12V Batteries - Is there a preference?

[DizzyDigger]

Just ordered a 4-Stack Gold Cube, and now need to get a rechargeable
12V battery to operate the pump. I've seen oodles of them for sale on
auction sites, but haven't a clue if there are bad brands and good brands.

The pump draws about 3A, so at minimum I would like the battery to
have 17AH of power available.

Anyone have a brand preference? Lower the cost, the better, but I'm also
not worried about paying higher price if the quality difference is there.

 

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[omnicron]

Dizzy, I would check out gel-cell batteries. They can be tipped over and wont leak. Just a fast search for 12v gel cell should run up many options.

 

[Uncle Jeff]

Dizzy, I would check out gel-cell batteries. They can be tipped over and wont leak. Just a fast search for 12v gel cell should run up many options.

Or marine batteries

 

[loco oro]

this is not a cheap option, but you can check out a home medical supply place, and see the batteries for those powered wheel chairs, they are a deep cell,and very compact with high amps output capacity, long life of drianing and recharging, but they are a lil salty , the cheapest i found was around a buck fifty, a few years ago.

 

[Follows Camp Craig]

I use 7 amp hour batteries at around 20-30 bucks a pop
they probably weigh about 3.5 lbs each.
The charger is about another 30 -40 bucks

The next step is a 35 amp hour 12 volt for 70 bucks
Damn thing weighs 27 pounds though

 

[DizzyDigger]

Omni: I've looked at the gel cells, and they're a bit more costly then the
lead-acid variety. Still, it's a good option if I can find one that is
affordable and has a good reputation.

Loco: I've found several lead-acid 12V 18AH batteries on ebay, and
it seems the buyers are happy with them (checking feedback). I would
like a marine battery as Jeff suggested, but they are usually larger and
heavier than I care to pack.

Thinking about pulling the trigger on this one:

12V 18Ah SEALED Lead Acid Scooter Battery D5745 40648 UB12180 WP18 12 6FM18 | eBay

Seller has good feedback, and buyers seem pleased. Don't know the weight,
but the price is right. I see the "trickle chargers" are popular. How long
does it take to recharge? (thinking I might need more than one battery)

 

[Goodyguy]

Try this thread................http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/387099-long-lasting-pump-battery.html

 

[omnicron]

Dizzy, how you treat a battery will determine if its a good one or a bad one. You can buy a expensive battery and mistreat it ie: run it down to 11.5 volts and beyond and in a few months it will go bad. I think the term is sulfide, I cant remember. You can buy a cheep one and keep it maintained and it will last years. I bought a cheep one at walmart ($27) small lawn and garden and it's lasted a long time and still going, I kept it charged and didn't run it down past 11.5volts.
Check this out:
5 Rules to battery charging
What Causes Car Batteries to Fail? ? Battery University

My experience with the RC gel cell batteries has been awesome. We used them in bump starts for nitro engines and they last forever, but your talking a few minutes of use a week, depending on how much we ran. But we would also use them to power other things.

 

[loco oro]

these batteries are about 8inches long,5inches wide,wieghabout 8to 10 lbs ,and are a deep cell/cycle marine ,very dourable,long lasting, and can take the drain/recharge,but they have a 18/24 hr charge time,and they are expensive, hope you find one that suits your needs.i believe they are ni/cad,but dont qoute me on that .

 

[Follows Camp Craig]

I hope everyone knows the difference between series and parallel wiring
Uh, Just checking.

E=I X R

Are you buying new or used batteries?
I just want everyone to make the right choice

Craig

 

[G1sammons]

AGm battery's are the way to go same as what folks call gel sell You can of then find the at local battery shops used coming off server back up systems usally around 3o to 50 dollars .. They are about the best for the money unless you want a optima 200 It's the same thing made into a spiral ..
But hay might thing of getting a pond pump for the same money and just plug it in and forget the battery .

 

[roadrunner]

Amazon has some great batteries at 35ah. Made for solar charging, ect.
About $60-75 maybe last time I looked.
But they are designed for lots of discharging and charging which you will be doing.
Don't buy one so cheap you are going to purchase 4 or more a year.
I install solar panels by the way. Certified installer.

 

[omnicron]

Amazon has some great batteries at 35ah. Made for solar charging, ect.
About $60-75 maybe last time I looked.
But they are designed for lots of discharging and charging which you will be doing.
Don't buy one so cheap you are going to purchase 4 or more a year.
I install solar panels by the way. Certified installer.

I disagree, I'm sorry man. If you have good practice's with even the cheep batteries, they will last long past their service life. Things like recharging before it hits 11.5v, charging at 2 amps or less, keeping the battery charged when in long term storage, don't let it get hot, do NOT use tap water to fill low cells, dont let the battery get cold for long periods...
The thing about recharging at high amps is the heat. Heat causes the electrolyte to boil inside the battery, that vapor is explosive and does evaporate.

Dizzy keep in mind that there is a difference between deep cycle batteries and other lead-acid types. A deep cycle is designed with thicker lead plates thus allowing it to be discharged deeper then a car battery. You can draw them down below the 11.5v mark with no long term effects. Other types of lead-acid types (car, lawn/garden, ect.) are designed to discharge rapidly ie: depending on application from 300amp and up. While you can use this type to run a pump ( I use this type of battery for my pump) you need to practice good habits with it and it will last a long time. I have seen $300 deep cycle batteries ruined in matters of months due to poor practices as I have seen new car batteries destroyed in matters of weeks, (I've seen people with bad altanators run just on battery power, drawing it down like a deep cycle, charging it back up at 50amps, time after time and the battery goes bad.

 

[roadrunner]

I disagree, I'm sorry man. If you have good practice's with even the cheep batteries, they will last long past their service life. Things like recharging before it hits 11.5v, charging at 2 amps or less, keeping the battery charged when in long term storage, don't let it get hot, do NOT use tap water to fill low cells, dont let the battery get cold for long periods...
The thing about recharging at high amps is the heat. Heat causes the electrolyte to boil inside the battery, that vapor is explosive and does evaporate.

Dizzy keep in mind that there is a difference between deep cycle batteries and other lead-acid types. A deep cycle is designed with thicker lead plates thus allowing it to be discharged deeper then a car battery. You can draw them down below the 11.5v mark with no long term effects. Other types of lead-acid types (car, lawn/garden, ect.) are designed to discharge rapidly ie: depending on application from 300amp and up. While you can use this type to run a pump ( I use this type of battery for my pump) you need to practice good habits with it and it will last a long time. I have seen $300 deep cycle batteries ruined in matters of months due to poor practices as I have seen new car batteries destroyed in matters of weeks, (I've seen people with bad altanators run just on battery power, drawing it down like a deep cycle, charging it back up at 50amps, time after time and the battery goes bad.

No problem to disagree. You are right. There are also sealed lead acid at Amazon. Deep cycle also.
But hardly anyone does 1/2 of the things you mentioned for there batteries because they forget, and will ruin them anyway.
Better batteries have a better chance of survival in my opinion.

 

[Goldwasher]

Home depot has them for horse fences that are solar charged, at least my home depot does. I think they're the ones for security system backups too.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Called a friend who has MS, and is in a powered chair. Alas, she
had already gotten rid of the batteries from the last change, and
she said it'll be a couple years before they get changed again.

Going to go with an 18AH AGM battery for now, but have an
idea that might make things much easier. Got to do some
experimenting first, but if I can pull it off I won't need a battery
at all..