Advice on deep cycle setup?
Hello, I have a Safari van that I've converted into a camper. I replaced the starting battery with a Duracell Ultra Dual Purpose (Starting/Cycling) Battery that cost $105 (got it at batteries ...
Forum Discussion
Hi,
I should not have made a blanket statement on lifeline and plate thickness. There are better jars than lifeline if you have deep pockets.
Here is a better explanation of how I personally choose a battery bank.
1. price per amp-hour
2. form factor--I'd love to have six two volt cells @ 1000 amp-hours--but I can't make them fit.
3. able to sustain a hi draw. That tips the scales for me to higher voltage. If I were to start over I'd definitely go to 48 volts.
4. cold weather performance. I'm often well below -25 C (-13 f). That means LI chemistries are not useful to me.
5. plays well with solar charging. LI doesn't want to be floated.
What works for me is used, surplus acid format telecom jars. They are 139 amp-hours each but recharge rate should NOT exceed 27 amps per jar.
Because of my extreme weather use of +42 c to -40 (107 f to -40), temperature compensated voltage on any charging device is pretty much a requirement.
I should not have made a blanket statement on lifeline and plate thickness. There are better jars than lifeline if you have deep pockets.
Here is a better explanation of how I personally choose a battery bank.
1. price per amp-hour
2. form factor--I'd love to have six two volt cells @ 1000 amp-hours--but I can't make them fit.
3. able to sustain a hi draw. That tips the scales for me to higher voltage. If I were to start over I'd definitely go to 48 volts.
4. cold weather performance. I'm often well below -25 C (-13 f). That means LI chemistries are not useful to me.
5. plays well with solar charging. LI doesn't want to be floated.
What works for me is used, surplus acid format telecom jars. They are 139 amp-hours each but recharge rate should NOT exceed 27 amps per jar.
Because of my extreme weather use of +42 c to -40 (107 f to -40), temperature compensated voltage on any charging device is pretty much a requirement.
pnichols wrote:pianotuna wrote:
Lifeline has thicker plates.
Don,
Certain folks keep saying the above, but without knowing the plate thickness of competing AGM batteries - some brands equally or nearly as expensive as Lifeline batteries and from well known world class manufacturers - how can it be an absolute fact that Lifeline plates are "thicker" than any other manufacturer's AGM battery plates?
I'm willing to bet that many AGM batteries can be charged "very fast" if: 1) The battery charger has the capacity to maintain 14.4 to 14.8 volts on the battery's terminals while at the same time delivering hundreds of amps to the battery (a rare charger, indeed) and, 2) The battery charger has a battery temperature transducer that can be temporarily attached to the case of the battery (or a person manually checking the battery case temperature closely during charging) so that the charger's circuits or it's adjustment knobs can fold back the current that's being delivered, as required, to keep the battery from overheating.
