AGM vs Gel Batteries – What’s the difference?
AGM vs Gel batteries; its a rough battle! AGM batteries and Gel batteries are easily confused among a lot of people, but we can’t blame them. AGM batteries and Gel batteries have a lot in common. For example, they both use valve regulated lead acid technology and they are both maintenance free and non-spillable. However, there are a number of differences between the two types of batteries. Read this blog entirely and you’ll be able to highlight some major differences.
AGM Batteries
AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat, which is a unique mat designed to trap the electrolyte between the plates inside the battery. AGM batteries are also known as SLA batteries or VRLA batteries. SLA stands for Sealed Lead Acid. VRLA stands for Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid. Unlike the traditional wet batteries, AGM batteries only hold a small amount of acid, which is entirely absorbed by the glass mat. This is a major safety feature which prevents acid from leaking from the battery, even if the battery breaks. This is why AGM batteries are known to be non-spillable and maintenance free. AGM batteries have a wide range of applications, such as emergency lights, alarm systems, medical equipment and UPS.
Gel Batteries
Gel batteries are a type of lead acid batteries, but built with with a gel electrolyte, which is designed to mix with the sulfuric acid and fumed silica. This causes a chemical reaction that causes the gel electrolytes to immobile. This allows the battery to be maintenance free and spill-proof, meaning you can install the battery in any direction without worrying about acid leaks. Gel batteries also have deep cycling capabilities, making it an ideal battery option for many applications, including: solar and wind energy, electric vehicles, wheelchairs, golf carts, cleaning equipment, medical equipment and marine.
AGM vs Gel – Life Expectancy
Battery life expectancy is not measured by a year count. It is measured by the number of times it can be charged and discharged. This is referred to as the battery’s cycle life. Both AGM and Gel batteries are recommended to be fully recharged as soon as possible after using them.
Life Expectancy of AGM Batteries
AGM batteries should not be discharged more than 50% in order to ensure a long service life. This does not only apply to Canbat AGM batteries, but rather to all AGM batteries on the market. Discharging your AGM battery more than 50% and up to 70% will be fine if you do it occasionally, but it will significantly decrease the cycle life of the battery if done regularly. For detailed information about the how many cycles you’ll get in relations to how deep you discharge the battery, you should review your battery’s datasheet, which would be provided by the manufacturer. Here is an example of a Canbat AGM battery model from our CBL series, showing how many cycles you’ll get by discharging the battery to 30%, to 50% and to 100%.
As presented in the graph, you’ll see that the deeper you discharge the AGM battery, the less cycles you will get. For example, if you discharge the battery to only 30%, you’ll get about 1,200 cycles. However, if you discharge the battery to 50%, you will get about 550 cycles. In the worst case scenario, if you completely discharge the battery to 100%, you will only get about 320 cycles.
There is another important factor that affects the cycle life of your battery: temperature. If you look closely in the graph, you’ll notice that it says “Ambient Temperature 25°C (77°F)”. The cycle counts in the graph is based on that temperature. If you install your batteries in an environment with much higher or much colder temperatures, the cycle count will surely decrease.
Life Expectancy of Gel Batteries
Gel batteries a deep cycle durability that allows you discharge them up to 90% and still get a much better cycle life compared to AGM batteries. Here is a graph showing the relationship between the depth of discharge and the number of cycles for Canbat gel batteries, the CBG series.
Similar to AGM batteries, the number of cycles decrease as you further discharge a gel battery. For example, discharging a gel battery at 30% gives you about 2,600 cycles, compared with only 1,200 cycles with AGM batteries. In fact, if you discharge a gel battery to 90%, it will give 700 cycles, which is more cycles than an AGM battery discharged at only 50%.
Of course, a higher cycle life doesn’t come for free. Gel batteries are more expensive than standard AGM batteries, but they might be worth the investment when used properly. It is important to note that you cannot use the same charger for both gel batteries and the AGM batteries. Gel batteries are more sensitive and require special chargers.
This is the end our AGM vs Gel battery guide. If you have any questions, please post them below!
