2nd AGM battery? (1 Viewer)

[Allanm]

In our new van we have just one AGM leisure battery. It’s a Varta LA 95 pro. We have an Electroblock EBL 119 which has an AGM charge setting, and a good 100watt solar panel.
So far, just the one battery has been fine travelling around middle England, but I will be fitting a second battery when we get home. I have heard a few horror stories about the reliability of AGM batteries, they are also around double the price of a normal wet cell battery.
I already have a new LFD90 and the plan was to fit this to the van when we bought it, but I didn’t know it was already fitted with an AGM battery. So, what is wrong with AGM batteries? Should I add another AGM
battery or fit 2 x Varta LFD 90’s?

We spend most of our time away from electric hook ups.

 

[scotjimland]

The AGM horror stories may well be exaggerated and or ill founded, but they don't seem to be as good as the hype suggested.. I personally wouldn't buy them.

Given the options you suggest, I would be to buy a second LFD 90 to match the one you have..
but have you checked the EBL .. does it have a Lead Acid option ? I thought it was now either GEL or AGM .?

However..

My personal choice would be a pair of Exide G80 Gels. they can withstand deeper discharges and offer more cycles than a standard FLA or AGM. this is particularly important since you do mainly off EHU camping

not a cheap initial purchase, but will pay back in the long run..

I replaced a pair of Exide G80 Gels in my Hymer.. not because they were duff, but when I checked them they were the original Hymer fit.. 14 years old ! That was enough to convince me to replace with like for like

Exide G80 GEL Advantages

EXIDE EQUIPMENT GEL is designed for use in highly demanding applications such as ambulances, police cars/boats, campervans, pleasure boats and buses containing a lot of electrical equipment (AC, GPS, two-way radios, card terminals, TV, video, etc).This series of batteries is true gel technology. The battery acid has

the consistency of a gel, which provides considerably improved tolerance to deep discharging and vibration. In addition, the batteries have extremely low self-discharge due to the lead/ calcium alloy in the plates. Gel batteries don‘t require any liquid level checks or distilled water refills. The recombination technology means that only small volumes of gas develop if any over-charging should occur. So very low level of ventilation is required.

100% maintenance-free

Clean –no oxidation on the poles No emissions of battery acid Extremely low gas development

Leak-proof.

Perfect for vehicles that in seasonal use and are stationary for long periods

Long useful life – even in the case of repeated deep discharges Works in extreme situations

Deep-discharged batteries can be re-charged

Stands up to repeated deep discharges. You can therefore use batteries with fewer amp-hours than equivalent standard batteries and still have access to the same amount of power.

 

[Lenny HB]

Having had two new AGM"s in my last van that lasted all of 18 months I would say bin it. AGM were designed for stop/start cars and they are failing there as well. Recently VAG group, Mercedes & BMW have dropped AGM due to reliability problems.

In my current van I replaced the AGM with 3x Sonnenschein 78a/h Gels, Sonnenschein make the Exide gels they are an Exide company.
If you rely on your batteries I'd go with gels although the for a flooded battery the LDF 90 has a good rep. Your EBL only has charging settings for AGM & Gel, the LDF should be OK on the Gel setting but not suitable for lesser batteries.

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[Allanm]

Thanks Lenny, you have confirmed my thoughts, my EBL has AGM- Blei/ Gel setting so the LDF’s should, as you say, be ok.
Anybody want an almost new AGM battery? Collect from Brittany.....

 

[scotjimland]

Thanks Lenny,

thanks for the thanks

 

[olley]

I'll thank you Jim.

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[Hagstrom]

Go for the second LFD lead acid battery but make sure they are the same amp rating and are the same age. An imbalance in age/use can cook and burst the older of the batteries. (I believe that just happened to me!)

 

[Allanm]

Thanks, I might just buy a pair of new LFD’s, the one I have is only around 6 months old but might have already started deteriorating.

 

[pappajohn]

Go for the second LFD lead acid battery but make sure they are the same amp rating and are the same age. An imbalance in age/use can cook and burst the older of the batteries. (I believe that just happened to me!)

For future reference.
Battery ah rating is not an issue, you could have one 70ah and one 200ah...makes no difference to the charger, it only sees one 270ah battery.
Age and voltage must be taken into account though.

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[two]

For future reference.
Battery ah rating is not an issue, you could have one 70ah and one 200ah...makes no difference to the charger, it only sees one 270ah battery.
Age and voltage must be taken into account though.

To me, it makes sense to keep them balanced. Their internal resistances are likely to differ, so I think that may distort the charging efficiency, if nothing else?

 

[CazPaul]

The AGM horror stories may well be exaggerated and or ill founded, but they don't seem to be as good as the hype suggested.. I personally wouldn't buy them.

Given the options you suggest, I would be to buy a second LFD 90 to match the one you have..
but have you checked the EBL .. does it have a Lead Acid option ? I thought it was now either GEL or AGM .?

However..

My personal choice would be a pair of Exide G80 Gels. they can withstand deeper discharges and offer more cycles than a standard FLA or AGM. this is particularly important since you do mainly off EHU camping

not a cheap initial purchase, but will pay back in the long run..

I replaced a pair of Exide G80 Gels in my Hymer.. not because they were duff, but when I checked them they were the original Hymer fit.. 14 years old ! That was enough to convince me to replace with like for like

Exide G80 GEL Advantages

EXIDE EQUIPMENT GEL is designed for use in highly demanding applications such as ambulances, police cars/boats, campervans, pleasure boats and buses containing a lot of electrical equipment (AC, GPS, two-way radios, card terminals, TV, video, etc).This series of batteries is true gel technology. The battery acid has

the consistency of a gel, which provides considerably improved tolerance to deep discharging and vibration. In addition, the batteries have extremely low self-discharge due to the lead/ calcium alloy in the plates. Gel batteries don‘t require any liquid level checks or distilled water refills. The recombination technology means that only small volumes of gas develop if any over-charging should occur. So very low level of ventilation is required.

100% maintenance-free

Clean –no oxidation on the poles No emissions of battery acid Extremely low gas development

Leak-proof.

Perfect for vehicles that in seasonal use and are stationary for long periods

Long useful life – even in the case of repeated deep discharges Works in extreme situations

Deep-discharged batteries can be re-charged

Stands up to repeated deep discharges. You can therefore use batteries with fewer amp-hours than equivalent standard batteries and still have access to the same amount of power.

Excellent info, useful to many on here no doubt Jim,