How Climate Affects Battery Performance: Tips for Maintaining Battery Efficiency in Different Weather Conditions

Regardless of the freezing winter or the burning summer temperature, it is essential to know how to handle batteries in these conditions.

Cold Weather Impact

Cold conditions affect batteries by discharging them faster and even decrease the battery’s overall capacity. This is especially the case as temperatures dip below zero. While no battery is immune from the cold, higher performance and quality batteries have proven to be far more resistant. The best practice is to maintain your batteries state of charge to combat potential freezing and stay on top of the faster discharge rates that the cold subjects your battery to.

Tips for Cold Weather:

Keep Batteries Warm: Batteries should be ideally stored in warm conditions, if possible. If maintaining a stable temperature is a challenge, insulated battery boxes and thermal blankets are an effective stop gap.
Regular Maintenance: While AGM Battery design is not affected by corrosion, flooded lead acid batteries are, and it’s important to clean any corrosion on the battery connections. It was also found that maintaining good electrical contact can assist the batteries to perform well in low temperatures.
State of Charge: Do not let batteries discharge while they are exposed to cold temperatures to avoid freezing and to guarantee that they can supply the necessary energy.

Hot Weather Impact

High temperatures cause the chemical reactions within the batteries to occur more frequently and thus cause the batteries to self-discharge more often and therefore have a shorter lifespan. Overheating is especially dangerous, it can lead to battery failure.

Tips for Hot Weather:

Avoid Direct Sunlight: It is recommended to keep batteries in a shadow or cool place to avoid situations when they get very hot.
Ventilation: Correct ventilation around batteries should be maintained so as to allow for proper dissipation of heat.
Check Electrolyte Levels: When it comes to flooded lead-acid batteries, one needs to check and ensure that low electrolyte levels do not overheat the battery and cause damage.

Humidity and Moisture

High humidity, as we all know, can cause corrosion of the terminals in flooded batteries. That can affect connections, meaning efficiency will be affected or the battery may even fail.

Tips for Humidity:

Sealed Enclosures: To prevent moisture from penetrating the battery, seal the battery housing.
Regular Inspections: Regularly check for battery corrosion and always make sure that the battery terminals are clean.

General Maintenance Tips

Regardless of the climate, some general maintenance practices can help ensure your batteries remain efficient and last longer:

Regular Charging: Do not allow batteries to run all the way down. Charging and discharging have effects on battery health, and as a result, it is recommended that you charge your battery regularly.
Proper Storage: Batteries should also be stored in a cool dry place when not in use to avoid the effects of weather on them.
Monitoring Systems: Some of the things to invest in include battery monitoring systems that help monitor the battery health as well as performance in real-time.

For this reason, it is advisable to know how various weather conditions influence battery performance and incorporate the above-discussed maintenance tips to guarantee the batteries’ efficiency and reliability throughout the year.

Adventures Off the Grid: Overlanding and Camping Batteries

If you’re an a person who likes to spend time off the grid, a reliable power source is a must. AGM batteries from Fullriver Battery are reliable power solutions for overlanding, camping, and other outdoor pursuits so that your equipment remains powered wherever the road may lead you.

What makes AGM Batteries such a smart choice?

AGM batteries are built specifically for rugged conditions and are as tough as they are reliable. Their sealed construction prevents leaks and their ability to operate in any orientation makes them a natural choice for mobile and off road applications. However, their depth cycle capabilities provide a steady stream of power for extended usage which is critical in overlanding.

Overlanding and Camping Applications

Powering Appliances: AGM batteries are used to power refrigerators and stoves, lighting and communication devices and provide consistent energy for all your needs.
Solar Integration: These batteries are portable and can be paired with portable solar panels to give you a sustainable source of energy.
Backup Power: A backup system in case of emergencies will never let you run out of power.

Real-World Success Stories

Learn from adventurers who use Fullriver Battery products to run their off grid adventures. Our batteries deliver performance, and peace of mind, from cross country road trips to remote camping excursions.

Ready for Your Next Adventure

Fullriver Battery has options to power your adventure no matter if you are an overlanding enthusiast, casual camper, or full-time van lifer. Prepare for your next trip with our trusted AGM batteries.

Top 5 reasons Fullriver’s PowerVault Dominates in Material Handling

In a world full of lithium and TPPL, Fullriver’s Class III power pack, the PowerVault, shows real resilience in real-world situations. Fullriver has been making deep-cycle batteries since 1995, and in 2017 we combined our deep-knowledge of batteries with the best available components to bring our own Class III pack to Material Handling. Going on 7 years with this product in the market, we thought it was a great time to reflect on what makes the PowerVault Series so worthy of serious consideration.

Dirty Environments

We know there are some very messy workplaces out there, especially where food production is concerned. Our DC224-6s are sealed, include stainless fasteners to resist corrosion, and are installed in a high-quality powder coated steel case. Throw in the IP65 rated IC650 charger and you end up with a pack that is power-wash ready, designed to resist dust and water ingress in bakeries, meat or fish processing plants, breweries, and other messy environments.

Rocky Roads

The real-world is full of rough roads and a tractor trailer isn’t known for the smoothest ride. Many packs on the market utilize thin plates, other battery plates dangle in a gel solution, and the newest technology depends on sensitive electronic boards to keep them working. The internals of all Fullriver batteries are engineered to flow with the bumps of over the road transport. Over the partition cell connections ensure the cell block can float unimpeded, thick plate cells better resist vibration, while cells packed under compression greatly reduced the impacts of jarring on the battery plates. All of this is wrapped up in an ultra-tough, spill-proof ABS case.

Higher Capacity for Long Travel Requirements

In a packed urban context, Fullriver powerpacks offer true deep-cycle capabilities when deliveries are over blocks, not just docks. The workhorse of the PowerVault is our 224Ah GC2, the DC224-6. While some of the most prominent pack builders limit usable capacity to 40%, our heavy duty, thick plate batteries are designed for 100% usable capacity. And while some manufacturers encourage opportunity charging to boost their limited capacity packs, the PowerVault, with plenty of usable capacity eliminates this need. Let’s be clear, opportunity charging equals downtime. In fact, the PowerVault boasts some of the highest capacity for a Class III pack. Don’t settle for low-capacity packs, when the PowerVault will go strong throughout the workday.

