New House Batteries, Gel ?

[VACMAN]

My house batteries have failed. I have over heard RVers state that it is wise to replace with Gel?.. So before I go to the battery man, help me to wise up. What should I tell him I want? price is not an issue.. Brand you refer etc. Thanks in advance,,,VACMAN

[Norm4015]

Originally Posted by VACMAN

My house batteries have failed. I have over heard RVers state that it is wise to replace with Gel?.. So before I go to the battery man, help me to wise up. What should I tell him I want? price is not an issue.. Brand you refer etc. Thanks in advance,,,VACMAN

No, you don't want Gel batteries for a motorhome. If price is not an issue I recommend Lifeline AGM batteries. I have used a set of four 6-volt batteries in two motorhome for about nine years and they still work great. This includes nine years of fulltiming and about 800 nights boondocking.

Once a year I check the torque on the battery cables and wash off the dust - and forget about them for another year.

[Bill Adams]

I would recommend that you get Lifeline deep cycle AGM's. There will be others that disagree. If you have excellent access to your batteries and you are really good about checking the water level every 2-4 weeks and you keep distilled water handy and you don't mind the out-gassing that corrodes everything in sight, then the wet cell will still give you excellent service. If you have batteries like mine that you can only view the water level with a mirror or you have a tendency to procrastinate now and then and you can stomach the much higher price (but much longer life span given the above parameters) you will buy AGM batteries.

[BryanL]

Gel serves best in float applications like a UPS.

AGM's are nice when you want a sealed battery with high current capability that can be mounted in unusual positions and don't mind the cost premium.

For RV purposes, the standard wet cell is the most cost effective.

For what to buy: find a reputable retailer who will stand behind what he sells and sells a lot to folks like you.

If you want a good service life for your batteries, put your attention to proper use and maintenance. Charge promptly with an intelligent 3 stage charger, maintain with something that will keep a top charge and inhibit sulfation, avoid high temperatures and going below 12.0v discharge level (measured after a half hour of no current in or out). You should get 4 - 7 years from a wet cell battery, maybe 20% longer with an AGM if they are properly used and maintained.

[soricobob]

Vacman your batteries were too young to fail, unless something is wrong. Before you purchase new ones I suggest finding out what drained your current (pardon the pun) ones.

[wa8yxm]

Many folks seem to think AGM is Gel.. I will talk about some differnet battery types here

Flooded wet cells 1: Golf Car or other Deep cycle... First, due to the number of golf cars out there needing batteries.. These tend to be rather low-cost when compared to others.. They are designed to be recharged fairly quickly and discharged rather slowly and do a decent job of recovery when you pull an "OPPS" and discharge them farther than you plan.

Flooded wet cells 2: Starting and "Marine/Deep cycle" Not that much different in price, but they tend not to recover from an "OOPS" as well as a golf car battery.

Note that these batteries do need to be "Watered" from time to time so access needs to be.. If you have to be a triple jointed contortionist to get at 'em.. Forget this kind of battery!!!!.

Also, battery fumes are nasty things and thus they need to be well ventilated.

Maintenance free (Sealed Lead Acid, wet cell) Higher in price, but if maintenance is a problem.. This may be an option:

AGM: Exclusive of Optima: These batteries are available in a Deep Cycle type, both six and 12 volt. They are very low gassing, Maintenance free. and Lifelien AGM's can take a seriously faster re-charge.. HOWEVER.. THEY ARE EXPENSIVE,, Way more so than a flooded wet cell.

OPTIMA: A special case of AGM: This battery is only 75% there, (Actually that's rounded a bit) Look at them. see all that wasted air space.. Well, what you get is, either 73 or 78 (I forget which without doing the math) battery and the rest is wasted space.. You will find the amp-hours are only about 3/4 of a traditional battery in the same size format. They also cost more than other AGM's.. FORGET these. No point paying 4/3 the price for 3/4 the battery.

GEL: Not suitable for RV use.. Very slow re-charge, Very "Fussy" about voltages, And though they do work well in smaller formats. AGM is way better


My recommendations....

If access and venting are not problems.. Go with something like the Interstate U-2200 or Trojan T-105 (Trojan's are the "Cadillac" of the industry, and of course cost more) or the Six volt golf car batteries (in pairs) from Sam's or Costco. (Less expensive)

Remember.. There are no six volt batteries in RVs

Just 12 volt batteries.. Some of which come in two pieces

-Part1+ -Part2 + From the left most - to the right most + is 12 volts

Likewise

-Part 1+
-Part 2+

From the left to the right (assuming the two parts are 12 volt deep cycle) is 12 volts.

IT's all one battery in either configuration.

