Forum Discussion
KendallP
Apr 29, 2014Explorer
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Energy is voltage + amperage. So a device that stores an equal amount of amp hours at a higher voltage is holding more energy.
Yes. Unless... for RV purposes... the zero or 50% mark is considered to be a higher voltage for AGMs over flooded batteries. I don't know the answer to this question. I also don't know whether or not AGMs can be more deeply discharged that your typical GC2 or G27 hybrid. If so, then more "usable" energy may be stored per the given Amp hours. If not... then not.
I do know that they are just as prone to the ravages of sulfation. If you return them to 100% after each charge, then great. But with the added difficulty of controlled overcharges to remove it, they are not so ideal for successive 50-90% charges... which is what most boondockers do... whether they are aware of it or not.
I was really surprised to see 2 pages go by without much mention of the voltage when fully charged. It's true, AGMs are well known to deliver the current while maintaining their voltage. But let's not forget that a fully charged AGM BEGINS at a higher voltage than it's flooded cousin. This has further benefit toward BFL's point about that pre-gen hour inverter alarm. If 50% is already higher with AGMs, then you start out of the gate further above the alarm voltage.
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