PD9245 and Lifeline GPL-31XT testing
I just acquired a Progressive Dynamics PD9245 converter to specifically charge a New Lifeline AGM GPL-31Xt at 125AH capacity. I tested the converter tonight on a different battery, and saw Voltages...
Forum Discussion
I was originally going for a couple of Rolls Surrette Group 31 deep cycle AGM batteries because the Rolls reputation throughout the world - and especially in the marine world - is superlative. Here's the Rolls model I was going to buy:
http://webstore.totalbattery.com/product-p/s12-128agm.htm
That is ... UNTIL ... a distributor in Florida told me that Rolls in Canada was not themselves making this particular high capacity AGM battery ... but that they would be ... soon. The distributor told me that Fullriver was making it for them!! Low and behold I checked the Fullriver website and this model of their's looks exactly like - and has the same specs as - the Rolls equivalent model, but with a different color case and with different writing on it. I then did further research on Fullriver in general and they seemed to also have a pretty solid reputation. The Fullriver model is not inexpensive, either, as is the case for the Rolls Surrette and the Lifeline batteries I was considering. Here's the Fullriver model I bought two of:
http://www.fullriverbattery.com/product/batteries/DC115-12
That 150 AH LIfeline AGM battery being talked about above is NOT Group 31 size - it's taller - so I was considering the Lifeline GPL-31XT model instead (which is true Group 31 size) ... until I found out from a phone call to Lifeline that they didn't want their AGM batteries floated/maintained any higher than 13.4 volts. This is too low for week after week on my ~13.6 volt converter when the RV is sitting in the back yard.
Note - as I've said many times before - I just finished putting over 8 1/2 years on a couple of Group 29 Interstate deep cycle AGM batteries - including an RV trip last month which included three days of drycamping with no battery charging other than the big Onan whenever we ran it for 5 minutes to microwave something, and during one hour-long engine idle run. Unfortunately those batteries probably still had life left in them, but I had to turn them in as core to get the two Fullrivers. What this goes to unscientifically show is that with long hours on a good old converter - along with intervals on a vehicle alternator - certain AGM batteries can last just fine. However, it takes an AGM battery built with just the right stuff so that it's float voltage can be in the 13.5V to 13.8V range to insure that they get FULLY charged but not dryed out, and kept that way, while in storage using a stock converter. When my AGM batteries get low, the stock converter also can charge them fast enough for us due to the very low internal resistance of AGM batteries.
http://webstore.totalbattery.com/product-p/s12-128agm.htm
That is ... UNTIL ... a distributor in Florida told me that Rolls in Canada was not themselves making this particular high capacity AGM battery ... but that they would be ... soon. The distributor told me that Fullriver was making it for them!! Low and behold I checked the Fullriver website and this model of their's looks exactly like - and has the same specs as - the Rolls equivalent model, but with a different color case and with different writing on it. I then did further research on Fullriver in general and they seemed to also have a pretty solid reputation. The Fullriver model is not inexpensive, either, as is the case for the Rolls Surrette and the Lifeline batteries I was considering. Here's the Fullriver model I bought two of:
http://www.fullriverbattery.com/product/batteries/DC115-12
That 150 AH LIfeline AGM battery being talked about above is NOT Group 31 size - it's taller - so I was considering the Lifeline GPL-31XT model instead (which is true Group 31 size) ... until I found out from a phone call to Lifeline that they didn't want their AGM batteries floated/maintained any higher than 13.4 volts. This is too low for week after week on my ~13.6 volt converter when the RV is sitting in the back yard.
Note - as I've said many times before - I just finished putting over 8 1/2 years on a couple of Group 29 Interstate deep cycle AGM batteries - including an RV trip last month which included three days of drycamping with no battery charging other than the big Onan whenever we ran it for 5 minutes to microwave something, and during one hour-long engine idle run. Unfortunately those batteries probably still had life left in them, but I had to turn them in as core to get the two Fullrivers. What this goes to unscientifically show is that with long hours on a good old converter - along with intervals on a vehicle alternator - certain AGM batteries can last just fine. However, it takes an AGM battery built with just the right stuff so that it's float voltage can be in the 13.5V to 13.8V range to insure that they get FULLY charged but not dryed out, and kept that way, while in storage using a stock converter. When my AGM batteries get low, the stock converter also can charge them fast enough for us due to the very low internal resistance of AGM batteries.
