ken56 wrote:
Just bought an AGM for a replacement to my original (Exide group 24 flooded cell) battery. My unit did not come with a batt. isolation switch and it was always plugged in at home and I watched the water closely. It lasted 4 yrs 3 months. New battery is a Duracell AGM group 31, a bit taller than the old one but still fit in the box. Should I still install a cutoff switch for this batt? Like a lot of people I am not schooled in battery upkeep and care.
If you are plugged in you do not want to cut off the battery. The rig's converter maintains the battery ("Floats" it). If you are not plugged in so the battery is sitting there with a small draw on it from "parasitic loads" like the LP alarm and radio memory then, yes, you could use a cut-off. (Often with rigs, the installed "battery disconnect switch" still leaves some things drawing from the battery like the LP alarm and radio memory. You need to install your own at the battery to completely cut it off. Just as easy? To just take the wires off.
BTW AGMs can sit a long time completely disconnected (wires off) compared with Flooded batteries and not self-discharge so much.
So it is all down to HOW LONG you would be leaving them "cut- off."
