As a motorist, you've definitely experienced an annoying battery failure that probably came up right in the middle of the parking lot, just as you're about to leave. One way to make sure this never happens again is by getting a winch battery, and even then, not all the batteries could be your winching battery. So before you go buying any winch batteries, you'll need to know which is the best battery for winching.
What type of battery is best for winching?
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Additionally, your winch might not perform well despite its large capacity. For optimum efficiency in giving a car battery some juice, the best winch batteries come with a large Cold Cranking Ampere (CCA) and a large power reserve capacity. For example, you'd need a 12-volt battery that's rated up to a minimum of 650 CCA for a 12000 lb electric car trailer winch if it's a lead-acid battery.
Fortunately, most winch batteries show the recommended battery rating, so it's also easier for you to know the exact requirement. Besides that, before buying, you'll also need to consider other general factors such as; durability, price, weight, brand reputation, eco-friendliness, etc.
What's better than having to manually go through every website looking for the best battery for winching? A whole list of efficient batteries with ample service life, all within a reasonable price range. If you're planning to get the best battery for winch as your electric winch, then you must get one with a battery larger than what you'd need.
1. XS Power D6500 XS Series 3,900 Amp AGM High Output Battery
XS Power D6500 XS Series 12V 3,900 Amp AGM High Output Battery with M6 Terminal Bolt
- 12 Volt battery with CA: 1070, Ah: 75
- Absorbed Glass Mat (electrolyte is suspended in fiberglass)
- Spill proof, sealed, valve regulated and vibration resistant
- Ultra low internal resistance
- Mount in almost any position
Not only can the XS Power D6500 XS Series high-output battery power your electronics with such ease, but it has the capacity to power a heavy-duty winch motor. Moreover, when installed, this particular battery gives you such a reliable start-up every single time.
The XS Power D6500 battery is one of the best winch batteries that come in an AGM design. It's different from the conventional batteries in that it has acid enclosed in glass mats which drastically improves its charging time. On the other hand, the acid in normal batteries flows freely.
Using an AGM design also means that this XS power battery won't need to do any extra maintenance. For example, there won't be need to top it with water after every few weeks. You also won't need to clean its terminals, making this such a convenient purchase.
Since the XS Power D6500 battery comes in a sealed case construction, it's spill-proof, so you won't have to worry about the acid spilling or leaking.
This makes this battery maintenance-free. Additionally, it can always be installed in any position that you'd see fit, except inverted. Overall, this is the best winch battery on the list.
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2. Optima OPT8042-218 Batteries 8042-218 D75/25 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery
Optima OPT8042-218 Batteries 8042-218 D75/25 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery
- 12-Volt, 620 Cold Cranking Amps, Size: 9 5/16" x 6 13/16" x 7...
- Reserve capacity of 100 minutes for constant performance
- Optimal starting power even in bad weather
- Fifteen times more resistant to vibration for durability.Reserve...
- This item is not for sale in Catalina Island
Optima is a famous brand in the battery industry, and they are known for their all-purpose automotive or storage products. What's more, Optima winching batteries are one of the best batteries, popularly used in the USA. It has batteries that come in 3 colors, and each color is specially designed to signify a specific purpose.
YellowTop Optima batteries are designed for the high power storage and supply batteries. These are perfect for jeep winching, and they are known to be the most reliable. Off-road situation winching job is common. To clarify, you need a reliable battery to do the job keep going.
The 8042-218 D75/25 winch battery also comes in an AGM design which is designed to boost the battery's performance in almost every other way. Interestingly, it uses a unique spiral tube design that has lead plates placed in a spiral layout which then improves its durability. These plates are made using 99.99% pure lead.
Optima is one of the very few brands that use this high-quality lead. Other brands still price the same despite using lead alloys to reduce their production costs. Using pure lead has more advantages which include; fast charge, long-lasting battery life, high CCA, and a slow self-discharge rate.
