Rolls versus AGM Batteries

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by john61ct

And of course many people are happy to pay 3-4x the per-AH per-year price just to not have to add water.

My apologies for not writing more precisely.

Didn't mean to imply you were imprecise; just thought useful to note that "it depends" is often the beginning to a more useful answer. For some.

And yep, "cost" isn't just a $$$ thing.

I don't think ours were 3-4x, though. Yes expensive, possibly 3x easily enough... but then I got (am getting) a lot of years from them.... possibly 3x. Just spit-balling there; frankly I never tried to calculate it, never really cared enough. They just happen to fit our use case reasonably well, too, so bypassing most of the service issues was gravy. Or probably the other way around: they eliminate most of our service issues, so fitting our use case reasonably well was gravy.

-Chris

[gspeak]

Our house bank (plus 1 starter battery) live under a berth along with 2 off 40amp chargers, an inverter & a Morningstar solar controller. There is also the water heater in there.

It makes for short cable runs for the systems.

No way am I putting golf cart or any venting flooded batteries in there to potentially corrode all the electrical devices.

Besides here in Oz there are no Sam’s or Costco selling cheap GC batteries. Yes you can buy Trojans etc but no cheap alternatives. The Trojans are no cheaper than good AGM here.

Get tired of reading the dogma of “AGM’s are a waste of money” & “just buy cheap GC’s” It doesn’t apply to all installations or countries!

[john61ct]

Or your supply chain there has successfully marketed AGM as the new hotness, FLA is old school mentality, over the past decade.

Go to your local golf course ask what FLA 6V they use. Or floor scrubbers

Compare a 200+AH pair price to the same in FullRiver - which will not last as long.

Or even better, Odyssey / Northstar / Lifeline if available in your market.

If the AGM is 30% cheaper than the low-volt FLA, then OK worth compromising.

Or if golf courses and industrial use AGM themselves, then yes the AGM importers have truly won the mindshare battle, more's the pity.

[gspeak]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Or your supply chain there has successfully marketed AGM as the new hotness, FLA is old school mentality, over the past decade.

Go to your local golf course ask what FLA 6V they use. Or floor scrubbers

Compare a 200+AH pair price to the same in FullRiver - which will not last as long.

Or even better, Odyssey / Northstar / Lifeline if available in your market.

If the AGM is 30% cheaper than the low-volt FLA, then OK worth compromising.

Or if golf courses and industrial use AGM themselves, then yes the AGM importers have truly won the mindshare battle, more's the pity.

More dogma.

Believe it or not I am conversant with golf cart batteries, being a golfer & owning a golf cart. I know how badly they vent & spill under the seat. I also know what is available here having to replace them periodically.

You also probably won’t believe this, but not all batteries are imported into Oz. Google “Century Batteries”. They have been & continue designing & manufacturing here since 1928. Yes they also make the AGM’s which I use.

The problem with your style of advice is that you imply that people who use AGM are all mindless, uninformed individuals who have bought the sales pitch.

Have a nice day!

[KTP]

Look in the battery compartment in a golf cart and notice all of the corrosion and crystals. Do you really want to sleep or eat on top of that and have it next to your electronics?

[john61ct]

I haven't had any such problem, good ventilation and batteries not directly under any gadgets.

But yes, plenty of awkward installation scenarios justify AGM.

Also the higher CAR in some, fewer cases.

But IMO FLA should be the default where value $/AH/yr is important, AGM only where those differences justify the extra cost.

In some markets LFP is only 2-4x more than quality lead rather than 5-7x as in the US.

So yes market conditions are a big factor.

[Red Sky]

For the benefits, no maintenance, no venting/corrosion, I can prorate the added cost of AGM batteries out to way less than what the guy that mows & blows my yard charges me. Maintaining FLA’s on my boat would be a bit of a pain. So like my lawn, I’ll pay a little extra so I don’t have to do it. They alway get an annual check and cleaning by me, so that’s all good.

[Zil]

I would rather move 4 GC2 batteries than one 4D.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Zil

I would rather move 4 GC2 batteries than one 4D.

Yes and that is what I did. I haven't been reading this thread even though I started it. Being a full time cruiser now almost 2 years I just can't see any down side to 6V FLA batteries unless you would prefer to spend money on batteries instead of beer. And yes I admit that every 6-8 weeks I need to waste 10 minutes of my time to add the 1-2 cups of water that the 4 batteries will need (could probably go 3-4 months before the plates incover but I can't bring myself to wait so long).

[john61ct]

+1

And they last much longer with less meticulous care.

Only reason to go sealed is the need to install sideways, or need the higher CAR.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by john61ct

+1

And they last much longer with less meticulous care.

Only reason to go sealed is the need to install sideways, or need the higher CAR.

Or FLA won’t fit, or where you have to put them makes servicing a bear, or you just don’t want to have to bother with servicing them, you want “maintenance free”

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Or FLA won’t fit, or where you have to put them makes servicing a bear, or you just don’t want to have to bother with servicing them, you want “maintenance free”

and those are valid reasons to go sealed, I agree if you have reasons like that, including just "I want", go ahead and get sealed whatever batteries

[john61ct]

Sorry, should have qualified "for those for whom $/AH/year is important"

Obviously the need to install sideways is a space fitment issue.

Those who are truly bothered by a minor infrequent maintenance chore tend to be driving stinkpots rather than sailing.