Thread: Anyone used Gel batteries?

I have a lifeline gel battery as my dual battery in the 130 and never had a problem with it. There was a time that it ran real low due to a dodgy 3rd batter I had in my camper back. I went to the local battery guy and he said if there was a problem he'd probably be able to fix it. It seems to have charged up nicely and operates just fine at the moment. You might want to take it to a battery place and get them to look at it. Maybe even return it to the place you bought it from, get them to replace it.

Gel batteries notoriously hate both frequent overcharging and running them dead flat. You can kill one inside a week quite easily. Having a volt meter on the battery (with a switch is necessary) lets you see dangerous charge levels easily. Looked after they can last 10 years or more. Most gel batteries have specs on the side, they should be strictly observed.

It seems these batteries are just too much hassle - you cant do this, cant to that - need this charger - need this piece of kit.

Given the extra cost over a normal bigl lead acid starter type batteries and the extra hassle (accept you get less out of a normal lead acid) is it really worth getting these.

Garry

Originally Posted by garrycol

It seems these batteries are just too much hassle - you cant do this, cant to that - need this charger - need this piece of kit.

Given the extra cost over a normal bigl lead acid starter type batteries and the extra hassle (accept you get less out of a normal lead acid) is it really worth getting these.

Garry

Totally agree,the reason I bought it was that they didn't have any trouble with getting a memory or any trouble regarding charging,thats what I was told anyway.There's $400 down the drain. Pat

Hi Pat and first off, I hope it wasn’t the mob that sold you the battery that told about getting a memory, because no automotive type battery suffers from memory, this is something that NiCad batteries suffer from.

Next there are different forms of gel batteries so can you post up the info on yours.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi Pat and first off, I hope it wasn’t the mob that sold you the battery that told about getting a memory, because no automotive type battery suffers from memory, this is something that NiCad batteries suffer from.

Next there are different forms of gel batteries so can you post up the info on yours.

It's a VRLA N70 GEL,it had 10V this morning and now has only 8.8V.With the engine running it has 12.6V going into it. Pat

Hi again Pat, it’s the brand of battery that I’m after.

Yours sounds like a HAZE.

As to the voltage, you say the battery was at 10v and is now at 8.8v.

Even at 10v thats way too low and I’d say your battery is stuffed BUT, I’m not there to check it so don’t do anything till you get it load tested.

You also say with the motor running you get 12.6v at the battery.

That is also too low.

With your motor running, test the voltage at your cranking battery and then at your auxiliary battery.

If your are getting 13.5+ at your cranking battery and still 12.6 at your auxiliary, then I would say you have a problem with your wiring and this could account for the low auxiliary battery.

I'm getting 14V flat from the alternator and 13.1-13.2 from the isolator terminals,when I took the charger off last night it was showing 10V but today it has only 8.8V so weather it was a risidual charge that was 10 I don't know.The wiring is all brand new,replaced it not long ago and the local auto sparky doesn't have much time for GEL batteries but will try and charge it for me,if worst comes to worst for the money if it needs replacing I'm going to get a CAT calcium battery from westrac,$140 for a 750CCA.I can buy three of them for the cost of the GEL. Pat