. Otherwise, it's rock solid 14.2, even when downshifting, etc.

I have heard this rumour before. Mercedes doesn't document it in any of its material, as far as I have been able to find, and their recommendations for the AGM battery revolve only around spillage, longevity, and non-production of hydrogen.

I am all for using an AGM battery in the W211, especially when I have been able to recommend several at prices that are superior to most sealed, maintenance-free batteries. However, I have run the Die Hard Gold (not Advanced Gold AGM) that's in there for 3 years now with zero issues. I will probably replace it with an AGM eventually, just because, but I'm inclined to chalk this up as being yet another MBWorld myth, like that the AUX battery is ONLY connected to the brakes, etc.

nivram13

Using a sealed gel battery with no issues

wjcandee

Use the code SECRET35 at Pep Boys online until March 7 to get 35 percent off the Bosch Platinum AGM H8/Group 49 battery if you buy online to pick it up at the store to install yourself. That makes a $200 battery available for $130. That's a really good deal.

WideLowandFast

So, the shop is telling you that your starter is smart enough to tell if an electron is from an AGM battery or a BOSCH non-AGM battery? How much was that starter? I'd be looking for a new shop.

wjcandee

I think vettdvr understood it was bs. He should have just taken the thing to Pep Boys for an affordable starter with lifetime warranty. They certainly know about batteries as well.

WideLowandFast

Oh, I agree. There is just so much hearsay floated around about AGM's that maybe the shop was hoping He would bite, just to cover their ***.

Just my .02 cents, but three years ago, I switched our Range Rover over to an Odyssey AGM battery, it's been rock solid. I used to replace the OEM Interstate flooded cell, almost annually. The Range Rover's electronics can really work a battery. I've since changed everything over to AGM's, with zero problems.

MJ50

put EverStart battery and no issues...

vettdvr

I try not to say someone is not telling the truth because I can't in fact prove it. From liability issues however I can state that I would not buy a bridge into NY for any discount price, nor do I believe a starter can tell if an electron if from AGM or Lead acid as long as there enough at the operating voltage rante.

Q200

Hi,

do you know the part number for a 14.7V voltage regulator?
I have a E500 with AGM batteries, but the voltage never goes over 14.1 V

Thanks, Lambert

insame1

you got to look at the post dates on these threads.

tjts1

Why would you ever bother with an AGM?