Battery Equivalents and Replacements

DieHard 38232 Advanced Gold AGM Group 34 Battery

DieHard 38232 Advanced Gold AGM Group 34 Battery is designed as starting battery for cars, trucks, RVs, and similar vehicles, but also for marine use and light industrial applications that require a strong and reliable 12V power source.

DieHard 38232 is a maintenance-free, spill-proof AGM battery with improved resistance to vibrations and increased cycle life - the battery can even be used as a high-power dual-purpose battery, but its primary role is - starting/cranking battery.

Updated: June 16, 2023.

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DieHard 38232 Advanced Gold AGM Group 34 Battery Features and Specifications

DieHard 38232 Advanced Gold AGM Group 34 Battery features a capacity of 55 Ah when being discharged for 20h and Reserve Capacity (RC) value of 120 minutes, which is an excellent value for a 55 Ah starting battery.

As a starting battery, it can provide 775 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps - cranking amps at 0°F, -18°C), which is equivalent to ~970 MCA (Marine Cranking Amps - cranking amps at 32°F, 0°C).

DieHard 38232 battery weighs ~44.5 pounds (~20.2 kg), making it one of the lighter BCI Group 34 batteries.

Also, DieHard 38232 battery features:

  • 20x increased vibration resistance, which is very important in today's applications, regardless if the battery is used as the starting battery for a city car or for a 4x4 off-road vehicle.
  • 2x increased cycle life, which is again very important when being used in vehicles with electronics that require a constant power supply, like alarms, GPS, onboard computers, etc.
  • maintenance-free, spill-proof design that can be mounted and used in any position.
  • 3-year limited warranty.

Note: although the DieHard 38232 battery features 55 Ah (20h) capacity and a great RC of 120 minutes, it should not be used as a deep cycle battery in marine, automotive, solar, off-the-grid, or any other similar application. It tolerates such applications up to a point, but in the end, they shorten its lifespan.

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 BCI Group 34 Batteries - Comparison

The following chart lists several very popular BCI Group 34 batteries, including the DieHard 38232 battery:

Model Battery Type Group Size Cell Type Ah MCA RC Weight (lbs/kg)
DieHard 38232 Starting 34 AGM 55 970 120 44.5 lbs;  20.2 kg
Odyssey 34M-PC1500 Dual Purpose 34 AGM 68 1050 135 49.5 lbs; 22.4 kg
Optima 8002-002 34 Starting 34 AGM 50 1000 100 37.9 lbs; 17.2 kg
Optima 8016-103 D34M Dual Purpose 34 AGM 55 870 120 43.5 lbs; 19.7 kg

Note: Amazon affiliate links in the table open in the new windows; feel free to check them out.

optima redtop 34 battery 1As one can see, DieHard 38232 features the same capacity and RC value as the dual-purpose Optima D34M battery. On the other hand, DieHard 38232 features some 100 Amps better MCA. But, the Optima D34M battery tolerates cyclic use much better - after all, it is a purposely built dual-purpose battery.

When compared with the true starting Optima RedTop 34 battery, DieHard 38232 is heavier (44.5 vs. 37.9 pounds), has a slightly lower MCA value, but also has a larger 20h capacity (55 vs. 50 Ah), and better RC value (120 vs. 100 minutes).

Odyssey 34M-PC1500 is a dual-purpose battery, heavier than DieHard 38232, featuring larger capacity, better cranking characteristics, longer RC, etc. But, Odyssey 34M-PC1500 is also a more expensive battery than the DieHard 38232 battery.

If you are looking for an excellent all-around group 34 battery and you don't mind spending some extra money, consider Odyssey group 34 batteries.

If you are looking for a good starting battery, resistant to vibrations and tolerates slow drain by electronics like alarms, GPS, and similar devices, DieHard 38232 is the battery that will serve its purpose well without busting your budget.

Some people even use DieHard 38232 as a dual-purpose or even deep cycle battery - this is not what this battery is intended for.

DieHard 38232 is starting, AGM group 34 battery, mountable in any position (except up-side-down), maintenance-free. And it should be used as such!

For more reviews and recommendations, check the DieHard 38232 Group 34 Battery Amazon link (the link opens in the new window).