The most essential and basic necessity of any automobile is the battery. It helps start the engine and provide functionality to electronics in your car; however, many Dallas/Fort Worth drivers haven’t really considered how important the battery is to your RV. After all, the battery does much more than simply start your car or power a light with a motorhome. That’s why we’d like to dedicate this week’s blog toward providing some insight on your RV’s life force: the battery
Gel Batteries vs. AGM Batteries
There are two main types of deep cycle batteries used for RVs: Gel and AGM batteries. We’re asked over and over again by our DFW customers which is better, and like most questions about your RV, it truly depends on what kind of RV driver you are and what you are looking for.
AGM, or absorbed glass mat, batteries are lead-acid electric storage batteries that:
- Are sealed under special pressure valves and should never be opened
- Are completely maintenance free
- Have all of their electrolytes absorbed in separators consisting of a sponge like mass of matted gas fibers
- Use a recombination reaction to prevent the escape of hydrogen and oxygen gases normally lost in flooded lead acid batteries.
- Are non-spillable, which means it can be operated in any position (although upside down is not recommended)
Flooded lead acid batteries, in comparison, must be installed right side up, and tend to crack, leak, boil, and spill if you overcharge the battery. Remember: the liquid inside this battery is not water – it’s acid! So, any leak or spillage can lead to a big mess for your RV.
While flooded batteries tend to be cheaper, you’ll end up putting a lot of work into them, which is why of the two, we would have to recommend AGM.
Gel batteries, on the other hand, are also lead acid electric storage batteries that
- Are sealed using special pressure valves and should never be opened
- Are completely maintenance free
- Use thixotropic gelled electrolyte
- Use a recombination reaction to prevent the escape of hydrogen and oxygen gases normally lost in a flooded lead acid battery.
- Are non-spillable, which means they can be operated at any position (although upside down is not recommended).
Both batteries seem very similar, but there are some noticeable differences. Both batteries are “acid starved,” which protect the plates during heavy-deep discharges; however, the gel battery is more starved, offering more protection to the plates, which means it is more suitable for super-deep discharge applications. In simpler terms, the gel batteries can take more use than AGM, as they are built to allow more discharges.
Due to using gelled electrolytes, get batteries tend to decline faster than an AGM as the temperature drops below freezing. AGM batteries excel for high current, high power applications, especially in extremely cold weather.
Gels also do not tend to last as long as AGM. While there are practices such as adding distilled water to the battery, which can lengthen your battery life, AGMs still tend to last longer than gel batteries.
Adding Distilled Water
An RV battery’s lifespan usually lasts about five years. Adding distilled water will help your battery achieve a longer lifespan, which will ultimately save you a good amount of money throughout your RV’s life.
The first step to adding distilled water is to remove the battery cap. Once you take a look in, you’ll see a tube going into each cell with slits up the side. These slits allow the gases to flow from side to side. Fill until the water touches the bottom of the tube and please be careful not to overfill.
Adding distilled water from time to time will do wonders in extending the life of your RV’s battery
Try Coach Specialist
If you have any questions, or need help installing a battery, do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with Coach Specialists of Texas. We have the most trust and experiences staff of specialists in the DFW who can provide the insight needed on, not only which battery better suits your RV, but also any issue or concern you may have regarding your motorhome.
Not near Mansfield? No problem! With out drop off locations in Denton and Plano, we’ll save you the trip, and still give you our high quality service. You only need to leave your RV in our drop off location, and we will transport it Mansfield where we will make all necessary repairs. After you’ve given your RV a personal inspection, it will be yours to take back.