I would like to install a battery in my leisure RV trailer, which has a 12 volt system. The battery will be charged with the built-in voltage sensitive split charge relay. I live in Barcelona and as you probably know, it can get super hot in summer season.
1. Do you recommend me using a GEL battery or an AGM battery, keeping in mind the hot weather and the split charge?
2. Would there be any conflict having a flooded battery running the truck, while having lead acid for leisure use?
1. Your best option would be an AGM battery.
2. The majority of battery isolators would require both your starter battery and your leisure battery to have the same chemistry, since each battery type is charged differently. If you have two different battery types, then the isolator will not charge both batteries properly. In order to ensure both batteries have the same chemistry, you should also install a start-stop starter battery under the hood. This is an AGM battery which is readily available in battery stores.
Great article!
It is helpful to note that AGM batteries are faster to recharge than gel batteries and are more easily found in stores worldwide. Believe it or not, gel batteries have a smaller market share. than AGM batteries. Also, since gel is more expensive as it offers higher cycles, the cost per cycle is about the same as AGM. As a general tip, if you need to use the battery for just for a few months to a year, you’re better off with buying AGM. If you are looking to install a battery and just forget about it for a number of years, then you’ll probably need a Gel battery. If you think a gel battery is too expensive, then you can buy an AGM battery and then replace it when it goes bad…at the end of the day, you’d be paying about the same in the long term.
I have been using 12 volt batteries for a long time now while living on a sailboat for almost 12 years! In my experience, gel cell batteries offered me maximum cycle life when discharged to about 50% depth of discharge. I am now an old grandpa relying on my electric wheelchair for my everyday life. I have used both AGM batteries and gel batteries in my wheelchair, but it seems like gel batteries do not last much longer than AGM. Both battery types were discharged up to 50% and I have been using a smart three stage charger.
Do gel batteries actually last longer or is this a myth?
Technically speaking, gel batteries have a longer cycle life than AGM batteries, when used properly. You mentioned that you’ve been using a 3 stage charger, which is great, but it is important to note that AGM batteries and gel batteries are required to be charged differently. There is a noticeable difference in longevity between gel and AGM. If you’re not noticing a big difference, then you might be using a charger specifically designed for AGM and not gel. If you don’t use a charger that is specifically designed for gel batteries, then you will damage your battery in the longer term. Please also note that it is great that you are only discharging the batteries to only 50%. If you deeply discharge an AGM battery below 50%, then you are likely to damage the battery, but gel batteries less sensitive to deep discharging.
Finally a clear understanding of AGM batteries, thanks for taking the time to write this!
My smart battery charger has 2 charging options: 1-AGM / WET 2- GEL.
I have been charging my AGM battery on 2-Gel charger settings instead of 1-AGM/WET, by mistake of course…. My charger reads “error” with a red light, and the battery is at 7.8 volts!
Have I killed my battery?
First, charging an AGM battery on gel settings shouldn’t kill your battery. It’s actually the opposite. If you charge a gel battery with a AGM settings, then you will damage the battery, but that’s not what you’re doing so that’s good. Second, your battery’s voltage dropping to 7.8V is very low, but most chargers on the market are smart enough to bring your battery back to life. Try to plugin your battery to your charger and give the charger some time to maintain the battery. If the battery doesn’t come back to life and stops charging forever, then the battery has become useless. You will need to recycle it and buy a new one.
This is a great article comparing AGM vs Gel, especially for a newbies ligke myself! I recently purchased a used electric car, which has a battery bank of 6 GEL batteries. I know for sure that there is at least one or two bad batteries, but I am planning on replacing all of the entire bank of 6 batteries.
1) I am leaning towards AGM instead of GEL –Am I making the right decision?
2) Do all battery chargers have Wet or AGM/Gel charging options?
