House batteries

From a dost perspective, I would go with wet cell golf cart batteries and a quality watering system. I have no scientific data, but from what I have read a well maintained wet cell will give roughly the same life as an AGM.

If you go AGM, stay away from Optima. They have been having q/c problems recently causing a miserably short lifespan.
 
quote:
Originally posted by BillyK

Thanks guys,

Now I have something else to consider, because I really don't plan to be away from a dock for more then an afternoon. Maybe an overnight, but the genny will be running a lot for the fridge, a/c, tv etc. I could squeeze in four batteries but two will fit much cleaner. I'm a complete novice when it comes to figuring the dc load and battery needs. I guess I will figure it out as I go.

Thanks

Billy K.

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If you can get by with only ~200 Ah for your house, only two 6V golf carts batteries would be required... for about 220 Ah. And you'd have true deep cycle design.

FWIW, Lifeline makes AGM GCs. Maybe others, too. Dunno cost...

The Sears Platinum Plus batteries, last I heard, are made by Odyssey... and they're good batteries. Two of the larger Group 31 size would give you about 200 Ah. (I forget the Ah of the smaller size; 68, maybe.) There's some "marketing" involved when they label these 12v batteries as "deep cycle" though. OTOH, we have two banks of 3x each Odyssey Group 31s (the larger Sears size) and our oldest bank is coming into its 10th season now.

In our case, I can fit 4x GCs (440 Ah) into the same space one of our 3xG31 banks lives (300 Ah), so I'll be changing when the time comes...

-Chris
 
about 9 years ago I did the math for our boat as to the cost benefit of the various battery types, Gel, AGM and Flooded Cell. without considering upgrading the battery charger to use the Gel type, I calculated that the cost over the lifetime of the battery was almost the same for each. the hi quality Gel and AGM produced a longer life time but were higher cost than similar quality Flooded Cell type.

in our application, getting to the batteries regularly to fill or R/R is PITA. we settled on the longer service life and lower maint of AGMs and used the existing battery charger. although the charger was not designed for the differing voltages of the fancy batteries, we've experienced no deviation in the expected service life in the AGM's.

looking backwards the AGM was a good choice, and I would recommend them to anyone that isn't really on top of the water levels in flooded cell batteries.
 
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