Lifeline GPL-27T AGM Battery Upgrade

[Wardster]

Late last week I placed an order at bestconverter.com for two Lifeline GPL-27T AGM batteries to replace the two NAPA batteries the dealer installed in my 2016 Northern-Lite 8'11". The big brown truck dropped them off yesterday afternoon, so I proceeded with the installation when I got home. Here are the new batteries next to the two original ones.



It was certainly a tight fit as you can see below, but both batteries are installed.



With 200 ampere hours of capacity, the next step will be adding additional capacity to the stock 95W solar panel.

[HMS_Beagle]

The problem with AGM batteries is storing them for any time in a Partial State of Charge. They self discharge at a very slow rate compared to flooded, so if fully charged they will stay 95 or 90 percent for months. What you do not want to do is put them in storage at 80 percent. Or use it daily, running it down to 50 and then only charging to 80. Charge them completely before you store them, and if using them cyclicly, charge them fully every week or so. This well documented in marine use.

It is sometimes under appreciated how long a full charge takes. The battery will accept less and less current as it approaches full charge, and there is no short cutting the time it takes. The last 5 or 10 percent charge takes several hours. This is the part that, if neglected routinely, will kill AGMs. Solar is great for this because it can produce the low current - long time charge needed.

I have Lifeline batteries in my boat going on 10 years now. The first one I put in my camper lasted 11 years. But people do manage to kill them in a couple of years by mistreating them.

[scottz]

That is the first time I have ever heard someone recommend charging an AGM battery once a month. One of the biggest advantages of an AGM battery is they can hold a charge for a very long time. If you want to be able to store a battery over winter without maintenance AGM is the way to go.

I have two Lifeline GPL-27T purchased in 2007. I have always stored them over the winter starting with a full charge and they are still working great. The first thing I do in the spring is run the jacks to load the camper and drive it home to charge up the batteries.

[Steve_in_29]

I believe those are the same model of Lifelines I have in my Outfitter (four of them though) and they are still doing good since being installed in 2007.

[Wardster]

HMS Beagle wrote:
The solar will do a good job of that if you have a controller with AGM setting.

The standard 95W solar package included with my Northern-Lite came with a EWC-30 Solar Regulator that has an option for a sealed battery. I switched it over to that setting after I finished the install last night.

[HMS_Beagle]

With Lifelines (or any AGM really) the main thing is to make sure they get FULLY recharged periodically. The solar will do a good job of that if you have a controller with AGM setting. If no sun, the plugged in for something like 8 hours maybe once a month. The batteries are great and will last a long time, but if not returned to a full charge (which cannot be done quickly) every so often will die early - earlier even than a cheap flooded battery.

Enjoy them!