As with many things there are people who know and people who don't want to know or fail to understand ...... then there are people who know the truth and don't tell it.
combine that with the various grasp that the variety of manufacturers have on a specific technology.
Take Sonnenschein..... they have been manufacturing true gell bassed batteries for a very long time....they have a variety of patents over various parts of their process and construction.....they make some very nice batteries.... they are now owned by exide and their technology is in 2 other exide brands
If they say...... this particular battery is safe to run on its side providing these specific conditions are met.......and they do.......I would believe them.
BUT and a very big BUT....that does not apply to all their batteries nor anybody elses..... and......you need to take specific care that those conditions are met.
On one of their pages that give specific advice about a specific gell battery application....they then qualify that and say that this does not apply to other brands and models....they should be treated as normal flodded acid batteries.
Not all batteries are built the same, in fact there is a great varability in how they are built........and it isnt the big chunky facts that matter it is the small details.
for instance the precence of a glass mat between the plates does not make thet battery an "Absorbed Glass Matt" battery.
In general terms most people refeer to (seemingly) "sealed lead acid batteries" as "Gell Cells" when in fact the vast majority are not.
The people at sonnenschein had a big "to do" with a local (in US) supplier of "imported", "badged" batteries. This bloke was selling his batteries as "gell batteries" till a marine incident that was badly reported dished some dirt on Gell batteries. He then started selling his batteries as AGM and throwing mud at Gell.....His batteries were unchanged..so what were they... were they gell, were they true AGM or were they just Valve Regulated Lead Acid like so many others.
If you want an eye opener have a look at the " Bruce" files on the "sonnenschein" page.
There is a great deal of misinformation, misunderstanding and simple failure to read enough of the manufacturers documentation.
So a salesman reads the front page of the sales spiel which says you can run these in any position......but does not read all the qualifying conditions.
Then applies the good information from one manufacturer and assumes that it applies to all batteries claiming that technology.
For instance the "Fullriver" batteries seem to be a well priced and reputable AGM battery.....but they make about 8 different products which one are we looking at.
Truth to tell, My knoweledge is limited... but I do know enough to know..I need to look at the manufacturers documantation before drawing any conclusions.
And remember the manufacturers will all spiel up their technology and not draw attention to its disadvantages.
The AGM zellots will bang on about how wonderfull AGM is ( and it is a good technology) but they will not draw attention to ist problems or drawbacks......like price and.....thermal runaway (dont let these things get hot).
And remember not all batteries claiming to be "AGM" will perform as well as the brand leader.
While lead acid battery is quite old and simple....there is enough significant small detail to make this beyond the grasp of the average salesman.
cheers
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