Maintenance free Batteries, any problems?
Submitted: Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 17:14
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PeterInSA
For the last 40 years I have used screw cap type batteries where you can see and test the acid. I have 2 x 700 CCA batteries in the Cruiser and a similar battery in the 1/2 cabin to turn over the Merc 85 and run lights etc. Seriously thinking of replacing one battery with an Exide 730CCA Exide Endurance battery(with anchor bonded plates for vibration resistance) and putting it in the boat.
When I go bush, the two best batteries are back in the cruiser.
Batteries in the cruiser last more than 5 years, and are still good, but are pensioned off to ensure reliability. The boat battery is kept up, by one of those small solar cells.
The last 700+CCA battery I bought from Super Cheap at around $150 and that was on one of their 20% off days. Sprint a SA organisation similar to Super cheap are offering the Exide 730CCA at $124. Is this Maintenance Free Battery a good buy????
In other words I know nothing about Free batteries.
Appreciate your comments
Reply By: Member -Dodger - Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 17:18
Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 17:18
AGM batteries or free batts as you call them are more expensive but will give you no trouble and no worries as long as they are charged correctly.
AnswerID:
264213
Follow Up By: Axel [ the real one ] - Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 17:27
Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 17:27
Dodger old son , a maintenance free battery is not necessarily an AGM ,, calcium ,gel , ect ,even wet cell are now available as "maintenance free"
FollowupID:
525937
Follow Up By: PeterInSA - Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 17:29
Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 17:29
Dodg,
re your comment "charged correctly" my four methods of charging
are: the alternator in the cruiser, a Honda E20I Generator in the bush if for some reason the battery is flattened, the Outboard motor charging system and when not in use in the boat via the solar cell.
Are these methods of charging considered correct?
thanks Peter
FollowupID:
525938
Follow Up By: Mainey (WA) - Saturday, Oct 06, 2007 at 22:08
Saturday, Oct 06, 2007 at 22:08
The output of all those charging systems would probably be "different"
Some would have to be correct, so yes, some may be wrong !!
FollowupID:
527289
Reply By: furph - Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 19:06
Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 at 19:06
Peter
I have recently purchased a Supercharge calcium/no maintenance (NZ70 size) to replace an aging Exide Extreme mainly because Exide is no longer available locally, the S/C was $143/2yr. warranty, and I thought with my type of use it would be a good comparison to the Exide's which are getting towards 5yrs. old.
I suppose my objective answer should be delayed until further down the track!
The one thing that S/C do state on their battery is max. charge 14.5v., so those el cheapo unregulated volyage chargers should not be used. I have noticed in the past that even a 3a. unregulated voltage charger will "boil" a battery dry if left too long unattended.
furph
AnswerID:
264230
Reply By: garrycol - Friday, Sep 28, 2007 at 13:11
Friday, Sep 28, 2007 at 13:11
A maintenace free battery is not maintenance free - the
water level will go down if there is an overcharging issue. You still need to check
water levels - most do not have screw caps bit do have vent holes that you can fill through if required.
AnswerID:
264269
Follow Up By: PeterInSA - Friday, Sep 28, 2007 at 20:52
Friday, Sep 28, 2007 at 20:52
garryvol
Have made the big purchase, did ask the sales person about checking
water levels and was told you can't.
Question. do I lever up the top of the battery, to do a (
water)top up or check, the top does seem to be in two sections?
FollowupID:
526044
Follow Up By: Mainey (WA) - Saturday, Oct 06, 2007 at 22:16
Saturday, Oct 06, 2007 at 22:16
Genuine "Maintenance free" batteries don't have the 6 vent caps or the option of adding "water" - just as the sales person has said.
That's what makes them "maintenance free"
you can't add "water" even if you wanted to
FollowupID:
527290
Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Friday, Sep 28, 2007 at 16:18
Friday, Sep 28, 2007 at 16:18
Beware if you buy a Calcium/Calcium Maintenance Free battery and your Alternator is not designed for that type of battery.
The battery will not be charged properly unless you increase the Alternator voltage above the 14.4 volts setting used for conventional chemistries.
AnswerID:
264300
Reply By:- Monday, Oct 01, 2007 at 08:58
Monday, Oct 01, 2007 at 08:58
Have no luck at all with low-maintenance and maintenance-free batteries regardless of price. Only “normal” battery now on. My understanding is all those high-tech batteries way too sensitive to quality of charge. When “normal” battery can easy withstand overcharge and require only adding a bit of
water, maintenance-free battery could be damaged permanently. I am not scared to check
water lever once per month and figured out that I am more then happy to trade off couple of extra amper-hours for longer service life end reliability.
Cheers.
AnswerID:
264540
Follow Up By: Mainey (WA) - Saturday, Oct 06, 2007 at 22:27
Saturday, Oct 06, 2007 at 22:27
yes, as you say "quality of charge" is very important, if you don't have it, you are stuck with using conventional batteries.
A correctly set up charging system will run whatever battery it's set to run with-out any problems.
As you say it's no good buying decent AGM's if you can't charge them correctly.
Give me a quality AGM DC battery system any day, you never have to look at them.
In my case one is attached under the vehicle and can't be seen even if I needed to, as it's bolted from underneath the floor in an insulated metal battery box.
FollowupID:
527292