U.S. Battery vs. Trojan: Has the Trojan been knocked off by the U.S?

U.S. and Trojan are two of the most well-known battery manufacturers, making a range of batteries for golf carts, motorhomes, and boat use. Each manufacturer claims theirs are the best, longest-lasting batteries you can buy. 

This article aims to give you the information you need to choose the best battery for your circumstances. Both the US2200 XC2 and the Trojan T105 have similar specifications, so what are the differences?

Manufacturer: U.S. Battery vs. Trojan

For many people, where a product is manufactured is a deciding factor when it’s time to purchase something, so let’s take a look at the U.S. Battery and Trojan company information.

U.S. Battery is an American company formed in 1926 that builds its products at three manufacturing plants, one in California and two in Georgia. The company manufactures batteries for various applications, from golf carts to electric vehicles and solar panels.

Trojan’s story is very similar to U.S. Battery. The company opened in 1925 and has four manufacturing plants, two in California and two in Georgia. Trojan also lays claim to inventing the deep cycle golf cart battery, where they have extensive expertise.

The Battle of U.S. Battery 2200 and Trojan T105

U.S. Battery 2200 vs. Trojan T105: Marketing Battle

The U.S. Battery US2200 XC2 and the Trojan T105 offer very similar performance on paper, and the differences between them were the cause of fierce debate that became known as the Battle of U.S. Battery 2200 vs. Trojan T105.

The battle surrounded the claims made by U.S. Battery for their US2200 XC2 6 volt product in an advert by the U.S. Battery marketing team. In essence, U.S. Battery claimed that their battery was equivalent to the Trojan product, providing their testing evidence.

However, Trojan quickly replied, using independent testing data, by an accredited laboratory named ”JBI Laboratories”, showing how their product was superior in many ways.

The claim by U.S. Battery was that their product was cheaper and equivalent to the Trojan battery, but the independent evidence didn’t quite back this up, by showing 3 real facts on U.S.:

Fact #1: U.S. Battery states “a very large and well respected battery expert” conducted their 6-volt battery testing, but does not name the so-called expert. 

Fact #2: It took the U.S. Battery 2200 XC2 up to 280 Cycles to meet the rated capacity of 122 minutes. The important fact is that the JBI independent accredited laboratory test results showed that U.S. Battery XC2 6-volt batteries never met rated capacity.

Fact #3: the U.S. Battery US8VGC-XC2 did not have strong cycle life and did not come close to its rated capacity in the first 25 cycles. To be exact, the fact is it never achieved its rated capacity.

trojanbattery.com

U.S. Battery 2200 vs. Trojan T105: Head-to-head comparison

U.S. batteries might not be as excellent as they advertise. But are Trojan batteries better than the U.S.?

The answer of which is “better” depends on your definition of “better”. Read the detailed comparison below to find out your answers.

What are the differences, and what does it mean in real life.

Amperage

The US2200 XC2 offers the highest amperage at 232A, compared to 225A from the Trojan. In reality, this is not a huge difference and on its own won’t be noticed. The real difference is in how the power is delivered.

Reserve Capacity

The industry standard for reserve capacity (RC) is the time a 6-volt battery can supply 25 Amps before the output voltage drops below 5.25 volts. The U.S. Battery beats the Trojan in this test, giving 474 minutes compared to 447 minutes.

Lifespan

Testing a single battery doesn’t give you an appreciation for the battery’s lifespan, as there can be variations. To gauge the relative differences, we carried out substantial online research. Compared to the Trojan equivalent, many reviews of U.S. Battery products have rated the lifespan of the Trojan batteries as better. 

• On average, the Trojan batteries lasted between 8 to 10 years.
• Whereas, the U.S. Battery versions were closer to 6 to 8 years. 

The lifespan will be affected by how the batteries are being used, of course. Light usage on an RV will be easier on a battery than a deep discharge on a golf cart.

Weight

While the weight of a single battery may not be significant, in most 6 volt applications such as golf carts, multiple batteries are used in parallel. The Trojan is 2.4 pounds heavier than the US2200, so in a pack of six batteries, that’s an extra 14.4 pounds. 

Deep Discharge Capability

Depending on your use of the battery, the deep discharge capability may be particularly important.

In this respect, the Trojan has a clear advantage over the U.S. Battery version. Drawing large currents for long periods can shorten the life of lower-quality batteries. The Trojan is known for its deep discharge capabilities, but there is a price premium to pay for this quality.

Price

A straight price for price comparison shows that Trojan batteries to be more expensive than the equivalent U.S. Battery product. However, if you are buying something on price alone, you may be in for a disappointment.

If you are purchasing multiple batteries, such as for golf carts, then the situation is not as clear cut, and multi-buy discounts can bring the price of the Trojan to within just a few dollars of the U.S Battery version.

Warranty

Although U.S. Battery and Trojan offer limited 12-month warranties, and there is no advantage here in buying one over the other.

However, the warranty period of Trojan T-105 and T-105 Plus is 18 months. So when comparing the warranty policy, Trojan T-105 is the winner.

What to consider when choosing either Trojan or U.S. Battery?

Apart from the basic specifications of the batteries, there are other things to consider, which we will discuss next.

Warranty

Both U.S. Battery and Trojan offer limited 12-month warranties, so there is no advantage here in buying one over the other.

Note: Trojan provides 18-month warranties for their best-seller battery models: T-105, T-105 Plus, T-1275, T875, T-1275 Plus, Ranger™ 160.

Where to buy it? 

For peace of mind, buying local is normally the best choice. If something happens to your battery, it’s fairly easy to return it, and local companies will offer a more personal service than online shopping.

Of course, online shopping offers the convenience of ordering from home with home delivery. Online shopping is often cheaper, and there may be special offers or deals that you can’t get locally.

Buy your favorite 6V battery online:

Charging method

In general, most acid-filled batteries will charge quite happily on a standard charger, such as Battery Minder or NOCE automatic chargers. This is the case with the Trojan batteries. 

However, U.S. Battery products are known to require a high finish voltage that some chargers may not provide. Undercharging a battery will damage the internal components and shorten the product’s life considerably.

Customer feedback on Forums

Feedback on various forums, from RV to golf cart and boating interest, both batteries get generally good reviews. The overall impression is that Trojan batteries are more expensive but last a little longer than the U.S. Battery equivalents.

Conclusion

Who should buy Trojan batteries?

If high power surges or long continuous power drains are expected, the more expensive Trojan batteries would be more suitable. In this respect, we are thinking of batteries that power electric motors, such as in golf carts.

Who should buy U.S. Battery batteries? 

In light usage, where the batteries will not often be subjected to deep discharge, then the cheaper U.S. Battery US2200XC is recommended. There is no point in paying the premium price of Trojan batteries if you don’t need the advantages they offer. Situations, where the XC2200 will be ideal, are running low-wattage LED lighting in your RV or other low power uses. 

Finding a new battery for your golf cart, read this article: Best Golf Cart Batteries – Which Ones Should You Buy?