Best Battery for Your RV: Flooded, AGM, or Gel?
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- Опубліковано 29 кві 2018
- Here is a systematic method for determining the best lead-acid battery for your motorhome, travel trailer, or van. Flooded, AGM, and Gel batteries are compared using 18 criteria to ensure that you choose the best house battery for your RV.
none of the above.
Of course, if LiFePo4 batteries are in your price range and you have the correct charging setup, they are currently the best. Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@ImnotChuck. In fairness, I jumped the gun, should have kept my mouth closed. Didn't realize your vid was 2 years old. Thanks for commenting not chuck. Ha
@@toddswenson Your comment was a perfect reminder that I need to do a new video focused on LiFePo4 batteries. I hope you will subscribe, and comment on it when it comes out.
@@toddswenson Actually lithium batteries have been available for RVs for years. Battle Borns have been on Amazon since 2017.
Thank you so much! I'm from a hot country and this video definitely applies to a small off grid solar setup I plan to do at home! It's really hard to find reliable information on different types of LA batteries where I'm from, and this video is definitely a diamond in the rough. Subbed!
You’re a great teacher! Thank you. I’m learning so much from your videos.
I am flattered. Thanks so much for watching, commenting and subscribing.
Great Edit and Presentation Chuck, I'm sure this will help a lot of newbies to this, Well Done, Cheers Billy
Thanks for the kind words, and for being here.
He is not Chuck.
Thanks so much for a very informative video. Keep them coming.
You are welcome. I am slow adding videos. The next one probably will be about charging lead acid batteries. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks for the great video Chuck! Actualy very helpfull
Hi Mark, and thank you for watching and commenting. Please subscribe if you haven't already.
This review was well done and the info was very useful. Thank you
I am glad you found it helpful and appreciate that you took the time to say so.
Good advice! Subscribed.
Thank you so much and Happy Holidays.....yeppy yeppy.....😄
Thank your for watching. Happy holidays to you.
Thank you for this video, very informative in a simple and direct way. I was investigating usage in a power wheelchair application.
Hi Kevin. Thanks for watching and commenting. The best batteries available for your application would be lithium iron phosphate, which were not widely available when I made this video. They are expensive, but have very long life and excellent power reserves. The only problem is cost. Look into them before you buy.
@@ImnotChuck. Thank you for your personal reply. I am currently using AGM's and will look into your recommendation. With your over all battery knowledge, perhaps you could make some application specific video's with your recommendations and your reasonings why. It could expand your UA-cam presence and help a lot of people out. Thanks INC! (I'm Not Chuck)
Thanks, INC! I am truly working at learning all about house batteries! The previous owners put the dual-purpose in my van... I do need to replace them!
I am presently using the (relatively) cheap dual purpose RV/Marine batteries from Wal-Mart as a test to see how well they perform with careful usage and proper maintenance. Thanks for you interest.
@@ImnotChuck. how did those Walmart batteries fair?
@@richardbrucemusic I sold the trailer the next spring, and they were fine then, but that wasn't much of a test. I have a new trailer and put Trojan T105s in it. They are great. Thanks.
Great in depth presentation!
Thanks for watching and for the nice comment. I hope it helps. Since I made that video, lithium iron phosphate batteries have come a long way. They are very expensive, but may be worth the price over the long haul.
Thank you for the information
That's a great comparison sheet!
Thanks. I hope it helps you decide. Of course, in the time since I made this video, lithium iron phosphate batteries have become very popular. They are still rather expensive, but really good.
Great video and lots of information.
Thanks Gary. That's a nice vote of confidence. I hope you will continue watching and be a subscriber.
Thanks for the education👏🏻
You are welcome. Thank you for watching; please subscribe if you haven't already done so.
excellent information!!
Thanks for the nice compliment, and for watching.
Good informative video to mull over decisions.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting.
This is an extremely informative presentation and i very much appreciate it sir.
Thank you for watching and for the nice comment. If you haven't subscribed, please do so.
