Hi All,Recently I planned to acquire four L-16 agm Surrette Batteries. Cost after installation was going to exceed $3600.00. Capacity was going to be 800 amp-hours. That is $4.50 per amp-hour.I've been looking at less expensive alternatives and today found some reconditioned AGM 12 volt 140 amp-hour jars which are $120.00 each and will require only minor changes to my system. Capacity will be 560 amp-hours. That is $0.85 per amp-hour.The reconditioned jars come with a six month warranty. I have measured 276 amps of load which will work out to 11.5 amps per cell.The Surrette's would be doing 23 amps per cell.I know the Surrette's are a better battery--but I can not justify the cost difference.

So is there either a question or a link to the AGMs?I am not a great fan of AGMs but I do have one word of caution.The Standard for rating battery capacity is amp hours at the C/20 rate.. Thus a Group 31 is normally about 130 amp hours (though as manufacturing methods and materials improve I'd not be surprised to see it hit 140) But some companies use different means to measure the capacity.. Wal*Mart, for example uses the 1 amp method.. how long does it take to discharge at 1 amp constant current?Well that means a group 24 (73 amp hours at C/20) will last over 100 hours at 1 amp. I keep forgetting how to spell the name of the effect/law purket or some such but you need to know about that when battery shopping cause of the old not joke How to tell when a salesman is lying? (you know the answer I'm sure)

Recondition? Did they add water? Equalize?Any guarantee on capacity?

not being a smart %%% how do you recondition a battery. in this new world its possible to do most anything.

We have a guy here that sells batteries like that as well as older new ones. I nearly bought some Leoch 250 Ah 8-D AGM's with a years warranty for $370 each before the lifelines showed up. He also has a bunch of 139 and 149 Ah AGM's I think if you feel it's a good deal where you are and they come with a 6 month warranty, then get them. Give them a beating and see if they hold up, take the ones that don't back. Repeat.

There are lots of AGM's that live at float in power supplies. You recondition them with top charging and equalization. I wouldn't want one that needed to be recovered.

Battery Solution | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

westend
Explorer
Jul 25, 2015
FWIW, I have a small bank (100AH) of used telecom batteries. They perform as new. I think the change-out schedule was two years, IIRC.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jul 25, 2015
ENDLESS WAR

BUY CHEAP! YOU'RE NOT RICH! SETTLE FOR SOMETHING LESS!

OK! IT FAILED! SO, WHAT NOW, SMART ASS?
MrWizard
Moderator
Jul 24, 2015
really good fine..great buy
that is my battery

i have been looking for more of them
i couldn't fine any more down here in Fuuny land,
so i bought those (4) Genisys 60ampHr batteries for $30 each aka $0.50 per amphr
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jul 24, 2015
hi Mr Wizard,

The specs are the same for mine. They are used telecom batteriess, so have spent 3 years on float. There was no core charge.

ups12-490mr
12 volt
139.2 ah (20 hour rate)
488 WPC 15 minute rate to 1.67 volts
Float charge 13.5 to 13.8 @ 77 F (25c)
IEC rating 124. ah 10 hour rate to 1.80 VPC @ 20 c (68 F)
11.5" tall
13" long
6.75" wide
weight 100 lbs

ups-490mr

pdf ups battery

MrWizard wrote:
My surplus ..CD technology AGMs turned 4 years of daily use this month, they are rated new 139 amp hrs, they are taller than group 29/31 and weigh 100# each and yes that's the C20 rating

Sounds like PT found some of the same ones...great batteries
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jul 24, 2015
SAN DIEGO BATTERY has new tall 31 Lifelines but with 165 amp hours and .145" plates.

They ain't cheap.
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Jul 24, 2015
I just paid $225 each for a pair of Full River 6 volt AGM- GC2 sized, and get the G31 12 volt 125 ah models for about the same. Keep in mind Full River makes Rolls Surette AGM batteries.
NinerBikes
Explorer
Jul 24, 2015
Pm sent.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jul 24, 2015
Some Gonna Win
Some Gonna Lose

I like the first part
MrWizard
Moderator
Jul 24, 2015
PT's batteries
are most likely Surplus batteries
batteries that just spent 3yrs on float duty as server or telcom backup power supply
they are removed at 3yrs (warranty period) and replaced, resellers buy them by the pallet load, put top charges on them, load test them, cull any that test bad, top charge again and sell them
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jul 24, 2015
Hi,

I will be charging the new to me batteries using the Magnum inverter/charger which does have an AGM setting.

The jars are 11.5 inches to the top of the posts. They look like a group 29 other than that and the 140 amp-hours is the 20 hour rate.