WET CELL or SEALED

[threedogs]

Hi again better pratice what I preach, My start and AUX are wet cell, my Aux being a 105 AH Trojan.
Great battery but you need to keep the water up to them. I have a water kit fitted to mine. Now with the cold weather here the start battery is struggling just a tad, Now I would like to know how many run seal batterries, as my battery place wont fit a sealed battery under the bonnet because of OH&S,
They can and do explode but very rarely IMO, I want to run a sealed start battery looks neater not as much mess, later I'll do AUX but I'll have to fit myself. thoughts please

[Cuppa]

Go to a different battery place. Lots of folk have been running sealed batteries, both wet & AGM, under their bonnets for years. They have pressure relief valves so should't explode. I wouldn't think twice about using one.
If buying AGM go for the DC series type, thet stand up to vibration/corrugations etc far better than HGL's etc (Most decent makers produce a DC series equivalent).

eg. http://www.fullriver.com/index-old.htm

[pearcey]

I run sealed AGM batteries as start and AUX in my 3 vehicles. But the AUX batteries are not mounted under the bonnet as they would end up on the exhaust side. If yoou can keep the batteries cool with sufficient air flow they do not give any trouble My thoughts only and I have been running them for 5 or 6 years now.

[nissannewby]

Sealed all the way. I have seen more wet cell items explode and yet to see a sealed type let go. They are also called maintenance free for a reason. The last delkor I changed was in the vehicle for 5 years and the only reason it failed was due to someone else's poor practices.

[the evil twin]

Hi again better pratice what I preach, My start and AUX are wet cell, my Aux being a 105 AH Trojan.
Great battery but you need to keep the water up to them. I have a water kit fitted to mine. Now with the cold weather here the start battery is struggling just a tad, Now I would like to know how many run seal batterries, as my battery place wont fit a sealed battery under the bonnet because of OH&S,
They can and do explode but very rarely IMO, I want to run a sealed start battery looks neater not as much mess, later I'll do AUX but I'll have to fit myself. thoughts please

Hiya 3d

Up to you Cobber, however if you are speaking specifically of changing to a maint free version...

The following is based on cheaper to mid range quality SLI batteries. Top of the wozza or newer tech does not apply

In my experience given two identical batteries a traditional wet cell SLI battery will last longer, often significantly so, over an identical maintenance free battery under the bonnet. That is as long as the cells are kept topped up.

Sealed batteries have a larger amount of electrolyte to assist in prolonging life but they def die a lot quicker.

Obviously if you get them at the right price and want the uncluttered look then maint free can be worth it.

I have been running Supercharge Allrounders in my truck and they last about 2 years (just). One is on its last legs again now after 28 months. I'll be changing back to Caterpillars.

[threedogs]

Thanks all
@ Cuppa think they wont install as Someone has sued somewhere so a memo went out from head office saying sell by all means but dont install.
I'm not old school but I like my Wet cell Aux I would normally have a delco maintenance free for a start battery and did for over 15 years{Troopy}, but as ET says you dont get the longevity from them.
No big deal to tip hot water on them now and again, Maybe more prone to explode or boil in the hotter climate maybe, decisions decisions.

[Tonks]

Hi again better pratice what I preach, My start and AUX are wet cell, my Aux being a 105 AH Trojan.
Great battery but you need to keep the water up to them. I have a water kit fitted to mine. Now with the cold weather here the start battery is struggling just a tad, Now I would like to know how many run seal batterries, as my battery place wont fit a sealed battery under the bonnet because of OH&S,
They can and do explode but very rarely IMO, I want to run a sealed start battery looks neater not as much mess, later I'll do AUX but I'll have to fit myself. thoughts please

Does your battery place have all the up to date OH & S regs up to date, maybe not,

I'am sure there are more sealed batterys out in the market place than the old style you have to top up with (Distelled Water Only)

Worked in a drive way service Ampol petrol station in 1982 & 1983 we did as the customer asked,

Can u check the tyres, oil, clean the windscreen & also check the battery, we had a special bottle marked distelled water, what a con,

Battery's have come a long way,

I live in Canberra & we have a difference of approx 50 degrees,

Winter we can have up to minus 6 and summer we can have plus 44,

I have two no maintenance sealed batterys that have never let me down,

I think its all about convienence and no hassels,

Cheers

[Cuppa]

Like NN I have only ever having seen an non maintenance free wet cell battery explode, & it scared the bejesus out of me. It was a motorcycle type battery & it's breather tube had become blocked. Hit the ignition switch & kaboom. Battery case split.

The worst I've seen with AGM's (not mine) is hissing as the relief valve lets go & then only with severe overcharging & thermal runaway, the result of a faulty charger.

With 'maintenance free wet batteries I have never experienced any problem & generally expect to get 4 years out of them as crankers. Most recently I changed the Patrol's crank battery, it was a wet cell maintenance free type used by Telstra & was about 4.5 years old, not dead, but showing signs of forthcoming demise.

Cuppa

[TPC]

I have Delko sealed batteries for both main and aux.
Not sure how old they are as they were in the Troll when I bought it a year ago, but they are still going strong so far.

[threedogs]

I'm not anti sealed my Battery shop is AC delco they sell batteries half the size of my patrol for god knows what and to industry with UPS.
I'm with most and like sealed mainenance free style batteries ,But i also love my Trojan wet cell aux ,these batteries are used out in port Phillip bay for the shipping markers.
I brought this issue up at a club meeting and all we came up with was head office has sent out a memo , the guy even drives a Patrol.
I'll have a chat with him in the morning as next door to laser cutters. get his take on it