Gel and AGM Charging Voltages

[HowardZ]

Well, if I use an AGM instead of a Gell, the IOTA voltages are pretty close.
And adjusting the IOTA for 13.2 float, the absorption will be 13.8 and the bulk will be 14.4 volts. The EastPenn charging table for AGM from 80 to 89 F is 14.1 optimal and 14.4 maximum and float is 13.2 optimal and 13.5 maximum. This is not ideal but still within maximums.

The temperature of the room will likely be 75 F, at which the table shows I can be 0.2 volts higher - but that will be my little safety margin.

The overwhelming majority of the time, it will just be on float charge because it won't be used all that often to power anything. When charging after use, the IOTA's IQ4 will automatically switch from bulk to absorption and to float. I probably should check the battery temp every few hours to make sure it stays under 90 degrees F with my Fluke 116 multimeter with temperature probe.

If, during a prolonged power outage, I try to charge using my two solar panels. I'd have to find information about how it works. It is a Lyncom and I paid for the option to adjust the charging voltage via a pot. It doesn't even have a model number written on it. The charging controller is mounted on a wall in the basement (an even cooler room). I purchased it in 1999 and I don't recall if it has multiple voltages for absorption and float. It's probably out of production by now. I need to find a brochure for it.

Then there are those who are convinced the IOTA has PWM which is a technology that helps prevent the battery from heating up - and helps prevent gassing. If so, this should help prevent the battery from heating up over 89 degrees.

And there are those who are currently using the IOTA with AGM batteries without lowering its voltage and claim things are working out OK.

It should work ok - though IOTA doesn't have a temperature probe.
And if it does not work out ok - the battery won't last as long as expected, but I will not have wasted all that much money.

The problem with a regular battery is that the gassing fumes may damage my equipment, so I'd have to store the battery and charger in the garage and bring the 70 pound battery into the house when there is an actual power emergency. The garage is unheated and unairconditioned. This is do-able, but sounds a inconvenient.

A Gell battery looks better than AGM since it is more resistant to overheating and also should last 2x to 3x the number of charging cycles - but I'm probably only going to have one discharge/charging cycle per year - so it doesn't matter. The AGM voltages more closely match the IOTA's voltages. At this time, I just don't want to buy a temperature compensating AGM/GELL charger for hundreds of dollars.

So, unless someone convinces me otherwise, I'll put an EastPenn AGM battery purchase this year's purchasing plan.

[camaraderie]

HAHAHA....please...just buy SOMETHING!!