Murphy’s Law

In the real world, sometimes things go wrong, and when they do, how will they be resolved? Can the pack be repaired on site, or does it need to be shipped back for repairs? Are the critical parts readily available and nearby? Is the repair process simple and straightforward, or does it require specialized training? Fullriver batteries come in popular BCI standard group sizes, no odd, hard to find proprietary fitments. If something does go wrong, every component in Fullriver powerpacks is field-serviceable to minimize unforeseen downtime, and readily available through our network of distributors and dealers across the US and Canada.

Knowledge Insight is Power

Sometimes understanding a specific operation, its workflow, usage and charging habits can be highly valuable. Scheduling time for a site visit can take weeks. The PowerVault comes standard with built-in data acquisition via the Delta-Q IC650. Data can be obtained in 30 seconds and sent instantaneously via email for fast feedback. Event logging drives insight for Dealer and Customer. Understand user habits, address inefficiency, to help customers succeed in their operations.

But wait… there’s more!

We said Top 5, but there’s yet another reason to consider the PowerVault! Fullriver doesn’t just tout its PowerVault as great, we stand behind every pack we sell with an industry-leading warranty and none of the red tape many manufacturers impose. Our flagship PowerVault is backed up by a full 2-year warranty, and the ultra-long-life EGL PowerVault comes with a full 4-year warranty!

A Fullriver Battery PowerVault in a warehouse.

A Fullriver EGL PowerVault box sitting on a pallet in a warehouse.

The Real Deal

The Fullriver PowerVault goes beyond marketing hype and the promises of a sales rep, delivering in the real world the best performing, most robust pack in the industry. Engineered for messy, bouncy, tough environments, to provide years of reliable power. If you want to reduce costly downtime in your fleet of pallet jacks, reach out to Fullriver Battery today.

Full Throttle Battery is Headed Back to SEMA, Here’s Why We Love It!

The Specialty Equipment Market Association, or SEMA as you may know it, dates to 1963. Back then, it was known as the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association. It was a contingent of go-fast manufacturers that supplied high performance equipment to the racing and hot rod community. Since the show’s iteration, it has grown to reflect not only current and past trends within the automotive industry but features everything relevant to the overall vehicle landscape. If you want to see multi-purpose bug out vehicles, Formula One race cars, vintage hot rods, supercars, trophy trucks, motorcycles, manufacturers, warehouse distributors, media developers, racing teams, car clubs, they will all converge in Las Vegas for the annual event.

Gearheads, enthusiasts, businesspeople, and media outlets the world over make the annual pilgrimage to attend what is often labeled the world’s biggest car show.

For the manufacturers and builders featuring at the annual event, it is often a month’s long, painstaking preparation process to make ready for the event which has been known to host more than 150,000 attendees, 3,000 new products, over 1,500 vehicles, 2,400 exhibitors, and more than 3,000 members of the media.

Since 2017, Full Throttle Battery has exhibited at the annual expo. For us, and the other companies in attendance, it is a unique opportunity to connect manufacturers with buyers, and the month-long preparation process is completely warranted because, as we have learned, you never know who is going to stop by the booth.

Since 2003, the show has been sectionalized into specific market buckets. We are not the only battery manufacturer in attendance, but we are the only battery manufacturer in the off-road wing.

*Editor’s note – Full Throttle Battery is not just an off-road battery. With more direct fit options than any other thin plate, pure lead battery manufacturer in the world, we are not relegated to one specific market channel. If it has wheels, we make a battery for it.

As the summer months come into swing, our booth needs to have graphics created and the structure laid out according to our space. The booth is pulled from storage, cleaned, repaired, staged, and then a vehicle selected to be featured in the booth. The vehicle needs to be prepped, wrapped, photographed, measured, and that information is then sent to the event for approval. Then it is shipped to the event, detailed, and a final approval must be done prior to it being allowed into the event space. Sound daunting? Those are just two of many steps.

With less than a week remaining for our biggest event undertaking of the year, the team is in high gear, and there is a positive energy within the company. That positivity reflects the work that leads up to the event coming together and being deployed. No last-minute stuff for this team. We are ready, and we cannot wait.

If you happen to be in attendance, Full Throttle Battery will be in the West Hall, Booth #59027. Our booth staff has over 140 combined years of battery knowledge and are ready to answer all of your questions. Our team wants to hear about your builds, your business, your stories, your challenges, and how we can fit in to support you. Whatever the endeavor may be, we offer the best thin plate, pure lead AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery in the world and our business is stored electrical energy solutions. We cannot wait to see everyone out there. SEMA is always an adventure for all in attendance, and we are looking forward to being a part of yours. Join us on Thursday, November 2nd, from 1:15 PM to 2:15 PM at the Full Throttle booth for an exclusive meet-and-greet and signing event with our special guests, Dave and Kevin from Kindig-It Designs. Come by and say hello!

Full Throttle Battery: Responding to the Challenge

Not long ago, in western Montana, a team of firefighters with their engine, were heavily engaged fighting a forest fire. The blaze was intense, and soon was overtaking the team. The heat from the fire grew so intense that it caused the tires on the truck to rupture, and they retreated, driving out with no tires to speak of. When they eventually got back to the station, they inspected the vehicle and were amazed to find the battery pack was in perfect form. The batteries were Full Throttle FT1100-31’s. Fire, police, ambulance, ocean rescue, and even military everywhere are turning to Fullriver/Full Throttle to get the job done in their demanding applications.

Perhaps the most veritably critical of all applications are those of first responders and emergency services. In particular, the batteries used in emergency vehicles, with lighting, radios, computers, and engines hanging in the balance, the battery is the lynchpin of an effective operation. The battery also happens to be one of the most taxed in its role of keeping everything going. Fleet managers for fire, rescue, and police know these factors all too well and have come to demand resilient solutions. Let’s breakdown some of these challenges and look at what it takes to perform when it counts most.

