AGM Batteries For Those That Have or Are Looking At Buying

[jimbo]

For those that have or are looking into buying AGM batteries, here's some good info about the 'Lifeline' brand...As you can read below, proper maintenance is the key to getting the most out of your batteries.

Lifeline Batteries - Marine & RV Deep Cycle Batteries (http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/manual.php)

Jimbo

[GypsyCliff]

Thanks for the info I saved your link.

[Will Procter]

My brother recently replaced his Lifelines 8D's.... They were just starting their 10th year :o

[PIExpress]

We have 4 8-D Lifeline batteries and they are now 9 years old as of January. We hope to get another full year out of them but they are showing signs of age. 2 batteries are starting to leak acid at one terminal and the capacity is clearly reduced from when they were new. The good news is that with over 9 years usage the dollar per year savings leave us well ahead of the game compared to anything else we have used. Even the wet cells which only cost about $150 each would not last more than a couple of years. Now, I have to consider replacing my bank to the tune of $2400 and while I know it will be a good long-term investment, it just hurts to have to consider spending that much money in a day.

[prairieschooner]

My TROJAN T-105 Golf Cart Batteries are 5 years old and still good to go. They do require maintenance but at allot lower price.

[MrE]

I found this link on another thread dealing with solar, but it has some very good information on batteries and maintaining them. After reading the article, I'm with Steve and going to replace mine with Trojan wet cell golf cart batteries. The RV Battery Charging Puzzle « HandyBob's Blog (http://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/the-rv-battery-charging-puzzle-2/)

[Newell Attack]

Wanted to point out that Dielectric grease helps avoid corrosion at the connection, but if you aren't seeing any corrosion and aren't having problem with the wiring, I wouldn't worry about it.

An hour a day of charging is more than sufficient to replace what what is lost through self discharge, but if you have any actual load on the batteries while the RV is sitting, e.g. fridge power on, LP detector, etc., then consider making t 1.5 or 2.0 hours. A little extra doesn't hurt - it's the 24/7 charging by a less-than-well-regulated charger that is harmful to battery life.

Jeff

[truk4u]

Nine years is great service for the Lifelines. I just had a Prevost owner replace his at 10 years and that's hard to beat.