Batteries Plus for Batteries for a Small System?

[Richiep]

Hey All,
I recently stopped by my local Batteries Plus and chatted with them about their various offerings for a 24v off grid PV system I'm designing. My initial inquiry was about 6v golf cart batteries.which they carry but only in flooded lead acid. Based on my research I think I want to go with AGM. Batteries Plus doesn't stock AGM golf cart but they can get them and they're pricey.

I then asked what other offerings they have and the salesman showed me the biggest battery in the store, a 12V, 200ah AGM $399.99. He said if I bought 2 he could cut a deal.

The guy a Batteries Plus was super knowledgeable and helpful but he didn't have much experience with solar.

So begins my battery shopping experience.

Have any of you bought batteries from Batteries Plus?

Good /Bad choice?

Alternative vendors?

Thanks
Rich

[SunEagle]

Unless you really need a sealed AGM type battery there is no good reason to get them.

A FLA type battery system can be better checked using a hydrometer to determine it's true SOC.

Also while they have 12v 200Ah AGM battery is must be VERY heavy which makes it hard to even move around.

Probably the best way to go would be to use 6V high Ah rated batteries to build your 24v system. Lower cost, easy to maintain and not that heavy to move if needed.

[Gdwats]

I went to Batteries Plus and got 4 6V Duracell 230 amp hours flooded lead-acid deep cycle for my 24 volt system. The people on this forum have enlightened me from sealed style batteries. If he was knowledgeable and knew it was for solar should have mentioned how many cycles thpey're good for. Flooded lead-acid last about 5 to 10 times longer. I spent about two months trying to acquire some Trojan t105 re batteries, and I ended up getting these because it was impossible to acquire the batteries I was after at the time.

[SunEagle]

I went to Batteries Plus and got 4 6V Duracell 230 amp hours flooded lead-acid deep cycle for my 24 volt system. The people on this forum have enlightened me from sealed style batteries. If he was knowledgeable and knew it was for solar should have mentioned how many cycles thpey're good for. Flooded lead-acid last about 5 to 10 times longer. I spent about two months trying to acquire some Trojan t105 re batteries, and I ended up getting these because it was impossible to acquire the batteries I was after at the time.

Look at it this way. You can treat those Duracell as a test system so you get to understand how they will stand up to your usage.

Your next battery system can go for the higher quality Trojan's which hopefully will be more available to you.

[NEOH]

I went to Batteries Plus and got 4 6V Duracell 230 amp hours flooded lead-acid deep cycle for my 24 volt system. The people on this forum have enlightened me from sealed style batteries. If he was knowledgeable and knew it was for solar should have mentioned how many cycles thpey're good for. Flooded lead-acid last about 5 to 10 times longer. I spent about two months trying to acquire some Trojan t105 re batteries, and I ended up getting these because it was impossible to acquire the batteries I was after at the time.

"... Flooded lead-acid last about 5 to 10 times longer ... "
Where did you get that information from?

Trojan's Solar Industrial line of Flooded batteries are rated at only 2 times as many cycles as their Solar Deep Cycle line of AGM's, at 30% DOD.

[SunEagle]

"... Flooded lead-acid last about 5 to 10 times longer ... "
Where did you get that information from?

Trojan's Solar Industrial line of Flooded batteries are rated at only 2 times as many cycles as their Solar Deep Cycle line of AGM's, at 30% DOD.

I would agree that 5 to 10 times longer is a stretch even comparing the most expensive FLA to the cheapest AGM.

But 2+ times more is a reasonable estimation depending again on what you purchase and how the batteries get used or "abused".

[Gdwats]

Well, the 55AH sealed batteries I had were only good for a couple hundred cycles. The fla are good for many times that. It was however a bold statement, without exact numbers.

[NEOH]

Well, the 55AH sealed batteries I had were only good for a couple hundred cycles. The fla are good for many times that. It was however a bold statement, without exact numbers.

OK, that is your anecdotal experience with two random, and very small batteries.
There are "properly cared for" AGM batteries that have lasted 5 years, way more than a couple hundred cycles.

Purchase a real AGM battery ...
http://lifelinebatteries.com/product...s/gpl-l16t-2v/
recharge it properly, and then tell me how many cycles you get.
It will change your opinion of AGM Batteries, specifically your 5x - 10x ratio for flooded.

[Gdwats]

Done.