Will this charge an AGM battery?

Still confused but because of the location of my batteries I will probably go with AGM when I get my new 2 battery box built.

I "think" I'm fully charging my RV's deep cycle AGMs to complete full every time using only ~13.6 to ~13.8 volts. What worries me is ... am I indeed slowing ruining my AGMs?

I responded to available info. Your charger may have three blocking rectifiers rather than three separate chargers.

Time and missing amplitude of I, amperage kills the AGM remember it's like radiation REMs damage is integrated with time. Don't stretch out the re-charging profile. It can be described as "Area Under Curve"

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Is setting up a Megawatt with a tiny generator too much to bear?

I guess no one can explain the difference between charging our AGMs slowly to low acceptance current levels versus charging them quickly to low acceptance current levels. However I'm really not all that worried for my AGMs, anyway.

We don't drycamp long enough in any one place to ruin the batteries by using the converter's only 13.X volts at campsites to partially top them up with the converter fed from one of our two generators. This is supplemented via periodically charging the RV's AGM batteries the supposedly correct way using higher voltages and currents from the 130 amp alternator by either idling of the big engine a bit, or while driving to another campsite.

I can see those higher charging voltages and acceptance currents happening via the gauges I've mounted on the cab's dash specifically for that. This system has so far worked out well given our hit and run camping style.

FWIW, for our next drycamping trip I'm going to try powering a different stand alone charger with our 650 watt Honda to top up the AGMs at the campsite. I have a high end ProMariner waterproof marine 3-bank multi-stage charger in which I've combined it's three charging outputs into one pair of alligator clips. I'll see if this delivers high terminal voltages to the RV's AGM batteries while I monitor the current going into the batteries.

If we were RV squatters the little generator powering an adjustable built-in converter or stand alone adjustable charger - like Mex is advocating for - would certainly be the way to go.

Is setting up a Megawatt with a tiny generator too much to bear?

pnichols wrote:
Well ... so far NO ONE has explained why a "low and slow" charging style used all the way to full charge eventually reduces the design capacity of an AGM deep cycle battery, while a "high at first" followed by low and slow for the remainder of the way to full charge is what's necessary so as to not reduce the design capaicty of an AGM deep cycle battery.

Math equations and chemical formulas should not be necessary. Why does low and slow maintained all the way to full charge each time - eventually ruin an AGM deep cycle battery?

I understand that liquid acid deep cycle batteries are a different animal in that they do benefit from boost voltages to stir things up a bit during each charge to fulness.

Can't say why but will say by experience (Lifeline and Optima) they do like the high amp-fast charge. I assume it produces some type of equalization/desulfation process. But I don't know. Possibly because faster rate means more time at higher voltage at the low end.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
The mat is microporous low energy charging when a battery is depleted does not impact plates that are surface dried. High energy drives which means circulates fresh acid throughout the mat and reverts the plate surface. Another benefit of the lifeline -- more acid per square surface area.

Slow and incomplete is like a starving person with a 3" plate of food being yanked away from the table after a few minutes of eating. Like putting a malnourished person on a diet.

This is the basis of my saturated charging.

Course a person could stick with a doubtful attitude and make the battery distributor pee his pants in gratitude Lyrical No/Yes?

David: My question is concerned only with use of AGM charging voltages less than 14 volts ... but doing the charging over many hours until the current acceptance level is reduced to around 0.5 amps for my 230 AH AGM bank.

I "think" I'm fully charging my RV's deep cycle AGMs to complete full every time using only ~13.6 to ~13.8 volts. What worries me is ... am I indeed slowing ruining my AGMs?

I think you're saying "yes" to my question ... because of not applying enough voltage field strength initially so as to properly move acid ions in the matt to where they need to go for a fully charged condition. Boy .... I hope this isn't the case, cuz if it is I'm slowly destroying my $$$ AGMs. :E

The mat is microporous low energy charging when a battery is depleted does not impact plates that are surface dried. High energy drives which means circulates fresh acid throughout the mat and reverts the plate surface. Another benefit of the lifeline -- more acid per square surface area.

Slow and incomplete is like a starving person with a 3" plate of food being yanked away from the table after a few minutes of eating. Like putting a malnourished person on a diet.

This is the basis of my saturated charging.

Course a person could stick with a doubtful attitude and make the battery distributor pee his pants in gratitude Lyrical No/Yes?

The mat is microporous low energy charging when a battery is depleted does not impact plates that are surface dried. High energy drives which means circulates fresh acid throughout the mat and reverts the plate surface. Another benefit of the lifeline -- more acid per square surface area.

Slow and incomplete is like a starving person with a 3" plate of food being yanked away from the table after a few minutes of eating. Like putting a malnourished person on a diet.

This is the basis of my saturated charging.

Course a person could stick with a doubtful attitude and make the battery distributor pee his pants in gratitude Lyrical No/Yes?

pnichols wrote:

Math equations and chemical formulas should not be necessary. Why does low and slow maintained all the way to full charge each time - eventually ruin an AGM deep cycle battery?

It won't. Neither will using them in a "constant float" application.

AGM is just a "specialized" form of classic wet cell lead acid.
The chemistry is almost identical......and the basic performance is too.

But every subject has it's "purists", who's OCD invariably leads them into believing myths.

BFL13 wrote:
False there is no reason to ever get AGMs.

And yet you go on to list at least two.
Make up your mind. :)

I LIKE them.
That is the only reason I need.