Let's talk about Lifeline Batteries

[ford_truck_guy]

Looking to swap out the 2 group 31 deep cells for 2 new group 31 AGM's . . The name Lifeline came up, and I am looking at them....

Are they worth the extra $$$ ??? I see they also carry a 5 year warranty, that says a lot about them... Who uses them ? Would you do it again ?

There is a place near me that has a special right now , $300 ea....

Joe

[qtla9111]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Lifeline batteries do PERFECT under the hood of a motor vehicle that has a HALF A VOLT HIGHER CHARGE REGULATION and eighty degrees higher temperature than an RV battery undergoes.

My advice is to stop reading amateur's halfass op-ed opinions and start paying attention to reality. Only a very few sources offer truly accurate and trustworthy information about batteries. An AGM like any other battery on planet earth does not like float voltages that are also too high for a standard battery. But unique to the AGM is a dislike to be recharged at too slow a rate. They do not like low and slow solar power recharging.

There are enoigh krap articles out there to fertilize a half million Jack and the beanstock grade gardens.

Can you point us to the "professional" comparison charts and consumer ratings?

[MrWizard]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
AGMs si

¿Cheap? No

A 20 lb lithium battery would be nice. But then I would have to start my own Cartel and wear polyester over Kevlar.

San Diego
seems to be the home of surplus UPS server batteries
I don't remember what you gave for that 'tall' lifeline

but I gave $70 each for my 102# 135ampHr (hernia maker) wonders, and that is the 8hr capacity, not 20hr capacity

SUrplus telco AGM seem to be available anytime for about $130
from several vendors who do this full time

[pnichols]

Regarding Lifeline batteries: Last year I was prepared to buy a couple of deep cycle ones for our Class C, but passed on them due to their recommended float voltage of ~13.2 volts. I wanted to keep using my ~13.6 volt stock converter to maintain them so instead had to purchase a couple of AGM deep cycle batteries with a ~13.6 volt float spec.

(Spoiler Alert: Mex will disagree that this was a valid reason for me to pass up buying the Lifelines!)

[MEXICOWANDERER]

AGMs si

¿Cheap? No

A 20 lb lithium battery would be nice. But then I would have to start my own Cartel and wear polyester over Kevlar.

[Naio]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
When you stumble across a nest of them, drop-kick one to me 🙂

You were just in the land of cheap 100+aH agms, were you not? Are you looking for smaller? I am not in CA now, but I may be again someday.

My foot winces at even metaphorical dropkicks of 100lbs of lead :B.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

When you stumble across a nest of them, drop-kick one to me 🙂

[Naio]

Well, I have had these ones since '08 ('07 manufacture) and they are doing ok so far :).

I thought I was having trouble with them for a few months earlier this year, but it turned out the problem was that my smart charger turns its light green when it gets down to a few amps -- but keeps charging, if I keep it hooked up. I was unplugging it at the green light and that was not a full charge yet.

Since then, batteries and charger seem fine. I figure might as well use them till they are not, although if I happen across a couple agms...

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Gelled batteries do OK for emergency lighting and alarm purposes where they might have a .0001% duty cycle. They live a long life with correct maintenance voltage

But like a Hungarian movie actress. One false move and they slash their wrist.

The best gel battery ever made was a Sonnenschein. And compared to even a spiral cell AGM they were inferior for anything other than work as outlined in the topmost paragraph.

I surely would stand on my head trying to chuck the gelled batteries for an AGM replacement. Charger performance would serve fine.

[Naio]

The MK website FAQ says:

The correct charging voltage for a Gel battery is 14.4 to 14.6 volts maximum at 68°F.

but the tech sheet I linked to above says 13.8-14.1, for absorption.

[Naio]

Thanks, everybody, for advice on my gels!

I found this tech info on the MK website, which I had not seen before. Very very useful.

Can y'all translate one bit for me, though?

Charge for 1 to 4 hours based on Ah accumulated
in first two stages:
<25% of C20 – 1 hour
25% to 50% of C20 – 2 hours
>50% of C20 – 4 hours

It seems backwards...

[Naio]

landyacht318 wrote:
northstar 90 ah agm...Apply 65 amps. 27 minutes later 14.7v attained. Hold absorption voltage for 3 hours.

Daaaang!

[landyacht318]

Tarzan thumbs on fartsmone brevity.

Some agm say no more than 30% charge rate
Some other agm say no less than 20 %

My northstar 90 ah agm just did 30 deep cycles for well over 400 deep cycles total. Low and slow solar only recharging only 30 times.. Took 5.5 hours after 200 watts of solar achieved 14.46v before amps tapered to 0.4. Is also starting battery. Cranked engine slower. Noticably degraded performance.

Pulled 62ah from it in 5 hours. 11.8v under the 6.8 amp load when i plugged in.

Apply 65 amps. 27 minutes later 14.7v attained. Hold absorption voltage for 3 hours. Turn down to 13.6v, goto bed.

Next day violent engine cranking ability returned. Next night voltage held higher under load.

not.sure.what telley com agms want, but my northstar agm gobbles high amps and is better for it.

It loves high amps applied from 50% or less. That and 100% recharges are blowing my mind in capacity retainment in my usage.

I think i am done with flooded batteries. I want a battery which can happily gobble a 65+ % charge rates like a princess in a shoestore but perform like a kinky and grateful Polish thick ankled farm girl.

[JiminDenver]

Naio

For just about every battery you should be able to find the proper charging rates and voltages from the manufacturer. Charging gel cells improperly can create cavities where the gel meets the plates. It never goes back and that area of the plate will receive no charge since the gel is what carries said charge.

[Naio]

I put my 10 amp chargers on 45aH gel ice machine batteries all the time, but they never actually suck up that much. They do not get below 12v (I think that is about 50% SOC?) Because machine won't run below 12v.

I did not realize what I was foing was risky.