This is the best winch battery, which holds up pretty well in environments that are going to cause intense shocks and vibrations. So, this means that it is reliable enough to have your car can handle some off-road driving or rough terrains easily. The YellowTop winch battery also comes fully sealed for a maintenance-free operation.
Since it's fully sealed, there's no risk of spilling the electrolyte acid. This construction also means that there's no need to change its water or clean its terminals. Overall, if it weren't for its hefty price, it'd be the best winch battery on the list.
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3. Optima Batteries OPT8040-218 D35 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery
Optima Batteries OPT8040-218 D35 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery
- 12-Volt, 650 Cold Cranking Amps, Size: 9 5/16" x 6 13/16" x 7...
- 98 minutes reserve capacity for constant performance
- Optimal starting power even in bad weather; the positive or red...
- Fifteen times more resistant to vibration for durability
- This item is not for sale in Catalina Island
The YelloTop OPT8040-218 D35 is another battery for winch under the Optima brand. It weighs 36.4 pounds and has 620 Cold Cranking Amps capacity. This is a good battery that comes with a 98-minute reserve capacity and 48 ampere-hours.
Compared to other batteries, all Optima batteries are constructed using a special technology called Spiral technology. Specifically, this is a technology that enables the Optima battery to have the capacity of storing more power than the conventional battery would while still being lightweight.
Generally, Optima batteries are designed to be 15 times more vibration-resistant than regular batteries. These batteries also rank as the best batteries since you are assured of high performance even during bad weather, especially for a jeep winching job. In addition, this is a battery for winch where the entire battery is designed to have maximum security in a non-spillable operation that's safe for the environment as well.
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4. ACDelco Gold 48AGM 36 Month Warranty AGM BCI Group 48 Battery
ACDelco Gold 48AGM 36 Month Warranty AGM BCI Group 48 Battery, Black
- High density negative paste, improves performance and increases...
- Enhanced life alloy or Silver Calcium stamped alloy increases...
- Calcium lead positive grid, maximizes conductivity and allows for...
- Robust envelope separator with puncture resistant back, allows...
- Vent cap design that resists acid leakage
The ACDelco 48AGM professional AGM automotive BCI Group battery comes in a design that's quite popular in a lot of car batteries. In addition, the ACDelco winch battery brings the same winch technology but at a much lower price. The use of an AGM battery means that you won't run the risk of spilling its electrolyte since it's trapped inside a special fiberglass compartment.
Since the battery doesn't have free-flowing acid, it means that your winch battery is maintenance-free, so it won't require toping off with some water after every few weeks or cleaning its terminals after every few months. This makes it quite easy to handle and quite convenient.
Unlike Optima, that uses pure lead, the ACDelco 48AGM professional AGM automotive BCI Group battery uses a Calcium-Lead alloy. It may seem like a weak battery at first, but in real sense, the Calcium-Lead alloy has a great conductivity since it has a greater surface area which means faster charging.
This ACDelco 48AGM professional battery comes with an excellent CCA rating of 760, so you trust that it will reliably start your car every single time, regardless of the surrounding temperature. It can also handle temperatures from -30°C-45°C making it viable to use in most environments with much ease.
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5. Odyssey 48-720
Odyssey Battery 48-720 Battery
- Item Package Height:6.85 Inches
- Item Package Length:10.9 Inches
- Item Package Width:7.47 Inches
- Product Type:Auto Battery
The Odyssey battery has an AGM design that translates to a better durability, high shock/vibration resistance and faster charging. Additionally, like the Optima batteries, it also uses 99.99% lead plates, which also comes with faster charging, improved efficiency and better life. The use of pure lead in this Odyssey battery means the use of thin plates for better performance compared to alloy-based winch batteries.
Due to the thin plates, you can fit more of them inside the battery, therefore, increasing its conductivity surface area, which overall improves the charging. No alloys also mean there is very low internal resistance, which therefore improves the overall reliability and performance.
