Duracell Batteries
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SternWake
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AGMs are lead acid batteries too. Their electrolyes is Absorbed in the Glass Matt.
Duracell is a Label, not a manufacturer. Whomever made the motorcycle battery 15+ years ago is nto the same manufacturer as today, not would a deep cycle battery be made from the same manufacturer as the motorcycle battery.
Lifeline, Northstar, Odyssey are top of the Line AGM
Fullriver AGM is very close, if not equal, depending on Application
Deka Intimidator, Vmaxtanks, UB/UPG batteries are about the same. Deka is made in USA, the other 2 in Asia.
Regarding Flooded lead acid golf ccart batteries, Trojan USbattery And EastPenn/Deka are the top 3.
Interstate is a battery marketer, not a manufacturer, and their GC-2's are made by USbattery
Exide is a manufacturer with a poor reputation.
Beware of marketing, relabelling. An energizer or duracell sticker on a battery does not necessarily indicate quality. it is simply recognizeable and therefore more sellable.
But since the Duracell golf cart batteries are made by EastPenn/deka, one can have confidence in them, and batteries + Nationwide warranty.
And if one can actually recharge them anywhere near properly and not continuously overdepleted them, it is extremely unlikely the warranty will ever be required
Duracell is a Label, not a manufacturer. Whomever made the motorcycle battery 15+ years ago is nto the same manufacturer as today, not would a deep cycle battery be made from the same manufacturer as the motorcycle battery.
Lifeline, Northstar, Odyssey are top of the Line AGM
Fullriver AGM is very close, if not equal, depending on Application
Deka Intimidator, Vmaxtanks, UB/UPG batteries are about the same. Deka is made in USA, the other 2 in Asia.
Regarding Flooded lead acid golf ccart batteries, Trojan USbattery And EastPenn/Deka are the top 3.
Interstate is a battery marketer, not a manufacturer, and their GC-2's are made by USbattery
Exide is a manufacturer with a poor reputation.
Beware of marketing, relabelling. An energizer or duracell sticker on a battery does not necessarily indicate quality. it is simply recognizeable and therefore more sellable.
But since the Duracell golf cart batteries are made by EastPenn/deka, one can have confidence in them, and batteries + Nationwide warranty.
And if one can actually recharge them anywhere near properly and not continuously overdepleted them, it is extremely unlikely the warranty will ever be required
SternWake
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Inside the 3 prong wire 115Vac male plug, there is a white wire, a black wire and a green wire.
Green is ground, Hook white to white and black to black, or wire up a standard outlet from the breaker and simply plug it in. The Existing converter you will be pulling either has a plug, like the PD, or has 3 wires running to it. White black and green, though the green might be bare oxidized copper.
I'd lean toward wiring up a standard 15 amp outlet to the converters wires.
The back of the outlet near where the wires insert, or are tightened under a screw, will say White and black and will have a green screw for the ground wire.
Run AC wires through a blue electrical box.
YOu will need to provide DC cables from PD9245 to batteries. Best if these cables are short and fat, so locating PD9245 near batteries reduces the copper expense. Max thickness without destranding the copper, is 4awg, though some other options exist for the anally retentive anf thicker copper is desired.
but at 45 amps, 4 awg would be fine for a fair distance between PD and batteries.
Green is ground, Hook white to white and black to black, or wire up a standard outlet from the breaker and simply plug it in. The Existing converter you will be pulling either has a plug, like the PD, or has 3 wires running to it. White black and green, though the green might be bare oxidized copper.
I'd lean toward wiring up a standard 15 amp outlet to the converters wires.
The back of the outlet near where the wires insert, or are tightened under a screw, will say White and black and will have a green screw for the ground wire.
Run AC wires through a blue electrical box.
YOu will need to provide DC cables from PD9245 to batteries. Best if these cables are short and fat, so locating PD9245 near batteries reduces the copper expense. Max thickness without destranding the copper, is 4awg, though some other options exist for the anally retentive anf thicker copper is desired.
but at 45 amps, 4 awg would be fine for a fair distance between PD and batteries.
MazdaGuy15
Active member
Thanks Sternwake. Per my calculations I am going to need at least 400ah bank but to last longer when its raining and to not put as much strain on my batteries I think I'm gona go with 8 of the Duracell GC2. The controllers I'm looking at is Renogy Rover MPPT40 or EPsolar ZHC 40A MPPT and either 2 100w mono panels or 4 100w panels. You seem to know your stuff on this topic and I would appreciate any input on all of
MazdaGuy15
Active member
I will probably line them up above the rear axle under the bed. I'm for sure not gona put them behind the axle or up high.
SternWake
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Work your batteries hard, just be able to charge them fast and hard occassionally, in the early morning when most depleted, and let the Ample solar wattage be able to hold them at absorption voltage as long as required and one will be able to get good, to perhaps excellent life from their batteries.
Use thick copper and proper terminations, attain and hold absorption voltage as often as possible and for as long as necessary.
Use an Ammeter, and a Hydrometer in combination with the voltmeter to determine the length of necessary.
..--.
Those will be my parting words for a while.
I'm taking a break from forums for a bit.
I spend too much time on my ass in this chair typing, avoiding what I need to do(earn some $$), to do more of what I love, while I can still do it, and so much more.
