On line source for Lifeline batteries?

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
You nailed it :)

8-D batteries are indeed pickier than other jars. Tall jars are the least picky. Picky means per amp hour their CCA may be more but time to recharge may be a bit longer .It isn't enough to dissuade choice of BCI models.

Here is an AGM tip. If you can source a precision ammeter, float maintenance whole and fractions of an amp readings can offer valuable clues as to the condition of the battery. But measurements must be taken at the same ambient temperature. Same for a 12.234 digital voltmeter.

So it sounds like the 8Ds would be better for a large inverter.

If I split it into four batteries it would be an additional $250.00 to $300.00 not to mention the cost of the extra wire and connectors to get 500ah. Is it worth the extra cost?

You nailed it :)

8-D batteries are indeed pickier than other jars. Tall jars are the least picky. Picky means per amp hour their CCA may be more but time to recharge may be a bit longer. It isn't enough to dissuade choice of BCI models.

Here is an AGM tip. If you can source a precision ammeter, float maintenance whole and fractions of an amp readings can offer valuable clues as to the condition of the battery. But measurements must be taken at the same ambient temperature. Same for a 12.234 digital voltmeter.

No idea what the 4D or 8D reason is, but FWIW, I have found my 100AH 27 AGMs (deep cycle type) to be tougher for RV use where I am hard on batteries doing 50-80s etc. The big 8D seems more delicate somehow, now it has been a year with it. I keep close tabs on them and have been getting a good feel for how they act.

I am not sure just how much the 8D is really for "cycle use" as opposed to "standby use" in real life, although it has specs for both jobs. The 27s have specs for both uses too, but seem to do better at deep cycling and "keep on ticking".

IMO, where there is a choice, I would just get more 100ah 27s and not a couple of the really big AGMs because of this. (But none of my AGMs is a Lifeline, which is supposed to be a tougher built battery than others that are not mil-spec)

JimK-NY wrote:
I used "Battery Guys". The price was good with no taxes, no shipping charges. I received the batteries within a few days of ordering. They were well packed and crated.

Did they have good date codes?

I can limit the charge rate with the Outback for generator charging, truck charging will be whatever I can get through a 2/0 from a 120 amp alternator @14.4 volts. I will plug in shore power as needed for full charging.

BFL, unfortunately, there is no simple way to describe proper maintenance. The deeper the discharge the more essential it is to stick with the 20% rule. Flat out, twenty percent minimum re-charge rate is NOT DEMANDED once the battery reaches 80%. But the deeper the cycle and longer the period between charges the more essential it is for the 100% .5% of amp-hour recharge.

Electro chemistry is anything but linear.

The fewer the amp hours drawn the less essential the frequency of top charging. And the less essential meeting the 20% amperage rule.

The above has been verified by reality not theory. The absolute here is AGM recovery and amp hour capacity retained or lost. By adhering to the regimen my 10-year old lifeline has retained 97% original amp hour capacity but it's duty is standby not cycling. But the 97% itself should say a lot for most folks interested in preserving Lifespan. It is inarguable that the time versus capacity cannot be fudged. This battery has been babied :)

I used "Battery Guys". The price was good with no taxes, no shipping charges. I received the batteries within a few days of ordering. They were well packed and crated.

I used "Battery Guys". The price was good with no taxes, no shipping charges. I received the batteries within a few days of ordering. They were well packed and crated.

S Davis wrote:
I am trying to decide on either two 8Ds or two 4Ds, if I do the 4D I would have room to add two more at a later date.

EDIT--you can't run a 125 amp charger from a 2200w generator. More like a 75 amp charger (which maxes out my 2200w gen at its rated 1700VA) You could run a 125 amp charger with a Honda 3000w gen (2800VA) I was able to run 130a of non-PF corrected chargers or 160 amps of 100 PF and 60 non PF combo with that.

I have one 250AH 8D AGM plus two 100AH AGM 27s. I bank them as a 450Ah bank, but have to recharge them as a 250 plus a 200 to meet the 20% charging rate required in Bulk. ( I have a 75 amp charger. 20% of 450 is 90 amps )

The 250 needs 50 amps but a 200Ah 4D would need 40 amps. So it depends on the available charger, if you can do that or not. The physical aspects with big batteries like 4D or 8D "depends" on you and your rig.

Mex is confusing above there, but at the 20% charging rate, the AGM will reach absorption voltage at about 75% SOC, then amps will taper.

So if you only draw down to 75% you can't do the 20% rate--the battery won't accept that many amps. You have to draw down below that to get any Bulk stage.

Solar shallow cycling is therefore murder on AGMs unless you deliberately do a deep cycle every so often, and a full 20% Bulk and stay at Vabs all the way till amps taper to 0.5/100AH. Need to be on shore power for a couple days to do that. Impossible on solar while camping.