exide extreme N70EXL

24 month replacement warranty.

Phil, yes your correct, however the Extreme will revert to 6 months when used as a deep cycle only, the warranty expressed on the battery is for starting purposes both commercially (18 months) and private (24 months) The hybrid design that allows for cycle duty is within the function of the vehicle electrics, many large transporters have multiple electric devices that draw battery power with the vehicle running and this is the intended purpose of the hybrid design.
Whereas a deep cycle design caters for supplying power with no alternator running into it.
It will supply power for a designated time depending on the amp draw rate.

Any battery used out of application could have the warranty voided, the Extreme does have the potential for light cycle duty and is naturally a robust starting battery.

Mainey . . .

i found that i was getting around 12months form those batteries when used as a deep cycle...till BIL (auto sparky) spoke to excide who then told him they aint a true deep cycle...and replaced it with one that was...went thru three all up

Exide extremes are not for deep cycle . They are great for winching though . I have 2 hooked up in parallel .

Gday Mainey, I'm surprised that you can use an Extreme for deep cycle use and still get a 6 month warranty. Did this come from Exide?

I've used cranking batteries as my second batteries for the past 20 years. Its because I only ever lightly cycle them. In my case, running the Engel overnight in the desert only sees the volts drop to 12.5-12.6 in the morning. We use our vehicles every day, so the cranking batteries recharge fairly quick. All depends on what you do and how you camp.

If staying put, I use a 3rd battery - an AGM in the canopy, so I can stay put for a few days or run the second fridge.

Phil,
Yes, you can quote me on "the Extreme will revert to 6 months when used as a deep cycle only, the warranty expressed on the battery is for starting purposes both commercially (18 months) and private (24 months)" as it was sent direct to me from Exide !

As you say almost any cranking battery can be used as a fridge battery "overnight" when the vehicle is used every day, however when not used in that situation nothing can match the performance of an AGM Deep Cycle battery for long term camping

Mainey . . .

Mainey

"Nothing can match "an AGM is an overstatement .

Most AGM batteries are restricted to around 400 cycles to 80%DOD whereas some gels can give 1200Cycles to 100% DOD.

I agree that high recombination AGM's are good but I cannot accept the above statement unless it is expressed as "your opinion" which you are entitled to do but they are definatley not the best overall cycling battery.
Ian

Ian,
Aren't Gel cell batteries available in AGM construction :))

Mainey . . .

There are three ways of holding the electrolyte in Lead-Acid batteries -

- Wetcell
- Gel
- AGM

Mike,
Gel AGM's :))

Mainey . . .

maney
If AGM and Gels are the same why was a major battery seller screwed for using the wrong terminology of some batteries they were selling calling them Gel when they were AGM with a smmear of gel near the top and low recombination at that.

AGM as you know is absorbed glass mat and even the high recombination ones still only have limited cycling ability compared to a genuine gel.

The biggest problem I have with the Top Gel available is that they are built to 2V 4V and 6V specs only and are considered that it is not economical to produce a 12V as the market here is too small so we are stuck with a cost comparative of using more batteries to get 12V.
However I would back the Aussie Built Gel in to belt any AGM in cycling ability and lifespan and and all capacities can be achieved in series charging not parallel charging which is the most efficient charging sysyetm.
ie 200AH 310AH 450AH 650AHin 12Volt and in ABYC and US Coast Guard approved Battery Boxes.

Only if you want to save money.....
why would you want to put a Cranking battery in a dedicated battery box set up specifically for running accessories ??

I would want the most reliable CYCLING battery available in mine
(if I also needed all the accessories with the box)

Mainey . . .

Always appreciate your comments Mainey.

Always informative but I did say AN Exide, leaving the choice of type from their range up to me.

cheers

True,
however, the post is about the Exide Extreme N70EXL

The only Exide battery mentioned is the N70EXL so yes I thought you would be buying that and not one of their other Cranking batteries to fit into the BCF battery box, unless of course you will buy one of the Exide Deep Cycle batteries ?

Mainey . . .

mainey
Price dictates the sale and quality is a secondary consideration but if it works for the buyer and the buyer is happy then what elsecan be said .

Even Charles Sterling of Sterling Power Products has an adversity to AGM and Gel Batteries and claims you can do just as good using cheap batteries with his smart gear and he maybe right but I hate people wasting money on batteries that only sell more batteries due to premature failure in the wrong application.
Ian

ian,
what "Cheap battery" & "Sterling Power Products smart gear" do you recommend that can compare with a quality AGM battery system under the same applications & conditions ??

Mainey . . .

Ian,
Yes, I agree, with the addition of any "smart charger" you will get better battery performance with BOTH the good battery and also the elcheapo battery.
I believe :) even with same 'assistance' to BOTH batteries the better performance is still available from the more technically advanced battery !!

Remembering the Unisolar panels would have been going into a regulator and would be registering only what the battery "needed" not what could be delivered by the DC-DC 2412 unit, so I believe :) it's an unfair 'comparison' to a degree, a bit like having a 100 Amp Alternator and thinking it supply's 100 Amps into the battery, but I understand what you are suggesting.

As an example only, shown here my 200 Watt Solar system is producing 12 Amps, the 14.2 Volt battery is receiving only 5 (of those) Amps.

Image Could Not Be FoundMainey . . .

Then you should use an MPPT controller and get the wasted watts that goes out of the panel in heat converted to useable battery input .

I think a combination of smart charging using the fuel you pay for anyway combined with solar is the ultimate as with reasonable travel you may always when you stop have full batteries and then the solar guarantees the batteries last longer before alternate charging is needed .

It is good to be able to have enough solar but that is mostly not practical due to the footprint needed.

Ian

Ian,
you say: "get the wasted watts that goes out of the panel in heat converted to useable battery input"

When the battery is showing as 14.2v and simultaneously only 5 amps out of the available 12 Amps is being used to charge it, may I suggest it requires no more "watts" as it already has more that it requires !

My >200 Watt Solar 'footprint' is less than the roof size so it stays there 24/7 as I have nowhere to store it :)

Mainey . . .