Which 6 volt AGM batteries to choose?

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by padlin

I read this the other day, didn't see where it was AGM specific and the "conditioning" numbers sound like they are talking flooded.

I'm certainly no battery expert, but AGM is mentioned repeatedly throughout the document and to my knowledge Lifeline only manufactures AGM type. Here is their take on conditioning or equalizing. I believe it is only necessary if the batteries are never getting fully recharged.
Can I equalize AGM batteries? - Lifeline Batteries

[padlin]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

I'm certainly no battery expert, but AGM is mentioned repeatedly throughout the document and to my knowledge Lifeline only manufactures AGM type. Here is their take on conditioning or equalizing. I believe it is only necessary if the batteries are never getting fully recharged.
Can I equalize AGM batteries? - Lifeline Batteries

My bad, you are right. I was under the impression one did not equalize AGM's, wrong on that count too.

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by padlin

My bad, you are right. I was under the impression one did not equalize AGM's, wrong on that count too.

Not all AGM battery technology is the same - some of the other brands do not recommend equalization.

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by AllanEdie

The only solution that I have found, if you want proper charging from the tug, is a BtoB charger which will raise the input voltages to appropriate charge voltages.
Good luck with your decisions.

Allan- Which BtoB charger did you use? Thanks.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Not all AGM battery technology is the same - some of the other brands do not recommend equalization.

actually, they are all pretty darn similar, its just a question if the battery maker thinks equalization is useful or not.

AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) batteries use antimony doped lead plates, with woven glass fiber mats between the plates to hold the sulphuric acid in place, so even if the case cracks little or no acid leaks out. if they are severely overcharged, the electrolyte outgasses and the valves open, and the cells weep excess acid, but this should never happen during normal and even reasonably abnormal operation. due to the antimony doping, they like a few 0.1 volts higher during the absorption phase compared with a conventional wet cell. the optimal duration of the absorption phase is dependent on the size of the battery.

[John in Santa Cruz]

IMHO (hah hah, value of said opinion is about US$ 0.02)

the 21st century RV power solution should include a power converter with solar, AC, and tug inputs, and automatically select between the power sources to optimally manage the battery charge state with a single charge controller, isntead of having multiple regulators/controllers all trying to do the same thing.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

IMHO (hah hah, value of said opinion is about US$ 0.02)

the 21st century RV power solution should include a power converter with solar, AC, and tug inputs, and automatically select between the power sources to optimally manage the battery charge state with a single charge controller, isntead of having multiple regulators/controllers all trying to do the same thing.

Sure. But on the other hand, there’s something to be said for multiple redundant systems, each of which is also simpler than one device capable of doing it all. When, not if, one system fails, it’s good to have an alternative or alternatives that still operate.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

the 21st century RV power solution should include a power converter with solar, AC, and tug inputs, and automatically select between the power sources to optimally manage the battery charge state with a single charge controller, isntead of having multiple regulators/controllers all trying to do the same thing.

While I think multiple controllers are functionally required - if only because two are often used at the same time - everything would work better if they were coordinated. This would not be technically difficult (with network communication to a central manager), and only requires 20th century technology, but no one sells it as far as I know. It could be assembled from unrelated charger/controllers, but only if each one has some reasonable sort of external control input.

Coordinating multiple charger/controllers would not stop them from independently operating as well as they do now if the coordinating system failed.

[yologals]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

IMHO (hah hah, value of said opinion is about US$ 0.02)

the 21st century RV power solution should include a power converter with solar, AC, and tug inputs, and automatically select between the power sources to optimally manage the battery charge state with a single charge controller, isntead of having multiple regulators/controllers all trying to do the same thing.

I agree with your $ 0.02. I’m in the process of planning battery upgrade, adding solar, inverter, etc and am overwhelmed by the many requirements and choices!!

