FAQ

The differences between AGM and GEL are subtle, particularly in the Valiant brand. They are both sealed lead acid batteries and both have the benefits of a maintenance free design. Capacity, cycle life, and cost are very similar. GEL batteries are slightly more expensive, but they offer slightly higher cycle life compared to Valiant AGM. There are other AGM products on the market that are what we would call "general purpose" design and are mainly produced for backup systems where they are float charged most of their life. When used in high cycling applications they tend to wear out very quickly. Our AGM products are true deep cycle batteries that are meant to be cycled so when compared to a cycling GEL battery they are very close in life expectancy. For those that are upgrading from flooded deep cycle batteries, Valiant AGM and GEL are a great choice and will offer exceptional value.

Lithium batteries are creating a lot of buzz and can offer exceptional value for certain applications. However, navigating through online misinformation is crucial. Here are a few reasons why lithium shines: - Weight: Significantly lighter than lead-acid batteries, Lithium is ideal for weight-sensitive applications. - Capacity Usage: The voltage drop under load is very minimal with lithium, allowing for more capacity usage compared to lead-acid and ensuring optimal performance under heavy loads. - Recharge Speed: Lithium recharges faster than lead-acid, a significant advantage in many scenarios. - Cycle Life: Lithium boasts a substantially longer cycle life, approximately 3000 cycles to 80% depth of discharge, surpassing AGM and GEL batteries. Some Drawbacks include: - Price: Lithium is more expensive than AGM or GEL, however when you factor in the price per cycle it becomes very appealing. - Temperature Limitations: Lithium has temperature limitations, affecting year-round applications. Most lithium products can be discharged to -20 degrees Celsius but only recharged to 0 degrees. For year-round applications this can eliminate most lithium batteries as an option. However, our CW (cold weather) series lithium can be discharged to -20 degrees and recharged as low as -30 degrees! This opens the door for lithium in most applications. - Charging Equipment: Upgrading to lithium may necessitate replacing charging equipment due to charging voltage requirements. If you find yourself in need of assistance, don't hesitate to get in touch with us. Reach out and lets conquer your energy needs together!

This is a very common question with a very simple answer. SLA (sealed lead acid) and VRLA (valve regulated lead acid) are different abbreviations for the same battery. Both are broad terms that refer to any lead acid battery that is sealed, maintenance free, and has vents that will release gas to prevent explosion when there is excessive internal pressure build up. AGM and GEL are specific types of SLA and VRLA batteries.

With AGM and GEL batteries, it is important to charge your batteries fully at least every 6 months while in storage. Every 6-8 weeks is not excessive and will prevent sulfation. Once fully charged, using maintainer chargers with the appropriate setting for AGM and GEL are a great way to keep the batteries fresh and ready to go. Lithium batteries self discharge much slower than AGM and GEL and generally need less charging in storage compared to AGM and GEL. However, the BMS in a lithium battery will use a small amount of power so it’s important to get specific information for the model that you have. The smaller the capacity, the more frequent the need for charging.

Bulk has an acceptable range of 14.4V to 14.9V. Setting it to 14.7V is a good value. Absorption should be set to 14.4V. Float should be set to 13.6V.

Charge voltage should be 14.6V and if it asks for a float value, you can set it to 13.8V.