Environment: Hot and Cold

Emergency vehicles don’t get snow days or shy away from heatwaves, these are often the times when they are needed most. Whether it’s a roaring blizzard or a raging wildfire, emergency responders are plunged right into the middle of nature’s worst conditions. When the weather is extreme AGM batteries like Fullriver/Full Throttle stand strong due to a “starved electrolyte” design, meaning there is very little water in the battery to begin with. The cold has less effect on the battery than a conventional battery that is filled with liquid electrolyte. Even in bitter cold, the thin-plate, pure-lead grids of Full Throttle allow starting power to flow with ease.

This goes for the heat as well, though most hot-start issues are related to other engine issues, the PHCA (Pulse Hot Cranking Amps) that a Full Throttle battery produces is a huge aid when an engine is hesitant to turn over in the heat.

TPPL for handling surges in demand and Cranking Large Engines

Most vehicles (excluding police cruisers) used for emergency services, are powered by a diesel engine. Diesel engines have very high compression and are challenging to start, especially in the cold season. The plate structure in Full Throttle batteries is known as Thin-plate, pure-lead (TPPL). These plates are comprised of thin strands of lead alloy that create a lot of surface area for the energy to flow in and out of the battery. Not only does this allow for plenty of cold cranking amps, but once the engine is started, the plates have excellent charge acceptance, so the battery is recharged quickly without a lot of resistance. TPPL also allows the battery to handle surges in demand from auxiliary equipment such as a winch, without putting much strain on the battery.

Ultra-Safe and Maintenance-Free

It would be just a bit ironic to have an emergency vehicle have its own emergency due to a catastrophic failure in the battery. Fullriver/Full Throttle batteries are safer by design. Incidents of thermal runaway are very rare in AGM batteries. The electrolyte, sealed in a heavy-duty case, will not spill if tipped over, shaken, or thrown down a flight of stairs. While the ABS case itself is very difficult to puncture. If they were, somehow, punctured the electrolyte inside is not free flowing. And, in all but the rarest of circumstances, the batteries do not emit hydrogen gas or sulfuric acid. All these failure modes can and sometimes do occur in other battery types.

The flipside is only upside as well. When there’s no watering required to maintain a Fullriver/Full Throttle battery; there’s no corrosion, no need to clean the battery or change the cables due to off-gassing corroding them, then there’s no downtime, and no interruption of the important work to be done.

Shelf-Stable

Some departments have equipment that may be used infrequently and can sit unused for months at a time. All Fullriver/Full Throttle batteries have a very low rate of self-discharge that solves this issue (I.E., low internal resistance). This is due to the high purity of lead we use to produce our batteries. Simply charge the battery fully before storing it, and resume use when the equipment or vehicle is needed. That’s all.

Long hours: Proprietary plates/active material to recover from deep discharges

Often, time on scene for emergency responders can drag on for hours. In some scenarios, the engine is turned off while the electrical burden from the equipment must be borne solely by the battery pack. In these situations, the batteries may be called on to exceed their ratings, it’s just part of the job. Fortunately, the special materials and processes used to build every Fullriver/Full Throttle battery are unique and lend the batteries a special resilience so they can tolerate abuse and recover well with a good recharge. Our plate curing process, which ensures the plates and active materials hold up, is more than three times the industry standard. The high purity of the lead we procure and the proprietary processes we employ in preparing and forming our plates ensure the best chance of survival and long life in the face of such demands.

Vibration: High speeds, on and off-road conditions

Racing to the scene on bumpy roads, or off the road; when response times are measured in minutes, the right batteries for the job must be designed to stand up to vibration. The fact is most conventional batteries aren’t designed to take the enormous forces produced in intense driving scenarios. The internals of all Fullriver/Full Throttle batteries are engineered to handle vibration. Looking at a cross-section of the battery reveals cells that are packed under compression to reduce the effects of vibration forces. Additionally, the connections between each battery cell are designed to be unimpeded when up and down forces are applied to the battery reducing the likelihood of internal shorts (dropped cells).

The job of first responders is vital. The demands of the work require a resilient battery that will stand up in the real world, uncompromised by weather, rough roads, long hours, but ready at all times to deliver when called upon. Every battery made by Fullriver/Full Throttle is equipped with all that will be needed to succeed, just add heroes.

Revolutionizing Aerial Work Platforms

: A Q&A with Fullriver Battery, a Charged by Delta-Q Partner

By: Rod Dayrit, Director of Business Development

Aerial work platforms (AWP), including scissor lifts, boom lifts, and utility trucks, play a critical role in construction, maintenance, and various other industries where safety, efficiency, and reliability are paramount. The success of these machines hinges upon the performance and longevity of their battery and charging systems.

Delta-Q Technologies (Delta-Q) and Fullriver Battery (Fullriver), our Charged by Delta-Q partner, recognized this and collaborated to develop an engineering solution that can withstand the harshest conditions these vehicles face. The solution includes Delta-Q’s RQ350 battery charger and Fullriver’s DC85-12 battery, delivering optimal performance, exceptional longevity, and unmatched efficiency. This game-changing solution was showcased at the APEX Show in Maastricht, Netherlands, in June 2023, the world’s largest dedicated international access equipment exhibition, held triennially.

In a recent interview with Aaron Plew, Director of Product and Communications at Fullriver Battery, we gained insights into the development process of this solution and how it elevates the performance of aerial work platforms. Additionally, we explored the benefits for end-users, its potential to drive overall efficiency and productivity in various operations, and the future of battery and charging in the aerial work platform sector. This collaborative effort sets a new standard for reliability and showcases our dedication to creating sustainable and eco-friendly solutions.

Can you provide an overview of the DC85-12V Deep-Cycle AGM battery for the aerial work platform industry? What are some of the critical benefits of the DC85-12V battery and RQ350 charging solution combination? 

Aaron: The DC85-12 is a 12V, 85Ah, group 24 battery. It is much more compact than the more common GC2 but still offers plenty of capacity. Of course, the RQ350 is also very compact, even compared to other modern battery chargers.

What pain points do customers commonly face in the aerial work platform industry? How does this product combination solve it? 

