SWharton Posted September 9, 2017 Report Share Posted September 9, 2017 We are planning to switch to house AGMs, we already have a chassis AGM. We have a 2015 Winnebago Gas MH with solar when in storage. We have heard that AGM's are very sensitive to overcharging but have no idea how to determine if we are overcharging. This question comes up because we had to replace the chassis battery because the water had "disappeared". Whether it boiled out or due to my negligence I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted September 10, 2017 Report Share Posted September 10, 2017 Do your chargers have a setting for AGM batteries. If your main charger is the converter that came with your Winnebago (Vista if I remember correctly) it probably is only a single stage charger. Here is a link to a Trojan AGM battery information sheet which shows the charging voltages for their AGM batteries. Should be about the same for most AGM batteries. If you decide to stay with the flooded cell batteries, you MUST check the water level every month. If the water level doesn't drop much in the first few months of checking, then you probably can go to every two months between checking and filling. If you store the RV for 4-6 months you shouldn't leave the converter float charging w/o checking water level every month or so. Al & Sharon 2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 2020 Chevy Colorado Toad San Antonio, TX http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenp Posted September 10, 2017 Report Share Posted September 10, 2017 Does the engine alternator/voltage regulator setup support AGMs? I thought they were set for wet cell batteries. Alternator may have overcharged your chassis battery and, if so, could do the same for house batteries IF they are charged by the the engine alternator. My knowledge of AGMs is VERY limited so the above may not be true. Lenp USN Retired 2002 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom 2012 F150 4x4 2018 Lincoln MKX 2019 HD Ultra Limited Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted September 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2017 In reading the Operator's Manual I have a Magnum Inverter/Charger with different charging patterns. I will head to the MH today to check things out and read the Magnum manual. Sounds like I will be OK. I will read the solar manual also while there to check on that also. The main reason we want to switch to AGM is maintenance. My 4 house batteries are not on a slide out tray and are very difficult to check for water level. Poor design. In order to check and fill them I need to take off all the cables and pull out each battery. Major pain and batteries are heavy............... First step is to get educated on AGM technology and any changes that need to be made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted September 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2017 I read both the manuals. We will need to reset the Magnum Inverter when we switch to AGM, we have 4 settings available, 2 are for AGM so I am set there. We will need AGM-2 for our batteries. Solar is a bit more fuzzy and I will need to call them about the dip switch setting for the solar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 I am thinking about adding battery capacity to my toyhauler. It has spare room in the front cargo / generator bay. I can likely fit at least 4 batteries here, and move my generator starting battery to the small 2 wet cell battery compartment. I am thinking of using sealed batteries adjacent to the generator (Onan 5500 gasohol fueled) - is AGM the correct choice for this? I am liking Lithium technology but wary of the temperature concerns - my rigs (I would move lithium batteries between trailer and truck camper) get stored and / or used between -40F and 100F ... I have a PD 9280 converter charger on board, and no solar (yet)... the manual for the 9280 has no specifics on charge settings between battery types - possibly it is smart enough on it's own? Thanks "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smitty77_7 Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 SWharton - While checking everything over from the Magnum side, confirm that the OEM install included a Magnum Temperature Sensor. If not, it's a small investment to add this at the same time you put in the AGM. (The key to this addition, is it will allow the Magnum charge cycles to optimize the voltage based upon current battery conditions.) Best of luck to you on these changes! Smitty Be safe, have fun, Smitty 04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted September 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 Thanks Smitty, I had never heard of that before and will check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted September 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 Just read my Magnum manual. We have a temperature sensor and I visually confirmed that it as attached to the battery bank verified that its readings were showing up on the display. Thanks for the heads up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smitty77_7 Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 SWharton - That's a real plus on keeping a battery for the long time... Go slow, ask as you need to (I so appreciate the 'talent' on batteries and electronics in general, of this gang!!!). I had a great work mate that used to say 'Burn as you learn...'