AGM Batteries

Derek,

The cranker is what came with the Jerry Can (Terracan). From memory it's a "Rocket", 600 CCA, 75 amp (they do quote both in Korea), sealed calcium job. It too is a bloody ripper. After I start the car it is only a matter of seconds before I hear the Redarc "clunk" and start sending power to the AGM.

ATB,

Jim.

That's great too. Just shows how well AGM's perform and even with mismatched batteries.

The Redarc is also a great unit.

Regards Derek.

Hi Derek,
In your experience, how do the AGMs handle heat inside an engine bay?
I know that any lead-acid battery doesn't really like heat, but often the engine bay is the only place to put these things.
Gerry

I have had no problem with fitting in the engine bay.

I do fit a heat shield if near the turbo or exhaust.

The biggest problem I have seen with batteries is people tightening the hold down clamps too tight.

Regards Derek.

Thanks, Derek.
I currently use a conventional battery and have mounted a heat shield between the battery and the turbo, plus I have a thermostatically-controlled fan (only a 100mm computer fan) which directs some cool air from the front of the vehicle past the battery. Guess it helps.
Anyway, sounds like an AGM will be ok in this environment when I next upgrade.
Gerry

Hi Norm. A bit of a side issue, but what size electric motor do you have on your boat and what sort of run time do you get with the 120A/H battery? I am trying to decide what size battery or batteries I need.

Anthony

Anthony, I have mostly used the 120AH in a Rosco Basscatcher canoe. The motor is a Minn Kota 40 lb Riptide. I've been out for 4 or 5 hours a few times with it. But that is probably only 2 to 3 hours of running. Plenty of power left when I get back. On Hinze dam we do a fair bit on full power as it is a big dam and the elec is the only motor allowed.

The 40 lb motor _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx a max of 42 amps (running full speed). I suspect (but haven't measured) that average current is more like 25 amps under a normal variety of uses on a fishing trip.

I doubt that you would need more than one battery unless you were going to troll for long periods. I don't do a lot of trolling; I find it a bit boreing. The bigger elec motors are 24V, so you would need two batteries in series for them, but only if you have a very large boat.

I was happy to drop down to the 60 AH for the tinnie. Saves a heap of weight and will give me at least 90 mins of running without pulling too much power from the battery. I use the outboard to get to the fishing area, then the elec for silent running around the snags, short position changes, retreiving lures etc.

The AGM is ideal for the boat, particularly for roof topping as you have to move it a lot. I tip the battery on it's side when in the canoe as I can get a better storage position this way. The set up in the boat will also have the battery on it's side.

Thanks for the info.
I picked up a 54lb Motor Guide at a good price and plan to use this as the sole source of propulsion on a 12ft tinnie, as I don’t really wish to carry around an outboard and petrol (a small diesel outboard would be great).

I currently have a cranking and marine battery under the bonnet with the marine battery a backup start battery and to power all vehicle electrics. I was thinking then AGM battery in tray to power fridge and lights with an Anderson plug connect system to easily disconnect and take in the boat. The fridge would be powered from the marine battery under the bonnet when the AGM is gone.

Reason for thinking two AGM’s was to:
1. For short boat trips the other AGM can stay in vehicle and power fridge to save the marine battery
2. On longer boat trips two AGM provide some security. If one goes flat, you know its time to head for home on the other.

Perhaps a 120A/H and 60A/H would be the go as I could use whichever battery suited at the time.

With elec motor as the sole source of power, I'd reckon you will want at least the 120 AH. You will do more full throttle running to cover distance as quickly as possible. Your plan with a 120AH and a 60 AH is probably a good one.

I guess you realise you won't get much faster than about 4 knots pushing your tinnie around with elec motor, so you will want to chose fishing spots where you can get pretty close to the desired area before launching. Also, if pusing against tinde and wind, you will go slower and use a lot more power.

Worst case, if you decide to add a small outboard later, you will have a good trolling motor and power source for it.

Muzz,
Did a trip last year, where the only two Calcium-calcium batteries in the group died. Not sure whether it was the heat, or the corrugations, or the natural history of a Calcium battery? Have heard that they have issues with getting charged properly.

"I used a multi meter this morning and found the aux on 12.74v while the cranker was on 12.40v ? "

The cranker is also powering all the continuous loads in the vehicle - battery backup power etc. When you open the door the Interior Light _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx an amp from it.

For battery voltage to give an indication of capacity you have to make sure there has been no charge or dicharge for many hours.

Yes I agree Mike, but I have a turbo timer, so the motor was still running when I got home on sunday evening, and I only opened the door to pull the bonnet latch Sunday lunchtime so I can't think of much that would draw from it besides the alarm system and ECU, which would be minimal.

I convinced a good mate of mine to go with the calcium/calcium batteries and one of his has crapped itself already (12 months old), so if this one is going, as I suspect it is, then I'm off 'em.

Sorry, that should say got home Saturday evening and checked them at lunchtime Sunday.

I used 2 x 80a/h Delcor calcium DC batteries for almost 5 years as my Aux batteries, I replaced them earlier this year, well replaced one, it was given away and the other one has replaced my 4 year old '700cca overlander' cranking battery before I travelled north for the winter.

