Optima AGM sealed batteries

searay495

searay495

Active Member
May 26, 2008
604
Long Island Sound
Boat Info
2004 420 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Twin Cummins CTA 8.3m
480 HP
I am in the market to replace two of my batteries. I am putting them in a 2006 380 Sundancer. I believe the charger is equipped to charge these types of batteries. Two questions; Does anyone have experience using these batteries and does the charger charge these batteries without having to switch anything over? I plan to use the combo deep cycle and starting battery.

Thanks,
Mark
 
Check the charger, see if it's for "wet" cell only. If so, you need a new charger. My 2007 310 charger does not support AGM batteries.
 
I've got an older boat with a Promariner charger and I've been using AGM batteries for 15 years. I get 4-5X the life out of them compared to wet cell batteries. With nearly 1000CCA, I have no problems starting Caterpillar diesels with them. Best of all, there are no corrosive fumes in the boat…….in fact, I have built a battery box with a tool tray that sits right above the batteries and my tools stay corrosion free.

I'll never go back to wet cells……….
 
Why Optima? They seem a bit expensive in the world of AGM's.
I did the same as Mr. Webster where I was able to build a large storage tray above the battery bank.
I have six X2 Power 930 CCA/90 Ah, Group 27 AGM's and am very happy so far. These batteries pegged my original charger and tripped it offline so I upgraded to the 50 amp Promariner; no issues now.
 
fwebster said:
I've got an older boat with a Promariner charger and I've been using AGM batteries for 15 years. I get 4-5X the life out of them compared to wet cell batteries. With nearly 1000CCA, I have no problems starting Caterpillar diesels with them. Best of all, there are no corrosive fumes in the boat…….in fact, I have built a battery box with a tool tray that sits right above the batteries and my tools stay corrosion free.

I'll never go back to wet cells……….
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Same boat and charger. I got 10 years out of my last AGM's.
 
fwebster said:
The difference is that Frank uses his boat 12 months a year and Mark tucks his away for about 6 months in a heated barn.
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I resemble that remark, but it's probably closer to 4-5 months.....

2016-01-19 16.57.39.jpg
 
I would save your dollars and see what AGM's are available at your commercial battery distributor. A few years back I asked if they had any AGM's with blemishes on the case. Saved another $100. Of coarse the side wall did have some discoloration or splay from injection molding. So now everyone knows I have a battery with a blemish...
 
Independent of the charger, I would either go with a quality group-27 wet cell or spend a little more and go with a better AGM than the optima. XS power, Shuriken, Interstate or Deka or the likes.
 
My dockmate got grp 31 Duracell AGMs at Sam's for $184 each. My original battery charger does fine on my 6 year old Blue Top Optimas (wet cell settings)>
 
Note also the Optima's are pretty much the bottom rung as far as CCA and Ah for a BCI Group classification.
 
I don't know if weight matters on an AGM like a lead wet cell but the store brand at Batteries Plus stores weigh substantially more than Optimas. Sears makes a good marine AGM too.
 
dpmulvey said:
I don't know if weight matters on an AGM like a lead wet cell but the store brand at Batteries Plus stores weigh substantially more than Optimas. Sears makes a good marine AGM too.
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Good batteries weigh quite a bit more due to the more substantial lead plate which leads to better longevity and more capability.
 
fwebster said:
I've got an older boat with a Promariner charger and I've been using AGM batteries for 15 years. I get 4-5X the life out of them compared to wet cell batteries. With nearly 1000CCA, I have no problems starting Caterpillar diesels with them. Best of all, there are no corrosive fumes in the boat…….in fact, I have built a battery box with a tool tray that sits right above the batteries and my tools stay corrosion free.

I'll never go back to wet cells……….
Click to expand...

Same here going on 4 years with a Xantrex charger with a remote in the cabin.
 
sfergson727 said:
Wrong. Yours does, AGM's are the equivalent to wet cells. You are probably thinking gel cells, in which case you would be correct. Excuse the bluntness, but this is one of my pet peeves.
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I don't mind bluntness, but why would they label a charger "wet cell only" when in 2007 AGMs were readily available? I know gel cells have a completely different cycle and many have no issues with AGMs, but it seems like they would have said "not for gel batteries" but I also note that the newer version of my charger has Flooded Acid/AGM1 AGM2 Gel and Sealed Acid. My current charger does not.
 
sfergson727 said:
IMHO, since AGM's charge essentially the same as wet cells, in fact they are lead acid batteries, there was no need to differentiate. That said, the newer chargers do have an AGM setting, which is better suited for AGM batteries need for a slightly different voltage to "top" them off.

A regular charger will work fine with an AGM, the newer ones may work better, but not by much. I did end up putting in a new intelli-power charger after I added a fifth battery, and although it has an AGM setting, I have noticed no difference in the performance of the batteries. (Currently using Sears AGM, previously had Optimas which I removed after 7 years of service, three seasons ago. I am still using the removed optimas at home, they just keep on ticking)
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A Flooded battery charger will function just fine however the AGM can and will demand more current during a bulk charge cycle so your older flooded battery charger may overheat and trip off line like mine did; that is specifically why I stepped up to a charger with an AGM setting. AGM batteries have a much lower internal resistance consequently the high charge current but benefits with a much shorter charge cycle. AGM's are not prone to sulfation like flooded batteries so chargers with a de-sulfation cycle is not needed nor desired. The newer chargers with AGM specific settings get the best life out of the AGM's which is usually 5 or more times longer than flooded.
I would disagree a bit in that, a charger that is specific to the battery charge and float profiles (AGM's and Flooded are different) will obtain the best life and performance from the battery.
 
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I will say this. I am active in the golf cart forums as well and this discussion is almost as bad as the what oil should I use discussion. The honest answer is the profiles of the Chargers are different in multiple ways. If you really want the best then you should ask the manufacturer of the batteries what profile they want you to follow for charging and I promise you they have one. Look at Trojan batteries website, it is full of information and they make fantastic batteries. If it were me and I was spending big bucks in batteries, I would speak with the manufacturer and make sure my charger was following their specific profile. Of course anything "will work," but batteries are damaged over time due to incorrect profiles so one cannot give an accurate answer without testing which is waaaay above our willingness to buy all of the brands and types of batteries and chargers.


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Wow! Thanks for all the information and discussion. Some research showed that Optima's were a good battery at one time, but have since slipped in quality. That being said I will look to West Marine, where I have a Port Supply account or a Costco type battery. One other question I should have asked....I have 4 batteries, I was only going to swap two out to AGM now and two later. Good or bad idea? Will doing this mess up the charging on either style of battery?
 
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