Aaron: The RQ350 and DC85-12 are an excellent combination for the aerial work platform industry. The compact and water-resistant RQ350 can recharge a set of DC85-12 in as little as a couple of hours, with a maximum of seven hours for a fully discharged battery. The market has really begun a massive shift to AGM and other maintenance-free options in just the last two years. The list of reasons is long, but perhaps the two biggest drivers are related to watering, often being impossible, and maintaining charge when vehicles are remote or out for rent. What the industry techs love about the RQ350 is the reliable and optimal charging results, and the IP rating that allows it to withstand harsh environments, even at the other end of a power washer.

Could you explain the technology behind the DC85-12V battery and how this battery and charger combination enhances the performance of aerial work platforms? 

Aaron: As alluded to in the previous question, maintaining batteries is a real challenge in AWP, with most of this equipment being utilized in rental fleets. With the DC85-12, the need to water, clean off corrosion, and change cables is eliminated. It uses a high purity of lead, resulting in very low internal resistance, dramatically reducing self-discharge, and increasing charge acceptance. The way the DC85-12 is designed, it can be discharged to a very low state of charge, allowing for a much longer workday. Paired with the RQ350, the battery recharges perfectly with Fullriver’s customized algorithm and features an excellent recovery mode for a battery pack in a low state of charge.  

Can you discuss the charging process for your battery system? How long does it typically take to charge, and how long does it last during operation? 

Aaron: Fullriver batteries utilize a three-stage charging process (Bulk, Absorb, and Finish). Depending on the battery’s state of charge, this process can take as little as an hour and a maximum of around seven hours for a pack in a low state of charge (24V, 85Ah pack).

How does this battery and charging system contribute to the overall efficiency and productivity of aerial work platforms? 

Aaron: Due to the use of 99.994% pure lead, brass terminals, and higher valve settings of the Fullriver DC Series, the battery spends less time in charge than most flooded products and other brands of AGM batteries. The technology allows for deeper discharging (90-100% depth of discharge), allowing users to work longer before needing to plug in again. This can be especially critical at work sites where there isn’t power available.

What kind of support or training do you provide customers who choose your battery solutions? 

Aaron: Fullriver tailors its support to the specific needs of our customers. Whether the need is for in-person training, technical document support, or communication via phone or email. Our technical staff is very responsive and often available at short notice to support our customer base. Further, our Delta-Q product knowledge is nearly at par with our battery competency.

What is your vision for the future of battery and charging technology in the aerial work platform industry, and how do you plan to stay ahead of the competition? 

Aaron: After nearly 30 years of building batteries for the industry, we have gained a lot of insight into the applications we serve. Among our four lines of batteries, the EGL Series is the newest and marks an advance in lead-acid technology with its ultra-high cycle life and updated platform. It was designed with low-speed EVs in mind. But we haven’t even come close to stopping. We are constantly testing and further developing our products. With Delta-Q’s ever-expanding roadmap, our work continues as we work to gain ever more insight.

About Charged by Delta-Q

The “Charged by Delta-Q” program was created to build a community for OEMs, battery and BMS manufacturers to facilitate innovation and collaboration among the electric battery, charging and equipment sectors. Partnering with industry-leading battery and battery management systems (BMS), companies will help OEMs reduce the technical risk and time spent researching and testing batteries and chargers to find compatible electric power systems. All battery companies that are part of this program have had their optimized products iteratively tested and validated with Delta-Q chargers. Interested in learning more about Charged by Delta-Q? Visit https://delta-q.com/charged-by-delta-q/

Going Full Throttle for UTV Takeover

Rock crawling, over-landing, snow wheeling, and the massive surge in Utility Task Vehicle sales is driven by an influx of new participants in off-road over the last decade. This increase in the enthusiast base has fueled demand for events and activities that bring in drivers, their families, and promising multi-generational growth opportunities.

The UTV Takeover series of events has been a key driver of and supplier to that enthusiast market, and is organically creating more demand through social media. Preparing for an event like UTV Takeover is no simple task, as we aren’t just a vendor – we are educators and demonstrators as well.

Our team of enthusiasts is dedicated to showing the industry just how much impact the proper components can make in the performance of their rig, and their enjoyment of all the off-road experience has to offer.

Full Throttle showed up ready to educate the amassed crowd on the critical combination of an electrical system and battery pack that work together to provide reliable power, and then let our machines do the talking as we ripped it up on the sand.

The Full Throttle Battery Polaris RZR Pro XP:

With 70,000+ forward facing lumens courtesy of Baja Designs, a Rugged Radio 50 Watt radio/intercom combo, an SSV Sound System and all important GPS, the 650 Watt stator that comes standard on this machine would have been completely overmatched in the field, and no enthusiast wants to drop accessories to stay within stator range.

So, we use of two FT410’s – which fit perfectly within the stock hardware, no fitment modifications necessary – giving our RZR enough amperage to start a semi, and 58 Amp hours of reserve to ensure we have the power to explore hundreds of miles in the mountains at a time.

And even though we outfit this rig for overland, it’s perfectly comfortable among the windswept dunes, and we’ve got the video to prove it.

The Full Throttle Battery Can-Am Maverick X3 RC:

This machine has been a fixture at UTV Takeover for 4 years. The engine puts out 300 horsepower to all four tires, and was built to perform at this series of events. It has also taken on the mountains, the rocks, and the desert, but its true home is on the sand.

Equipped with a 50 Watt Rugged Radio, Magellan GPS, 45,000 forward facing lumens, winch, and a Buggy Whip Task Light, the electrical demand is simply too much for the severely underpowered 500 Watt stator that comes stock.

Using a combination of our FT438-U1R and FT410, provides 63 Amp hours and starting capability that would satisfy a full size diesel truck.

That covers the electrical consumption, but what about resilience to abuse? A famous desert racer once said, “Nothing survives off-road”. After five days on the Oregon Dunes in ever-changing weather and dune conditions, we could not agree more.

You see, to your battery the off-road experience is like being a can of paint agitated at Home Depot – constant vibration, with the added shock of high-speed aerials and wicked tight turns, and the occasional rollover.

If you’ve ever been stranded out in the sand dunes, the desert, or the mountains because your battery can’t take a beating, is a mistake you’ll only make once.

Boasting over the partition welds, thin plate-pure lead technology, brass terminals, and an industry leading level of battery cell material compression; Full Throttle has not only positioned itself as the most powerful and reliable battery for the most abusive applications, but we also lead the industry in available group sizes for all of your toys and vehicles.

