Deep Cycle Battery Suggestions

stugpanzer wrote:
I might need to get two 12 volt deep cycle (house) batteries for my coach. I have been looking at going with gel batteries but I am curious if anyone else has gone that route and have suggestions for what I may want to look at.

OK thanks to one company there is a lot of confusion about GEL batteries.. Here are facts

GEL batteries are the WORST choice. you need to be very very very careful feeding them. They are OK on discharge but they need to be babied when they are charging Charge 'em too fast and POOF. they die.

Flooded wet is much more forgiving.. also much cheaper. My preferred battery is the Golf Car GC-2 you put two six volt GC-2's in series and like magic you have a 12 volt. Roughly a 4D for capacity but way less expensive and way easier to wrangle (install).

AGM .. The battery company I mentioned makes AGM's but labels them GEL. are about as far from GEL as you can get. They can be charged same as Flooded wet. and in fact one brand (LIFELINE) says you can charge theirs much faster.. They are also more expensive.. If you are going this route I'd recommend Lifeline AGM.

Finally today we have a lot of what I call "Exotic" battery types. SiO2, Lithium, and more... Sadly That's about all I know about them.

Lead acid: Flooded wet like the Most common golf car need to be fed a bit of DISTILLED water from time to time but last a long time and are the lowest cost
Maintenance free. You can not water them. Shorter life higher price
AGM also can not bet watered but generally do not need it. The supporters claim longer life, I've not seen evidence both from the Makers or from experience.