Battery Voltage

[SWharton]

Is checking battery voltage for the house batteries equivalent to checking the water level? Our batteries are very hard to reach until we replace them and put on a profill. Someplace along the line we heard that checking voltage was a good substitute. I never heard of this. Comments?

Thanks

[Yarome]

40 minutes ago, SWharton said:

I never heard of this.

That would be a resounding.... "ah no". 

If your water levels have reached "critical" to where you are able to detect a low voltage situation after a charge cycle.. they're pretty much goners.

[Kirk W]

8 hours ago, SWharton said:

Is checking battery voltage for the house batteries equivalent to checking the water level?

No. In fact, if the water level gets low enough to impact voltage of the battery it has already begun to cause permanent damage to the batteries. 

[SWharton]

Thanks everyone. I thought there was something fishy about the statement.

Next question:

We have just replaced our chassis battery with an AGM battery in our MH and plan to replace the house batteries with AGM also. I have recently read that we need to change the charger for charging the AGM battery. Maybe I should just stop reading as I had never heard of this before.  We also have a solar panel to charge the batteries when in storage.

I had always thought that you just swapped the flooded cell for the AGM and that was it. Did we make a mistake going to the AGM?

As you can tell batteries are not part of my knowledge base....................

[Yarome]

38 minutes ago, SWharton said:

I have recently read that we need to change the charger for charging the AGM battery.

Generally speaking, a charger suitable for flooded cells is also suitable for AGM's. No "specialized" equipment is necessary.

THAT being said... not all chargers/converters are created equal and may or may not have the capacity to provide a decent charge... flooded OR AGM.

In addition, depending on which charger/converter you are using, many multi stage chargers have different charge profiles you can select that would provide your AGM's with a "better" charge... and some may also be capable of user defined custom settings.

These preprogrammed charge profiles or custom settings allow the ability, in varying degrees, to take full advantage of the benefits provided by an AGM (ie., faster charge rates).

If you can provide the make and model of charger/converter you have installed and the brand, size and capacity of your AGM's, we would be better able to offer setting suggestions.

... and no. You did not make a mistake going with AGM... with the caveat that your house batteries are true deep cycle (vs. starter or hybrid/marine) AGM's.

[Yarome]

Just out of curiosity... where are you reading this, or, who is telling you this stuff?

[SWharton]

The charger business was on the Trojan and the Optima site..............

The measuring the voltage was at the auto parts store................

We are going to get the Duracell RV Deep Cycle AGM from Sams Club.

We have a 2015 Winnebago MH and the batteries are 3 years old, 36 month batteries. Figure we are still OK but know we will need to change out soon. Just trying to lay the ground work. 

[Yarome]

21 minutes ago, SWharton said:

The charger business was on the Trojan and the Optima site..............

We are going to get the Duracell RV Deep Cycle AGM from Sams Club.

I believe what Trojan and Optima were stating was that the charge rates should be changed for optimal performance. Not necessarily a new charger. I don't know what you have installed but if you're current charger/converter does not support multi stage, multi profile and/or custom user settings, it might be something to consider investing in if you plan to do much dry camping.

Just to be aware. Sam's Duracell AGM's are a "hybrid" (starter/deep cycle - marine/RV) rather than a "true" deep cycle.

[SWharton]

Thanks. We do some boondocking but not that much plus we have a generator and solar so we should be OK there. Our main reason for switching is Winnie did a poor design and to check the house batteries we need to take the cables off and pull out the batteries. Ther is no slide and I can't get a profill system to fit the current batteries. Just fed up with the entire poor design. Decided to go with AGM because they are maintenance free. I believe in our situation  the Sams Club ones will be OK. We looked into going 6v but we don't have enough height for them and are afraid to buy any wet cell and not be able to install the profill system again. The battery situation has been a major problem from day one and we kept going around in circles looking for a solution. Finally, have thrown in the towel.

Just debating whether to buy them now or wait until the house batteries die. We are planning on going to Alaska next year so a decision needs to be made by March or so.

[Biker56]

2 hours ago, SWharton said:

The charger business was on the Trojan and the Optima site..............

The measuring the voltage was at the auto parts store................

We are going to get the Duracell RV Deep Cycle AGM from Sams Club.

We have a 2015 Winnebago MH and the batteries are 3 years old, 36 month batteries. Figure we are still OK but know we will need to change out soon. Just trying to lay the ground work. 

I replaced my chassis batteries in 2015 and they were 9 years old. Still were working but I noticed a slower turn over starting the engine.
They were regular maintenance free 12V with 950 CCA @ 0º
House T-105's have been lasting a average of 7 years 6 months on the last 2 sets.

Really don't understand why you can't find a Pro Fill to fit your batteries.

Trojan also have a Hydrolink watering system.

 

[SWharton]

I have been in contact with Profill and the spacing on our current batteries doesn't fit their system(12v). Apparently there are no standards for batteries. We also tried another brand that didn't work. We don't have Trojans, Mh came with NAPA.

[Pat & Pete]

You'll really like  AGM batteries . 

I haven't had to check a water level in about 8 years . 

And , never a problem with the OEM charger either .

I simply swapped the new for the old batteries and never looked back .

[Yarome]

4 hours ago, SWharton said:

Just debating whether to buy them now or wait until the house batteries die. We are planning on going to Alaska next year so a decision needs to be made by March or so.

As long as your current bank is meeting your energy requirements, and you know there is an impending switch out coming anyway, there really is no pressure to switch them out in the immediate future. I "would" switch them 2 or 3 months before heading North though. Just to get them "settled". It get's pretty 'spensive up North and you may not have the selection to switch out a matching bad cell in the unlikely event of a premature failure.