The question of whether AGM and Sealed Gel Battery are the same was not raised through Ask OPTIMA Jim's mailbox, but we did receive this link from a customer on the HAMB board that will trigger a pop-up message. , So we think we will answer here for everyone’s benefit (so, next time someone else makes a request, we can reply through the link). The Sealed Gel Battery design is usually a modification of the standard lead-acid car or marine battery. A gelling agent is added to the electrolyte to reduce movement inside the battery case. Many gel batteries also use a one-way valve instead of an open vent, which helps normal internal gas recombine back to the water in the battery, thereby reducing outgassing. As the name suggests, AGM batteries use glass mats to absorb electrolytes.
For the vast majority of people who use lead-acid batteries, all these technical lectures are actually okay, because they may never see or use gel batteries in cars or boats. And charge with lower power than traditional or AGM batteries. The real problem most people encounter involves the charger they use to charge the battery.
Some chargers have "gel" or confusing "gel/AGM" settings that people consider suitable even for AGM batteries. Haven't you ever noticed the "most" qualifiers in this charger setup picture? Gel batteries tend to have a very narrow charging curve and may be easily damaged due to improper charging, so the settings suitable for gel batteries may not be suitable for any non-gel batteries.
As a result, using "gel" or even "AGM / gel" settings may not be able to fully charge non-gel batteries (including Sealed Maintenance Free Battery) and may damage them. Therefore, we always recommend that you avoid using any charger settings that mention "gel" anywhere. Almost all other charger settings-regular, deep cycle, AGM, etc... Basically, there is no mention of anything about gel, and it usually works fine on OPTIMA batteries. Just make sure not to exceed the 10 amp charging speed, and make sure to monitor the battery regularly during the charging process to make sure everything goes smoothly.
