What Is The Life Of A Gel Cell Battery

Gel batteries are more expensive than standard agm batteries but they might be worth the investment when used properly.

What is the life of a gel cell battery. Gel batteries are generally the same as regular lead acid batteries you use to start your car except the battery cells contain a gel rather than a fluid. Of course a higher cycle life doesn t come for free. Gel cell batteries aren t that way. There are some agm batteries we sell that offer excellent 80 deep cycle abilities.

Since gel batteries never spill they are sometimes referred to as non spillable batteries dry cell batteries or maintenance free gel batteries. The cons the price. Gel cell batteries are deep cycle batteries that contain an electrolyte which is suspended in a gel solution between lead plates. There is a direct correlation between the depth of discharge dod and the cycle life of the battery with differences between 500 and 1300 cycles depending on depth of discharge.

In fact if you discharge a gel battery to 90 it will give 700 cycles which is more cycles than an agm battery discharged at only 50. Gel cell batteries are commonly used in amateur radio emergency communications. Measured as cycle life or years remains excellent in most agm batteries if the batteries are not discharged more than 60 between recharge. The batteries are often used in.

Many people looking to switch from wet cell to gel batteries see this as the biggest drawback. The gel cell battery is similar to the agm battery style because the electrolyte is suspended but different because technically the agm battery is still considered to be a wet cell. Properly cared for a gel cell battery can provide many years of reliable service. While the benefits of a gel battery are pretty hefty so is the price tag.

There are several disadvantages to gel cell batteries for rv applications. They are deep cycle batteries which means that they can discharge more and still be recharged like new. Being maintenance free and spill proof they are ideal for portable operation. Gel batteries are considered to be safer because if the casing gets damaged the gel doesn t spill but fluid based batteries can leak sulfuric acid if the casing gets damaged.

Gel battery life expectancy good quality tubular gel batteries have a designed service life of up to 20 years and a cyclic life rating of 5500. Most importantly they must be charged at a slower rate and a lower voltage than flooded cell batteries. As previously stated this is dependent on how well the battery is maintained. They are leak proof and because of this they work well for marine applications.