Start your next adventure with a Full Throttle Battery.

Discover Why a Full Throttle Series AGM is the Right Battery for Your Application

With the wide range of battery options on the market today, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and truly know which one is best for your particular application. Fullriver batteries have a stellar reputation as a premium, durable, and ultra-reliable choice and our Full Throttle Series batteries are built to not only meet, but exceed your specific needs, no matter what they may be.

How Do You Measure Performance?

Is it a burst of power, or resiliency and consistency? Is it a streak that is brilliant but short, or the ability to bounce back from adversity and return to high performance?

If you are sitting on a rocket staring down a quarter mile of asphalt, peak high-capacity power may be enough. But if you are someone who depends on your vehicle being usable day-in and day-out, long term performance and recoverability should be top of mind when it comes to batteries.

From Decades of Experience, a Quality Product Emerges

Fullriver’s experience making the highest quality, best performing premium AGM batteries for over 30 years has given us invaluable experience making batteries that are ‘oops’ proof.

That knowledge was used to create the Full Throttle Series AGM, which is a combination of materials and construction that – according to reports from overlanders, dune goons, rock crawlers, and anglers across the nation – allow our batteries to recover from discharge levels that crush our competitors.

And in case you thought that field reports weren’t enough, we also have the lowest warranty rate in the industry (.24%), even though we approve over 95% of the warranties submitted.

Mistakes Happen, But We’ve Got Your Back

Now, we don’t suggest you drain your battery every day and leave it discharged for days on end – that is ill-advised and will void your warranty. But for normal, occasional mistakes, we have integrated features that allow us to recover from your mishaps:

Pure lead that decreases internal resistance so energy flows cleanly in and out of the battery and is less damaging to the internal paste and fiber glass mat.

A calcium alloy that is typically used only in cycling batteries, providing anti-corrosion properties, and decreasing self-discharge.

The industry’s highest valve settings that prevent liquid loss during recharge and extending the useful life of the batteries.

Over 30 years of making batteries for the toughest applications and environments that man, nature, and the insanity that ensues when the two test each other’s mettle.

Set It and Forget It

So, if you had a long day out on the water/trail/sand and went straight into a long night under the stars, don’t sweat it – put your Full Throttle Batteries on charge when you get home, and we’ll get you back out there without a side stop at the battery store.

Unless you don’t have our batteries already. Then hit your local Fullriver/Full Throttle Distributor today, so that you can install a battery as resilient and powerful as you are.

The Best Batteries for Camping

Harness the Sun with Fullriver Batteries: A Guide to Solar Camping

It’s that time of year, the world has thawed out and the temperatures seem to get warmer every day in the Northern Hemisphere, the call of the outdoors is beckoning. For the last few decades, camping has been growing in popularity, but in 2020 that growth seemed to rocket upwards, propelled by the coupling of a love of the outdoors and the creature comforts offered by vans, trailers, and RVs. Many people with even a moderately adventurous spirit, still prefer to experience the outdoors with a bit of creature comfort.

In the past, home away from home required a generator or a campsite with hookups to keep all the gadgets working. However, with the rise in popularity of deep cycle batteries and solar technology, camp has gotten a whole lot quieter as gas powered generators have been supplanted. Further, “dry camping” or “boondocking” as it’s sometimes known, opens a whole world of campsite options. It’s true freedom, untethered from busy campgrounds, concrete pads, and electrical outlets. Today, let’s take a moment and look at the interplay of batteries and solar charging. We’ll delve into energy consumption and realistic capabilities of recharging via photovoltaic sources (I.E., solar panels.)

Watts Going on?

Typically, batteries are rated for capacity in amp hours, while solar panels are given a rating in watts. Wattage is actually a great way to understand overall energy capability because it takes the volts and multiplies them by the amps. We can convert watts to volts and amps and amp hour to watts very easily. Let’s look at a 12V 100-watt panel for example:

100W/12V = 8.33 amps

Before we go on, it’s important to understand that solar panel ratings are given from ideal lab conditions, with the light source at the perfect angle and brightness. In other words, in the real world the output is usually much lower than the rating.

Now let’s convert a battery to watts. Our example will be a Fullriver DC105-12 (12V, 105Ah, Group 27):

12V * 105Ah = 1260 watts

We can now use our newfound math to understand how energy transfer from our appliances and devices will draw from our batteries and then how the solar will recharge the batteries back up. Every electric appliance or device will have a data tag on it that tells how much wattage it consumes on average. For our example we will using 100 watts of device/appliance consumption over an 8-hour period:

8hrs * 100W = 800

1260W (DC105-12) – 800W = 460W (~36% remaining capacity)

The DC105-12 has had 63.5% of it’s energy removed. That means our little 100W solar panel must return over 800 watts to the battery. Because all batteries need a good balancing phase to get the cells all back to the same voltage it isn’t a 1:1 conversion when charging. To account for this, we add 20-25% additional time to the charging process. Here’s how to calculate it:

800W/100W * 1.25 = 10 hours

You can see by the calculation; it would take more time than ideal sunlight conditions are prevalent most places on earth! That’s the nature of harnessing energy from the sun, it’s often in teaspoon quantities. However, if we were to add one more panel, we hit a sweet spot:

800W/200W * 1.25 = 5 hours

And adding a third brings our recharge time down even faster:

800W/300W *1.25 = 3 hours 20 minutes

Making it Work

There are several assumptions in this logic though. First, that we won’t be consuming more power during recharge than the panels can put back in during ideal sun conditions. Second, that we recharge the battery fully each day. Finally, that we’re getting ideal lab-like sun conditions all day. Of these assumptions, the second seems to be the only reasonable one we can deal with. The battery does not need to be fully recharged every day, if we have ample reserve capacity to cover daily consumption without discharging more than the battery is safely able to supply (over-discharge). The batteries can be used in a PSoC (Partial State of Charge) but should be fully recharged at least once every 1-2 weeks

At this point, some may be thinking, “I’ll just add more batteries to increase my autonomy (time without recharging).” This will actually be a workable solution for the average camper (E.G., weekend or weeklong trips). As long as the method of charging is capable of producing a minimum of 10% of the battery’s rated capacity. Using the DC105-12 as an example, a minimum of 10.5A (126W), but ideally 25% (26A/315W). For shorter trips (2-4 days), solar may not even be necessary, but you’ll want to estimate your energy consumption before sizing your battery set.