@@ImnotChuck. Thank you so much for your Educational and have a great Holiday Season this year....ho..ho... haaahaa
@@Honestandtruth Thank you for watching.
Hey Chuck, while I tend to partially agree with you: Gel has a very long life, a great long discharge cycle. Used almost exclusively by handicap electric wheel vehicles. There is a reason for each. Flooded are Highest Amperage, great with a sealed battery water system.( fast and clean and no acid to deal with)! This is in my RV! My friend RV uses gel, which work great with solar! Because there is no access for maintenance and they perform way better than AGM. I have 2# 12 volt AGM in my Diesel truck, (high amperage draw and also no maintenance. And they last a long time if you don't deep cycle them! So all have their place. Also, all 6 volt batteries do way better with 4 batteries (12 volt total).(Also the bigger the better) This has to do with current, to supply inverters for 110 volt applications! Depends on output reguirements, every system is different.
Hi Will. Thanks for your input.
Masterful presentation
Thank you for the terrific compliment.
Thank you Sneed.
I am not sure if your comment is intended for me or not, but you are welcome anyway.
loved it
I've got AGM batteries. They seem to function, except that the voltage over time is dropping. Is this normal for AGM to have a lower voltage than other batteries when charged up? Thanks.
Great review. We currently are running flooded Trojans. Thank you for covering the differences.
I think Trojan batteries are very good. Thanks for your comment. Please subscribe if you haven't already.
Well done Chuck. Also old school. 30 hrs ago had a silver streak, bot it as a roll over. Ruined many flooded.
Now, I have a small 300 watt solar system, for emergencies only, so.Cal.maybe down for 3-5 hrs..but not
Often.Earthquake one day,, yeah, probably. Have 4 flooded 105ah batts.food and water for 2…Reason
I mention this, I believe the vast majority of folks that want to go into solar fall into this category.
It’s a hobby for me. Also have a solar generator. Very inexpensive system.I’m using 30 yr old solar
Panels.that are down to 50%…have 7….If your in home, you don’t need anymore. If you’re like
I, you don’t need a solar gen. Cost $ 300, just get a small 4-600 inverter. eBay, $200.
Your set, will be a lot of fun and you’re prepared. Btw, the batts $92 ea.
Hope this helps
Dennis
Thanks for watching and for commenting. Good luck with your setup.
Chuck, 1). I always enjoy your publications, very educational and presented with ultimate professionalism.
2). It’s my understanding that effective True Deep Cycle AGM house battery charging can only be accomplished by using a multi/3 stage charging system. Would you say that most all, especially late model, RV’s are manufactured with the correct style multi stage charging systems and therefore using these types of batteries in late model (I’ll estimate 2010 and newer) RV’s would be the correct choice to make? Please advise. Thank you.
David, I wish I could say that most late model RVs have good charging systems, but I really don't think so. The converters that I have looked at (and that's not a lot) are not suitable for AGM batteries. The documentation provided with the converters is full of warnings and cautions, but not much detail about the circuitry and capabilities. It's yet another case where RV manufacturers could do a better job by demanding more from their suppliers. Thanks for your question; I wish I had a better answer.
Hi! Make a new version of the film in which you can introduce the LEAD CRYSTAL battery in the comparison.
Great videos Not Chuck. I'm still confused and maybe you just haven't told us yet, how to get from the daily total watt-hours per day that we've calculated, to the capacity of the battery we should buy. Using your example, 1415 total watt hours per day, will the 130 amp hours for 20 hours (closest to 24 hours in a day) work using the 30XHS battery example?
Good point. I really haven't done a good job closing the loop on that issue. I will put something together. Thanks pointing that out and for subscribing.
Excellent tutorial.
Thanks for the nice comment, and for watching. I hope you continue to benefit from the channel.
