Good house battery choice??

[GypsyDogs]

So, I have just begun my interior demo, and am researching things for later use in the building phase.

Came across this battery- Exide AGM and was wondering if the specs mean it would be a good 'house' battery? I want to charge it off the van system at first (smart charger, I know..) and add a solar panel later, as funds allow.

This one looks like it would be quite sufficient to run a tiny 200w heater occasionally, a quick cycle coffee maker, a roof fan, charge/run usb devices (phone, O2cool fan, led lights) Right???? :huh:

 

[GypsyDogs]

Or what/where to find a good battery with moderate AmpHours..?
Is there a way to calculate that when they don't provide it a description ?? Like the equation you use to calc the AmpH you need from a battery? How do you calculate the other way?

 

[GypsyDogs]

How about this one??

http://www.solar-electric.com/batte...ries/unba/upg-gc2-agm-deep-cycle-battery.html

 

[GypsyDogs]

crud-cicles.. that one is 6v.. um... ? http://www.solar-electric.com/batteries-meters-accessories/batteries/unba/unba110amagm1.html

 

[GotSmart]

So, I have just begun my interior demo, and am researching things for later use in the building phase.

Came across this battery- Exide AGM and was wondering if the specs mean it would be a good 'house' battery?  I want to charge it off the van system at first (smart charger, I know..) and add a solar panel later, as funds allow.

This one looks like it would be quite sufficient to run a tiny 200w heater occasionally, a quick cycle coffee maker, a roof fan, charge/run usb devices (phone, O2cool fan, led lights)  Right????   :huh:

Where are you located?

I will look up a store that will help you find the best system and price for you.  Mailing batteries is extremely costly.

 

[AuricTech]

No, that Exide Edge AGM would not be a good house battery. Its specifications indicate that it's intended for use as a starter battery, which means that it's not suitable for deep cycle use.

Using it as a house battery would likely kill it within a few months at most.

 

[LeeRevell]

Do you have a "Battery Source" store nearby? They stock good batteries of all sorts. They could advise based on your needs.

 

[SternWake]

I have a 200 watt heater. When run on my inverter this is ~18 amps. This is a huge load on a single battery and a hundred amp hour battery will only have about 75 amp hours capacity at this discharge rate. You can run this heater for 2 hours or so and the battery will be under 50%, assuming the battery was fully charged and healthy when the heater was switched on.

Give up all notions of heating Via battery power. It is insanity. Also 200 watts barely make a dent in the temperature. I basically never use this heater anymore unless I have grid power. With Roof vent closed off and my minimal insulation, it can keep mid 50's when it is high 30s outside.

I use the heater under my blankets when i first climb under them, for 5 to 10 minutes and no longer.

A 12v mattress heating pad is a better option, but also required lots of battery capacity and the ability to return it the next day.

Exide batteries do not have a good reputation. I'd never consider one personally.

 

[SoulRaven]

Check out Deka flooded cell Marine/RV deep cycle batteries. Sealed so no checking water and good quality. Made in the USA. They were recommended to me by the battery shop near me. Go with the AGM's and such after getting some experience. When you fry the flooded cell you will not have lost as much cash, but learned a valuable lesson. 

Travel safe.

 

[SoulRaven]

On the West Coast there are battery recycler shops under various names, Battery Exchange is one of them. I've been buying el cheapo recycled batteries for the last 30 years, and their lifespan seems to be the same 5-6 years that I got out of new expensive batteries.

More importantly, these guys know their stuff. Tell them what you need, and they'll fix you up with the best battery for it. They're also the ones that got me started on battery protectors to prevent over discharge of my batteries. The battery protectors were only like $20 and I highly recommend them for both your house and starting battery.

 

[GypsyDogs]

Thanks guys- I really appreciate all the advice. I am not too proud to leard from other people's mistakes.

I will post about the adventure of removing a seat and learnin about the flooring in another thread...

 

[GypsyDogs]

Also discovered that I will have a handful of T-10 light fixtures when I am done demo-ing Yay- I already have 4 assorted high quality led bulbs for those fixtures

 

[ccbreder]

Starting with less expensive flooded type batteries before you spend big bucks on other type is good advice. Stay away from anything labeled marine. The best choice of flooded battery is golf cart, 6 volt, two in series to get 12 volt. More can be added in parallel to boost the amp hour rating. Sam's club has them for less than $100.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah gypsy that first battery is not a deep cycle no good for a house battery. the second one looks good but you need 2 of them it's only 6v. highdesertranger