Of course, for those taking longer trips both the battery and solar banks will need to be larger. Usually, accommodating a larger battery bank isn’t the problem, it’s the limited rooftop real estate for solar that proves to be the biggest challenge. The rule of thumb here is at least 10%, but optimally 25% of the battery bank’s capacity when we consider recharge times, of solar power to keep the batteries charged. One of our most popular setups for camping is a set of DC224-6 in a series configuration for 12V, 224Ah (2668W). To fully maintain this bank requires 267 watts of solar on the low-end, but 667 watts for the most efficient charging.

Dispelling a Myth

Since we’ve been discussing energy consumption we need to pause and clarify something. There’s an old myth about AGM and other lead-acid batteries that occasionally still surfaces. It usually goes like this, “You can’t discharge an AGM battery past 50% depth of discharge.” While there may be some batteries out there that this applies to, this adage has never been true about Fullriver AGM, and for that matter, many other quality lead-acid batteries. Fullriver AGM has always been built and tested to thrive in true deep-cycle applications. This means for a 6-volt 5.25 volts, 12-volt 10.5 volts, 24-volt to 21 volts, and so on. While this reduces the total amount of cycles, it still equates to the same energy throughput for the battery.

Adventure Awaits

^{Image by wirestock on Freepik}

We hope this short overview has been helpful and inspiring. It’s a big world out there with so much to be explored. If you need help getting started, the majority of the Fullriver team uses the products we make to keep them going in their own adventures. For more guidance click the support link on our website, or to find Fullriver batteries near you visit the dealer locator page on our website to Start Your Adventure!

The Best Battery for Marine

Sail Smoothly: Fullriver AGM Delivers Reliable Power for Marine Vehicles

Long before space exploration, before humans dreamed of travel among the stars, we looked to the stars for something much closer to Terrafirma, for navigation to more immediate frontiers reached only by traversing bodies of water. Travel by boat today is much more commonplace and taken for granted then in times past when each new journey could have massive historical impact. But humans are not fish, and so the precarious nature of travel on open water is still very real. Systems in marine environments absolutely must be reliable. From the municipal ferries on the Puget Sound, or the rescue boats of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in the UK, to a pro bass fisherman like Lucas Bogosian, Fullriver AGM is out there getting the job done.

Just Pure Reliability

We’ll just come out and say it, a premium quality AGM, like those made by Fullriver, is the most reliable battery format. Looking at the battery from a design point of view, Fullriver batteries account for all of the real-world difficulties (vibration etc.) The Cast grid plates of Fullriver AGM are far more resilient than the tiny, spot-welded nickel that lithium batteries employ, not to mention the other design features like compression packed cells, and special intercell connections. Lithium works or it doesn’t, it’s either on or it’s off. With AGM, even if there is an issue, it will still allow some energy to be used. You won’t be left dead in the water by AGM. Environmentally, the ambient temps encountered at least part of the year in marine can be very cold. AGM stands up better to cold without the need for special heating systems which themselves become another potential failure point. Different users will have varying priorities when it comes to their marine application, but reliability should always be at the top.

Oh, how it Cranks

Perhaps one of the most undervalued components of any vehicle type has tended to be the battery. The starting battery is the lynchpin that has ruined many days before they even began, or worst of all, being stranded mid-journey. And then there’s the diesel engine, as one industry veteran put it recently, “Diesel compression is no joke.” All Fullriver batteries have plenty of cranking amps, but when the job calls for a big surge of power, there are few that compete with Full Throttle. In the first five seconds of starting, the thin-plate, pure-lead of Full Throttle produces a surge of cranking that is basically off the charts. Having this sort of power on the other end of the key is literal peace of mind. For dual-purpose batteries there’s no need to mention the competition because there are few contenders. Scroll through the Pulse hot cranking amps (PHCA) and reserve capacity of Full Throttle, it’s all there.

What will it Cost?

AGM strikes a balance between upfront cost and total cost of ownership. While being ~20% more than flooded batteries, Fullriver AGM makes up for this upfront cost with no maintenance costs to consider, faster charging, and often longer cycle life with more usable capacity. AGM is significantly less expensive in terms of upfront cost, and still gives newer technologies a run for their money in terms of overall life.

And if longer life is a high priority, while maintaining safety and reliability, check out the Fullriver EGL Series which boasts higher cycle-life than any other lead-acid battery.

While we may not be crossing uncharted waters any longer, reliable vessels are as critical as ever. It may not be a large municipal ferry or an actual life-saving boat, or maybe it is, but the quality, reliability, long-life, and safety should never be compromised when choosing a battery. Fullriver provides all these qualities and much more. Put your trust in the battery that is sought after around the world.

Top 3 Reasons AGM Batteries Excel: Tolerant, Resilient, Versatile

In today’s short article we’re going to look at the top 3 reasons why AGM battery technology, and more specifically Fullriver AGM batteries, excel. But the reader may be asking, “Are there only three reasons?” Well, this list could easily be one hundred reasons why AGM batteries excel, it could literally be 1,000 reasons. AGM batteries have so much to offer, but sometimes the most important things aren’t always obvious. So, let’s get after it and have a look.

As Elvis famously said, there’s “A whole lotta shakin’ going on!” And, whether you realize it or not, it could be causing a shorter life for your batteries. Material handling, RV, AWP, UTV, golf, floor care, trucking, heavy equipment, all these applications involve movement over less than smooth surfaces. Flooded batteries have plates that are unsupported sort of dangling internally, while other battery types may have sensitive electronic components. From a design POV, these formats are much less tolerant of vibration. And, in the end internal components break. Thankfully, the entire line of Fullriver AGM batteries account for these downsides in multiple ways. Beginning with cast grids, thick plates, cells packed under compression, and cell connections that allow the cell group to float without compromise. This isn’t just marketing, our batteries are tested and certified to comply with the needs of vibration rich environments, (I.E., most of the real world).

