Any recommendations for gel batteries?

[jgortych]

I am looking to replace my acid-based batteries with gel-based batteries and am hoping someone can provide a recommendation (make/model/serial nos.) for house and engine batteries.

Also, will I need to replace the 20 Amp charger or anything else when I make this change?

Any other suggestions while I am doing this switch?

Thx!

Photon Hull #54 Sarasota

 

[Pompadi]

We replaced the lead acid with AGM,

We were advised that GEL were more prone to damage if you can't keep the charge up with shore power, solar etc
Often used by full time cruising boats

Our boat is on swing mooring and batteries only get charged with the engine

Now had the AGM batteries for 3 years and even if we don't charge for a few weeks they still hold up well.
It's common to get 8 years plus from these batteries

Really happy with our choice, so much better than lead acid, and safer at sea

Make: Absorbed Power AGM Batteries
1x 200AH
1x 105AH

Hope that helps
Steve
Pompadi
C309 #79

 

[jgortych]

Thanks Steve, that is good and helpful info.

For those 309 owners that are using acid-based batteries, check the battery water level often and make sure you have a charge regulato rif you are on shore power. I nearly fried my boat because I didn't do both of these things.

 

[Crystal_RPAYC]

Gel Batteries

We fitted 3 by 100 Ah Remco RM12 AGM batteries. These can act as either deep cycle or cranking batteries. Two are used as house battery and one as starting battery. Batteries are rotated around every year so each gets a turn as start battery. All that needed to be done to fit these was to buy two short cables, beef up the timber that holds the batteries in place and change the dip switch settings on the charger to suit the AGM charging cycle. Works great!

 

[Maine Sail]

I am looking to replace my acid-based batteries with gel-based batteries and am hoping someone can provide a recommendation (make/model/serial nos.) for house and engine batteries.

Also, will I need to replace the 20 Amp charger or anything else when I make this change?

Any other suggestions while I am doing this switch?

Thx!

Photon Hull #54 Sarasota

If you are in the US most all the deep cycle GEL batteries are made by Deka/East Penn. MK Power, Gel-Tech, Deka Solar, West Marine branded GEL's and more are all East Penn made.

There may be multiple brands but they are often the same battery. If they are not Deka/East Penn made they are often Chinese and intended/designed for standby power not cycling. . Sonennschein who invented the technology licensed it to Deka/East Penn for the North American market. You may even be able to find some Sonnenschein/Prevailer GEL's in the US..

GEL's are some of the longest lasting batteries you can buy but they need to be charged properly. I have not been able to directly confirm it but even the Trojan GEL's share the identical cases, valves etc. to the Deka/East Penn product. The only difference is the lower case is the burgundy color not gray. Deka likely made that case color change for them as Trojan would represent a large volume OEM market..

The Deka cases look like this for a group 31:

BTW all these batteries GEL, AGM and Flooded are all "lead acid" batteries...

 

[Ken13579]

I replaced the starting Group 27 battery with a Delco Voyager, which is sealed and essentially maitenance-free, several years ago. Last year I replaced the OEM 4D with 2 of the group 27 Delcos wired in parallel. I have had excellent experience with these batteries on previous boats. If you cut off the handles on the 27-31 plastic battery boxes you can just fit 3 of them into the existing battery "compartment" on the 309 without any frame mods. They were about $125 apiece, much cheaper than the AGMs. I like the idea of rotating them, so I will do it this year and see how it goes.

 

[jgortych]

Thanks to everyone for their comments on this matter. We went with AGM batteries even though they were expensive. Everything I have read says that unless you plan on checking the water level and specific gravity frequently on your conventional batteries, you are better off using gel or AGM.

I would also note that while a charge regulator prevents a battery from overcharging, it appears that it won't prevent electricity from being pumped into a battery that won't fully charge because it has a low water level. This can fry your battery and with it your boat, which is yet another reason to frequently check the water level on a conventional battery.