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Cate
Navigator

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199 Posts
Initially Posted - 03/13/2008 :  15:30:26  Show Profile
We are looking for a good deep cycle battery. Should we get an AGM? They are pretty expensive. What battery would you recommend.
Thanks in advance.
1983 C-25, Standard rig, swing keel
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 03/13/2008 :  16:02:17  Show Profile
AGM.

The "perfect" marine battery...
- Tolerates very deep discharges better than standard wet-cells.
- Has extremely low self-discharge rate (a few percent a year) so can be left aboard during off-season with no charging (and won't freeze).
- Can be upside-down or sideways, like gel.
- Unlike gel, doesn't need a non-standard charging voltage (although check the specs on the particular battery).
Edited by - Dave Bristle on 03/13/2008 16:04:01
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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts
Response Posted - 03/13/2008 :  16:03:16  Show Profile  Visit JimB517's Homepage
I use 2, 55 amp-hour Gels from Costco/Sam's Club. Can't spill like AGMs. Less total charge than wet cells. I've had them as long as I've owned the boat with zero problems.

Both Gels and AGMs are sensitive to overcharging. Do not cook them with your charger.

We don't use much power. No reason to have expensive batteries. I like the safety of the Gels.
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 03/13/2008 :  16:19:32  Show Profile
AGM's can't spill, either. They are sealed and only have enough electrolyte to wet the glass mat--not enough to leak out even if the case breaks. Gel batteries generally do not tolerate rapid or deep discharge as well, and should have a special voltage regulator to prevent permanently cooking the battery. Maybe those factors are important, or maybe not. Gels became popular some years ago--now AGMs outsell them by a very large margin--the price differences are trivial (although gels seem to be a bit higher).
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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts
Response Posted - 03/13/2008 :  16:30:39  Show Profile
I've used what Walmart has for years. They have served me well, but I take care of them. I use an automatic charger with a microchip controlled sensor and charge profile on Pearl, and before I started wintering in Fl, I removed them. Try searching, there was a recent long thread on batteries, not the one on 6 vs 12.
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 03/13/2008 :  16:39:59  Show Profile
Another measure from www.dcbattery.com ...
Edited by - Dave Bristle on 03/13/2008 16:41:21
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quilombo
Captain

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USA
301 Posts
Response Posted - 03/13/2008 :  17:29:57  Show Profile
Gel batteries are the way to go,, but any good quality battery will do if you maintain it correctly , also keep in mind, its alway better not to have acid on board if you dont have to , so all things considered, buy a Gel,
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Cate
Navigator

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199 Posts
Response Posted - 03/13/2008 :  18:38:05  Show Profile
Is there a particular brand of AGM anyone would recommend?
I don't want to go with gel because I have battery charger all wired up and would need a new battery charger.
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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts
Response Posted - 03/14/2008 :  17:03:11  Show Profile  Visit JimB517's Homepage
When I wrote "can't spill acid like AGM" I meant "Like an AGM, neither can spill acid".

I use my standard battery charger on my Gels. When they are charged, I turn it off. You don't need to leave it on all the time.

Keep in mind, we rarely use any of our battery's capacity day sailing and don't draw it down very much unless doing multiple day cruise with several overnights, and no charging from the outboard or solar panels. So I'd go by cost more than by total number of charge/discharge cycles.
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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts
Response Posted - 03/14/2008 :  17:59:54  Show Profile
We use dual Seavolt AGMs from West Marine. Very happy with them. We have a Charles 10Amp smart charger. AGMs are expensive. The Seavolts are a bit over $200 each. IMHO they are worth it. We do cruise and run the batteries down. The AGMs tolerate deep discharge very well.
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 03/14/2008 :  21:04:49  Show Profile
BTW, I read once that the USCG did an explosion test on AGMs... Heated the batteries up to something like 200F, and then dead-shorted the terminals. Most batteries explode--the AGMs didn't. Now that's what they use.
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 03/14/2008 :  21:24:24  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Cate</i>
<br />Is there a particular brand of AGM anyone would recommend?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I'll recommend <i>against</i> Optima--it looks like a six-pack of cans (six cylinders) with a plastic top. My boat was delivered with two (both dead on arrival), and the big Honda's alternator cooked 'em both in the first day--sulfuric fumes everywhere. They're sealed--I don't know the techonology, and their site doesn't say, but my boat maker thought they were AGMs. I don't think so. WM is good... Defender is cheaper, but only I live close enough to buy batteries from them.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.