Gel Cell Batteries - REPLY

[j.evans]

- -----Original Message-----
From: Nate Chase
To: GMC (E-mail)
Date: Wednesday, April 28, 1999 12:11 PM
Subject: GMC: Gel Cell Batteries

>Has anyone had any problems running deep discharge gel cell type batteries?
>I thought I would put 3 back by the Onan since they will not leak or spill.
REPLY GELL CELLS DON'T MAINTAIN AS HIGH A VOLTAGE AS A WET CELL
AND THEY ARE NOT SUITABLE AS A START BATTERY. DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT FIRST

>Nate Chase
>'75 Glenbrook
>Omaha, NE

 

[donald w. miller]

I think you will like everything about gel cells except their purchase
price.

Gel cells installed on my boat in 1991 are still working well.

They do make gel cell engine starting batteries and they crank my boat
diesels fine. You need to make certain your engine gel cell is an engine
starting battery and not a deep cycle type.

Likewise you need to make certain your house batteries are deep cycle gel
cell batteries and not engine starting gel cells.

The deep cycle type will probably crank your Onan OK since it's starter
draws less current than the 455 starter.

Gel cell voltages are slightly different from wet cells and usually better
chargers such as Statpower and Trace have an optimum charge setting for the
gel cells. Since you pay a lot for these batteries it seems wise to use a
charger set up so they receive a proper charge.

Don Miller
75 Glennbrook project
Shenandoah Valley of Virginia

> >Has anyone had any problems running deep discharge gel cell type
batteries?
> >I thought I would put 3 back by the Onan since they will not leak or
spill.

> REPLY GELL CELLS DON'T MAINTAIN AS HIGH A VOLTAGE AS A WET CELL
> AND THEY ARE NOT SUITABLE AS A START BATTERY. DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT
FIRST
>

 

[nate chase]

>Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 08:46:10 +0100
>From: "Donald W. Miller"
>Subject: Re: GMC: Gel Cell Batteries - REPLY

>I think you will like everything about gel cells except their purchase
>price.

>Gel cells installed on my boat in 1991 are still working well.

Donald,
Thanks for the reply. I got 6 of these Gel Cels from work when they did
maint on our UPS. They weigh about 1/2 again more than any car battery I
ever changed! They are only 4 years old and since the UPS never gets a work
out (about once a year) I assumed these are in great shape. To test my
assumption I brought a car battery load tester (1000 watt - 10 sec test) and
these are hardly even phased by the tester. TONS of POWER!!! I even thought
about going 3 deep in parallel (since they are 12v I'm stuck). Should be
able to run things along time with these...