AGM batteries?

[studmuffin]

I have the usual 4 6 V. Interstate batteries, for the house. They are about 3-4 years old and was thinking about AGM batteries, this time. They seem to be low maint. and longer lasting. Anybody, switch to them, was it worth the expense, and where to get a deal on them?? All the pricing I have seen, they are 250-300 dollars; and Trojan, or Sams Club equivalent, seem to be 80- 120 dollars.
Was it worth the difference, and what brand did you use??
Thanks, the Muffin Man.

[Norm4015]

I switched to four 6-volt Lifeline AGM batteries over nine years ago and I have used them in two motorhome including fulltiming and a lot of boondocking. They are still performing as good as the day I bought them. Since I bought mine in 2001 the price has risen and I have no idea where to get the best deal.

[boaterok]

Google CENTEX BATTERIES out of Texas he gave the best price and will find the cheapest way to ship to you. Mine cost me $40 less than he said because the freight company passed along a discount and he passed it to me. Great way to do business!!! Plus you don't have to have a core and he doesn't charge tax as long as your not in Texas.

[BryanL]

For the broader experience, check resources like the FAQ at N Az WindSun

AGM's are indeed nice batteries. They can be expected to last about 1.5 times as long as a wet cell, but how long depends mostly upon how you use and maintain them.

They are sealed batteries which can be nice but also has its downsides.

No battery is "maintenance free" - If you treat your batteries right and have a good charger plus storage maintenance device, you should have very little need to worry about having to get into the battery compartment.

The lower self discharge rate of AGM's means that you can sometimes get away with a bit longer storage times but storage without proper charge maintenance and desulfation is still a route to shorter battery life.

If you run an inverter and sometimes need a lot of current from your batteries, AGM's can be a good choice due to their lower internal resistance.

so much hype, so little time, ... ;-)

[Midniteoyl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boaterok Google CENTEX BATTERIES out of Texas he gave the best price and will find the cheapest way to ship to you. Mine cost me $40 less than he said because the freight company passed along a discount and he passed it to me. Great way to do business!!! Plus you don't have to have a core and he doesn't charge tax as long as your not in Texas.

Cool

[JoeT]

I changed out my 4 6 volt, 5 year old Trojans to LifeLines at an FMCA Rally in Albuquerque last March. $249 each plus $50 installation.
I love not having to check and refill the Trojans. I immediately noticed I didn't have to run my Onan as often when dry camping.

[Stretch]

Besides what everybody else said, of which I agree, you will never see ANY corrosion in your battery compartment again. Our coach is an 05 (6 years old batteries) and they work perfectly. I am counting on 3 more years. Every once in a while I open the battery compartment and I am amazed. The batteries look like they were installed today. I know they are expensive, but batteries are a real important part of our lifestyle. Whatever they cost, I will buy them again.

[az bound]

Here is an excelent source for battery information without manufacturers hype.http://www.ptsdcs.com/whitepapers/35.pdf

[BryanL]

That APC white paper is a good one from my reading. Do keep in mind it is from the PoV of a UPS and your RV is a different mode of service. It is generic enough, though, that much applies to the RV and it does seem to qualify some of the common mythical concepts fairly well.

Thanks for the cite. Good find.

[az bound]

I can't take credit for the find I just passed it along. Although an RV bay wouldn't be considered an environmentally controlled area I felt the article had information we could all benefit from.

[Downsizer]

We switched to AGM's about a year ago.... bought Interstate from a Distributor of them, not a dealer... saved good $$$...careful on the fit though.... they will just fit in the drawer, but had to get new cables to join them... was about 1.5" toooooo short!!!!!!

[UFO Pilot]

I switched to AGM's (Lifeline) 1 year ago and I'm not going back to wet cells!