If you are facing a replacement or an upgrade problem and you are inquiring about the car battery type you own in your RV. In cars and boats, employing lead-acid batteries are common throughout the world. The construction of a battery includes technologies like both gel and Absorbed Glass Mat or in short, AGM alongside liquid lead acid presently.
It is crucial to learn the type of battery you have at hand currently because each type has different procedures for handling. Misguided handling can shorten the battery life or worse, harm both the battery and its user.
The most common lead-acid battery types include liquid lead acid or wet cells. AGM batteries are the newest type usually known as dry cell batteries that may be substituted for the mentioned, wet cell batteries. AGM batteries have a reputation as safer, movable as well as more durable. But sadly, during the AGM battery charging process, they can be ruined easily.
How Do I Know if My Battery is AGM – Step by Step Guide
The Science of AGM or Absorbed Glass Mat Battery Type:
In the 1980s, the military developed Absorbent Glass Mat batteries or in short, AGM car batteries for use. These batteries were patterned to have reliable electrical enhancement with high performance that is ideally looked up for the modern cars of today.
Modern cars are heavily equipped often with energy-consuming accessories added with advanced electrical systems and devices.
AGM or Absorbed Glass Mat batteries just like a gel cell are a lead-acid dry-cell type of battery for cars. One amazing feature is there are no topping off required being sealed, let alone any other kind of maintenance.
A fine network of glass fibers is adapted by AGM batteries instead of water or a gel creating a mesh inside the battery. Shaking a gel cell battery rarely make extra movement after stopping. But whichever type of battery you are using, just ensure you have the right charger.
Check Out our Review: The 10 Best AGM Batteries for 2021
What is Stop/Start Technology?
The last few decades had their fair share number of increased cars on the road with the technology of stop-start with AGM batteries. AGM being a sealed battery is preferred for upscale motorcycles.
In an accident, they lower the same performance weight, reduce acid spilling while allowing odd-angled installation. AGM batteries are famously utilized for robotic applications and in marine and motor homes because they beat cold temperatures well.
With a guide to reduce the consumption of fuel and at the same time, emission of carbon dioxide the stop/start system was innovated and it lends to a safer environment. A stop/start system has the mechanism of shutting a stationary vehicle off that restarts as soon as the driver pressures the accelerator or the clutch.
The engine shuts off after being stationed about 1.5 seconds and until it is safe to drive off the mechanism may prolong. However, vehicles that support the technology of the start-stop mechanism, their batteries place a greater demand in it. The AGM battery comes right here into this concept being above the acid-flooded lead battery.
For Determining the Type of Battery While Maintaining Safety Care Instructions:
The first method includes studying the battery label. The terms you will find on liquid batteries or flooded-lead-acid batteries include “wet cell,” “lead-acid,” or “flooded lead acid” as well as “liquid lead acid”. Now, batteries of the gel-filled lead-acid type will have “Gel-Filled” written on the label.
And then, the AGM lead-acid batteries’ labels are supposed to mention “AGM” or in full words- “Absorbed Glass Mat,” or terms like: “dry cell,” or “sealed regulated valve,” or “non-spill,” or “valve regulated” on the label.
However, telling an AGM apart from a gel cell is hard if no labeling but you can turn to online details lookup using the battery model number when doubtful. The information of the manufacturer and their model name or number is usually embossed on the case or simply located on the label.
For following the second method you must look at the battery top. Usually, batteries have removable tops or caps if they are type liquid lead-acid unless you find “sealed” written on the label. Gel-filled type and batteries of AGM lead-acid are designed with flat tops from which the positive and negative terminals pop out.
Let’s see a video review about How do I know if my battery is AGM.
In this method, you need to follow safety protocol (goggles and rubber gloves), because you will need to shake the battery. You will feel the liquid lead-acid battery type has a wiggle after you have shaken it heavily.
Even if the battery is sealed, the liquid center generally continues to move for a while. It is exactly opposite where it will not wiggle after the shaking if they are a gel-filled or an AGM lead-acid battery.
The AGM batteries are known to have a manufacturing cheap price when compared to the other types of strategies patterned to reduce emissions of carbon. This aids in making vehicles relatively cleaner and of course, more efficient.