AGM batteries damaging chargers? (1 Viewer)

[iandsm]

I read a thread about AGM batteries being damaged and not being suitable for motorhomes. (see link) which seems a little alarmist. I have AGM batteries and have never had a problem with them, they perform very well. I just wondered if anyone had experience the alleged damaged they can cause other than those contributing to the thread

http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk...-batteries-damaging-Motorhome-chargers/47421/

 

[PhilandMena]

aandncaravan was a member on here last year I believe and was posting a lot of technical information on this very subject. They also repair and sell chargers and other motorhome products.
I think his main point was that chargers not suited to charging AGM batteries were being damaged because the battery was calling for a charge that the charger could not deliver and hence damage occurred over a period of time.
Many modern intelligent chargers fitted in motor homes are designed to correctly charge Lead, AGM or gel batteries. Some need to have settings adjusted for the type of battery they are charging whilst others automatically detect the type of battery and adjust accordingly. The technical manual for each charger should provide all the required information to enable owners to establish what batteries they can and cannot fit to their motorhome. As an aside, it never ceases to amaze me, the number of people who buy an expensive new motorhome and fail to read the user manuals for the services installed in the motorhome.

 

[Gromett]

A decent charger cannot be damaged by a battery. That said however some cheaper battery charges can and do fail.

I had a charger go U.S. on me due to a faulty cell in an AGM battery. I replaced the failed charger and was checking the voltages on the battery a few hours later and noted the battery was getting warm. It was still holding a charge so hadn't come to my attention.

What was happening was the battery was never reaching the fully charged voltage so the charger was running non stop and eventually burnt out. when I looked at the bottom of the charger parts of it had turned brown due to the heat.

Once I realised what had happened I invested in a decent charger from Sterling. These cheaper battery chargers are a false economy in my view.

I just want to clarify though, it wasn't the AGM battery specifically that caused the fault. The same could have happened for a GEL or flooded. The charger was at fault for not monitoring it's own temperature and running time.

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[Theonlysue]

There was done talk on hymer forums about agm batteries failing after a couple of years. I'm afraid I am a gel battery fan.

 

[Jim]

There was done talk on hymer forums about agm batteries failing after a couple of years. I'm afraid I am a gel battery fan.

I bought AGMs, even got a specialist AGM charger to look after them but they failed within a couple of years. I'm now back with using Victorian technology wet lead acid batteries which perform much better.

 

[Infinity31]

aandncaravan was a member on here last year I believe and was posting a lot of technical information on this very subject. They also repair and sell chargers and other motorhome products.

He was also on here dissing vanbitz Battery Master a while ago iirc. I find it hard to take anything from them seriously.

PhilandMena & Grommet make salient points, but many like Jim seem to have experienced failed AGM's and champion Gel batteries over anything else.

I've only ever used Victorian tech but am soon to take delivery of a van with AGM batteries, I'm confident they will perform well.

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[Gromett]

My last battery bank consisted of 4 x 250AH AGM VRLA batteries which I bought in 2007. I went fulltiming in 2009 with them and they continued to operate fantastically until mid 2015 when one failed. The other failed about 6 months later. So 8 years of which 6 years was fulltiming and those were mainly off grid years as well so they got some good use.

A good quality AGM battery if not abused will last a very very long time.

 

[FJmike]

He was also on here dissing vanbitz Battery Master a while ago iirc. I find it hard to take anything from them seriously.
l.

A bit harsh, I did not read the relevant thread but aandn have posted some very in depth and useful articles on chargers and batteries on another forum. He is always polite and prepared to explain technical subjects so that the rest of us can understand.

 

[Jim]

A bit harsh,

Spot on I thought.

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[FJmike]

Just read the thread in question and have to say that the slagging was on both sides

 

[Lenny HB]

Last van Banner AGM batteries failed in 18 months, relpaced them with Gel's. AGM's IMO totaly useless for lesiure use the ones they fit in Motorhomes are designed for stop/start cars. Current Hymer I have fitted 3 Gel's wouldn't give an AGM houseroom.
Even with the correct chargers and better batteries being fitted they are still failing, if you want proof just search the German forums.
Where the chargers are failing I suspect it is were an AGM battery fails to the extent it is seriously overloading the charger. If like me you rarely use EHU you would know well before the battery got that bad but if you are constantly on EHU you would never know the state of your batteries.

 

[Jim]

Just read the thread in question and have to say that the slagging was on both sides

You've read what is left of the thread

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[iandsm]

Thanks for the replies to my question. I see there're some for and some against. I will continue with my AGM's for the time being but if they fail I will report back. I suppose it's really a case of when, not if, they fail but if they last a few years more I will be happy because they will have outlasted the last wet ones which only lasted three years. By the way, my charger is the intelligent type which will charge as required then maintain a float charge cutting in when needed.

 

[PhilandMena]

I bought AGMs, even got a specialist AGM charger to look after them but they failed within a couple of years. I'm now back with using Victorian technology wet lead acid batteries which perform much better.

I too am sticking with Lead Acid batteries Jim. They perform consistently and I know what to expect from them, and happy to replace every 4-5 years.

 

[EuroTrotters]

I had no choice when we bought our Hymer. Only battery I could get in Spain from a Boat Yard was an AGM, they set it to GEL on the Elektroblock and it has been alright for 12 months.

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[Lenny HB]

I had no choice when we bought our Hymer. Only battery I could get in Spain from a Boat Yard was an AGM, they set it to GEL on the Elektroblock and it has been alright for 12 months.

6 months to go then.

 

[EuroTrotters]

6 months to go then.

I will let you know.......