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[Chevy]

I'm about to puchase a new battery for my CVO and I know that Deka makes a great battery . I also know that East Penn Manufacturing Co. makes them and also makes them for HD.Both are rated for 400CCA. So I emailed them and asked them what the difference was between there ETX30L battery and the 66010-97c they make for HD because there is a price difference for sure, prices very for Deka from 115.00 - 150.00 that I have found from different suppiers and HD batteries are on average 170.00. Here is there responce back to me :

The H-D battery is specifically built and tested for the H-D Electrical System from both a starting and charging prospective. There are design differences we are unable to discuss. I suggest visiting your H-D dealer for the OE Grade battery, part number 66010-97c. thank you.
I know they are probibly just saying this because they have a contract with HD. My question is has anyone put in the Deka battery ETX30L and have you had any problems with it ? And what are your thoughts on what East Penn said ? Would you buy the Daka over the HD battery ?

Chevy

[2k]

As you stated.....Deka makes them both. It will take more than a contract obligation to make be believe they are different. That statement is not only untrue....but complete HOGWASH!!! I have used Deka in my last 4 baggers and never had the hint of a problem. My '99 RK has one that is 6 yrs old. SAVE YO MONEY.

[Chevy]

Thanks 2Ksoftail

Glad to here that you use the deka battery and have for a while, I think that I will be buying one to for my bike and save some money lol...

Chevy

[muddypaws]

I only purchase deka from Deka. Less then half the price of a Harley Deka battery. Never had a problem. My opinion the only difference is the mark up.

[Deep Blue Dives]

The H-D battery is specifically built and tested for the H-D Electrical System from both a starting and charging prospective. There are design differences we are unable to discuss. I suggest visiting your H-D dealer for the OE Grade battery, part number 66010-97c. thank you.

/agree with the hogwash comment - they would assign a custom p/n internally if it was different.  They are just trying to not tick off HD, and HD charges more to increase profit.  If there was really a difference, they would put a warning on their product, and not let you order it, or tell you that any damage to your bike would be your liability.

[Big Dog]

Was sent an email from Mark at M&M Cycle Sandusky, Ohio the other day on a sale on their Deka battery line, I think the price looked pretty good, just another option.

[spada84]

I'm about to puchase a new battery for my CVO and I know that Deka makes a great battery . I also know that East Penn Manufacturing Co. makes them and also makes them for HD.Both are rated for 400CCA. So I emailed them and asked them what the difference was between there ETX30L battery and the 66010-97c they make for HD because there is a price difference for sure, prices very for Deka from 115.00 - 150.00 that I have found from different suppiers and HD batteries are on average 170.00. Here is there responce back to me :

The H-D battery is specifically built and tested for the H-D Electrical System from both a starting and charging prospective. There are design differences we are unable to discuss. I suggest visiting your H-D dealer for the OE Grade battery, part number 66010-97c. thank you.
I know they are probibly just saying this because they have a contract with HD. My question is has anyone put in the Deka battery ETX30L and have you had any problems with it ? And what are your thoughts on what East Penn said ? Would you buy the Daka over the HD battery ?

Chevy

The only design difference is the HD sticker on it.

[GregKhougaz]

Chevy,  I've not used a Deka but you can get one on EBay for $95 w/ free shipping:

         Deka ETX30L Powersports AGM Battery - 100% NEW

If you get one, let us know what you think.  Thanks. 

GK

[grc]

The only design difference is the HD sticker on it.

We can always think that, but without proof I don't think I'd state it as fact.

If you look on the website for the Deka batteries they have the same disclaimer next to the ETX30L as was reported by Chevy in his post.  And if you look at the actual specifications page for that battery, you will note that it is rated at 26 amp-hours versus the 28 amp-hour rating for the stock Harley battery.  The Deka is rated at 400 CCA, which is a much more important rating than amp-hours, but it's pretty hard to directly compare that spec to the Harley battery since Harley doesn't list CCA in it's catalog.  Last time I saw a CCA rating for the Touring battery from Harley was in 2008, and it was 365 CCA.  The latest batteries may be higher, I have no way of easily determining that.