Sir, I purchased a used Dimensions 12/1500N inverter (varifed it worked first), as a backup here at home to interupt the furnace hard-wire. I should go "AGM" for occasional use? This inverter is a low frequency 42 pound "beast". Tony
@@Spacecarboy I don't have any information about your furnace and don't know anything about your inverter except what I have just Googled and read online, so I can't say how suitable the inverter is for providing backup power for your furnace. But that is not what you asked; you asked about whether to use an AGM battery. Unfortunately, I can't answer that with any confidence either. It depends on how often and how fast you will be discharging the battery, and how you will be recharging it. I can say that all the guidelines in the video would apply to your backup situation as well. I prefer flooded batteries to AGMs because I am willing and able to properly maintain my batteries; if I was not, an AGM would probably be a better choice. Think about the furnace in an RV. It is powered by propane, so only the fan and the thermostat require electricity. However, I have learned (the hard way) that the furnace fan can drain the average RV house batteries in a single night. Sorry for the long-winded reply, but yours was an interesting question.
Thank you again sir. I really have to evaluate my diligence level as far as maintenance. I'm thinking that during A PROTRACTED OUTAGE, I would augment the primary battery paralleled to my car's electrical system (at idle with all lighting off) as long as my gas tank and time were at hand.
Additionally, I have viewed your other tutorials and wondered if you were an academician/instructor.
Great information, but in one of your slides towards the end where you offer your opinion, you write Gel batteries require special charging. Can you explain what I would need as I have a trickle charger, and was given a 12 V Gel battery recently.
A trickle charger is a low current device, and is safe to use on gel lead-acid batteries. Thanks for your question.
Good stuff I’m not chuck! Appreciate all your efforts. What is your opinion of the quality of the Interstate SRM-24 for a 25ft travel trailer with a ‘typical’ setup? Much thanks
If you can afford the price increase, I would much prefer a Trojan true deep cycle or something similar. The SRM-24 is not very forgiving of deep discharges.
What did you do with Chuck? BTW, thanks for the video
Hi Jim Bo. Thanks to you for watching and posting.
I found this very useful. Are you an engineer by training or experience?
I am very glad it helped. After I retired, I spent my time studying electronics on-line and experimenting. Thanks for the comment and the question.
i recently bought a new to me rv. my interstate house battery tests at 11.43 volts....i assume its time to be replaced. would you agree?
It is certainly damaged, but there is a possibility of some life left. Charge it slowly until it reaches 12.6 to 12.8 volts. Then, remove the charger and put it under a moderate load...say a couple of amps, and see how long it lasts. You can tell by that whether it's worth keeping. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Good Info
Thanks for the compliment, for watching, and for subscribing.
Which RV battery to buy. I installed one 200ah gel deep cycle battery. I have 200 watts of solar, My battery installer advise me that l need 400watts of solar. If l boon dock l have to charge my battery approx every third day. My 12 volt fridge is my biggest power user. Cost helped me with my decison . Gel battery are middle of the road with cost. My battery was fitted with a computer controller with turns battery power off at 47% drain (100 ah) and stops charging at 100% (200ah) It works well. I am not sure if I should buy another 200watt solar panel or buy a generator to keep battery topped up. Good video.
It sounds like you have good system. The general rule is one watt of solar for each Ah of battery storage, but from what you have written, I think your battery installer is correct and you should add another 200 watt solar panel. (I assume your fridge doesn't have a propane option.) Thanks for watching and for your question.
Hello! I have had many RVs and trailers over the years . I had always used a standard wet deep cycle battery. 2 years ago I thought I would upgrade to AGM batterys (2). I cant get them to last more than a year ,my second set have failed. I believe the issue is charging or overcharging whenever trailer is plugged in or travelling connected to truck . AGM batteries need special charging . Correct me if I am wrong .I dont believe they are a good choice for an RV.
You need a proper charger for AGM. It's a 3 stage charger. If you use a standard charger it will overcharge in kill it.
AGM batteries perform best with a charger set especially for them. The charge rate coming from your truck could be too high. Thanks for posting.
Thanks brah, need to replace house battery on first trailer and was trying to do a spreadsheet with all this data - but like you say, the "facts" are conflicted out there.
