Opinions on AGM Batteries

[JohnnyFry]

OK Folks, My Roadtrek coach batteries are getting a little tired and I am looking toward replacement. I am thinking of going to AGM instead of flooded because I am tired of deteriorating battery tray, slides and terminals from acid fumes.

At a local battery store today I spoke with the owner and asked about Lifeline as a possibility. He had the line and agreed that they were certainly top end but also suggested I consider Energy Power Vision EVGC-220A-AM which he related were big sellers for his solar power installers.

Lifeline GPL 4CT: $349.95
Energy Power Vision EVGC-220A-AM: $246.80

Has anyone had experience with these batteries?

Thanks

[booster]

No experience with them, but here is the spec sheet from the manufacturer.

https://visionbatteryusa.com/wp-cont...GC-220A-AM.pdf

The thing that stands out if the number of cycles at 80% discharge being speced at 800 cycles. This is way higher than anyone else that I have seen, and I think Lifeline is at 550 cycles for reference. They show 1200 cycles at 50% compared to 1100 for Lifeline and others.

It is very hard to know without anyone having actually used and abused them, as specs are always suspect. Most likely these are out of one of the big Chinese factories that do lots of private label stuff and also often sell under their own brand too, which these may be.

We got our Lifelines GPL-4CT for $299 each.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by JohnnyFry

OK Folks, My Roadtrek coach batteries are getting a little tired and I am looking toward replacement. I am thinking of going to AGM instead of flooded because I am tired of deteriorating battery tray, slides and terminals from acid fumes.

At a local battery store today I spoke with the owner and asked about Lifeline as a possibility. He had the line and agreed that they were certainly top end but also suggested I consider Energy Power Vision EVGC-220A-AM which he related were big sellers for his solar power installers.

Lifeline GPL 4CT: $349.95
Energy Power Vision EVGC-220A-AM: $246.80

Has anyone had experience with these batteries?

Thanks

Costco is currently using Interstate for their batteries and might provide you
a good bang for the buck.

[JohnnyFry]

Thanks Booster, Idid see the spec sheet and, frankly, don’t know whether to be impressed or skeptical of the 800/80% figure. The battery dealer told me that the battery was made in Korea.

Where did you source your Lifelines?

[booster]

We got ours from Powerstride, at $299 free shipping no tax, but I now see the are at $328 for that method.

Interesting that a Chinese company who touted all their China certifications on their website, would have a battery made in Korea, but who knows?

[JohnnyFry]

The store owner could well have been wrong.

[hbn7hj]

Everyone I know has ruined a set of AGM batteries. I stick with flooded lead acid batteries. I have noticed when they approach end of life they cause corrosion (don't know why.) I replace them at that time.

[LosAngeles]

In a travel trailer i used to own i swapped in a LifeLine and it was a HUGE improvement in all ways to the stock battery it came with.

charged faster. held more charge. all around great.

recommended.

[gerrym51]

depending on the age of your van you MAY have to get a new charger.

[JohnnyFry]

Under what circumstances have you seen AGMs fail. At what age? What type of charging system was being used?

Thank you for any information
John

[BBQ]

.

AGM have a normal life of about 5 yrs.

With proper maintenance, they can last longer, much longer.
I have seen people have them for 7 yrs and longer.


You should use a multi-stage charger for lead-acid batteries, whether they are the flooded type or AGM type. You do not want to boil your battery when it is full.

[booster]

One thing is that there are very few chargers that take good care of lead acid batteries be they wet or AGM. The claim to be "smart" but with very few exceptions will over or undercharge the batteries depending on their algorithms and battery bank size. The only ones I know of that can consistently be accurate in charging use a shunt based charge cycle that ends the absorption stage based on amps the batteries are taking, so always just right. The are many more solar chargers that do the charging this way than shore chargers. The process can also be done manually with a charger that allows manual overriding of the charging stages, like a Progressive Dynamics with the pendant, used with in conjunction with a good battery monitor that runs off a shunt.

Most batteries don't die a natural death, but are basically killed, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

[XLent]

I just bought new lifeline gpl-4ct batteries for $278 each. I believe that I have read on the lifeline site that their agm batteries can be equalized to extend the life of their deep cycle agms.

We have good luck with lifeline agms in our boat.

[booster]

Lifelines can be equalized to their specified procedure. The recommend only doing it when the capacity of the battery has started to deteriorate. They have been adding more detailed best practices information to their charging profiles and charge amps and volts specs. One of the ones that is interesting to a lot of us is that the say to use at least .2C amps (20 amps per 100ah of capacity) on discharges deeper than 50% SOC. When I talked to them about it they said, up to .4C is even better, but most can't supply that much charging amps.

[GeorgeRa]

I use Fullriver – two 12V/115Ah, since 2014 and still running strong. DC Series Batteries. I believe they will run for many, many years to come being scared by Li, every camping night I let them know that their end is coming, they plea - we will run from -25 to 125 SOC but please no Li.

[zshun Orema]

I replaced an AGM battery 6 years ago, and I read on the manufacturer's website that this battery uses thicker plates and special active materials, and its cycle life is 80% better than normal AGM batteries, which is exactly what I have been looking for.

https://www.oremabattery.com/vehicle.../62848206.html

Every time the camping power supply is very good, usually do some maintenance, but also can use longer time.

[booster]

Originally Posted by zshun Orema

I replaced an AGM battery 6 years ago, and I read on the manufacturer's website that this battery uses thicker plates and special active materials, and its cycle life is 80% better than normal AGM batteries, which is exactly what I have been looking for.

https://www.oremabattery.com/vehicle.../62848206.html

Every time the camping power supply is very good, usually do some maintenance, but also can use longer time.

The link says it is 210ah and it says it is 100ah?


First post, could be trying to sell.

[dmb496]

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

AGM have a normal life of about 5 yrs.

With proper maintenance, they can last longer, much longer.
I have seen people have them for 7 yrs and longer.


You should use a multi-stage charger for lead-acid batteries, whether they are the flooded type or AGM type. You do not want to boil your battery when it is full.

I have experienced the same results. I have a pair of AGM batteries in a car that is used just part time each year, and those batteries are now 9 years old and recently indicating they may be nearing end of service life. The batteries are periodically connected to a Schauer charger.

Also have a pair of AGM batteries in a Ford F350 with a Powerstroke diesel. The batteries are subjected to numerous starts due to my short trips driving, AND the subsequent demands of the glow plugs. On very cold starts the glow plugs can draw about 160 amps. The batteries are now 7 years old. When parked, the batteries are always connected to a Schauer charger.

https://battery-chargers.com/wp-cont...rge_Master.pdf

[phantomjock]

I find it interesting no mention of LiFePO4 battery as an option for the Coach (House) Battery Bank (not chassis).

There are steel cased 150Ah LiFePO4s available at near the same price point as the Lifeline. Mind, I have used Lifelines in my previous experience and they are a good battery. But, chemistry and options have changed a bit since my first use in 1990.

Perhaps size constraints?

Cheers - Jim

[Urlauber]

Originally Posted by phantomjock

I find it interesting no mention of LiFePO4 battery as an option for the Coach (House) Battery Bank (not chassis).

There are steel cased 150Ah LiFePO4s available at near the same price point as the Lifeline. Mind, I have used Lifelines in my previous experience and they are a good battery. But, chemistry and options have changed a bit since my first use in 1990.

Perhaps size constraints?

Cheers - Jim

Perhaps because the discussion is from 6 years ago? Not sure.