Like others on the list, this battery is completely spill-proof and needs no maintenance, so you won't have to keep on checking or refilling the water levels or cleaning the terminals. This Odyssey battery comes with an impressive reserving capacity of 130 minutes, which is always ready on stand-by to use when the battery is needed. Compared to other deep cycle batteries, it's also a great deep cycle battery with a decent deep cycle power that's up to 800 times more than the regular batteries with an 80% depth in discharge.
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6. NORTHSTAR Pure Lead Automotive Group 34 Battery NSB-AGM34
NORTHSTAR Pure Lead Automotive Group 34 Battery NSB-AGM34
- Pure lead AGM technology delivers exceptional CCA ratings and...
- Cycles over 900 times to 50% depth of discharge
- Proudly made in the USA at our state-of-the-art battery plant
- Advanced AGM construction means no water levels to check or...
- Quick starting every time
The NORTHSTAR Pure Lead Automotive Group 34 battery is a low self-discharge rate battery that's also a great option to use with your winch. Also, as an AGM winch battery, it uses pure lead plates to offer 880 CCA and a 134-minute RC.
It is exclusively made in the USA, so you can trust this battery winch when it comes to durability and performance.
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7. ACDelco Gold 48AGM BCI Group 48 Battery
ACDelco Gold 48AGM 36 Month Warranty AGM BCI Group 48 Battery, Black
- High density negative paste, improves performance and increases...
- Enhanced life alloy or Silver Calcium stamped alloy increases...
- Calcium lead positive grid, maximizes conductivity and allows for...
- Robust envelope separator with puncture resistant back, allows...
- Vent cap design that resists acid leakage
Generally, AGM batteries tend to last longer, and the ACDelco Gold 48AGM is not an exception. ACDelco is a reputable American brand that's been manufacturing automotive parts for a good number of years now, so you can trust that they know how things work.
They've implemented different innovations to give you a great product; for instance, this battery has an improved acid circulation that's implemented to remain cool. Eventually, this also increases the battery's life. In addition, it has a vent cap design that resists acid leakage as well.
It's clear that a great battery winch comes with a great level of Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) and Reserve Capacity (RC) to get the optimum result from higher capacity winches. This particular one has 760 CCA and 120 minutes RC, which is more than enough and can be used with a winch having 12000 lb.
Unlike most winch batteries, this battery doesn't have any winter issues or any weather changes. Overall, the ACDelco Gold 48AGM is a good battery that you can use with your winch, especially when you need extreme load power.
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8. Exide Edge FP-AGML4/94R Flat Plate AGM Sealed Automotive Battery
Exide Edge FP-AGML4/94R Flat Plate AGM Sealed Automotive Battery
- 800 CCA; 140 MIN RC at 25A
- Non-spillable AGM construction
- Greater capacity to better handle the heavy loads placed on...
- Outperforms conventional batteries across life test including...
- Excels in one of the toughest automotive stress tests proving...
The FP-AGML4 also comes as an AGM design where the acid is stored between the fiberglass plates which reduces the chance of spillage and leaks. Thanks to this AGM design as well, it doesn't need any maintenance, and there's also no need to top it off with water or even clean its terminals every other week.
Compared to flooded batteries, this battery for the winch is known to provide up to 15% better and more reliable starting power. This is made possible due to its SureLife Graphite Technology, which is only found in its batteries. Using this technology, you can greatly increase the batteries' reserve capacity, which is a key factor that a lot of people consider before buying a battery to power the winch.
The Exide Edge FP-AGML4/94R has a high reserve capacity of at least 140 minutes, which is still one of the highest. It also has an 800 CCA rating that's recorded at -18°C. This is a clear indication that it can reliably power up your car and electronics even if the temperature goes lower. So if you live in a country and city with high weather temperatures, this battery is sure to work well. Additionally, it can be used even in temperatures that exceed 50°C.
