Gel filled?

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ptonsparky

ptonsparky

Tom
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
Are some Auto/RV batteries gel filled now ? Must be. Had one leak today as it charged. Crack in the bottom opened up. I'm glad it wasn't the old style. I would already have a hole in the concrete. Baking soda and spray on neutralizer seems to have worked. Talk to me in a year though.
 
ptonsparky said:
Are some Auto/RV batteries gel filled now ? Must be. Had one leak today as it charged. Crack in the bottom opened up. I'm glad it wasn't the old style. I would already have a hole in the concrete. Baking soda and spray on neutralizer seems to have worked. Talk to me in a year though.
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Some auto batteries, especially high end aftermarket (*), are AGM (adsorbed glass mat) type with minimal electrolyte and no free liquid. Gel battery (gelled bulk electrolyte) chemistry in general does not tolerate rapid charging as well as either flooded or AGM types. This makes them less suitable for engine cranking service where fairly rapid recharge is useful.

* Optima is probably the best known aftermarket AGM battery on the market.
 
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ptonsparky said:
It was a nephews RV battery. Looked fairly new and didn't leak during transport. Nope , I didn't drop it. On trickle charge.
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If I remember right you have to keep the charge rate low. If you charge too fast it can create a gas pocket trapped in the gell
 
GEL cell batteries are also sealed just like the AGM battery listed above. That is where the similarities end. A GEL battery uses a silica (sand) to turn the sulfuric acid into a jelly like substance. This jelly is then used as the electrolyte. Great care must be taken with GEL batteries not to expose them to high amperage situations. High amperage situations can literally 'SCAR' the jelly inside of a GEL battery, creating a pocket. These pockets allow the plates to begin corroding, leading to premature failure. GEL batteries should not be used for fast charging/discharging, or high amperage charging/discharging situations. Use the other types listed above for these high amperage situations. GEL Batteries are slightly stronger in regards to internal construction than a flooded battery, but pale in comparison to the physical strength of an AGM battery.
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AGM becoming very very common especially in cars with larger electrical loads. All the fancy cars have them for sure - BMW, etc.
 
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