# agm battery+flooded type...



## steven2002 (Sep 12, 2012)

hi again another question...
i have a rolls 12-fs-125 battery in my camper and a friend has given me a rolls s12-128agm battery 6 months old..
so can i add the agm battery to my van or will the 2 different types cause any problems..
obviously they are not an exact match but it is the 2 different types that concerns me...
also They will both need to charge from the solar panels once i get them fitted...
thanks..steven..
both batterys can be seen http://www.barden-ukshop.com/rolls-12v-12-fs-125-deep-cycle-battery-1984-p.asp 
and http://www.barden-ukshop.com/rolls-12v-s12-128agm-deep-cycle-battery---free-uk-delivery-1909-p.asp 
thanks...


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## premiermotorhomes (Feb 13, 2008)

Good afternoon Steven,

My understanding is that you can not mix AGM and Lead Acid batteries.

The following link should clarify this for you;

http://www.firststartbatteries.com.au/faq.html

Regards,
Chris


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Generally, as Chris pointed out, you shouldn't mix the two as their charging voltage will be different, and if they are different capacities as well, that will compound the problem.

Peter


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## steven2002 (Sep 12, 2012)

cheers guys..looks as i may give the battery back..
is there any advantage swopping my battery for the agm one..
thanks...


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## premiermotorhomes (Feb 13, 2008)

AGM batteries are more heavy duty and are suitable to accomodating greater loads incurred through the use of large inverters, they are also better at recovering from being discharged in to lower voltage ranges, whereas a lead acid battery if the voltage drops below its safe operating range then recovery may not be possible, or you will harm the lifespan and capacity of the battery.

In short, if you are running high current items or may put yourself in a position where the battery may run to very low voltages then AGM is the way to go. If you are not running high current items, and have the means via solar or hook up to keep your batteries regularly charged then choose a good quality lead acid battery.

We stock Numax batteries, which since I have had them I don't have issues with, so my personal reccomendation would be Numax. So long as good practice is upheld with charging regimes etc then you shouldn't have a problem. Speak to others about their experiences with other brands and decide from that.

Regards,
Chris


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## steven2002 (Sep 12, 2012)

hi chris i am not looking to buy a new battery its just should i carry on using my rolls flooded or swop it with the agm one as i now have the choice of the 2....thanks...


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## premiermotorhomes (Feb 13, 2008)

Good morning Steven, 

Sorry, I am mixing my response up with another thread i've been following. I would go with the Rolls AGM which will be the better of the two batteries.

Regards,
Chris


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Chris said:

"AGM batteries are more heavy duty and are suitable to accomodating greater loads incurred through the use of large inverters, they are also better at recovering from being discharged in to lower voltage ranges, whereas a lead acid battery if the voltage drops below its safe operating range then recovery may not be possible, or you will harm the lifespan and capacity of the battery."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Should point out that AGM is another type of Lead-Acid battery, not some new thing. I think Chris may have got a bit tangled in his description there  

Lead-Acid is Lead-Acid, what IS different is the construction of the battery and how the electrolyte is held and how the battery is vented, or not as the case may be. 

Plus the battery plates and separators are different according to type, but at the end of the day, they are 2V nominal per cell, don't like being overdischarged and are the most common secondary battery on the planet.

Peter


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

AGM like GEL are one of the low maintenance variants of lead acid batteries. Real heavy duty applications always use wet cell batteries, fork lift truck batteries being prime examples. Even FLTs use AGM or GEL for light applications where use is occasional. But for a hard working application it is WET (flooded) cells combined with semi-automatic watering systems.

Conventional split charging from your vehicle alternator would work as good as it is intended to as these do not try and charge past 80% of maximum capacity, but if your motorhome has an intelligent charger that operates while you are hooked up then it will have different settings for WET, AGM/GEL batteries. If you mix battery technologies then either one battery will never be fully charged or the other battery will be over-charged resulting in excessive gassing and a very short service life.

If you are going to fit two new batteries then consider two 6 volt 220 AH TRACTION duty golf buggy batteries and connect them in series.

http://www.motts.org/second leisiure battery.htm


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

steven2002 said:


> hi again another question...
> i have a rolls 12-fs-125 battery in my camper and a friend has given me a rolls s12-128agm battery 6 months old..
> so can i add the agm battery to my van or will the 2 different types cause any problems..
> obviously they are not an exact match but it is the 2 different types that concerns me...
> ...


I could do with some friends with spare AGM Batteries.

8)


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## steven2002 (Sep 12, 2012)

right guys i left the agm battery back and took my flooded battery to the shop to be tested and results were not good at 50% first run and 52% second time..
battery 20 months old so dealer offered me a replacement or put the credit towards a new agm..
so took the new agm and also traded in a few scrap batteries against it so he give me a good price..
so then i went and got back the used agm one.
and now i have a 2 agm batteries, i will put the used one in and use it over the weekend to make sure its up to it and will link the new one after the weekend...
is 10mm2 cable ok for the link,probably about 1 meter between batteries.. also will the charger be up to it or will it just take longer to charge..
will maybe get the solar panels fitted next week as i am hoping to get the van into a good heated workshop..
cheers...steven


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

10mm is fine as long as you're not pumping more than 30amps or so through it.

Peter


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

If you are going to fit two new batteries then consider two 6 volt 220 AH TRACTION duty golf buggy batteries and connect them in series.

this is not my strong point, so I have to ask what is the advantage of this.Clive or anyone who is up on batteries and their secrets.

I have solar plus hookup charging both ends of van.would deep cycle batteries be as good.

cabby


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## Agilityman (Aug 17, 2009)

I have a Flash S2 and I think you will find that there is a small slide switch on your leisure battery mains charger that needs setting for AGM batteries - check your manual which you should have been given on handover.


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## steven2002 (Sep 12, 2012)

just had a look through the manual and cant see anything about switching the charger..
i will be at the van tomorrow and will have a look...
thanks...


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## Agilityman (Aug 17, 2009)

Steven2002,

My Flash S2 has a Nordelettronica KIT205_11 manual for the leisure battery charger, the NE143-P and the Control panel, the NE216_11. It explains there about the slide switch for lead acid or gel storage batteries on the charger. Hope that helps.


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## steven2002 (Sep 12, 2012)

hi the charger is a nord ne 143-p and there is a little changeover link at the bottom..
it is at the pb position should i move it to the gel position..
there is no mention of agm battery so which position should i put it... thanks...
oops! pic upside down!!!!


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## Agilityman (Aug 17, 2009)

Yes. Pb is lead acid (Pb = Plumbum, Latin for Lead) & Gel = AGM battery. Gel & AGM (Absorbed Glass Matt) are both VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid Batteries) which I believe have a different charging regime to bog standard Lead Acid batteries.


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## steven2002 (Sep 12, 2012)

no problem i will change it over tomorrow..thanks again...
also should have the solar panels finished tomorrow...


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