I need to catch a ride in this rig in this video, before I am too old to properly experience and absorb all the desired destinations, or before mankind's overwhelming greediness ruins them all.
http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/featured-clips/namibias-greatest-hits_145602
Use thick copper and proper terminations, attain and hold absorption voltage as often as possible and for as long as necessary.
Use an Ammeter, and a Hydrometer in combination with the voltmeter to determine the length of necessary.
..--.
Those will be my parting words for a while.
I'm taking a break from forums for a bit.
I spend too much time on my ass in this chair typing, avoiding what I need to do(earn some $$), to do more of what I love, while I can still do it, and so much more.
I need to catch a ride in this rig in this video, before I am too old to properly experience and absorb all the desired destinations, or before mankind's overwhelming greediness ruins them all.
http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/featured-clips/namibias-greatest-hits_145602
SW I personally have been amazed at your posts' level of detailed handholding, you offer so much of your time and knowledge here, I'm sure I speak for thousands THANK YOU.
When you do feel like contributing more but want to limit time spent, sometimes a pithy one liner with keywords to google helps almost as much at a tiny fraction of the effort.
If I had the time I'd create a SW Wiki people could use as a well-organized reference.
When you do feel like contributing more but want to limit time spent, sometimes a pithy one liner with keywords to google helps almost as much at a tiny fraction of the effort.
If I had the time I'd create a SW Wiki people could use as a well-organized reference.
That Duracell battery in the Goldwing was likely a re-branded Yuasa battery that was made in Japan to last that long. I'm a former motorcycle tech. I had a Yuasa AGM that lasted 16 years in a house alarm system.MazdaGuy15 said:
If you are a solar beginner I suggest a couple of 6v golf cart batteries from Costco at around $86 each. If you are somewhat confidant that you won't commit batterycide right away I suggest the made by East Penn Duracells from Batteries + at about $109 each. I don't suggest AGM's unless one is skilled and I don't suggest the Vmax AGM's at all. For a bit more money high end Lifeline or Northstar AGM's are a whole lot better battery. The Northstar AGM's are sold at Batts + as X2 Power with a 4 year warranty.
I like Mazdas a lot.
Yes Duracell is just a label, no consistent indication of quality.
Also worth looking at warranty policies.
These are by far the best value for money basic options available these days.
Only spend more per AH if you are sure you, your situation and your ancillary electronics will provide the right care and feeding per the mfg specs in order to get the longevity you're paying more for.
AGM may be needed for awkward bank placements though.
I believe Sam's Club golf cart Duracells are exactly the same East Penns, maybe cheaper in case no B+ nearby.29chico said:
Also worth looking at warranty policies.
These are by far the best value for money basic options available these days.
Only spend more per AH if you are sure you, your situation and your ancillary electronics will provide the right care and feeding per the mfg specs in order to get the longevity you're paying more for.
AGM may be needed for awkward bank placements though.
MazdaGuy15
Active member
Thanks sounds like I'm overbuilding it. The cheap duracells should work fine for me and for ease of placement and being cheaper maybe I will go with 6 since it will still give me a few more amps to not draw them down to 50%
I work on trains so overbuilding things is normal for me.
Do you know if they still make those motorcycle batteries in japan?
I work on trains so overbuilding things is normal for me.
Do you know if they still make those motorcycle batteries in japan?
MazdaGuy15 said:
Six of the Duracell 6v golf carts? Nice battery bank for sure. Are you still thinking about 400w of solar?
If you will be able to throw 50-80 amps, into the bank of 6 golf carts from an alternate power source every few days when little solar power is available that would work out well. That or make sure that you don't go below 80% of battery bank capacity when cloudy/rainy days are expected.
Lots of folks like to see 1 watt of solar for each 1 amp hour of battery bank capacity. I like to double up or more on the solar watts to allow for the inevitable low solar charging days. Especially when alternate high amp charging sources are not available. It is hard to have too much solar. My solar array is 945w and is designed to charge a no bigger than 300 amp hour lead acid bank, or a 200 amp hour LiFePo4 bank. I tend to overkill stuff also.
Yuasa still makes batteries in Japan. Taiwan also sometimes, those are very good as well. Yuasa sells their Japan made motorcycle batteries under the Motocross brand in the US for a significant discount.
MazdaGuy15
Active member
945w to charge a 300ah battery sounds like even more overkill than me. haha
I'm looking at 1 250w 24v at the moment instead of 4 100w 12v panels. I could fit a second 250w on the roof later if I need it but its starting to look like I won't. I'm still up in the air if I should hook it up to the vans alternator I've hear that its not really ideal for the alternator or the batteries. I will probably hook it up but have a switch to have it off most of the time and only use it if the batteries get really low.
I'm looking at 1 250w 24v at the moment instead of 4 100w 12v panels. I could fit a second 250w on the roof later if I need it but its starting to look like I won't. I'm still up in the air if I should hook it up to the vans alternator I've hear that its not really ideal for the alternator or the batteries. I will probably hook it up but have a switch to have it off most of the time and only use it if the batteries get really low.
MazdaGuy15
Active member
My power needs as of now are the max air fan, whynter/edgestar fridge, led lights, wabasto heater, charging phones and laptops, and an inverter to run a 52"led tv and xbox one s that I already own (I'm only putting the tv and game system in for the winter months)
