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Deka terminator batteries

Bought 4 Deka AGM 8AGC2 batteries today. I'm over my wet cells gasing my compartment and everything else. I'll give a report after next week when I'm dry camping for a week. I know Lifeline are considered the best but I can buy 8 of these for the same price. Time will tell. $265.00 each

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #1 –
Just curious - not second guessing your purchase.

Did you buy the "golf cart" size 6 volt batteries because of space considerations?

Was your price ($265) the base price for each battery, or the "out the door" price?

I ask about price because the often recommended O'Reilly AGM8D 12 volt battery (also made by Deka)) is $455 (+ $22 core charge).

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #2 –
No, I had 4,  6volt golf wet batteries from the po. The bay isn't designed for wet batteries and they were almost 4 years old. $265 plus tax out the door. $1150.31 out the door with the old cores returned. This is a Deka independent dealer here in town. Most my RV buddies swear by the Lifeline brand but at half the price, I'll try these. My 2500 Heart only has wet or gel battery settings. I set the switches to cold gel. Think I'm ok? I also didn't want to deal with the 8d weight

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #3 –
No, AGM's are closer to the charging algorithms of wet cell batteries, not gels.

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #4 –
Quote from: dans96u295ft –
I also didn't want to deal with the 8d weight
Dan,
I am with you on the weight.  However I bit the bullet ten and a half years ago and installed Lifeline batteries.  I went with 2 volt individual cell batteries and they are serving me very well so far. 
Richard

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #5 –
Yes, Gel/Cold is best setting, with equalization off, switch 1 off.  Should yield 14.1 bulk for 3 hrs and float at 13.6, I would continue to moniter voltage to make sure it is operating properly.  As I remember you also have a Victron 712, if not, get one or similar to moniter rate of discharge.  Preferably you do not want to go below 50% discharge.  10-20% discharge from full would be ideal.  As you know, the lower the % of discharge, the fewer cycles you will have.  Congrats on getting some excellent gell batteries.

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #6 –
Clearly some confusion here as to what batteries you have.

If Gel, set inverter/charger to GEL

If AGM, and no AGM setting, set to WET CELL.

Obviously, if wet cell, set to WET CELL.

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #7 –
The manufacturer states that those batteries require temp compensated charging.  If your freedom 25 like my 97's was below serial number 100,000 the unit has no ability to do this. 

Correct charging voltage can vary by almost 1 volt adjusted by temperature.

Agm's already need to be recharged back to 100% after almost every use, 

The freedom manual points out the long time that charging from 90% to 100% takes in float charging.

They recommend that you run from 50% to 90% as that amount of charging can take almost the same gen run time as going from 90% to 100%.

Obviously if your use is from power pedestal to power pedestal this makes little difference.

The charging profile can be manually adjusted based on the batteries temp but that tends to change during the day.

The downside is either over or undercharging is almost guaranteed. 

Heart freedom 25's internal contactors get pitted from long use and can restrict the amount of current that can be put into the batteries.  With 4 6 volts you probably will not run into this limit.

A new temp compensating inverter will result in a much longer battery life.

The ability to take less than a full charge during each cycle is probably part of the reason Foretravel equipped your coach like all uni's with mk gels as their different chemistry and construction can extend their life if short cycled.

If you are in fairly constant temp weather uses the need to adjust the charging voltages will be lessened. 

The freedom manual I think shows a voltage/temp chart?

As non lifeline Agm's cannot be equalized any capacity loss is permanent from that source.

Alternatively a desulfurization device should help reduce any capacity losses and would be on any non gel battery I own in the coach. 

Cheap way to extend your batteries life's.

The freedom 25's internals get dusty and the boards lose connection and the internal wiring loosens from use.

I would suggest that you budget for a temp compensating inverter to help out your new batteries.

After 15 cycles a load test using a std load will give you a baseline to compare at some future time if a capacity loss is suspected. 

I bought a couple of relatively inexpensive adjustable load devices to give a calibrated load as needed.

The charging voltages my control panel shows varies quite a bit from temp compensation

The desulfurization device seems a necessary accessory for non temp compensating charging and any less than 100% recharging cycles

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #8 –
They are AGM, not wet cells. Wolfe said to set them at wet settings. FT is also checking. I'll eventually get a smart invertor/charger but out of funds for upgrades for now. Still need to get the new airbags installed next month and then put it away for the winter

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #9 –
If this is a Xantrex Freedom inverter/charger it IS a smart charger-- or at least semi-smart.  It is programmable.  Don't recall when they added the battery temperature option, but even prior to that you would tell it cold/hot ambient temps. I would NOT spend the $$ just to upgrade the charger function.  Now if you need/want a PSW inverter, that is a  different matter-- IMO depends on what you want to be able to run on the inverter as to whether it is a worthwhile expenditure to upgrade.

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #10 –
Freedom-2500 original from FT in 1996 with remote. Working fine. After charging all night it is floating at 13.4 which I believe is proper?

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #11 –
Quote from: dans96u295ft –
Freedom-2500 original from FT in 1996 with remote. Working fine. After charging all night it is floating at 13.4 which I believe is proper?
13.4V is the absorption phase of the charging cycle and can last 24 hours or longer.  Don't sweat it, that voltage won't do any damage to your AGM battery pack:  AGM batteries are by design electrolyte starved so you don't get the internal corrosion from over charging as you would with wet cells.  13.2V is the float charge, just enough electrical pressure to keep the lead acid battery from self discharging.

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #12 –
All the correct voltage numbers are temp related.  At 90 degrees 13.4 might be correct. At 77 degrees 13.6.  At 32 degrees maybe almost 14. 

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #13 –
Good to know. Doing the Richfield Utah Rally next week and the temps will really fluctuate day and night so I'll watch it

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #14 –
FYI, the specs show 2 Deka AGM 8AGC2 Batteries are approximately equivalent to 77% ONE 8D battery. Nice to cut the weight of the 8D in half by using 6v batteries.

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #15 –
Thanks Barry. That makes me think I did the correct exchange with 4 of them

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #16 –
Quote from: Barry & Cindy –
FYI, the specs show 2 Deka AGM 8AGC2 Batteries are approximately equivalent to 77% ONE 8D battery. Nice to cut the weight of the 8D in half by using 6v batteries.
A pair of them is 136 lbs  vs 163 for 1 8D percentage of weight about equal to the percentage of 20 hour capacity.

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #17 –
Yes, but I could manage one at a time with 4. I couldn't have done the 8's alone so really had no choice in my circumstance. Hernia has now been 9 weeks so still running gun shy a bit
 

Re: Deka terminator batteries

Reply #18 –
Ah every decision has many parts.  Thanks for the info as to why.