New batteries and confused (1 Viewer)

Stockie

Free Member
Nov 5, 2020
17
3
Funster No
77,488
MH
Chausson 757
Exp
Since 2015
Hi this may be conjecture but leisure batteries currently use two AGM. And we do a lot of wild camping off grid.

We are getting a new van soon and we are getting
Excide AGM EP800 batteries fitted and that’s not changeable for now ( if anyone has any experience of these batteries and can advise them please add a comment) but we are getting a solar panel ( yet to be decided) and a mttp regulator (again yet to be decided) but I also want our new system to be feuture proof and I eventually want to put either twin gel or lithium batteries in when they become more affordable and these AGM have gone caput
AGM
Gel
Lithium

Opinions please ........ Go!!!!
 

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
52,701
147,663
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
AGM's are about the worse possible choice for a leisure battery, I ditched the standard fit AGM that came in my van and fitted 3 Gels.

Gel are a good choice they can be discharged to 20% DOD so you get more use able power from an 80a/h Gel that up get from a 100a/h flooded cell. They do take longer to fully charge. Treated with respect they often last 6 to 10 years or more.

Lithium is the way to go if cost is not an object, you can discharge them even lower than Gels, can stand very high discharge currents. Can take high charge rates so can be charged faster and as as they do not require an absorbstion phase they even charge quicker from solar. With the number of cycles they can handle. they will have a very long life.
 
Apr 26, 2015
2,714
6,791
Ottershaw
Funster No
36,067
MH
Hymer S820
Exp
First motorhome May 2021
Exide are a good make in my experience, but the EP800 is a dual purpose battery, will you need it to be used as a starter battery? if you don't have a battery to battery charger then it would help to get one to keep AGM batteries in good condition, it's important to keep them charged at the correct voltages, also there is a newish lead carbon AGM technology which should give better performance then previous AGM batteries, I've just bought one so I will report back once it's been in for a while.

This link might help with the pros and cons of different deep cycle battery technologies.

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Last edited:
Apr 27, 2016
6,802
7,843
Manchester
Funster No
42,762
MH
A class Hymer
Exp
Since the 80s
If you are thinking of lithium batteries in the future, make sure the MPPT solar controller has a lithium setting. Also for lithium it's important for the MPPT to have a battery temperature sensor, so it can avoid charging when it's below zero degrees C.

Some MPPTs have dual output, so you can trickle-charge the starter battery as well as charging the leisure batteries. Useful for long stays in one place, or during winter storage without mains hookup.

A battery-to-battery (B2B) charger is useful for boosting the charging from the alternator for any battery type, but it's essential for lithium batteries for several reasons. Get one with a lithium setting and a temperature sensor.
 

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