AGM vs Flooded Bulk Times
PT keeps asking whether AGMs will spend more time in Bulk at the same charging rate. I found a good example where that can be measured, using ah64id's test with his PD4655 on his pair of Lifeline...
Forum Discussion
For nearly 18 months, I have had only the one 90Ah Northstar AGM battery for both house loads and engine starting. The location underhood where engine battery is supposed to reside, is empty.
This battery has no issues cranking my engine at 65Ah from full. I am not sure of my plan in the future. I was thinking about a small 16 or 18AH Odyssey AGM battery just for emergency jump starting and a possible portable 12v battery, but I thought that a year ago and never bothered.
The Odyssey can handle huge charging amps too.
I would like the t-1275 for PSOC cycling on solar only, if I were to be less mobile, or did not have access to grid power for plugging in MeanWell. In my experience, the NS AGM is not happy without high amp recharges every so many deep cycles.
After figuring out the screwy 31's charging sweet spots, the Northstar AGM is easy. Just hold absorption voltage until amps taper to 0.XX amps, to determine full, and when possible high amp recharge it from its most depleted state. That is key to its performance, in my observations.
The screwy 31's amp taper at absorption voltage had very widely swinging Specific gravities. I found it much harder to finesse the screwy 31 to 'full' but honestly 'full' only happened after 45 minutes at 16v and then SG each cycle thereafter dropped a little more with the 14.9vABS and 15.3v finishing charge regimen.
The NS Agm is likely in the 450 deep cycle range (under 60% SOC) with several hundred shallow cycles and several thousand engine starts.
Perhaps when it is due for replacement, the firefly carbon foam AGMS will have been more battle tested, or I will get 100Ah of Lifepo4 prisimatic cells. Honestly another Northstar would be great too, as this battery has impressed me since cycle 1.
This battery has no issues cranking my engine at 65Ah from full. I am not sure of my plan in the future. I was thinking about a small 16 or 18AH Odyssey AGM battery just for emergency jump starting and a possible portable 12v battery, but I thought that a year ago and never bothered.
The Odyssey can handle huge charging amps too.
I would like the t-1275 for PSOC cycling on solar only, if I were to be less mobile, or did not have access to grid power for plugging in MeanWell. In my experience, the NS AGM is not happy without high amp recharges every so many deep cycles.
After figuring out the screwy 31's charging sweet spots, the Northstar AGM is easy. Just hold absorption voltage until amps taper to 0.XX amps, to determine full, and when possible high amp recharge it from its most depleted state. That is key to its performance, in my observations.
The screwy 31's amp taper at absorption voltage had very widely swinging Specific gravities. I found it much harder to finesse the screwy 31 to 'full' but honestly 'full' only happened after 45 minutes at 16v and then SG each cycle thereafter dropped a little more with the 14.9vABS and 15.3v finishing charge regimen.
The NS Agm is likely in the 450 deep cycle range (under 60% SOC) with several hundred shallow cycles and several thousand engine starts.
Perhaps when it is due for replacement, the firefly carbon foam AGMS will have been more battle tested, or I will get 100Ah of Lifepo4 prisimatic cells. Honestly another Northstar would be great too, as this battery has impressed me since cycle 1.
