all the research i have been doing over the past few days, leads me to believe that agm's should not be equalized. good maintenance should be performed to keep them optimal. They could explode if equalized (i have seen no evidence of this ever happening except in controlled experiments). Most equipment is not designed to do this, and the equipment that is designed for this is not trusted. I have read reports on how to do this (even with my truecharge 40), but after they reach a point, there seems to be no helping them. These batteries are designed to last 15-20 years, but it appears that they require a strict regimen of care. I did not have a manual when i acquired them and assumed they were just "batteries". They require a 100% charge every time they are depleted. They should not be deeply discharged. If they are abused, they will lose the capacity to hold a charge and degrade more and more after each use.
I have had my used WEST MARINE AGM Batteries for about 16 months and they are 3-4 years old. They have performed excellent on the hard until the past few weeks. Now when i board, i must turn on the charger to even play the stereo. That is deeply discharged. it was sudden. Basically, I am using my charger as a battery eliminator at this point.
I am going to be on my boat all day tomorrow. 6am - 8pm. I will bring my battery load tester. I will read the voltage when i arrive, turn off my battery switch to eliminate any loads, test again, turn on my truecharge 40, and test again to verify that the truecharge is outputting 40 amps (lately the 40amp light is lit on the charger every time i turn it on), charge for 8-14 hours and test again. my panel has built-in dc amp & volt meters (ac too) but i have not connected them yet. I will make a quick project out of connecting them.
If my batteries are not ruined, I will be sure to perform a strict charging regimen on them every time i use them. They are too expensive. I was ignorant.
I may try to equalize them on the 'wet cell' setting if they are bad, but i will not be aboard when i do it. btw, these batteries where aboard the boat when it took on water. but the specs say they can handle depths of 30' and still perform. i figure 2-3' of water was ok. i cleaned them and charged them a year and a half ago and they have been performing fine. although i only charge them 3-4 hours a day, anywhere from 3-6 days a week--kinda random, low charging time.
They also have a warranty that is prorated. maybe i should take advantage of it now, but they are $500 batteries at the end of the proration. I cant afford even a $1000 set for the discounted price of $500!
anybody want my warranty for a good price?!!
i dont know what to do if they are bad. should i continue with agm's? they cant take harsh abuse, but they hold a charge and deliver power when they are good. another concern, i plan on using wind and solar. what will that mean for my agm's? they require a full charge after each use, and i doubt my charging program will provide that. i cant imagine using them on the hook.
what other type of batteries should i consider? are there really any other choices besides deep cycle?
I plan on launching in june (figured out how to pay off the boatyard!), living aboard in the Charleston Harbor Marina w/ shorepower and leaving the charger on. In the fall i plan on cruising South. I ordered a cheap 640 watt wind generator off ebay, and i plan on 480 watts of samsung solar (3 x 160 watts panels). what would work best with this?
any comments are appreciated.
Brandon
