Need actual advice on Gel batteries for my boat

[noelex 77]

Gel batteries are excellent deep cycle batteries, probably the best lead acid batteries (with the exception of carbon foam, which are a bit too new to know for sure).

I have used gel batteries on several boats with excellent results.

The one caution is that there seems to be a significant difference between good gel batteries and cheaper ones.

If you want the least expensive batteries, then flooded 6v golf cart batteries provide the best bang for the $, but if you want a long cycle life, without the complication of lithium then good quality gel batteries are worth considering.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Gel batteries are excellent deep cycle batteries, probably the best lead acid batteries (with the exception of carbon foam, which are a bit too new to know for sure).

I have used gel batteries on several boats with excellent results.

The one caution is that there seems to be a significant difference between good gel batteries and cheaper ones.

If you want the least expensive batteries, then flooded 6v golf cart batteries provide the best bang for the $, but if you want a long cycle life, without the complication of lithium then good quality gel batteries are worth considering.

+1. My gel house bank, installed in 2004, just now needs replacing.

I considered lithium, but its either a science project (and Ive got enough to do now) or spend serious bucks for a pre built system...so I decided to go AGM this time.

[bletso]

According to Mainsail, East Penn makes a good gel battery. I have an East Penn distributer a couple miles away. Keep in mind that they will more than likely not stock them and will try to push their AGM's on you which are not as noteworthy from what I have heard. I have decided to go the gel route and have the necessary charge equipment.

[arsenelupiga]

i have 4 gel, in total 480 AH, good 4 years.

At around midday, voltage is 14.3V and current flowing around 0.5A from solar.

Concluded that all batteries are fine and balanced, else current would be higher.

Also noted that alternators keep voltage only at 14.1V, so solar completes charging most days. Installation was clearly done by knowledgeable people and I do not want to rock the boat. So will be using same batteries to replace.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Yes, very rare to hear of anyone still wanting Gel?

I thought their advantages turned out to be illusory.

No, good quality deep cycle gels are still a good option, but becoming less commonly available.

Few disadvantages: if you overcharge/overheat...you will permanantly degrade/damage the battery...unlike FLA which you can just top back up. Lower acceptance rate than some other battery types, but Ive never found that to be a practical issue.

[jibstay]

I purchased Deka Gel batteries last fall from Remy Batteries.

DEKA GEL 4D BATTERYSKU: 8G4D3$1,478.85
DEKA GEL 27 MARINE BATTERYSKU: 8G27M1$234.95

[jibstay]

Three 4D and one starting battery, Group 27.

[svrodeorm]

Originally Posted by jibstay

Three 4D and one starting battery, Group 27.

A gel cell as starter battery? That's interesting. I use gelcells too, but in one bank, thus no dedicated starter battery( obsolete setup, but that's for a thread of it's own)

The only possible issue, I had with using gel for cranking the iron genoa in my mind was/is that gelscells dislikes fast - as in high Amps- charge and discharge.

Mine are just over a year old, so too early to tell, but what's your experience?

Going from AGMs, that were old, over wet leads to gel, my first impression was how much better they accept charge! With my "worn out" wet cells, I saw so little solar charge at the end I thought something was wrong with the panels or the controller, when instead it was "near death" state on the batteries....

[john61ct]

Thread's almost six month's old