Best house batteries for under the bonnet

Ive had a great run from trojan batteries

but being under a tray than under a engine bonnet is different

take a look at the CAT range of batteries
youll be surprised just how cheap they are.

The Battery World man must live closer to the sun that us to not think under a Landcruiser bonnet is cool enough for a Deep cycle AGM battery.
How long has he been selling batteries would be my question. Shows little understanding of the issue.
The under bonnet temps in hotter weather and especially during long drives would be quite high. ie, not touch or hold by hand.
AGMs don't like operating hot and under the tray as perviousl;y mentioned is far better.

The only way I would use a battery like that is,
If I can insulate it from radiant heat, LOTS of that under bonnet and supply it with cooler ambient air via a flex hose from beside the radiator, not hot but cool flow to the insulated battery housing.
Then it won't warp.

If it was receiving a fair charge rate and getting hot via the engine then it will expand and buckle.

Remember, the battery world man is likely to be just a salesman and nothing is hs fault..

I have had a good run from my 2 x 130amp SSB AGM batteries. Now mine are in the rear tub. SSB advertise that their AGM batteries are ok to use under the bonnet. Warranties apply also.Check out this supplier for more info and good deals.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12-VOLT-130AH-1000CCA-SSB-DRYFIT-BATTERY-AGM-DEEP-CYCLE-DUAL-PURPOSE-HVT86LD-/281959279530?hash=item41a6152baa


I have the 80 amp stop/start battery (SSB) under the bonnet and it is performing well with no leaks or bulges. I live in FNQ so the under bonnet is always hot.

Needed some more batteries at Christmas, so bought 2 of "Allrounder" 120 Amphr sealed deep cycle units from RTM (Road Tech Marine). They've done 2 double crossing trips over the Simpson in past 2 months, powering an 80L Engel upright fridge and an Ironman 30L used as a freezer, and some LED lights. At no time have they dropped below 12.2v overnight.

At about $220 each, I reckon they're good value. They should be alright under the bonnet..........if you don't tighten them too much. :-))

Bob

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Hi Rob,

Batteries seem to be 'Flavour-of-the Month'. Look back a little on the Forum and you may see that.

There is absolutely no question that AGM batteries do not fare well in the engine bay temperatures. Heat is death to batteries. Even the flooded crankers would be better off in a cooler location. The Battery World salesman is "blowing smoke up your a**se".

I too have a Troopy. My first AGM in the engine bay failed at a short life. I measured engine bay temperature on an easy drive on a moderate day. It hit 70 degrees in a very short time and was still climbing.... Imagine what it may reach lugging through sand dunes? I installed a heat barrier and brought the temperature down close to ambient. The replacement battery has lasted 6 years but is now low in storage capacity and is being replaced.

And don't even think of wrapping the battery up in one of those commercially flogged "insulation jackets". That is a sure-fire way of actually increasing the battery temperature. Some salesmen should be shot!

As for finding a battery supplier for good advice...... good luck. But I will send you a Member Message with a suggestion.

A lot of BT50 and Ranger owners use these under bonnet and I haven't heard any complaints.

SSB agm under bonnet batteries

The Fusion CBC series are suited to both starting and deep cycle and if you read the blurb, they say they are suited to under bonnet applications, so might be worth considering.
http://www.fusionagmbatteries.com.au/tabid/337/cid/2/Products/CyclicBatteriesAGM(DeepCycle).aspx

I am an auxiliary battery novice but it seems with batteries it's not always a case of you get what you pay for.

My local auto sparkie (family business for 30 years so you would hope he knows his stuff) tipped me into a Bosch marine battery.

No big claims for super performance or long life and no inflated price to match the claims.

Supposed to have some of the attributes of a true deep cycle and also able to stand the banging around in a vehicle used on rough tracks.


If it lasts a few years for $220 I will be happy with that.

When I hear of some of the prices for the latest high tech you beaut batteries I think you would want something better than a pro-rata three year warranty.

I might also mention the OE starting battery in my 2013 Prado still going OK. But experience tells me that this might be its last winter.

Cheers.

Rob, Rita,

Some of the gurus here will tell you to buy AGM and dc/dc charger but the economics and performance figures just don't add up.

I have been a Lithium (lifepo4) user for 5 years in our caravan and 2 years in our vehicle and would never go back.

EV Works will sell you an excellent Winston lithium battey but you need to be open minded.

To respond to the last part of your question - give EV Works a call.

