Deka Sea Mate AGM Battery

[Stream 1529]

I just got two 12v Deka AGM's, and I have a question regarding trickle charges.

I store my AS where I have access to a 110 outlet. I assume the batteries need to be charged since they have just come off of the shelf. I've read threads here about the AGM batteries, and I've gone to the PennEast website to read about the Deka AGM. From that I've seen there is as much a problem about over charging a battery as well as a battery having a low charge from lack of use.

I plan to get shore power after I hook up the batteries to get them to a fully charged level. The question is how long should I use a trickle charge to fully charge these batteries, and is there a point when that could be considered too long to trickle charge. I was considering leaving the power hooked up for a week.

As much as these things cost I really have no desire to damage them.

______Tom

[lewster]

Tom,

To properly charge an AGM, you should get a 3-stage battery charger and connect them to it. You can pick one up at any auto parts store or Wally World. Be sure that it has a setting for AGMs. It should be the fully automatic type that will read the internal battery voltage and alter the charge accordingly. This way, the AGMs will get the proper voltage that they need. A simple trickle charger will not do this as the preliminary charging voltage for an AGM is higher than other battery types.

You can connect the 2 batteries in parallel (pos-to-pos and neg-to-neg) with 6 AWG cables, then connect the pos lead from the battery charger to the pos of Battery #1 and the neg lead from the charger to the neg lead in battery #2.

This will assure complete charging of both batteries simultaneously.

IIRC, these type of chargers run around $50-60.

You'll love the AGMs!

[Stream 1529]

Originally Posted by lewster

Tom,

To properly charge an AGM, you should get a 3-stage battery charger and connect them to it. You can pick one up at any auto parts store or Wally World. Be sure that it has a setting for AGMs. It should be the fully automatic type that will read the internal battery voltage and alter the charge accordingly. This way, the AGMs will get the proper voltage that they need. A simple trickle charger will not do this as the preliminary charging voltage for an AGM is higher than other battery types.

You can connect the 2 batteries in parallel (pos-to-pos and neg-to-neg) with 6 AWG cables, then connect the pos lead from the battery charger to the pos of Battery #1 and the neg lead from the charger to the neg lead in battery #2.

This will assure complete charging of both batteries simultaneously.

IIRC, these type of chargers run around $50-60.

You'll love the AGMs!

Lew,

I guess that I'm visually impaired. If I connect the 2 batteries as you've described, I only see two cables. One for the positives and one for the negatives. I suppose most of my problem lies in the fact that I've got no idea what the AWG cables look like.

Thanks for the advice.

Tom

[Stream 1529]

Ok, I'm such an accountant. I found what you were talking about on google. Now I know what to get, and thanks again Lew.

Tom

[lewster]

Sorry Tom,

I forgot that a lot of folks are not tuned into the lingo so for all of the followers of this thread:

AWG = american wire guage.....and is the standard measurement of electrical cable in this country. 6AWG = 6 'guage' for short and refers to the diameter of the cable. The lower the guage #, the larger the cable. It doesn't really make sense, but then inches and feet really don't ether when compared to the metric system.

And yes, you will only have 2 cables for a parallel connection of the 2 batteries....one from pos-to-pos and the other from neg-to-neg.

Just be sure to connect the battery charger (and your connection terminals to the trailer like I stated above....that is......the positive to the + post of battery #1 and the negative to the - post of battery #2 and you should be good to go.