[GaryKD]

Hi VACMAN,
Like previously posted, AGM technology batteries are the way to go. I'm in my 3rd year and they perform like new. If I remember correctly, you are located where it gets cold in the winter. Before making this decision, consider bringing the batteries into a warm environment. This would be consistently above 60 degrees F. Charge the batteries fully. Disconnect the charger and let them sit for a few hours and take a VDC reading. The reading should be 12.6 VDC or more (my assumption is you will keep the batteries connected, in series). Let them sit for a week in above 60 degree F temps. Take another VDC reading. The reading should be 12.6 VDC or more. If this is true, take the batteries to a battery store or auto parts store and have them put under load. This will tell you the condition of the batteries. Then you can make a decision about new batteries.

Cold weather plays games with batteries. For me, unless the batteries are consistently above 60 degrees F I do nothing with them.

[VACMAN]

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi VACMAN,
Like previously posted, AGM technology batteries are the way to go. I'm in my 3rd year and they perform like new. If I remember correctly, you are located where it gets cold in the winter. Before making this decision, consider bringing the batteries into a warm environment. This would be consistently above 60 degrees F. Charge the batteries fully. Disconnect the charger and let them sit for a few hours and take a VDC reading. The reading should be 12.6 VDC or more (my assumption is you will keep the batteries connected, in series). Let them sit for a week in above 60 degree F temps. Take another VDC reading. The reading should be 12.6 VDC or more. If this is true, take the batteries to a battery store or auto parts store and have them put under load. This will tell you the condition of the batteries. Then you can make a decision about new batteries.

Cold weather plays games with batteries. For me, unless the batteries are consistently above 60 degrees F I do nothing with them.

Hi Gary,, We just got back from Floida,, We went down the last of Jan. On the way down after 8 hours we stopped for the night. And after just running th TV for only 1 hour the batteries were gone. I had to run the Gen in order to run the furnace. We spent the month of Feb at River Bend, just east of Fort Myers.After 2 weeks of shore power I had a road tech, (using tech cautously) Ck the Batteries with a load. He said the batteries were fine, full charge. Then I unplug shore power, turn on 2 TVs and the meter panel overhead would drop from GOOD to POOR in about 3 minutes. He checked farther and said the charge side of my inverter was bad. he said the cheapest would be to keep the inverter, and go buy a charger and put on. So I did, and put it on over night.. Same thing battery read full charge, But 2 TVs and it dropped out like pouring water out of a bucket. $75.00 wasted for that so called tech advice.. THEN a good looking tech truck came by. this guy looked smarter than the last. So I flagged him down, Told him the story The first thing he done was take an eye dropper of acid from my batteries, put it in the device he had, looked in it and told me the batteries were shot. He explained a battery can show a full charge
but will not hold it if the count in the acid is not right..Vacman

[VACMAN]

I am confussed by the above post of Wa8yxm.. he states::: Remember.. There are no six volt batteries in RVs I was told that I have a 12 volt system on my house Batteries, but they are 4 six volt batteries wireed to make 12 volt... And Wa8yxm says there are no six volt batteries in a RV...
VACMAN

[FlyingDiver]

Originally Posted by VACMAN

I am confussed by the above post of Wa8yxm.. he states::: Remember.. There are no six volt batteries in RVs I was told that I have a 12 volt system on my house Batteries, but they are 4 six volt batteries wireed to make 12 volt... And Wa8yxm says there are no six volt batteries in a RV...
VACMAN

He's being funny.

Note he says that some 12v batteries come in 2 pieces. Which means 2 x 6v batteries, connected in series.

joe

[VACMAN]

Originally Posted by FlyingDiver

He's being funny.

Note he says that some 12v batteries come in 2 pieces. Which means 2 x 6v batteries, connected in series.

joe

That is what I thought.. So,, if I buy 4, 6 volt AGM batteries, and wire then in the same way I take the old one out, I should be good to go.. Right?
VACMAN

[FlyingDiver]

Originally Posted by VACMAN

That is what I thought.. So,, if I buy 4, 6 volt AGM batteries, and wire then in the same way I take the old one out, I should be good to go.. Right?
VACMAN

If the ones you took out were also 6v, then yes. Also, remember you'll have to adjust the settings on your charger/converter if you switch battery types. AGMs have a different charge profile than lead-acid (wet cell).

joe

[GaryKD]

Hi VACMAN,
When you were in River Bend, you were about 90 miles directly West of my house! One of these days somebody at RB needs to invite me over, for the day.

Based on "page two" of your story, guess you need new batteries. If you have 4 6 VDC batteries, you can replace them with 4 6 VDC AGM batteries and wire them the same as the old batteries. Double check the status of your charger before replacing the batteries. Just take a reading with the charger on. It should be around 13.4 VDC or more. As to reprogramming your EMS, I do not remember if you have an EMS or not. I do not have this feature so my IOTA charger just takes charging the AGMs in stride, never had any problems.

Your best bet is to look in the Yellow Pages under Batteries. See what 4 6 VDC AGMs go for in your area. This includes questions about the warranty (full replacement time in months, etc.) You'll get your exercise removing, carting them to the battery store and reversing the process for the new batteries. For me, they are heavy brutes.

Good luck,

["007"]

This LINK may help when its time to hook up batteries.