I put in two new AGM's so now I have all Deep Cycle batteries charged by the vehicle alternator, no cranking batteries, that will test the 'idea' that DC batteries won't last as starter batteries, it's now 5 years old and still going strong, or the 'idea' you should only use identical batteries in a charging circuit, as you can get no bigger difference in batteries than a Calcium DC and an AGM.

Yes Jimbo, AGM really is the way to go, giving unreal performance compared to Calcium DC batteries, from my own experience.

I wake to a battery system that is showing 12.4v at 6am (still almost dark) after powering the 'power hungry' fridge, coffee maker and lights etc during the previous night and then by 9am is again showing 12.7v due to the solar panel recharging the system again.

Modern new technology - it is the way of the future :-)

Yeah I was running 2 calcium-calcium 105amp/hr/550cca's under the bonnet, one as aux and one as crank. After about two years the cranker was starting to struggle in the winter months, especially with the added turns of the motor required to start with B100 on those colder mornings.

I ended up putting a 700CCA overlander as the cranker and hooked the two 105's up permantly (one in the back of the car in the storage box in a plastic battery box and the other remained under the bonnet. They are working awsome in that configuration. Running the fridge at 2c for 30hrs with about 8 hours of 1amp fluro on drops the voltage by about .2v, much, much better than before.

I'm also now running a 3 stage 14.7v charger permantly in the back of the surf, I have a 240v socket on the front grill that I plug her into when it's sitting at home, keeps the two deepcycles fully charged and floated all the time. Those batteries were only about $120 each and are now well over 2 years old, have both been pretty hammered on several occasion (run very very flat before I put them together) and they still seem to be hanging on with heaps of gunta.

I reckon the calciums may not be as good at cranking as they are at deep cycling, so I think in future I'll stick to the older wet cell excide/overlander types for starting but I reckon I'll buy another couple of cacliums when these ones pack it in. If they last another 2-3 years (might be stretching it there, but you never know) then they can go when I upgrade the surf when I finish my career change/uni and I'll get some newies for whatever I upgrade to.

Calcium-Calcium batteries will not charge fully (and therefore not last long ) unless your generator output is designed for these batteries - 14.8 volts.

Do not confuse these with the more common Calcium batteries which only have Calcium in one plate.

Yes and no, calcium-calcium batteries will "eventually" charge off a lower voltage, however for normal around town usage they will not. Hence the 14.7V 3 stage charger mounted in the car to keep them topped up.

Yeah I hear you with the two different calcium batteries. My bad.

"calcium-calcium batteries will "eventually" charge off a lower voltage"

- yep, that's why long-distance vehicles with 14.4 volt Alternators get fitted with Calcium-Calcium batteries - they have less tendency to overcharge on long trips with few starts.

Sounds like a crisis :-)))
Since 99% of vehicles have them!

Craig,

The advantage of the AGM is not just its longevity. It has a capacity to accept an huge volume of charge. My testing suggests it will accept an amp per minute from the alternator.

I've been away prior to getting the solar panel and run the Waeco 80 by simply idling the motor of the car a few times each day. That was in hot weather.

ATB,

Jim.

Jim,
I'm with Craig on this one. The AGMs, especially the cheaper Chinese versions haven't been out there long enough to say anything meaningful about Longevity.

The warranty says a lot about longevity.
The Lifeline and Remco only come with a 12 month warranty.
The Wet Cell Yuasa Overlander and Exide Extreme come with a 24month replacement warranty.
If the AGM manufacturers came out with a 5 year warranty, I'd take notice.

what Phil said...

If you buy "elcrappo" batteries then you get the same performance.... :-)
Both Lifeline and Remco are not top of the tree specifications, but they're not the bottom either.

If you spend $240 on a 1OO+ a/h AGM you get a battery that has (in writing) a design life well of in excess of eight years.
Look at some of the home solar power plants in the north west or Telstra outback battery banks, they are many years old.

I've installed what I believe is the best battery available, yes I sell Fullrivers but have put in a dearer and more highly specified battery, (that I don't sell) because I require total reliability and performance beyond all else, no good dieing as the richest corpse in the cemetary, spend it before the kids get their hands on it L0L

If my battery lasts only 10 years that equates to just $24 per year, which is dirt cheap, when compared with a 2yr warranty on an Extreme at $140 and hoping it lasts 5 years, is $28 per year.

The AGM batts may have a design life of 8+ years but in reality that's not what many fitting them to 4x4's are getting. In the ideal world of a Telstra battery bank recieving regular charge from a solar panel 10+ years would be expected of a quality setup but with irregular charging & the heat & vibration under the bonat of a 4by, many report on this site of AGM's failing under 3 & have seen first hand several myself. Unfortunately not many AGM's have been installed in 4x4's over extended periods (8+ years) so for me the jury is still out.
Cheers Craig..........

Mainey,
I take it you only have a 12 month warranty on these batteries?? Like Craig, I've seen a few AGMs and Gel Batteries die at an early age when put under the bonnet of a 4wd.