“Oh shoot!” That feeling when you turn the key and the car won’t start, or step aboard your trailer and discover the lights won’t turn on. While we wouldn’t recommend intentionally abusing batteries, sometimes it happens. If you’ve worked around batteries long enough, you’ve been there. We frequently hear from customers who have inadvertently overcharged, undercharged, short-circuited, left a light on, etc. and yet were able to recover their battery investment. Much of our resilience is due to the quality of materials used to build our batteries, and the very special blend that is used to make our plate paste. Newer technologies like lithium can rarely handle these catastrophic scenarios due to their built-in fail-safes simply shutting the battery down, often for good. Flooded batteries, too can give up the ghost after a catastrophic event. Our friends at Merlin Power put our batteries through their paces with some very intentional abuse testing. Check out their video here and see for yourself, but don’t try this at home.

Versatile: able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities. The literal definition of great AGM batteries like Fullriver/Full Throttle is their versatility, and adaptability to different functions or activities. Need a battery that can start a twin-diesel engine and run the all of the house amenities? That’s AGM. The same battery that can keep up with the motor controller of your golf cart, can also run your fish finder, or power your off-grid home. And versatility is part of the reason AGM batteries are available almost everywhere when you need them.

Tolerant, resilient, and versatile, qualities that are rare these days, but always sought after. These are the marks of a true AGM battery. Tolerant of vibration, resilient in the face of abuse, and true versatility that allows for use in pretty much any application. These are the reasons that Fullriver AGM batteries excel!

Drop us a comment and tell us what you love about Fullriver AGM!

Why are Fullriver Batteries the Go-to for Floor Scraping?

Floor Scraping equipment is one of the most challenging applications in floor-care. It requires a squat, heavy, ride-on type vehicle to rip up tile, wood, carpet, and other floor coverings. Typically, floor scraping is done on a big scale in some sort of commercial venue. Being almost exclusively performed in indoor settings, an electric vehicle is the more desirable for the work to keep down noise levels and eliminate harmful fumes from a gas engine. For decades now Fullriver batteries have excelled in these applications, and our ability to meet the challenges is why Fullriver is chosen by most OEMs for this application. So, what is it about Fullriver DC Series batteries that complement this application so well?

Floor scraping often takes place in large spaces, whether it’s a mall, a conference center, school gym, or a retirement home, they usually must cover a lot of ground. This in turn means the batteries must be equipped to handle true deep cycle usage every time they show up to a job site. The equipment needs to run until every scrap of tile or fiber of carpet has been eliminated. And don’t count on time for the batteries to be recharged, not if the operator wants to be profitable. Fortunately, Fullriver DC Series batteries are all designed for true deep-cycle applications. Built with some of the thickest plates with a proprietary active material formulation, and the longest curing process in the industry, these batteries can take a full-discharge and come back for more again and again.

Of course, removing hard flooring materials like tile ensures a fair amount of vibration, not to mention on the way to and from the job site in a trailer. Every battery that Fullriver produces accounts for vibration rich environments. Every battery cell is packed under compression for a snug fit, it’s one of the inherent benefits of AGM design. Fullriver takes this a step further when making the internal cell connections by going over the cell partitions instead of going through them. This is where most internal shorts occur in batteries because the cell group is constricted from floating in unison as it inevitably bangs into the partition.

These aforementioned features contribute to one of the most critical features of a any battery, long cycle life, but we don’t stop there. In addition to thick plates, a special paste formulation, and an industry leading curing process, Fullriver uses virgin lead with a high level of purity. Because of this, our batteries have very low internal resistance which reduces heat buildup during charging. Our final terminations are made with brass components, further reducing resistance and heat buildup, one of the biggest factors in early failures. Fullriver DC Series batteries typically have 20-25% longer cycle life than any of the major lead-acid battery manufacturers.

Finally, being maintenance free is a huge plus to this application, but really to any application. Being maintenance free means almost no upkeep to the machine, no deterioration from acid fumes, no cabling to replace, of course no watering to hassle with, and no spilled or overflowing acid during charging. Nobody wants a part time job maintaining flooded batteries, especially when you already have a full-time job doing flooring.

When we asked Brad Carlson, Engineer from National Flooring Equipment what he thought about Fullriver Batteries he said:

Fullriver Batteries are the batteries we trust in our equipment at National Flooring Equipment. Exceptional performance, durability, and longevity. They’re used in some of the harshest building and remodeling jobs and keep functioning at their best. They’re great at withstanding vibration and shock and are used in various climate extremes throughout the world. You get what you pay for and with Fullriver Battery that means excellence.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Full Throttle Presents: 24F and 24M

After a long research and design process, Full Throttle has just released two new models to our already huge offering of dual-purpose batteries. The all new 24F and 24M batteries bring our total to 35 fitments. Full Throttle has always striven to offer true OEM fitments whenever possible, and a lot of design effort was put into ensuring these new units would meet or exceed specifications. Using the same design principles as the rest of Full Throttle family, these batteries are built using 99.994% pure lead, over-the-partition cell connections, brass terminals, and epoxy sealed ABS cases to stand up to the rigors of harsh environments while continuing to provide peak performance day after day.

The 24F

The FT840-24F boasts 840 cold-cranking amps, a full 30% more than the BCI recommendation of 585. The reserve capacity is a more than ample with 163 minutes at 25A. The case incorporates side baffles for durability and heat mitigation. While incorporating hold-downs and cleating that conform to OEM design to ensure the battery stays put.

The 24M

While we were designing the 24F it made sense to offer it in a marine variation. The FT840-24M offers all the power and performance of the 24F, but instead of the standard SAE terminals utilizes our beautiful brass dual-terminal setup combining SAE and threaded stud terminals in a left-hand positive configuration. The FT840-24M has all the cranking and reserve capacity for peace of mind no matter what the conditions are like.

Distributors can contact Fullriver directly or use our dealer locator to purchase locally.

After Fifty Years, What’s Still so Great about AGM?

AGM batteries have been on the market for right around 50 years, preceded by gel batteries by almost 40 years. With all the excitement surrounding newer technologies in energy storage, it’s time to take a step back and consider some of the great things this half-century old technology still has going for it. The usual caveat applies, this article will focus on what we know, high-quality Fullriver AGM batteries.

