Lead acid battery venting

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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby bdosborn » Sun Sep 10, 2017 2:43 pm

MtnDon wrote: I leave a copper penny on the battery top beside each terminal. The penny is sacrificial and corrodes before the terminal connections. But it does not stop the charge gassing or misting.


That's a new one, I've never hear of that. Do you tape it down or something? Does it actually help with terminal corrosion?
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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby MtnDon » Sun Sep 10, 2017 4:13 pm

I do that on the stationary batteries at the cabin and at home. I have not figured out how to make it stay on the traler or car. They migrate. The terminals often have no corrosion.
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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby beezerboy » Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:23 pm

glue it with hot glue or RTV

my grandfather used to put pennies on the battery... I think he just wedged them in under the terminal

p.s. putting a battery on a concrete floor will nor "suck the juice out of it". the cruddy residue on top of the battery is a conductive path. that coupled with normal internal leakage and non-use from sitting will drain a battery. fortunately, those things are not a problem once you dump your wet cell batteries
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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby John61CT » Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:52 pm

AGM are a lot less robust, much more expensive and require an expensive battery SoC monitor to care for properly, as opposed to a cheap hydrometer.

If you don't want to care for your bank properly, don't mind spending more and getting a shorter lifetime, then fine.

Otherwise I only recommend AGM if you really need the high CAR, or the install space requires sealed.
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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby bdosborn » Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:55 am

John61CT wrote:AGM are a lot less robust, <snip>


That's a new one, I've never heard that before. Are you sure you're not confusing AGM with Gel cell?

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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby John61CT » Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:14 am

Yes, true in two senses.

FLA last many more cycles given equal quality and equally fine coddling.

And stand up to harsher treatment, need that coddling less, harder to quickly murder.
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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby working on it » Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:35 am

bdosborn wrote:
John61CT wrote:AGM are a lot less robust, <snip>


That's a new one, I've never heard that before. Are you sure you're not confusing AGM with Gel cell?

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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby bdosborn » Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:56 am

working on it wrote:I never told the wife about the battery that cooked, on its' first day.


I wouldn't have either... :lol:

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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby friz » Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:10 am

AGM have served me well also. I have used them as starter batteries in lawn mowers and light aircraft. This is my first foray into using them like a deep cycle battery. I just hope my current battery lasts me long enough that lithium tech is common and cheap when it is time to replace. The batteries are not bad right now but charging from multiple sources seems to be an issue. Also assembling a battery of 18650 cells for 12v appliances is kind of sketchy.

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Re: Lead acid battery venting

Postby John61CT » Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:19 pm

Yes, if going LFP use the big prismatic cells, no more than 3 parallel.

They won't be getting much cheaper, IMO demand may even drive prices up as they get more common.

A quality FLA bank well cared for can last well over ten years. AGM rare to get eight, and that's from the pricey top three mfg.

Assuming scrapped at 70-75% SoH as should be, many stretch them out way past that.

Charging from multiple sources is no issue at all, but you need quality gear and most people just say "oh that's nuts I'll just get one from (insert consumer big box source) or get whatever's popular at Amazon.

Each charge source component can cost almost as much as a small bank (under 600AH), then proper wiring, tools, switches, fuses etc.

No wonder so many just make do with cheaper stuff and replace the batteries every few years instead, perfectly valid approach too, especially from non-fulltimers.

Your $1500 battery bank ends up a relatively small component overall. Plus it's a consumable item, at least the other infrastructure lasts at least as long as the vehicle it's in.
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