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special charger for AGM batteries?

Thanks, unfortunately, you may be at the end of the useful life. My '08 1078 has original Batcore 6TAGM's. I had a parasitic drain last summer and they went dead but I was able to bring em back. I'm getting ready to write a check for a new set of ArmaSafe Plus batteries so was curious.
 

gimpyrobb

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So did you pry out the six little plugs? Or do your batteries look different from mine? I've now tried three different chargers on mine and none of them work. The last one is a 40A charger but it just automatically goes into float mode when I hook them up. Anything I can do to try to salvage them? Maybe they're just low on water too?
This is what mine look like:
View attachment 607782
The one in your picture is a sealed battery. The ones he is talking about is a normal battery which has caps so he can add water.
 

Overdrive

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Correct on my batteries gimpyrobb. I have the military standard batteries with 6 screw-on caps. As you say, the pic looks like a sealed battery.

I will be searching for a decently priced AGM sometime later this year.

When I recovered mine I used "recovery mode" on the Genius charger on each battery removed from the truck. Supposed to attempt to fix stratified and sulfated batteries... I did way more reading than a normal person should do on what those two conditions are :)

Those are some old batteries you have I think mine were dated 2012.

Genius Charger I have for my LMTV
https://no.co/g7200

here is the user guide for the charger as well
https://no.co/media/nocodownloads/format/g/7/g7200-user-guide.pdf

Been using this charger on my LMTV since I got it at the end of October 2015. And I am not affiliated with NoCo or their chargers :)
OD
 

Ukraine Train

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So what "standard" car battery can be used in place of the Hawkers? Looks like a group 34 will work with something to keep it in place since it's narrower. Are the terminals the same size and in the same location so the cables can be reused? Or will I have to make up some custom cables?
 

Ukraine Train

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I borrowed a 30 amp charger from the shop next door and have it hooked up now but the amp gage is reading only about 4-5a. When I hook it up to one of the good batteries it pulls about 15-20. Is this normal? Or am I just beating a dead horse? The questionable batteries I have show about 8-9v but just can't seem to take a charge.
 

Ukraine Train

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Well, after a while the battery started to get warm and the charger started pushing 20 amps. After a couple hours it began to smell "funny" and some fluid was starting to seep through the six sealed plugs, so I shut it off. Still only reading 9v. I think I have to face reality here lol
 

gimpyrobb

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Not really, While charging, you should have some "gassing". Keep an eye on the temp, don't let it get hot, just warm to the touch. After an hour or so, disconnect and let it sit over night to "normalize". Check with a DMM or better yet a load tester the next day.

This guy has videos(8 I think) that are WAY more in-depth than I would ever go, but it is interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbCA8RZqeqk
 

Oxyacetylene

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He has AGM batteries. Those should not offgas. That is one of the reasons for using AGM's. They stick them inside RV's and campers because they are sealed and will not release hydrogen gas. The gasses recombine within the battery rather than venting. I don't claim to be a battery expert, but it sounds like an AGM getting hot enough to actually leak is bad. I think it may be a lost cause
 

Oxyacetylene

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I use a 200 amp Schumacher charger to heat them up for an couple hours then switch to a pulsetech X2 xtreme or NOCO Genius for dual battery installs such as every generator I have. I did the same for my vehicles and I use either the pulsetech or noco chargers. Both have brought and maintain bad AGM batteries back from the dead that were less than 3V when I received them. Keep the chargers attached since it takes time ( a few weeks) to get the storage capacity back up after severe discharge has set in! I mount an X2 xtreme in every MEP generator we sell. Put the pulsetech pulse unit onboard and it will do it's thing while you drive around. I am not trying to sell pulsetech by the way! Just get a good desulfating AGM charger and use the maintenance cycle religiously.

www.pulsetech.net/Content/military-battery-SOP-example.aspx
Based on your recommendation I have hooked up a Noco Genius G7200. I'm only using one for maintenance. Within 30 minutes of hooking it up, mine showed solid green 100%, after the truck had sat for two weeks including temps in the 30's at night. On 24v it only puts out 3.6 amps but that seems plenty to keep them charged. I had been wanting to get a maintainer and so far I like the Noco. Thanks!
 

Ukraine Train

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Quick update... Kambaku had a good spare set of batteries that I bought. The truck starts much better than ever now. I think the old batteries were on their way out even before I bought it last summer. My voltage gauge now reads 28v and the 28v light on the alternator is now green. I think the two bad batteries were pulling a lot of power and I only ever saw 24v on the gauge. Glad to be running it around again. Now to mount that rear view camera...
 

NDT

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The BatteryMINDer model 2012-AGM brought the 4 AGMs in my LMTV back from 3 volts. Took weeks to do all 4, but they are working great now. Northern Tool has 'em for $100.
 

jcollings

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What makes the decision on a bad Hawker battery? Out of the four 112 5 112 for 112 one others 12:2 NE information would be greatly appreciated
 

jcollings

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Dam auto correct, voltages 12.4 12 1 12 6 and 12.4 any information would be greatly appreciated
 

Ukraine Train

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I'd call those good. Maybe the 12.1 is questionable. Are you having cranking problems? I had two at 9-10v and they wouldn't take a charge even with a high current charger.
 

jcollings

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Just got the truck battery is very low one was at 3 volts another one was for 5 the other two were 5 volts after all the charging I got it up to what they are now no cranking issues jumped off okay to get it in the driveway
 
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