. (You could smell her coming down the hallway, sort of a singed hair sort of smell!). But what ALL of us respected about her, is she never forgot, and always helped others try to avoid the same 'opportunities for learning' that she'd gone thru. A real nice lady, and a great mate to work with! So please, keep asking away. Good chance, one of the gang will have a good answer for you! Smitty Be safe, have fun, Smitty 04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 Hu... what!? Possibly... in the sense that they "will" offgas under extreme circumstances if internal pressures reach around, typically, 2-3psi with no way to replace the water loss. They won't offgas like a wet cell though as the recombiners will still be working and the safety valves simply offgas the excess. I certainly wouldn't say, with modern AGM's and smart chargers, they are "suseptible to overcharging" though (we're not talking little hobby batteries). Like any battery... if you shtick them on a dumb charger and walk away for the day you'll "cook" your batteries. AGM's aren't bulletproof in that sense. Specificaly for SWharton... you got a maggy with a remote battery monitor and a temp sensor connected. Ummmm... YOU'RE GOOD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted September 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 I love this forum for the reason that everyone is so helpful and the knowledge base is much better here than on other forums, al least so it seems to me. Without this forum I would not have known I needed different settings for AGM batteries. I don;t recall seeing that mentioned previously, nor would I have know about the temperature sensor on the Magnum. Always learning. Thank you all.............................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted September 17, 2017 Report Share Posted September 17, 2017 On 9/13/2017 at 6:21 PM, noteven said: I am thinking about adding battery capacity to my toyhauler. It has spare room in the front cargo / generator bay. I can likely fit at least 4 batteries here, and move my generator starting battery to the small 2 wet cell battery compartment. I am thinking of using sealed batteries adjacent to the generator (Onan 5500 gasohol fueled) - is AGM the correct choice for this? I am liking Lithium technology but wary of the temperature concerns - my rigs (I would move lithium batteries between trailer and truck camper) get stored and / or used between -40F and 100F ... I have a PD 9280 converter charger on board, and no solar (yet)... the manual for the 9280 has no specifics on charge settings between battery types - possibly it is smart enough on it's own? Thanks Is my PD 9280 converter charger good to go with AGM batteries? "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie1261 Posted September 17, 2017 Report Share Posted September 17, 2017 Don't RVs have a piece like old cars had voltage regulators that would shunt off to ground anything above 13.8 volts so batteries COULDN'T overcharge? And on the solar side, the charge controller stops charging at the threshhold you set, correct? (I don't have my solar yet, but I thought my reading showed me that stopping the current flow where you tell it to stop was what the aptly named charge controller actually does. Controls the charge.) I plan to go with lithium ion batteries and according to Blue Sky their i3000e controller will properly charge whatever it is connected to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted September 17, 2017 Report Share Posted September 17, 2017 5 hours ago, noteven said: Is my PD 9280 converter charger good to go with AGM batteries? Absolutely. You're good too. An 80amp charger is pretty massive for anything less than a 600ah bank, but it will still work with the charge wizard and the proper charge profile. you're in good shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yarome Posted September 17, 2017 Report Share Posted September 17, 2017 Is there some kind of recent AGM charge scare that I am unware of that is briging up these questions? AGM's are a closed cycle wet cell with recombiners. It requires no specialized charging equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted September 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2017 I did not see an answer to Lenp's question regarding the alternator and an AGM. Did I miss the answer? What is the answer? Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted September 19, 2017 Report Share Posted September 19, 2017 SWharton - if I remember - automotive alternators have regulators that taper the charge rate too much as batteries near full charge to properly maintain deep cycle type batteries long term. Marine alternators can have different setups intended for charging batteries. On my won ton truck I have a diode isolator that sends charge power to the house batteries for my truck camper through heavy cables and an Anderson connector. I can boondock the trusty 6 volts down to needing charge (or worse leave something turned on while away for the day... ) and the Cummins generator will supply charge to the batts at a pretty good rate which I forget.... Hope others with far more knowledges than me can expand on the subject... "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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