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BigWooo
Senior Nomad
Posts: 579
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You are much better off using 6 volt batteries in series/parallel strings, or even 2 volt batteries. The batteries charge more efficiently. You can
parallel up to 4 or even 6 12 volt batteries without much loss in charging efficiency though.
I'm sold on AGM batteries and feel the cost is worth it. I never have to worry about equalizing or checking the water. Battery room doesn't stink
and all I ever change is the absorb time based on my average daily use. When you have a vacation home I think the AGM's are the best. You can shut
the system down, let them sit for up to 9 months and never have to worry about someone maintaining the water level while you're gone.
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captkw
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Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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anyone ??
Quote: Originally posted by captkw  | Being I do batt/pwr systems in my line of work I have to stay on top of my game and was wondering if anyone here is using them in a system and their
thought's...from what I have learned is they are showing a bright future..pun intended !!
[Edited on 10-20-2015 by captkw] |
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landyacht318
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Concorde makes Lifeline and the Sunextender lines targeted at the renewables market, but I suspect Sunextenders are simply lifelines with a different
sticker. The charge recommendations and Owners manuals are exactly the same but for the headers.
They are excellent batteries, but Like All AGMs they really need to be 100% recharged often, and high amp recharging is also recommended when deeply
cycled. Lifeline says 20 amps per 100AH of capacity when deeply cycled.
100% charged is when the amps require to hold a Hundred amp hour AGM battery at 14.4v, taper to 0.5 amps.
With flooded batteries, it is 2 to 3 amps per 100 AH of capacity, but really with flooded the Hydrometer is the polygraph as to when the battery is
indeed 100% charged. Not voltage. Voltage is practically meaningless as a way of determining full charge. One can have a 'fully' charged flooded
batery resting for 5 days at 12.7v, and then dip the hydrometer and find 1.200 where full charge is 1.275, or perhaps even higher. Now the denser
acid usually falls to the bottom of the cells, and the hydrometer might read low because it is only sucking the less dense acid on top, but one can
charge them at gassing voltages, 15 minutes is enough to destratify the acid, and still find this 12.7v rested battery, is only 1.200.
The deeper the discharge, the more important it is to give the AGM's high amp recharges every so often.
Lifeline/ Concorde is also the only AGM battery manufacturer that lists a 'conditioning' procedure, which is very similar to a flooded battery
equalization cycle.
http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/manual.pdf
page 20 section 5.5
If you can treat lifeline AGM batteries well, they will return the favor. If you cannot, then you will not get good value from them. Their high
price does not give them magical qualities which will negate incomplete/improper recharging .
Regarding 12v flooded batteries, all of them in the regular car jar sizes are NOT deep cycle batteries. Despite the label clearly saying so.
They are dual purpose batteries and their internal construction is closer to a starting battery, than it is to a real deep cycle battery.
If you are going to get flooded batteries, 6v golf cart batteries are true deep cycle batteries, and they have more electrolyte both above and below
the plates. Above so they can go longer between waterings, and below so plate sheddings can build up much longer before actually shorting out a cell.
As 2 golf cart batteries cost the same or less than 2 group 27/29 or 31 batteries, and have twice the rated number of cycles, if you choose 2 12
volts over 2 six volts golf cart batteries in series. Well find gun, aim at foot, and shoot.
There are a few authentic 12v deep cycle batteries, but they are much taller than the group 24/27/29/31 BCI size groups
Look into the Trojan t-1275/ J150 and the J 185.
Rolls Surrette sets the standard for flooded batteries. Their owners manual answers every question I ever had about lead acid batteries.
Those interested in deep cycle lead acid batteries would do well to read this manual. There is so much crap and myths surrounding lead acid batteries
all over the net, espoused time and again like gospel, it is kind of ridiculous.
http://rollsbattery.com/uploads/pdfs/documents/user_manuals/...
Between the Lifeline and the RollsSurrette manuals, everything anyone needs to know about deep cycle lead acid batteries and their proper treatment,
is right there.
Whether it is decipherable to the reader is the only question. They are not written as tech speak for engineers.
[Edited on 10-21-2015 by landyacht318]
The Firefly Carbon Foam AGM batteries claim to be resistant to the biggest killer of AGM batteries, and that is partial state of charge cycling.
All lead acid battteries are compromised to some degree by being discharged again before being fully recharged, but these carbon foam AGMS claim to
handle it like water off of a ducks back.
Some in the Boating communities have tested them and say they do seen to have the same capacity after 6 months sitting at 50% state of charge.
I hear production cannot keep up with demand yet:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f14/agm-fire-fly-battery...
:
[Edited on 10-21-2015 by landyacht318]
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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Firefly (carbon foam agm)
They say that the DOD is a very small factor with thei
"
I have been watching them for a while.. they state that the DOD is of a very little concern.. btw , we can thank "CUMMINS" for the first attemp's and
now with ION"S,, whats next ??
[Edited on 10-21-2015 by captkw]
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Yep, got wait for the truth test (time)
and landyacht is Soo correct about battery's..one of the most misunderstanded things around..always been that way, and always will be,,because folks
don't take the time to study...Duh,,and another thing is most outboard stators don't like deep clycle's and I see it daily...Grr.. I use a lot of CDI
outboard ignition parts and their tech and me BS a few times a year..when someone wants to warrenty a stator or volt/reg first thing they ask is what
battery are you using..if you reply "deep clycle" they say "Sorry" did you not read your owners manual?
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