Cheers

Skull

DrRob. I have been running full river AGMS in engine bay of my hilux since new (one 120 and an 85 in the engine bay), I replaced them at ten years of age and transferred one of them to my van. Voltage rarely gets below 12.6 overnight running two trailblazers , one as a freezer. They normally read around 13 volts resting. Bunbury batteries charged me $320 for the 120 amp full river and the antenna store in bunbury has 120-amp bosh AGMs for $300. I noticed in one of the replies that two allrounders were getting down to 12.2 overnight, That is basically flat and running batteries down like that will shorten there life considerably .They are calcium lead acid and not really suitable for the task , From memory they also require a higher charge rate. When you say you have a solar panel what does the regulator charge and float at. The net and people like Batum and Allen on this forum would give better advice that any battery place. They are just salesman
cheers Graeme

As you may have heard me say before I believe that AGM is being heavily oversold and may have no advantage at all to the customer, but will yeild the seller more that twice the profit that a similar flooded battery will.

AND there are heaps of people on the AGM band wagon ....... some of them buying cheap chineese crackers and slapping a label on them .... Don't get me wrong there are some very good batteries coming out of china ...... but there is plenty of crap too.

The unfortunate truth is that heat kills batteries and degrades every performance factor measurable.
the optimum operating temperature for any type of lead acid battery is around 20 to 25C .... below that the cold slows the chemical reactons till at some point they simply don't work at all .. above that and every degree above that degrades the life and performance of the battery ..... regardless of price or construction.

One battery manufacturer states that battery life is reduced by 50% for every 10deg above 25C ...so 35C 50%of best, 45C 25% of best, 55C 12.5% of best and so on. .... 70+C ..... HELL

heat is realy realy bad for batteries and probably THE worst place a battery can be located in under the bonnet.

Just to hammer it down hard ...... heat kills batteries.

Anyway, if you are going to kill a battery why kill an expensive one.

Thousands of AGM batteries are sold into a certain early death each year.


If ANY battery salesman tells you that their AGM is fine under bonnet ask them to show you the battery live V temperature curves for that battery ..... betya they have never seen them, nor know where to find them.

But they will take your $500 with a confident smile.

Yes there are AGM batteries that have better temperature tollerance than others.

One commonly sold AGM battery lists a maximum recommended operating temperature of 45C, with no other maximum operating temperature stated.
The same manufacturer offers another series of AGM batteries with a maximum recommended operating temperature of 55C and an absolute maximum operating temperature of 71C ... assuming temperature compensated charging ...... BUT offers only 55C as an absolute maximum without temperature compensated charging. .... so unless there is a temperature sensor on the battery we are back to 55C.
The above may not be universal but would be typical.


There are also vehicles that have higher under bonnet temperatures than others. .... so hows that 70C+ under bonnet sounding

So these guys that are offering Guarantees for under bonnet use of AGM are playing the odds. ..... OH YEH .... ask them for the terms of their guarantee in writing before you part with your cash.

The other thing when selecting an AGM battery ...... look and ask for spec sheets, if they have not got em or don't publish em .... don't buy that brand ..... I mean sheet with performance curves, recommended operating temperatures and real technical stuff not just a table of sizes or a glossy brochure.

OH yeh ... buy a battery that has the same name stamped on it as is above the door of the factory .... at least you have some thaught that the bloke who made it thinks it's OK.

ANYway back to recomendations.

I'd strongly recommend a sealed maintenance free rugged construction battery that may be sold as "marine", earthmoving", 4WD, or "enhanced flodded cell" battery ..... that will have most of the good technologies of AGM, but they did not tip the spare acid out before they sold it to you.

I have had a good run with "Supercharge seamaster gold", yes the Catapilar batteries continue to have a good rep but pretty much any good sealed maintenance free wet cell battery will last better than AGM in a hot environment ...... even if it does not it will cost you HALF what a similar quality AGM will.

Don't get over obsessed with "Deep Cycle", it probably does not mean what you think it does.

hope this helps.

cheers
BUT above all .... ya gota do something about that temperature ...... you are likely to double the real life of any battery for every 10C you reduce that temperature till you get to 25C.

Thanks for all your replies and learned advice.

The decision I made was to go for a sealed Delkor 100Ah deep cycle battery under the bonnet. It was half the price of the old AGM but with a little less capacity. So, fully in line with Bantam, but before I got his message.

The other option was to use up some of my cupboard space for an in-cab AGM, but this would have required a full rewire - replacing the old, manual cole-Hersey switch - and the costs and time required for this.

I seriously looked at Lead Crystal batteries ($600ish) from Betta/ Deltec. The specs look great, but I couldn't find anyone who could vouch for their lifespan.

Thanks again for the helpful advice.

Rob.
Is the panel regulated? if so, what voltage is the battery with panel attached? the battery will gas due to under bonnet heat, and this is what has cracked your battery.