AGM or Gel

Submitted: Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 00:43
ThreadID: 76537 Views:4745 Replies:1 FollowUps:11
This Thread has been Archived
Conflicting information
I have a Fullriver DCG100-12
The specs on the side of the Battery say its a Gel.
The ACCC says that it is AGM
What is it, AGM or Gel?



Article from the ACCC

http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/828097

The above article says:


ACCC accepts undertaking from Alco Battery Sales (Aust) Pty Limited

Refunds of the purchase price or battery replacement will be offered
as part of a court-enforceable undertaking offered by Alco Battery
Sales to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Alco Battery Sales imports and distributes batteries for various
applications including the Fullriver DCG Series batteries.

>From July 2006 to December 2007, it represented that the Fullriver DCG
series batteries it supplied were gel batteries. Testing of a
DCG100-12/Gel battery showed that it contained only 0.55 per cent
silicone dioxide and accordingly, it was an absorbed glass mat (AGM)
battery.

Gel and AGM batteries have their own specific features designed to
suit different applications such as golf buggies, electric scooters,
four wheel drive vehicles, boats, electric wheelchairs, pallet movers
and forklifts.

Gel batteries can be left discharged for longer periods of time
without affecting their ability to recover. AGM batteries have a
higher charge acceptance rate than other types and are not as
susceptible as gel batteries to damage caused by lack of charge
voltage control.

The ACCC was concerned that by representing the Fullriver DCG series
batteries as gel batteries, consumers were misled about the
composition of Fullriver DCG series batteries, in breach of the Trade
Practices Act 1974.

The ACCC has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from Alco
Battery Sales under which it:

* will not make similar representations about the composition of
the batteries it supplies
* will offer a full refund of the purchase price to those
consumers who bought Fullriver DCG series batteries from Alco Battery
Sales, or a distributor or a retailer who supplied them with Fullriver
DCG series batteries, or offer a replacement battery, and
* implement and maintain a trade practices law compliance program.

"When firms make a claim about a product they must ensure the claim is
correct," ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, said today. "In particular
when importing products, they should seek specific assurances that the
products are as ordered and maybe seek independent product testing."

Media inquiries

* Mr Graeme Samuel, Chairman, (03) 9290 1812 or 0408 335 555
* Ms Lin Enright, Director, Media Unit, (02) 6243 1108 or 0414 613 520

General inquiries

* Infocentre 1300 302 502

Release # MR 133/08
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Reply By: Maîneÿ . . .- Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 10:29

Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 10:29
"Conflicting information
I have a Fullriver DCG100-12 the specs on the side of the Battery say its a Gel.
The ACCC says that it is AGM
What is it, AGM or Gel ? "



Dennis, All FULLRIVER Valve Regulated Lead Acid batteries are AGM's.

Maîneÿ . . .
AnswerID: 407212

Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 11:01

Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 11:01
They are now.
I have a Fullriver battery that was classed as a Gel and now has been rebadged as an AGM.
There’s a fuzzy line between an AGM and a Gel in these cheaper brands.
My Fullriver works well in the Caravan, but I dont expect the same life or performance from it , even in this application, as from one of the higher end products. I wouldn’t use one as a cranking battery or the second battery in the engine bay – for this I would pay the extra and use something like a Concorde.
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FollowupID: 677084

Follow Up By: TerraFirma - Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 11:58

Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 11:58
You mention your Fullriver works well now but you wouldn't expect the same life from it as say a Concorde? This is yet to be determined I have Fullrivers in their 4th year now so far so good, I am expecting them to last at least 8 years. They are properly maintained by Ctek Chargers so why not?
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FollowupID: 677092

Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 14:24

Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 14:24
TerraFirma
Sound like you're a happy chappy.
A Fullriver AGM and a Ctek Charger.
What more could you ask for?
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FollowupID: 677116

Follow Up By: TerraFirma - Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 14:28

Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 14:28
Dennis, You must be a mind reader..! LOL .. I agree dearer brands have the reputation but the Fullriver design seems sound. I have a mix of the hyrbrid and DC series on a boat, 5 in total pumped by 2 x Ctek chargers. The funny thing is 4 years ago I replaced my 4th wet cell on a ride on mower with a little 33ah Fullriver and it's coming up to it's 5th year, I have never charged nor touched it.! In my eyes these AGM batteries are worth every cent.
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FollowupID: 677117

Follow Up By: Member -Dodger - Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 15:48

Thursday, Mar 04, 2010 at 15:48
TerraFirma.

Here Here.

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

Lifetime Member
My Profile  Send Message

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FollowupID: 677139

Follow Up By: R&J Batteries - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 09:43

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 09:43
This statement is untrue "fuzzy line between an AGM and a Gel". AGM is AGM and Gel is Gel. There are no such thing as "hybrids" or some sort of mix between the two either.

There are certainly untrue and misleading statements made by some manufacturers and importers - hence the ACCC findings and withdrawal of the Fullriver DCG series from sale.

For the record all Fullriver batteries are AGM.

Dave
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FollowupID: 677918

Follow Up By: Dennis Ellery - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 11:19

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 11:19
For the record my Fullriver isn't an AGM (according to Fullriver) - but it is an AGM according to the ACCC.

Gee Dave,
This thread is so old – nobody cares now.
The ACCC caught your battery supplier bending the truth and pulled them into line. What you call an AGM is a different construction to what Concorde call an AGM. You're spliting hairs by defending your batteries on a technicality.
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FollowupID: 677926

Follow Up By: TerraFirma - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 11:28

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 11:28
I bought my Fullrivers thinking them to be AGM not GEL so I don't care, I did buy a mix of HGL and DCG series, with the belief the DCG series to be more suited to deep cycle.(Thicker Plates etc) The HGL are promoted as Hybrid or a mix of cranking and cycle batteries, although someone mentioned here there is no such thing as Hyrbrid, I think in this case it is only a term of difference. I think the promoting of the batteries as GEL is definitely misleading and incorrect.
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FollowupID: 677927

Follow Up By: R&J Batteries - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 12:07

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 12:07
Sorry for the delay in follow up - I was at the Fullriver factory last week. Regardless of the age, this thread needs a reply to dispel some of the misunderstandings about this product range.

AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat, which is basically a fibreglass sponge that separates the plates and holds the liquid acid in place.

Gel is a mix of acid and silicone dioxide which hardens into a solid with a consistency and look similar to candle wax.

If you have a DCG series Fullriver it is an AGM with a thin layer of Gel on top of the plates and they were misleadingly sold as a "Gel" battery, and there was a trend a few years ago to call these batteries a "hybrid" due to the mix of AGM and Gel inside. The company that the ACCC had matters with regarding this issue was the previous Australian distributor for Fullriver and is in no way connected with us. Adding Gel in this way makes it no more a Gel battery than putting a Ford badge on a Holden makes it a Ford - it makes no electrical or chemical difference.

The HGL series are a General Purpose range with good cycling and high rate (ie; engine cranking) discharge performance. The HGL series are sometimes referred to as Dual-purpose for these reasons.

For dedicated deep-cycle usage we recommend the DC series which have better cycling performance then the HGL series with lower high rate characteristics.

Dave
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FollowupID: 677933

Follow Up By: TerraFirma - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 12:14

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 12:14
Thanks Dave that makes sense. Can we buy our Fullriver batteries through you?
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FollowupID: 677934

Follow Up By: R&J Batteries - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 12:36

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 12:36
Of course! Or any of our dealers around the country.

Dave
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FollowupID: 677937

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