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9. Optima Batteries OPT8014-045 8014-045 D34/78 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery
Optima Batteries OPT8014-045 8014-045 D34/78 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery
- 12-Volt, 750 Cold Cranking Amps, Size: 10" x 6 7/8" x 7 13/16"...
- Reserve capacity of 120 minutes for constant performance
- Optimal starting power even in bad weather. Case Material:...
- Fifteen times more resistant to vibration for durability. Post...
- This item is not for sale in Catalina Island
This Optima OPT8014-045 D34/78 battery is a 'Yellow Top' from the Optima line of batteries. This is a 12-volt battery that comes with a 750 CCA and 55 Amp-hour. Like others in the collection, this Optima battery comes with an impressive reserve capacity of 120 minutes.
As a battery for winch, it has an integrated GM post and dual SAE terminals. Additionally, it also features a Polypropylene-made case, which is vibration-resistant, weather-resistant, and durable. Furthermore, this battery is lightweight since it weighs roughly around 43.5 lbs. Like other Optima batteries, this battery also uses SpiralCell technology.
Additionally, this Optima battery is spill-proof, recharges pretty fast, and can also be mounted in any position. Overall, it's a great winch battery that is 3 times more durable compared to other winch batteries.
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10. XS Power D3400 XS Series 12V 3,300 Amp AGM High Output Battery
XS Power D3400 XS Series 12V 3,300 Amp AGM High Output Battery with M6 Terminal Bolt
- 12 Volt Battery With Ca: 1000, Ah: 65
- Absorbed Glass Mat (Electrolyte Is Suspended In Fiberglass)
- Spill Proof, Sealed, Valve Regulated And Vibration Resistant
- Ultra Low Internal Resistance, Mount In Almost Any Position
If you prefer a rugged look, this is a power horse battery, and as a high output battery, it's one of the best options. The XS Power D3400 XS Series 12V gives you everything you might need from a winch battery. This is a 12 Volt lead-acid battery that also comes in an AGM design.
It comes with 65 Ah and 1000 CCA (Cold Cranking Amp). It weighs roughly 48 lbs. and can be mounted any way you'd want since it's completely sealed.
Additionally, it's a valve-regulated battery which is vibration-resistant, spill-proof and comes with an ultra-low internal resistance. All these features, therefore, translate to a more stable and high performance for a longer lifespan, without any need for maintenance.
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What to Consider for The Best Battery for Winching?
A. Is It Compatible?
Always ensure that the brand you're looking to buy is perfectly compatible (exact match) with your car and whether it effectively helps to support the winching. This also affects its cycle life.
B. What Are the Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)?
The Cold Cranking Ampere of the winching battery is probably one of the most important things to look out for. The CCA helps you understand how much power it can provide in short bursts; suppose the charging system in your car fails.
Some brands give lower than 100 CCA, but ideally, 600-850 CCA should be a great starting point.
C. What Are the Power Ratings?
Different batteries give you different power ratings, so make sure the power rating matches that of the electric winch battery to have a better experience.
D. What's the Battery Capacity?
Generally, the winching can cause a winch drain on the battery power, so it's vital to check whether the capacity of the battery suits what you'd need. If the battery capacity lacks while winching, then the entire source would fail and get damaged.
E. What's the Reserve Capacity?
The reserve capacity of your winch battery tells you just how long the battery will be able to provide a specific amount of power in the standard atmosphere. Only reputable and well-known brands will put out their battery reserve capacity. But generally, a high-end product will give you a 130-150 minutes capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions on The Best Battery for Winching
1. Are these deep cycle batteries?
All the batteries listed here can be deep cycled, which is important to consider. It's common for winches to fully drain the battery, which normally would kill a normal battery, but these batteries are built to regularly discharge and recharge in cycles.
2. Why do some people prefer using dual batteries in their cars?
Generally, you're advised not to push the battery to its absolute limit, so having a dual set-up has the two dividing the load equally hence providing a stable power output.