If you decide to replace all 6 batteries, then AGM would be a good option. This is because most car chargers are programmed to charge wet-cell and AGM batteries. Your car charger might have the option of charging gel batteries, but this is normally very uncommon. If you buy gel batteries then realize that you car can only charge AGM or wet, then you will damage your batteries. For this reason, your best bet is to replace all batteries with AGM as it would be guaranteed that the charger charges AGM. Even if the charger does have an option to charge gel batteries and its set to it, this setting will not damage you batteries if you install AGM.
What’s the difference between gel charging setting and AGM charging settings?
Both AGM batteries and gel batteries charge very similarly. The only difference is that gel batteries are more sensitive to higher volts. This is why lead acid battery chargers normally have different settings for AGM and for gel. The battery settings for AGM have a higher voltage, which can be as high as 15 volts. However, battery charging settings for gel batteries has a safer lower voltage, which can reach up to 14.3 volts.
Thanks for your quick response!
One more question: How do I check if my AGM battery is 70% discharged or 90% discharged …etc?
In order to determine how charged your AGM battery is, you will need to check your battery voltage. If the volt range is between 13.2 V and 12.8 V, it means your AGM battery is fully charged. If the voltage reads 2.4 V, then the battery would be 75% charged. When the battery voltages reaches 12.2 V, then it would be 50% charged. Finally, if your AGM battery reaches the 12.0 V mark, it would be 25% charged. Warning: Do not let the the battery voltage go below 12 volts, but if it happens, the battery should be recharged as soon as possible, in order to avoid battery damage.
I will be installing a domestic windmill-energy project for my home, so I am wondering which battery type would be best suited for this project? The project is planned to be installed off grid, so we will not be relying on electricity from the power company.
If you’re looking for a long term solution, the best lead acid battery type would be gel. This is because gel batteries provide deep cycle performance and a long cycle life. If you’re looking for a short term solution, you could use AGM, which is a cheaper option. However, we don’t recommend discharging AGM batteries lower than 50% in order to retain the battery’s health.
I have a backup power system at home with eight flooded batteries from Trojan (6 v volt 220 Ah). The batteries are connected to a 2-in-1 Trace inverter/charger. It has been a headache maintaining flooded batteries, so I am thinking of replacing them with sealed lead acid batteries. After reading this article “AGM vs Gel”, it seems that installing gel batteries would be a better option for my backup power system compared to AGM… although I am not sure if I can change my battery inverter/charger settings to charge the gel batteries. The current battery charge settings are set to 28.8 volts, with a float set to 26.8 volts. Please advise me which settings I need for gel batteries?
Charge settings of 28.8 volts with a float set to 26.8 volts would be fine for gel batteries, assuming you’re charging them all in bulk. However, if you could lower the 28.8 volts to 28.0 to 28.8 volts, it would be better because gel batteries are sensitive to high voltages.
I have a motorcycle AGM battery charger. I purchased a Canbat AGM battery CDC100-12. Will it be okay to charge the battery with my motorcycle battery charger?
If the battery charger you use for your motorcycle battery is designed for AGM, then it would be okay to use it since CDC100-12 is also an AGM battery. The “AGM” setting on your battery charger simply refers to a higher voltage, up to 15 volts normally. Regardless of what type of AGM battery you are using, whether it’s general purpose, deep cycle or high rate, they all use the same charge settings. This is also true if you’re using a motorcycle AGM battery or a start-stop AGM battery for your car/truck.
I also use the same battery charger for my motorcycle battery and for my external AGM battery, which I use to power some small equipment on the go… It’s working flawlessly so you should be fine. You can take my word on it!
I bought a gel battery a few years ago for some project. After I was done using it for about 7 months, I left it in my garage without using it for a year or so. Just recently I tried to use the battery, but it seems like it’s completely dead since it didn’t give me any power. I must have left it uncharged and whatever was left in the battery got self-discharged. Anyway, I left the battery to charge overnight using a 1 amp battery charger and it worked fine in the morning! I took this advise from some online article and they called it “tickle charging”…. My question is, would this harm the battery in anyway if I keep charging the battery on 1 amp?
