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

[pianotuna]

Naio,

NO. Gel cells require much lower rates of charge than flooded.

State of charge is pretty much irrelevant with starved acid AGM's until you reach 90% or above. Then the charge starts to taper, but not as rapidly as a flooded jar.

A volt minute is a measurement--just like watt-hours are a measurement. As to what it measures--I don't gotta clue! (and google was no help at all) (Mex please explain in one syllable words what the heck a volt minute is/does?)

Naio wrote:

At what SOC? Even for topping off? And does this apply to gel cells? 'Cause if so, I am in trouble.

Volt minute ascending would also work.

Um, wut? Google doesn't tell me what this means.

[Naio]

MrWizard wrote:
No Not Gel cells

they would probably rupture the gel and permanently be damaged

Wow, ok. So it is the min for AGM, and beyond the max for gel?

More complicsted than I imagined.

[MrWizard]

No Not Gel cells

they would probably rupture the gel and permanently be damaged

[Naio]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
20% of total ampere hours is the bare minimum.

At what SOC? Even for topping off? And does this apply to gel cells? 'Cause if so, I am in trouble.

Volt minute ascending would also work.

Um, wut? Google doesn't tell me what this means.

[JiminDenver]

MrWizard wrote:
20 percent of 675 is 135 amps which is C/5
I will need a bigger generator and larger charge/converter to do that

That would be the numbers for my bank, thank you. It means I'm S.O.L.. The system peaks at 50 amp, the converter is 55 amp if we take the generator. A 120a Power max is the limit of what the Champ can run at altitude, so I can't reach it with just genny power either.

[JiminDenver]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
20% of total ampere hours is the bare minimum. Volt minute ascending would also work.

Jim! Keep an eye out. Two days without power, with 2 fans, BiPap and even LED lighting, will tax the Lifeline 2-story. A serious his-icane can dump power service for 5-7 days.

Yeah but your LED lighting can be seen from space and your Lifeline is a widdle one. 😉

[pianotuna]

Hi Mr Wizard,

You have, IIRC, surplus acid telecom batteries. They are not nearly similar to Lifeline--and the maximum (safe) charge rate is c/5, not the minimum. So you don't need a bigger charger.

Starved acid AGM are entirely different beasts.

MrWizard wrote:
20 percent of 675 is 135 amps which is C/5
I will need a bigger generator and larger charge/converter to do that

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Yeah! If you doubt that...

Try forgetting your wedding anniverseary and seecwhat happens...

[MrWizard]

20 percent of 675 is 135 amps which is C/5
I will need a bigger generator and larger charge/converter to do that

[pianotuna]

As I've often said before "do your research". AGM's are not all created equal. Lifeline is a great product, but even great products need to be treated properly.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

20% of total ampere hours is the bare minimum. Volt minute ascending would also work.

Jim! Keep an eye out. Two days without power, with 2 fans, BiPap and even LED lighting, will tax the Lifeline 2-story. A serious his-icane can dump power service for 5-7 days.

[JiminDenver]

Watch craigslist and occasionally you will see not new but also unused Lifelines that people buy for projects that they never finished. Why? Because you always buy the one disposable item in the project first right. My three 8-D's were that way and a third of the cost of new.

[MrWizard]

what is too slow
what is optimum for 675 ampHrs battery bank ?

[MEXICOWANDERER]

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.

[the_trippers]

I have been wanting to replace my old flooded cell Group 27 battery with an AGM. but I keep reading that it can't be done due to charging circuit having to be replaced, and temperature in an Rv being too high.
But then many of you have done this. Did you have to replace your charging circuit? (I'm can't worry about the high temps when traveling.)