I am contemplating upgrading to LiFePO4 batteries. Thanks for watching.
what's the proper charging voltage of a Gel deep cycle batt?
It depends on the particular battery. You would find that on the datasheet. Thanks.
I currently have two Flooded lead acid batteries in my 2014 RV. I want to add two more batteries but because I would have to mount them in the same compartment as my inverter I feel I should go with AGM batteries because they do not off gas Hydrogen. My question is, can I mix the new AGM's with the older Flooded batteries.
It is not recommended. By the way both AGM and GEL are designed to recuperate hydrogen. That is why they are called valve regulated. The valve keeps hydrogen in unless you go outside charge/discharge specs.
thank you for the info
I agree with TeslaKaniv. Sorry to be so slow responding, but some of my comments have just shown up.
Hey Charles (you said you weren't Chuck) At Minute 3:05 of this video you show in image of battery breakout that the "Lead Plates (red)" and "Lead Dioxide Plates (blue)"; HOWEVER there are blue plates connected to the "Negative" terminal of the battery not red and the plate in a real battery connected to the Negative post is typically the pure lead plate it would seem that perhaps you may have meant "Lead Plates (blue)" and "Lead Dioxide Plates (red)".
I am not ignoring your post, but I am in the midst of another video, and will check out your question in a few days.
Chuck, i prefer to do one group 27 AGM with 110 AH but i am concerned about your recommendation. I live in the Sacramento CA area and it doesn’t get cold so I’ll be installing the battery on the tongue of the RV…but will store at home for longer period. You fine with my choice with AGM?
Sure, as long as it's a true deep cycle battery, it should be fine. Just be sure to charge it about once a month, and be sure it's disconnected between charges. Thanks for watching and for commenting.
@@ImnotChuck. oh. The inverter charger on the RV won’t be enough I take it.
@@kenmatthews6476 No, I didn't mean to imply that. I assumed that you were not connected to shore power; if you are, the ac to dc converter in your trailer will be fine to keep the battery charged.
What specialized charging system for gel?
I don't have a specific charger to recommend; my suggestion is to read the capabilities of the charges that you are considering, and be sure that gel batteries are included. Thanks for watching.
Lithium batteries made in the USA are extremely expensive still and they are sensitive to extreme heat and cold. AGMs work for me.
AGMs give good service life, but I definitely will buy LiFePO4 next time around. Thanks.
I understand this is an older video so please take my comment with a grain of salt. If your going with a dc to dc charging system then I highly agree with your conclusions. However if your going with a solar setup then I would have to disagree and say that gel would be a better option because Mppt solar charge controllers can be set with the specific parameters for gel batteries to maintain optimal battery health. Most RV and vans go with a dc to dc charging system but more and more people are starting to add solar with mppt charge controllers instead. Most solar manufacturers are making mppt charge controllers that have a built in dc to dc charger so you can benefit from the best of both systems.
Thanks for watching and for commenting. I am still using flooded lead acid batteries, although I now have a pair of 6v Trojans in series. I have a couple of solar panels, but have never put them on my travel trailer. I am still thinking about adding solar and LiFePO4 batteries.
@@ImnotChuck. Nothing wrong with flooded, they are tried and true. I will warn you about Lithium though. If not used and regulated properly they can be very dangerous. I'm sure you have seen news articles maybe 5 or so years ago about people blowing their face off with "vape mods". Those mods use lithium batteries (just much smaller ones). Most of those incidents were from poor battery management and stupidity. Not replacing the protective wrapping on them and putting them in basically full metal cylinders. After all it is extremely stupid to put a lithium battery in your pocket with your keys and with no case to protect them thus causing thermal meltdown due to contact. Technology has advanced greatly however please do extensive research into them before making a final decision. There are tons of pros for them, but the cons are very dangerous and can even be deadly. Majority of the LiFePO4 batteries come with a BMS (battery monitoring system) this is to regulate them to ensure they are being properly regulated. Those BMS units can fail even if it is not frequently. Temps also greatly effect the LiFePO4 batteries as well. You can not charge them in really cold environments as it pretty much kills the battery and extreme heat is dangerous as well. Sorry for writing a book and thanks for the reply! May your travels be safe and full of adventure!
