Need Batteries -> On Board Desulphation

[Stratosurfer]

All,
At least one battery is dying, I am pulse charging/desulphating it over night and see if it revives enough for a short while. I have been re-researching best battery choices for our 6.5TD's and would appreciate feedback. I am currently sold that Optimas are the best, however they have over doubled in price from the last one I purchased.
Questions:
Are Walmart 3 year batts exactly the same as Autozone Duralast? I read that for an industry std. the AZ Duralast made by Johnson Industries is a high quality battery and returnable nearly nation wide at Autozones (90 mile round trip for me!).
I am leaning to give up my Optimas as I'm not off roading/bumping/banging like I did in my youth; and they cost 2X the price of an AZ Duralast, and nearly 3x the price of Wally Worlds possible clone of the same battery.
Also I am going to purchase one of the Battery Minder 12V On Board Desulphators.

http://www.thebatteryminder.com/batteryminder12vonboarddesulphator-p-63.html

I have followed this company and the desulphation process is becoming much more main-stream recently. I use thier 2 amp battery charger on my small battery applications: ZTR mower, motorcycle ect. and they do what they advertise. This new on-board unit will take the charge from the alternator and alter the wave-form to a sulphation busting pulse form. In theory this should minimize the sulphated-cell failures of lead-acid batteries. Mechanical breakdown of the cells from vibration etc obviously will happen and eventually destroy all batteries. I do know thier desulphating charger units -do- revive 'dead' and previously thought unserviceable batteries back to service. I know they've only been out about 2 years and we need a lot longer track record, however if anyone has used one and can offer any report it would be appreciated.
Ideally, if the truck is not used off-road (read need Optima/AGM batts), then possibly the high quality Lead Acid batts with this desulphator may be a much more economical solution.

Any and all data on Batteries and the On Board desulphator appreciated.

[Warren96]

I had to buy a walmart battery in the middle of the night because my alternator died. It was the highest cranking power unit they had, but it was hardly enough to get me home. But it was either that or spend the night in a motel with my wife, my daughter, and her (Yuck )boyfriend,until I could find another alternator. The moral to the story? Dont buy a Walmart battery unless the alternative is to spend the night in a motel with your daughters boyfriend. Oh, buy the way if you have a choice,the Sears Diehard series is a good one, and another diesel place said Exide is a strong perfomer in our diesels. Good luck!

[DA BIG ONE]

Walmart battery 34/78 group MAAX-1N has 1000 cranking amps, 875 cc amps, dual terminals and easy to get day/night when on the road.

OPTIMA less amps, more money wasted, and don't last any longer that above when used in harsh diesel applications.

COMMERCIAL truck batteries are tops, but are costly.

Dual alternators are best choice in all cases if rig is keeper!

IMHO

[Robyn]

I have used the Optima batteries in my rigs for years and really like the fact that they dont drool all over and eat the tray's and the fenders all up.
As far as performance I have had no issues with them but have used other "Jello" batteries from Napa and a couple other outifts and had good luck.

Robyn

[redbird2]

I've been using Optima's in my fleet since 2001 I had to replace my first one this year. My fleet is made up of 140 route trucks 85 of them have 6.5 the reset are cummins 4 cylinder ISB's my guys run the batteries dead by leaving lights on all the time we recharge them and go again they keep coming back up on charge I love them on leaking acid anymore
that's my 2 cents

[NH2112]

I ran a single 875CCA WalMart EverStart battery in my 6.5l TD C1500 for about 4 years, and never had a problem with it. Not in the winter, not any time. When it got down to around the teens it wouldn't always start the truck if I hadn't plugged it in, but neither did the dual 850CCA Interstates I had in my earlier 6.2l K10. There are only 3 major automotive battery manufacturers - Delco, Exide, and Johnson Controls - and regardless of where you buy your battery the quality will be the same if made by one of these 3.

[donbfishin]

Have dual Delco 1000's and a Sol D FSD, no problem starting in 22 degree central Utah mornings.
Don