AGM Adventures- Update
Updated 31 Jan 17 Initial results. I will re-test the AGM after it does one deep cycle to confirm these results. EDIT completed 6 Oct Test was to put the test battery as the only battery run...
Forum Discussion
Recharge a 100 amp hour battery at 20 amps and nothing bad will happen.
Trends and Tendencies - A crucial point to learn what your battery likes...
AGM batteries reach a plateau or if you wish "charging resistance" using OEM recommended absorbsion voltage limit. Amperage ramps down dramatically. Learn where this occurs amperage wise. Once a .5 - 1.0% of 20 amp hour capacity amperage is reached the battery is fully recharged.
To learn, tweak voltage to 14.7 and see how many amps the fully charged battery wants to accept. Battery brands have different values of charge acceptance at the tweak but you'll get to know yours. Play around with different voltages. Learn what your battery responds like. This is to satisfy curiosity and not establish finish amperage guidelines different from what OEM recommends.
As far a giving the floated battery an occasional zot: A floated AGM will indeed accept additional amperage. But it's the length of time that tells whether or not a zot is warranted. My lifeline's amperage accelerates to around 7 but then degrades to <2 in under a minute after floating for several months.
This is a perfect example of why a modified power supply like a Meanwell or Megawatt is useful. The 10-turn pot allows a person to play with their new AGM and establish valid baselines.
Surface charge potentials are useful for comparing an aged AGM to itself when it was younger. It has little value when comparing it to other AGM batteries. Some AGM batteries may have good surface charge retention but degrade far more than another AGM when a 20 amp load is applied.
BFL13 is doing something that will have significant value as the battery ages...
He is learning how the battery reacts when new. Down the road, if he gets raised eyebrows about loss of capacity or other issues he will have baselines to absolutely eliminate guessing. This is a perfect example of my laziness. If established Tends & Tendencies of my batteries seem to be drifting I do not want to reinvent the wheel. I want easy instant answers. I don't want much - just instant easy answers to allow the most cost effective lazy-assed way to maintain my batteries. I loathe spending money for replacement batteries.
Trends and Tendencies - A crucial point to learn what your battery likes...
AGM batteries reach a plateau or if you wish "charging resistance" using OEM recommended absorbsion voltage limit. Amperage ramps down dramatically. Learn where this occurs amperage wise. Once a .5 - 1.0% of 20 amp hour capacity amperage is reached the battery is fully recharged.
To learn, tweak voltage to 14.7 and see how many amps the fully charged battery wants to accept. Battery brands have different values of charge acceptance at the tweak but you'll get to know yours. Play around with different voltages. Learn what your battery responds like. This is to satisfy curiosity and not establish finish amperage guidelines different from what OEM recommends.
As far a giving the floated battery an occasional zot: A floated AGM will indeed accept additional amperage. But it's the length of time that tells whether or not a zot is warranted. My lifeline's amperage accelerates to around 7 but then degrades to <2 in under a minute after floating for several months.
This is a perfect example of why a modified power supply like a Meanwell or Megawatt is useful. The 10-turn pot allows a person to play with their new AGM and establish valid baselines.
Surface charge potentials are useful for comparing an aged AGM to itself when it was younger. It has little value when comparing it to other AGM batteries. Some AGM batteries may have good surface charge retention but degrade far more than another AGM when a 20 amp load is applied.
BFL13 is doing something that will have significant value as the battery ages...
He is learning how the battery reacts when new. Down the road, if he gets raised eyebrows about loss of capacity or other issues he will have baselines to absolutely eliminate guessing. This is a perfect example of my laziness. If established Tends & Tendencies of my batteries seem to be drifting I do not want to reinvent the wheel. I want easy instant answers. I don't want much - just instant easy answers to allow the most cost effective lazy-assed way to maintain my batteries. I loathe spending money for replacement batteries.