Just because the same supplier makes two different branded batteries of the same dimensions doesn't necessarily mean the batteries are identical under the labels.  Case in point, go visit one of the big automotive battery supplier plants and watch Diehards and Motorcrafts and various store brands all go by on the same line.  But within the exact same sizes you will find wide disparity in performance and pricing based on what's actually inside those same size cases.  There are higher and lower cost plate and separator materials, different vibration absorbing materials, more or less dense packaging (number and thickness of plates for instance), different valve construction on batteries so equipped, etc. 

Anyway, considering the huge difference in retail price, even if the ETX30L isn't quite as "good" as the OEM battery spec wise, who cares?  Obviously there are a ton of folks out there using them in their Harley's who are completely satisfied, so they must be good enough.


Jerry

[Twolanerider]

Chevy,  I've not used a Deka but you can get one on EBay for $95 w/ free shipping:

         Deka ETX30L Powersports AGM Battery - 100% NEW

If you get one, let us know what you think.  Thanks. 

GK

That's the battery I bought for the recent Road King project bike's need Greg.  In it's limited use it has worked flawlessly and fit exactly the same within the hole.  It's only hard use has been the stretch when the engine wouldn't fire due to the sticky valve and no compression.  Cranked hell out of the battery trying to fire the engine at first then doing leak down and compresion tests.  During that the battery held up fine.  It's also started without a whimper against a fully heat soaked (low compression) motor.

Only caveat is the cable attachment.  It has threaded attachment holes in the front and on the top like the HD branded batteries do.  Can't use the ones in the front though.

The post is set back just a bit from being flush with the front face of the battery.  The lug on the end of a battery cable is large enough the cable can't be pulled tight because of that lack of alignment.  You could use about .080-.090" of small washer/spacer there but that would be annoying to drop everytime the cable was unhooked.

Solution for use was simple enough though.  Just bolt the cables down on top.  Like the later model bikes.  Cables have plenty of length to lay that way.  It's actually a much easier connect and disconnect point that futzing about in the cramped space in front of the battery.  So it's not a hassle nor even a problem with the Deka battery.  But it is a difference.

[dite]

I have always been a fan of Deka batteries...

[petewerner]

Has anyone tried these batteries? Lithium ion?

http://antigravitybatteries.com/?page_id=1908

[Twolanerider]

Has anyone tried these batteries? Lithium ion?

http://antigravitybatteries.com/?page_id=1908

Without questioning at all whether they are good or even very good it is difficult to justify spending $220 or more for something I can spend a hundred bucks (Deka) on and expect it to last four years (or more).  Twenty five bucks a year in use cost just isn't bad.

[hogasm]

That's the battery I bought for the recent Road King project bike's need Greg.  In it's limited use it has worked flawlessly and fit exactly the same within the hole.  It's only hard use has been the stretch when the engine wouldn't fire due to the sticky valve and no compression.  Cranked hell out of the battery trying to fire the engine at first then doing leak down and compresion tests.  During that the battery held up fine.  It's also started without a whimper against a fully heat soaked (low compression) motor.

Only caveat is the cable attachment.  It has threaded attachment holes in the front and on the top like the HD branded batteries do.  Can't use the ones in the front though.

The post is set back just a bit from being flush with the front face of the battery.  The lug on the end of a battery cable is large enough the cable can't be pulled tight because of that lack of alignment.  You could use about .080-.090" of small washer/spacer there but that would be annoying to drop everytime the cable was unhooked.

Solution for use was simple enough though.  Just bolt the cables down on top.  Like the later model bikes.  Cables have plenty of length to lay that way.  It's actually a much easier connect and disconnect point that futzing about in the cramped space in front of the battery.  So it's not a hassle nor even a problem with the Deka battery.  But it is a difference.

Use a stud instead of a bolt

[Twolanerider]

Use a stud instead of a bolt

Looked at that.  More out of curiosity than consideration for use.  A fixed stud in the hole with a skinny jam nut on first to fill that gap would have functoined fine.  It would have stuck forward in front of the battery protruding in to an area where it's already crowded though.  Negative side touching the frame of course no big deal.  Positive side would be the obvious problem.  Plus would have the question of the studs sticking out potentially wearing on adjacent harnesses. 

None of that may be likely.  But it wasn't worth experimenting to discover how real the issues might be simply because bolting the cables down on top works well, works without obstruction and actually works easier than doing it the other way.  It wasn't broke so didn't need to fix it.