Thanks for the lead on the Telecom batteries. If they have 80-90% of their design life left then they are a very good deal indeed. Yes maintenance free AGMs are superior to FLAs, with lower internal resistance. They charge more efficiently (less solar power wasted) and faster. They also discharge deeper with less of the Peukert effect, making more of those 278ah (for a 48v bank of 8) usable. The big hang-up with me was price, (as they are typically 3 times FLAs) but these look like a great value. I looked for them on the Interstate Batteries online store and couldn't find them, so I guess I'll have to check with my local store when I'm ready. It will be about 3 years till I'm ready to buy so I still have plenty of time - just doing a little advanced planning to see which direction I need to go. It's good to keep them on the radar though for when I'm ready to plunk down my cash.
Chip