I am glad you were able to bring you gel battery back to life! In regards to charging, there is nothing wrong with charging a gel battery with 1 amp, but it is important to make sure your battery charger has “gel” settings. Gel batteries can be sensitive if they are charged with too high of a voltage. Compared to standard AGM batteries, which can be charged with a battery charger with up to 14.4 – 15.0 voltage, gel batteries should not be charged at rate higher than 14.2 volts.
We are installing a 25 Kilowatt liquid emergency generator in our office from Generac. We are not sure whether we should be installing AGM or gel batteries, but after reading this article that compares the two battery types, I am leaning more toward the gel cells. We are likely be use the system only once a week for about 30 minutes. Just to make sure I am buying the right battery type (AGM vs Gel), what do you suggest?
Both gel and AGM batteries are sealed lead acid type, so either battery type would work fine. However, depending on your usage, gel might be a better option if you need to deep cycle your batteries. AGM batteries normally perform best if they’re only discharged up to 50%.
I am a little confused if I can have my marine battery and my house AGM battery both plugged to the same switch/charger.
As long as both of your batteries are AGM, then it would be fine to connect both batteries on the same charger. If your marine battery and your house batteries are of different chemistry, such as if one is AGM and the other is gel, then you should not connect both batteries on the same charger. This is because AGM batteries and gel batteries require different charging settings. Note that if you do end up connecting both AGM and Gel together, the charger will still charge them. However, because each battery is constructed differently with different chemistry, charging current will be uneven and battery performance will also be uneven. As a result, this will cause an early failure of one or both of your batteries.
Can an AGM battery be replaced with a gel battery?
AGM batteries and Gel batteries have different charge settings. As long as your battery charger has settings for gel, then you yes can replace your AGM battery with with a gel battery. Note that if you charge your gel battery on AGM charging settings, you will eventually damage the battery. This is because AGM batteries use a higher voltage to charge while gel batteries use a lower voltage.
I was looking for an easy to read AGM vs GEL article for a long time!!
This is perfect, thanks!
I actually had a college project which required me to compare AGM and gel batteries, so this article was very helpful for me too!
I have a motorcycle in that would like to replace a betters for and I am thinking of upgrading to AGM battery, but it appears that the regulator rectifiers I got has a voltage set to 14.7V, and sometimes it even reaches 14.9 V or 15 V. Is that too high of a voltage to to charge an AGM battery with? I would like the battery to last me for a while, so I really want to make sure I am charging it properly.
Generally speaking, AGM batteries should be charged at a lower voltage than 15. However, Canbat AGM batteries are high performance type and can take up to 15 volts without harming the battery. In fact, if you check your battery, it should say “cycle use: 14.4 – 15.0V”. Therefore any voltage within that range should charge a Canbat AGM battery fine.
Excellent article with very helpful information that is simply explained!! I purchased a CANBAT AGM about 2 years ago and it’s been working great! I used to have an AGM battery before from Ultracell and it had only lasted a few months. I went back to the store that I bought it from and they said they won’t replace it under warranty because it wasn’t factory defected, but instead it was my fault that I broke it… Now I am thinking that I might have discharged it too deep… but then again I am using your AGM battery the same way and it’s been working for a couple of years just fine.
Unlike most battery brands on the market, Canbat AGM batteries are designed to be high performance this is probably why it’s working flawlessly for you. In regards to your previous battery, there are a number of factors that could damage your battery, such as the re-charge and discharge rates. You should be using a battery charger that is specially designed for AGM. You should also not discharge your battery at a too high of a rate. If you need a discharge the majority of your battery’s power in a short amount of time, then your best option is an AGM high rate battery.
What should be the best charging routine for the 24V (2x12v)/28AH battery of my wheelchair ? with a full charge I can go 20km/12miles but I mainly use it at home and with my usage, the battery charge would last for almost 2 weeks. But I know that deep discharging would decrease the life of a SLA battery. Is it okay for me to charge the battery every week or should I charge the battery daily ?. Please suggest the best possible routine for charging the batteries so that I could get most out of the battery and also increase the life of the battery to the maximum extent possible.