There is AGM and then there is Carbon Foam AGM. The carbon foam version costs twice as much and lasts four times the cycles. Firefly batteries.
I don't have any infromation on Carbon Foam AGM batteries; I will look into them. Thanks.
I don't get it if your not chuck who is?
There are lots of Chucks, but I'm not one of them; my name is Charles. Thanks for watching and commenting.
for solar or RV why don't you recommend GEL?
Hi. Watch toward the end of the video; GEL is not worth the added cost over AGM.
@@ImnotChuck. but what if you find a slightly used GEL battery at a good price point?
I.M OLD TIMER MOTOR MECHANIC AND I THINK ACID BATTERY IS STILL BEST YOU CAN EASY CONTROL ACID CAPACITY IN THE BATTERY AND OUTER THINKS BUT TODAY NEW TECHNOLOGY GIVE MORE DIFICUL METOD TO FULL CONTROL ABOUT PRODUCT
Hi Frank. You are right; more people understand lead acid batteries. But lithium iron phosphate is catching up fast. Thanks for commenting.
But there is more 6volt batteries in series AKA golf cart batteries, flooded Acid .
I was thinking just yesterday about a video on that subject. Thanks for watching and commenting.
LifePO4 for the win. LifePo4 now cost Less per usable lifetime Watt/hr than lead acid. Lead acid battery specifications are inflated. You can't discharge 100% without damaging the battery, and you won't use it at 20C rate. To get 400-800 cycles you can only discharge 50%. So old technology lead acid 100 Ah battery only gives you 50 Ah or less real world usable capacity. When you use it in bursts at 1 C running your inverter, the capacity drops to 35 Ah. So for 70 lbs you get 35 Ah that's 2.0 lbs/Ah. The LifePO4 100 Ah, gives an actual usable 100Ah capacity, with almost zero voltage droop in use. The weight is 1/4 to 1/6 of the lead acid battery, when you compare the usable Ah capacities. Example 20C rated 100 Ah lead acid, weight 70 lbs, gives at most 35 - 50 Ah , life of 400-800 repeated deep cycle 2 C. At 29 lbs, Battle Born LifePO4, 100 Ah, real 2C capacity repeated deep cycle is 100 Ah, 3000 - 5000 cycles. So for 29 lbs you get 100 Ah, so that 0.29 lbs/Ah! So the up front cost is higher, but these last 3 - 5 times longer, and free up for more payload weight in the vehicle. Lead is dead. Stop the insanity. If you are charging with solar, lead acid loses 30% of your power in the charge discharge cycle. Lead acid is good for people with little money, that only plan to keep a vehicle for less than a few years.
See the pinned comment above. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Sounds like AGM isn't worth the extra cost.
Lithium (LiFePo4) will beat all forms of lead acid. Even if price if you consider life span, charging time(generate run time) and depth of discharge(more usable AH)
I agree that lithium batteries are better performers than lead-acid, but I have not seen data that proves their superiority when price is factored into the equation. Thanks for commenting; please subscribe if you haven't already done so.
If money is not an issue. 400 amp hours 4x100 batteries. Lipo is over $4000.00. Draw down to 75-90%? That's around 300-350 amps @20 hr. rate.My Lead acid 720 Amp hour set-up 4x 360amp 6V (20 hour rate) $1300.00. Draw down to 360 amps (50%) Lifespan's almost 10 years! Claims with Lipo are just claims yet! Life span is (unproven claim) part of an equation, and cost, need.
Not quite. Your talking a $100 battery vs a $800 battery. I get 4 years off my two lead acid batteries easy. So thats $600 for 12 years vs max use of 2 lifepo4 batteries of $1600.
But Chuck...
Thanks!
Jimmy...you're welcome.😁
You got instantaneous current delivery in your chart but not sustained current delivery. AGMs are poor at this and get permanently damaged if you demand much from them.
