Battery Replacement Confusion

[Dano516]

Hello All,

It seems as if my battery needs to be replaced, but I am having some confusion with it. I would like to go as OEM as possible, as the battery my previous owner put in, and Exide battery, lasted about 7-8 years. Upon some research, I saw the Exide Edge 94R battery as a suitable replacement.

However, when doing a quick vehicle search on the Home Depot website, it says that the battery would not fit my car, despite all the dimensions being totally the same. Would this possibly because something with changing the coding to an AGM-type battery?

Also, it seems as if I don't have a breather hose in my battery compartment. How necessary is this?

Thank you!

Edit: here is where I found the batteries in research
https://www.youcanic.com/vehicle/bmw/5-aftermarket-batteries-bmw

[az3579]

You can install an AGM battery just fine. There is no coding necessary.
From what I've read, AGM batteries also don't require the vent tube to be attached.

[pedro2u]

You can install an AGM battery just fine. There is no coding necessary.
From what I've read, AGM batteries also don't require the vent tube to be attached.

I have a Bosch AGM battery, and there was no vent

[az3579]

I have a Bosch AGM battery, and there was no vent

Neither do both of my AGM batteries in the ZHP and touring.

[Dano516]

You can install an AGM battery just fine. There is no coding necessary.
From what I've read, AGM batteries also don't require the vent tube to be attached.

So I'm seeing that the Edge is battery acid, while the other suggested is sulfuric acid/water, and the Edge is smaller by decimals of an inch. The website lists the edge as 80000mAh, while the other is 81. I'm not sure if they're labelled incorrectly, but the Edge is marked as L4/94R/H7 whereas the other is H7/L4/94R. Would the Edge work fine?

Apologies in advanced, not too knowledgeable on batteries.

[John in VA]

I'm not sure why you're shopping for a battery at Home Depot, but that's beside the point! H7 is the correct size. The H8 is an inch longer, will fit, usually has more CCAs & may cost less, so shop them as well. Do you have a Walmart, Advance Auto, Autozone, NAPA or Pep Boys (usually carry Bosch) around you? Look for an online coupon before paying.

Who Really Makes It & When Did They Make It?

Most automotive batteries made in America are manufactured by one of two companies: Johnson Controls, Inc. or Exide Technologies. The dominant replacement market brand names, Interstate and DieHard, are both Johnson Controls products, as is the Optima brand. Exide Technologies markets batteries under the Exide, and NASCAR Select brand names, and has manufactured the Champion brand, as well. However, Champion batteries are now manufactured by Johnson Controls. The other large domestic battery manufacturer, Delphi Corporation, sold its automotive battery business to Johnson Controls in 2005.

Though a particular battery’s manufacturer can be identified though a manufacturer’s code number stamped into the battery’s case, here’s a short list of what’s made by whom:
Brand Manufacturer
ACDelco Johnson Controls
Advance Auto Johnson Controls
AutoCraft Johnson Controls
Autolite Exide
AutoZone Johnson Controls
Bosch Johnson Controls
Champion Johnson Controls
Costco Johnson Controls
Delco Johnson Controls
Delco-Remy Exide
DieHard Johnson Controls
Duralast Johnson Controls
Duralast Johnson Controls
Equalizer Johnson Controls
EverStart (Wal-Mart) Exide or Johnson Controls, depending on model
Firestone Johnson Controls
Interstate Johnson Controls
Marathon Exide
Motorcraft Johnson Controls
NAPA Exide
Optima Johnson Controls
Orbital Exide
Pep Boys Johnson Controls
Sears Exide or Johnson Controls, depending on model
Wal-Mart Exide or Johnson Controls, depending on model

There is also a date code showing when the battery was manufactured. This is usually on a sticker attached to the battery or stamped into its case. It is a letter/number code. The standard convention is that the letter is the month of manufacture, alphabetically A through M but omitting I, with A being January and M being December. The number is the last digit in the year of manufacture. So, C6 is March 2006.