It’s good practice to charge your SLA battery whenever possible. You will get more out of your SLA battery when it is fully charged. Keeping your battery uncharged for long period of time will cause the battery to lose its full ability to recharge. For example, if you only recharge your SLA battery up to 80% for lets say a few months, your battery may permanently lose its ability to recharge to 100%. This does not only apply to Canbat batteries. It applies to all SLA batteries on the market, regardless of the manufacturer. In conclusion, it’s best to always fully recharge your battery when you can.
Hello,
I want to run a pump driven by a 1 HP motor, 230vAC. I am hooking it to a 12 V 3KW inverter. Which type of battery – Flooded, Tubular, AGM or Gel will be most suitable for it (considering very high current it draws during motor start). I am planning to have 600-700 Ah battery bank. The pump will run approx 3-4 hours per day, will start-stop for at least 30-35 times.
Thanks.
Hello Prasan,
For high current discharges, we recommend High Rate batteries.
They are AGM batteries designed to provide high discharge currents.
Click on the link above to learn more about High Rate batteries.
Good day,
I love your write up on AGM vs Gel batteries.
I would like to find out for the same capacity of Canbat AGM and GEL battery, how much longer in time will it take a GEL battery to get charged to 100%?
Secondly, how much more power or energy will it take a Canbat GEL battery to get charged to 100% when compared to AGM?
Lastly, what is the behavior of Canbat GEL and AGM battery when they get to there end of life. Is it true that when GEL batteries get to there end of life, they diminish quickly to the point it can not receive any charge again while AGM gradually diminsh? What is the estimated time it will take after end of life to diminsh to the point where it can no longer receive charge for both batteries.
I hope end of life means when a battery losses 20% of it’s capacity?
Answer to first question: The charging method and time for AGM and Gel batteries are very similar. Both battery types require a constant voltage and a specific current (Ah). In general, if you have an AGM battery and a Gel battery with the same capacity, assume it’s 12V 100Ah, the charging time will be the same, assuming we’re using chargers with the same voltage and current.
Answer to second question: Gel batteries don’t require more power to recharge compared to AGM batteries.
Answer to third question:
1. For cycle use, the cycle life of GEL batteries is higher than AGM batteries
2. For float charging, diminish rate almost the same for both Gel and AGM
3. For cycle use, when the capacity drops to 60% or 50%, replace the battery
4. For float charging use, when capacity drops below 80%, replace the battery
To learn about how to select an AGM battery charger, read this blog post: https://www.canbat.com/select-agm-battery-charger-3-steps/
I would like to run an inverter and batteries in the basement with no ventilation. I need to have no harmful gasses in living area. Which battery will release no gasses? Gel or AGM?
All valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries release gas. Whether you go with Gel or AGM, you’ll want to ensure you install the batteries in a ventilated environment. Installing a VRLA battery in a sealed environment with no ventilation is risky. The gasses released from the battery can start a fire in case there is a spark.
hi i am replacing the battery in my 6 volt electric fencer . is it worth it to replace it with a gell cell batterie and will the solar panel charge it
Solar batteries are best suited for solar application, so yes your solar panel can charge it without issues. Solar batteries have a much longer life than the standard AGM batteries. Replacing your 6V battery with gel cell is a good idea, especially if you’re looking for a battery that can live for years without having to replace it again.
Thank you, this is very helpful. I’m now looking to invest in batteries for my solar power project. I got the panels and a good solar charge controller already, I started testing with an automotive battery then a SLA battery. I’m now looking to try a gel type but didn’t want to go blindly. After reading this article I now have a clearer picture of what to expect. Thanks again.
Am having 2*200AH (12v each) AGM batteries and using 24v smart charger on them. If I replace it with gel batteries of 12v each, can I still use the same charger on the gel batteries without damaging it?
Gel batteries are more sensitive to charging and require specially designed chargers. For this reason, gel batteries should not be charged with an AGM battery charger. It is not that an AGM battery charger cannot charge a gel battery, because technically it can, but it is not recommended because it will harm the gel battery in the long-run. For more information, please read this article: https://www.canbat.com/select-agm-battery-charger-3-steps/
Hi
What would you recomend to use in an Electric truck (fork lift)? Gel or AGM? Consider that the users may run below 50% quite often.