[Woody]

Hello John. Hope all is well with you. Did you replace the wet cell batteries with the batteries you listed. I am looking to replace my wet cell very soon. Are there any mods that need to be done to install them? Thanks for the info.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Woody

Hello John. Hope all is well with you. Did you replace the wet cell batteries with the batteries you listed. I am looking to replace my wet cell very soon. Are there any mods that need to be done to install them? Thanks for the info.

um, not sure what batteries you're referring to, if you mean 'me' John....

but, I went whole hog and replaced my 2 x GC2 flooded golf cart batteries with 2 x 12V 206AH SOK Battery brand Lithium Iron Phosphate, then went way overboard upgrading my charging systems and solar. I replaced the WFCO 8955's charger/converter with a PD4655L, I replaced the factory 160W solar panel with a 360W LG monocrystalline panel, and the Gopower PWM solar controller with a Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30, I added a Orion TR 12/18 DC DC converter for the tow vehicle charging (turned out to uneccessary as solar has been plenty good enough), and I added a Renogy 2000W Pure Sine inverter so my wife can run her hair dryer, and we can use an electric coffee maker and grinder. Oh, and I replaced the broken RMD8555 absorption fridge with a Norcold N2175 DC compressor fridge that was an exact fit.

There's a rather long thread showing my incremental progress in doing all this, its titled Lith-ii-ii-um or something like that..

Net result is, 5260 watt*hours of power, can run all my systems for at least a week with no sunshine and still have close to 50% remaining battery, and the solar panel alone can fully recharge it in 2 days, or the PD4655L can recharge it in about 7 hours.

[grantpallen]

My original AGM batteries still going strong. Into my sixth year! 😃

Canadian Tire CG2

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

um, not sure what batteries you're referring to, if you mean 'me' John....

but, I went whole hog and replaced my 2 x GC2 flooded golf cart batteries with 2 x 12V 206AH SOK Battery brand Lithium Iron Phosphate, then went way overboard upgrading my charging systems and solar. I replaced the WFCO 8955's charger/converter with a PD4655L, I replaced the factory 160W solar panel with a 360W LG monocrystalline panel, and the Gopower PWM solar controller with a Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30, I added a Orion TR 12/18 DC DC converter for the tow vehicle charging (turned out to uneccessary as solar has been plenty good enough), and I added a Renogy 2000W Pure Sine inverter so my wife can run her hair dryer, and we can use an electric coffee maker and grinder. Oh, and I replaced the broken RMD8555 absorption fridge with a Norcold N2175 DC compressor fridge that was an exact fit.

There's a rather long thread showing my incremental progress in doing all this, its titled Lith-ii-ii-um or something like that..

Net result is, 5260 watt*hours of power, can run all my systems for at least a week with no sunshine and still have close to 50% remaining battery, and the solar panel alone can fully recharge it in 2 days, or the PD4655L can recharge it in about 7 hours.

Very similar build to my new rig, except I went with the Victron inverter charger and have a very short run with 2/0 so the charger is very efficient. I also added a Cerbo gxs to monitor every thing and added ruuvi temp sensors for the outside, battery compartment meant and frog temperature as well as Mopeka propane sensors.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by oldwave

Very similar build to my new rig, except I went with the Victron inverter charger and have a very short run with 2/0 so the charger is very efficient. I also added a Cerbo gxs to monitor every thing and added ruuvi temp sensors for the outside, battery compartment meant and frog temperature as well as Mopeka propane sensors.

i have separate AWG 2 to each battery, they are connected at those 250A positive and negative bus strips in the middle of my board... 2 AWG 2 wires is roughly equivalent to 1 2/0. The Inverter came with 1 meter DC cables that were exactly long enough to reach from where I mounted it to those same bus strips, so the inverter is relying entirely on the battery fuses. I've also upgraded those 100A fuses to 150A just in case the inverter pulls a bit more than 200A total in extreme conditions. all the wire is high grade pure copper fine strand. The WindyNation made-in-USA cable sold on Amazon is decent quality.

I already had the 500A SmartShunt, that and the SmartSolar provides me with plenty of info on the state of the battery and the solar charging, so I couldn't justify getting the Cerbo to integrate that. So far I've only used the inverter for a few minutes at a time, brew a pot of coffee, or my wife drying her hair, then its switched off again, so really no need for fancy monitoring on it, I can see the total power load via the current output on the smartshunt plus the solar output (which is up to about 25 amps if my panel is running at full output, but usually more like 15-20A).

the smartshunt has its battery temp probe attached so I can see the battery compartment temp on my phone, and I have a cheap wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer to see how cold it is outside, this shows 24 hour min-max as well as current for both inside and outside on its small dedicated display.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

There's a rather long thread showing my incremental progress in doing all this, its titled Lith-ii-ii-um or something like that.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...ued-22142.html