There are, however, some exceptions to this nomenclature. On Delco batteries, the arrangement was reversed: year first, then month. Exide batteries often bury the month/year designation in a larger number, so it is usually the fourth and fifth characters in that number.

https://www.cartechbooks.com/techtips/battery/

[pedro2u]

Pep Boys is having a 25% off sale on Bosch and Champion with free install: https://www.pepboys.com/bosch-platinum-series-agm-battery-group-size-h7-l4-94r/product/838845/2005/BMW/330%20Series/6-2979%203.0L%20DOHC?quantity=1

[Dano516]

I'm not sure why you're shopping for a battery at Home Depot, but that's beside the point! H7 is the correct size. The H8 is an inch longer, will fit, usually has more CCAs & may cost less, so shop them as well. Do you have a Walmart, Advance Auto, Autozone, NAPA or Pep Boys (usually carry Bosch) around you? Look for an online coupon before paying.

Who Really Makes It & When Did They Make It?

Most automotive batteries made in America are manufactured by one of two companies: Johnson Controls, Inc. or Exide Technologies. The dominant replacement market brand names, Interstate and DieHard, are both Johnson Controls products, as is the Optima brand. Exide Technologies markets batteries under the Exide, and NASCAR Select brand names, and has manufactured the Champion brand, as well. However, Champion batteries are now manufactured by Johnson Controls. The other large domestic battery manufacturer, Delphi Corporation, sold its automotive battery business to Johnson Controls in 2005.

Though a particular battery’s manufacturer can be identified though a manufacturer’s code number stamped into the battery’s case, here’s a short list of what’s made by whom:
Brand Manufacturer
ACDelco Johnson Controls
Advance Auto Johnson Controls
AutoCraft Johnson Controls
Autolite Exide
AutoZone Johnson Controls
Bosch Johnson Controls
Champion Johnson Controls
Costco Johnson Controls
Delco Johnson Controls
Delco-Remy Exide
DieHard Johnson Controls
Duralast Johnson Controls
Duralast Johnson Controls
Equalizer Johnson Controls
EverStart (Wal-Mart) Exide or Johnson Controls, depending on model
Firestone Johnson Controls
Interstate Johnson Controls
Marathon Exide
Motorcraft Johnson Controls
NAPA Exide
Optima Johnson Controls
Orbital Exide
Pep Boys Johnson Controls
Sears Exide or Johnson Controls, depending on model
Wal-Mart Exide or Johnson Controls, depending on model

There is also a date code showing when the battery was manufactured. This is usually on a sticker attached to the battery or stamped into its case. It is a letter/number code. The standard convention is that the letter is the month of manufacture, alphabetically A through M but omitting I, with A being January and M being December. The number is the last digit in the year of manufacture. So, C6 is March 2006.

There are, however, some exceptions to this nomenclature. On Delco batteries, the arrangement was reversed: year first, then month. Exide batteries often bury the month/year designation in a larger number, so it is usually the fourth and fifth characters in that number.

https://www.cartechbooks.com/techtips/battery/

Thank you for that! I actually wasn't planning on getting it from Home Depot, rather was just comparing the types, as their site was the only one I could find that had Exide batteries on their site. I'm guessing that Exide and Johnson Controls are like the Luxotticas of automotive batteries? At the moment, I only have a small Pepboys and an even smaller Autozone near me, so I'd have to go further out to get something good I guess.

[John in VA]

I know you're determines to purchase an Exide-made replacement, but there is nothing wrong with Johnson Control batteries. I've used Interstate for decades. My most recent purchase was an Autocraft Platinum H7-AGM for my ZHP (due to price/availability). Good luck!

[Dano516]

I know you're determines to purchase an Exide-made replacement, but there is nothing wrong with Johnson Control batteries. I've used Interstate for decades. My most recent purchase was an Autocraft Platinum H7-AGM for my ZHP (due to price/availability). Good luck!

Haha, I guess out of superstition, because of my previous battery lasting as long as it did, I guess I've tunnel-visioned on Exide. Nevertheless I was able to get one for a good price through my shop. The guy was also a fan of Exide's batteries so I guess we all win here.

[KevinC]

The AGM battery I have in my Z4M is branded Duracell - I believe it's made by Deka. Definitely has vent holes on both sides. One I have properly vented out of the car, just as the OEM AGM battery was before it, and the other hole is plugged. Not sure where the notion that AGM batteries don't require venting came from - they do.