Standard AGM batteries, commonly known as General Purpose Batteries, are not meant to be discharged more than 50% if you want them to last for at least a year. This doesn’t just apply to Canbat AGM batteries, but rather to all AGM batteries in the world, regardless of who the battery manufacturer is. There are AGM batteries that are specifically designed to be discharged up to 80% and those are called deep cycle batteries. The reason why they have the ability to be deeply discharged is that they are designed with thicker lead plates. Gel batteries can also be discharged up to 80% without damaging the battery. However, gel batteries have different charging requirements and you need to ensure that your electric truck (forklift) has the ability to charge gel batteries. If you use a battery charger designed for AGM, not gel, you will damage your gel battery.
I would like to install a battery in my 24V 50 Amp system. I live in Saudi Arabia and it’s very hot in the summer season. So,
do you recommend me using a GEL battery or an AGM battery? why?
Thanks in advanced
We have developed a special range of VRLA batteries for high temperatures. This range is called CHT, which is our High Temperature battery range. CHT batteries are available in Saudi Arabia through our local distributor. Our CHT High Temperature batteries have been used for solar projects by many clients, including Saudi Aramco. Please email us your inquiry with your name and phone number and we will forward your details to our battery distributor. Here’s our CHT battery catalogue for reference: https://www.canbat.com/downloads/High-Temperature-CHT.pdf
Thanks for sharing such good info, I would appreciate if you quote us prices for Pakistan Market.
Thank you for your interest in our AGM batteries. Your request has been forwarded to our sales team and they will be in touch with you shortly.
Hey Dear Canbat.
Im a Motorbike rider and i do drive maybe once in a couple weeks.
Recently im having cranking problems.
I do charge my lead acid battery and i get good performance for a week and battery dies again.
Im plannin to replace that.
Which one would u recommend gel or agm ?
Thanks…
Since you currently have an AGM battery and it’s working fine for you, we suggest you stay with the same technology. This is particularly true since Gel batteries require a different charger than AGM batteries. If you were to get a gel battery instead of an AGM battery, you will need to get a new charger. If you’re okay with that, both AGM and Gel battery technologies would work. Keep in mind that gel provide a relatively higher cycle life, but it also comes with a higher price tag.
How to refill a gel battery
Gel batteries are sealed and maintenance-free. You cannot refill a gel battery as topping up is never required.
Hello. I want to buy a gel battery and my boat charger has these options
1. Lead-calcium deep discharge – 16v/13.8v
2. Sealed lead, maintenance free, gel type -14.4v/13.9v
3. Classic lead open-14.2v/13.3v
4. Lead calcium (standard charge) – 14.6v/14v
Can you please tell me what option is for gel battery
Best regards Heinrich amir
Please select option number 2: Sealed lead, maintenance free, gel type
For which climate zones AGM and GEL batteries are suitable?
Gel batteries:
Discharge: -20°C~55°C (-4°F~131°F)
Charge: 0°C~40°C (32°F~104°F)
Storage: -20°C~50°C (5°F~122°F)
AGM Batteries:
Discharge: -15°C~50°C (5°F~122°F)
Charge: 0°C~40°C (32°F~104°F)
Storage: -15°C~40°C (5°F~104°F)
I have a LiFePO4 battery (150 Ah) on board and this is switched parallel to 4 AGM batteries (each 100 Ah).
As 3 of 4 of my AGM batteries broke down, I am thinking to add 1 additional LiFePO4 battery and only 2 more AGM batteries.
This additional battery should be LiFePO4 battery of your company.
Now I wonder if this configuration is possible:
1 LiFePO4 Extender (I have) + 1 LiFePO4 battery (from your company) + 3 AGM batteries ( I still have a working one and would like to add 2 from your company.)
Thanks in advance for your explanation.
We do not recommend connecting LiFePO4 and AGM together