Vulcan Rider wrote:
harold1946 wrote:
One of the advantages with AGMs is that if they are fully charged and disconnected the only self discharge 1-3%/month, where wet cells discharge from 10-30%/ month.
While this is absolutely true, your wet cell numbers are too high for a HEALTHY wet cell that is fully charged.
It's more like 5 to 7%.
Anything over about 15% a month is a good indicator of significant sulfation and impending failure.
Each wet cell battery manufacturer uses a lead - antimony alloy of their choosing. That alloy is what causes the self discharge, and can vary greatly. The higher the % of antimony the faster the discharge rate. I have seen discharge rates as high as 40%/month in new wet cell batteries.
Gel cell and AGM batteries use a lead - calcium alloy which greatly reduces the self discharge rate.