Thanks for watching and commenting. I will add sustained current delivery to a future video.
Whitch best
One battery 200ah or two battery 100ah + 100ah?
Assuming both are the same voltage, there should be no difference in performance. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hey Chuck!
Hey to you. Thanks for commenting. I hope you watched the video.
@@ImnotChuck. of course. I was disappointed/surprised to hear what you said about GEL batteries. My research showed that they last longer than AGM batteries. I just bought a Renogy 200ah Pure Gel battery on Amazon cheaper than 2 100 ah AGM's. I also found that the GEL batteries yield many more cycles than AGM. The flooded batteries are the worst all around.
Of course the best battery is the
LiFePo4. However, they are just so expensive...
@Anthony Ramsey it's all about what you're looking for. I decided on the GEL batteries so I won't have to mess with them, at all. Their life is not measured in years but in full cycles. Since I'm only looking for an emergency backup system for my house these are going to work great. Cost effective and long lasting for many years. So, it's all in what you're looking for. If you're ok with maintaining the flooded batteries then that's great. Personally, I plan to upgrade down the road if LiFePO4 batteries become more affordable.
Looking for a battery that will last several days with a CPap medical device . Originally decided on small deep cycle but AGM safer . Did see a AGM at Costco for $50 and larger $100 but not deep cycle . Your opinion on this ?
I don't know what the current requirement is on a CPAP. Find that, convert it to watts (volts times amperes), multiply watts times hours you want to be able to run the CPAP; that is watt-hours. Divide the watt-hour rating of the battery by the watt-hours you want to run the CPAP; that is the mathematical answer. Cut that in half for a safety factor. All that will give you a rough answer, which can only be verified by trial. Sorry, but there is no perfect way to predict; hope this helps.
Excellent video... Lost on land sent me!! I subbed!! ;-)
Thanks for watching, commenting, and subscribing. Don't forget to post a comment on the giveaway video for a chance to win a pure sine wave inverter.
Thanks, I'm not Chuck... I have several inverters and they are not the quality that yours is... But, I will pass and let someone that really needs one win the giveaway.. Thank you so much for the offer my new friend!!
So basically AGM's are best choice excluding Lipo's in general.
Yes, if you don't mind the extra cost, and if you prefer not to perform much maintenance. Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@ImnotChuck. Can you give an estimation how much battery capacity I need if I have 450W panels and I use a lap top 24/7 (peak 45W) And Large TV with 150W /some 16 hours a day. ? (I live in northern Netherlands.)
🤔, if your not chuck then where is he?? 😐 jk ty for info!!
You are welcome, and thanks for watching.
If you are not Chuck...then who are You?
My name is Charles, and I prefer to be called Charles instead of Chuck or Charlie or Chas. Thanks for watching.
.....and just when I thought the Gel was the way to go..the recommendation is...... "DON"T!"
If the initial investment in LiFePO4 is doable, they are the way to go. Thanks for watching and posting.
@@ImnotChuck. I don't need a fast charge as when I camp its for at least 24hrs. I only have to worry about the fridge and a few LED lights so the AGM is dirt cheap. The van has super lightweight furniture so there is very little in extra weight. So that makes up for the heavier battery. Plus all the charging equipment for both 240VAC and solar are also cheaper. I have LIFePO4's in my electric bike and they don't handle impact and vibration very well. Repairs on LIfePO's are insanely expensive. I think I'ss start with the AGM's as these are easy to get and cheap.
You said :
“Vans built for camping or full time living often start WITHOUT house batteries”.
I heard:
“Vans built for camping or full time living often start with OUTHOUSE batteries..
LMAO..😛
I felt like I was being spoken to like I’m a little child. The presenter needs to lighten up and speak to us like adults
I am sorry you felt that way. Perhaps you knew too much about the subject. Thanks for watching.
@@ImnotChuck. no offense meant - the issue is over pronouncing the words
Super Boring.
Next time, I wil include some dancing monkeys. Thanks for suffering through it.