wet cell or agm battery

(wakemaker01) · (wakemaker01) **Join Date: Mar 2009** 03-01-2010, 8:57 AM

Which one is the best bang for the buck?Any drawbacks for either one?

(srock) · (srock) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 03-01-2010, 10:48 AM

It depends how you use the batteries so you need to provide additional info. As a starting battery I don't think they are worth the expense. As a house battery they may make sense.

(wakemaker01) · (wakemaker01) **Join Date: Mar 2009** 03-01-2010, 11:08 AM

thay will only run the stereo and nothing else.The starting batt is a regular starting batt.

(camassanger) · (camassanger) **Join Date: Oct 2009** 03-01-2010, 11:13 AM

But if you have an onboard charger, or if you use a single charger ever to charge both batteries you may want to be careful mixing. Usually best to stay with one type, and replace them together.

(srock) · (srock) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 03-01-2010, 11:14 AM

A word of caution, charging requirements for both batteries is different.

(rallyart) · (rallyart) **Join Date: Nov 2006** 03-01-2010, 12:19 PM

If you leave most of the 'high-tech' batteries discharged they are more likely to fail than conventional. It just requires more thought on keeping the right charge in them.

(wakemaker01) · (wakemaker01) **Join Date: Mar 2009** 03-01-2010, 9:24 PM

Went with interstate group 29 thay have 125 amp hr for $79.00 at sams seems like a good deal .

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 03-02-2010, 10:22 AM

IMO AGM's aren't the way to go in a marine environment. Like has been stated before, they have different charging requirements than a conventional battery. If you charge them at anything over 15.5 volts they're toast. From what I've seen they are more prone to early failure, too. I usually see at least 5 years from standard automotive batteries, but am only seeing 3-4 years for AGM's.

I'm sure there are other opinions, and probably those that have done more specific research, but for my money a good standard deep cycle does the trick.

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 03-02-2010, 10:29 AM

IMO the only advantage AGM or gel batteries have over wet is their mounting options. Some argue they are mroe durable ( vibration/shock). I just dont' see it. They are expensive for what most people use them for ( true deep cycle application)

Just the other day I was in the auto parts store and some guy was flying off the handle b/c he spent $250 on an optima yellow top and now its' dead after 9 months and they are having trouble witht he warranty. The sales guy said you shoudl have spent $50 on our house ( flooded) brand and we coudl hae replaced it for free up to 3 years, lol.