Deep Cycle battery question?

We have a AC DELCO MARINE 105ah sealed deep cycle in the van , it has been there since it was put in way back in March 2002....it does not get a lot of work , camping trip up to 4 - 8 weeks each year with a trip to Darwin & return from Vic. each 3 to 4 yrs....it still seems to be working o.k. I have it tested every now and then just to make sure that it is not going to drop its bundle when I really do not want it to( like in the middle of a camping trip).It runs all the van lights, a Waeco fridge, portable shower , tv , cd/dvd player....kept charged by a 80w folding solar panel , from car when traveling....cheers

John,

Depends on where you are and where you want to mount the battery. If in the trailer, an AGM type for preference, but if under the bonnet where it is a bit too hot for AGM, then maybe stick with a sealed wet type. My AGMs came from Battery Value, a business member of this site that I found very helpful, and though they are in Brisbane, they still won on price delivered to Canberra. I selected (and have been happy with) their own badged AGM batteries so I can't comment on the regular brands. Worth getting Peter's (Battery Value) recommendations whether you deal with him or not - very knowledgeable and helpful.

Cheers

John

John, I just snagged a Fullriver 105A-h battery as recommended by my cluey mechanic. It matches the one I already have in the van which is still kicking aling after twelve months of easy work. Now I can confidently add the inverter to the setup and use some 240v when remote from the lectricity.

I've got two of the SSB Dryfit AGM - 100Ah in an N70 size case. Cost $265 each including delivery off Ebay. They work so far!

John

We use these at work, in the warehouse vacuum cleaners, and they last for ages, ad go for years, charged daily.

http://www.trojanbattery.com/

I am not sure weather this is true, but have been told that problem is that true deep cycle battery's is they need an electric charger to fully charge them.
Not much chop 1000km from nowhere, unless you have a DC to DC charger, then again I am not sure weather they will be good enuf to charge either.

Where are the Guru's when you need them ?

Cheers
Bucky

Now a couple of things I am going to say might be considered contravercial, others ya simply cant argue with.

Firstly the N70 package is going to limit you real AH capacity to arround 100-110Ah.....be carefull how the AH capacity is quoted.....The 10 hour rate is realy the engineering standard for batteries but some insist on quoting the 20 hour rate which will make the battery look better.

Ask ya self is a deep cycle battery realy appropriate...if you are hitting it hard, and may drain it in a day then need to hammer the charge into it over 4 to 6 hours...that is more a cyclic application rather than deep cycle.

Deep cycle batteries perform best when discharged over a relativly long period and charge likewise.....the cycle depth tolerance is overstated in high charge and discharge situations.

A good qialuty cranking battery may be a better choice.

Some deep cycle batteries will not tolerate high charge rates.....particularly some deep cycle AGM.
One deep cycle AGM that may be mentioned in this thread has a maximum initial charge rate limited to 20 amps......not good if ya want to hammer 30 or 40 amps in straight from ya alternator.

AS for AGM......I simply cant see the advantage of AGM in any case where a nonspillable battery is required.....being AGM it will be twice the price of a similar quality sealed maintenance free battery.

Remember there is no such thing as a completly sealed battery, they all have vent/valves, can and will vent explosive gasses and acid mist under certain circumstances.....all batteries should be installed upright in vehicles and should be adequately veltilated.

personally I use a sealed maintenance free marine battery in both cranking and aux positions.

there are many of these...I prefeer the supercharge seamaster gold. The Catepillar batteries have a very good following, they are a rugged construction battery similar to a marine battery and can be purchased for the parts department of ya local Catepillar eatrhmoving dealer.

If ya go for a a marine battery it will cost you about half what an AGM will of similar size and quality......

just some thaughts.

cheers