Zero-Maintenance

Part of the original appeal of AGM, remains a giant consideration today, zero-maintenance. In a commercial setting, maintenance means down-time, and down-time means lost revenue. Maintaining a conventional battery also means special equipment for watering, replacing lugs and cable segments due to corrosion, and timing all of this around charging cycles. Who will maintain the battery, and who will train the battery maintainer, and who will maintain the schedule of battery maintenance? When maintenance is neglected, the results are failed batteries, equipment downtime, and replacement costs.

For rental fleets, remote applications, or hot environments that necessitate frequent watering, maintenance-free AGM is the obvious choice, but even a warehouse setting, airport, and especially on large campus, maintenance demands can quickly become overwhelming.

Safety

This leads us to our next consideration, safety. Of course, with conventional batteries, free-flowing sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas emissions both present opportunities for disaster. In today’s workplaces, there’s no room for accidents because the stakes and implications are not good. “But” you say, “We replaced our flooded batteries with lithium!” Here we will not delve into fear-mongering polemics, but only note that even among the “safest” chemistries of lithium, it is undisputed that thermal runaway is still far more likely than in an AGM battery. While all batteries carry with them inherent dangers, a case could easily be made that a brand like Fullriver AGM are the safest form of deep-cycle battery available.

While sensitive environments like hospitals and museums already demand AGM batteries, food processing facilities also find it advantageous. But what industry doesn’t need a high-level of safety from its equipment?

Cost

Of course, the most widely used battery type in commercial and industrial applications is still the conventional/flooded cell battery. Flooded batteries boast an attractive price point up front. Next in line for initial cost after flooded is of course AGM, and then comes lithium with the highest price point by far.

Admittedly, for small fleets working in a manageable footprint, the maintenance of a flooded battery could easily be managed if the budget calls for it. And, if the workforce isn’t limited by a busy workload, of course. As the scale of the operation shifts or the footprint of the worksite increases (e.g., hard to get to all the vehicles for maintenance) then the upfront savings of flooded can quickly dry up (wink).

Lithium to the rescue, right? It’s low maintenance, so no worries there, but the cost is a real issue for many corporate bottom lines that typically want to realize ROI in 3 years, not the 4-5 that it typically takes lithium.

Every business will have their own priorities, and existing infrastructures to support them. Fullriver AGM’s upfront cost is typically supported by a longer warranty, and a much higher cyclic capability compared to conventional. While AGM doesn’t claim as many cycles as lithium, the analog nature of AGM (i.e., no internal electronics to fail) ensures it will be much more likely to attain its published cycle life in the real world.

Availability

Reality can be unforgiving, and that means things will go sideways without notice. People make mistakes, things get broken, or they break themselves. When this happens, as it inevitably will, how easy will it be to replace quickly? Thanks to several factors, you can find conventional and AGM batteries within spitting distance of most businesses in all but the most rural of locales. With lead-acid batteries aplenty, you could be down in the morning and up by the afternoon. With newer battery technologies in commercial applications, you could be down for weeks waiting for a replacement, and because lithium is shipped under Class 9, Dangerous Goods, forget about air freight.

End of Life

A very good question customers should ask their sales reps is, “What happens when the battery needs to be replaced?” If it’s a lead-acid battery (i.e., flooded, agm, gel) then not only is the entire battery going to be recycled, but it’s likely to be of significant value. It never takes very long to get these types of batteries picked up and a check in hand for their exchange. Lithium is nowhere near this easy type of exchange. In some cases, you may even have to pay to have it removed and disposed of. Wow, thanks. Sadly, if the company that sold it to you does pick it up for free, it will likely sit in their warehouse until they pay for its disposal. Lithium advocates will note that this will change, but many have tried, and none yet succeeded.

ICE Vehicle Fleets

Servicing the battery needs of fleets of work trucks, emergency service vehicles, rapid transit buses and vans, is a monumental task. In addition to all the maintenance that flooded batteries require (e.g., periodic boost charging), other challenges exist in these environments. When it comes to climate versality, AGM outstrips everything else. TPPL batteries especially like Full Throttle aren’t impacted by hot-start issues. In the cold of winter, firing up a bus has often been a thorn in the side of conventional batteries. Then there are the accessories that modern vehicles must support that the old sponge lead battery just can’t keep up with, not for long anyway.

At this point, lithium has had little impact in this space, mostly due to the specialization required to design a battery for these applications. The lithium that has been produced for mixed-use (starting and cycling) has either underperformed or been too costly to justify. In the end, the cost of lithium for these applications just doesn’t add up compared to the all-around performance capability of AGM.

50 Years and Counting

As AGM achieves a half century of usage, and familiarity with the technology grows, there is almost no application that it is not used in. Whatever the application may be, safety, reliability, cost of ownership, and ease of recycling and replacement are the biggest factors that continue to contribute to the popularity of high-quality AGM products like Fullriver has been making for 25 of those 50 years.

What is a dual-purpose Battery?

What’s a Dual-Purpose Battery, and Why Should I Care?

What’s a dual-purpose battery you say? Well, it’s only one of the most important types of batteries in existence! A dual-purpose battery fills a very important application niche, without it, life for boaters, off-roaders, car audio enthusiasts, and many others would just be a lot less fun. And of course, emergency services and first responders would be sad too, when they can’t rely on their equipment, the results can potentially be tragic. But it isn’t just boats and firetrucks that need a resilient battery, today even standard cars with multiple computers need a more robust battery to keep up.

It all ‘Started’ with an Engine

Visualize the earliest automobiles, more closely related to a horse-drawn carriage than a modern automobile. The earliest automobiles had to be cranked by hand to start them, and often used kerosene lanterns for light (sort of scary). As the story goes, technology advanced quickly to incorporate a starting motor and electric lights, which of course required a battery. This battery only needed to get the car started and handle the lighting for a short amount of time before it could simply be recharged. The starting battery was born and is still relied on by gazillions of vehicles around the world. It is well suited to do its simple task, start the engine.

As time went on, technology has been added to our technology. Our vehicles, whether on water or land, whether for pleasure or commercial purpose, have become something much more than engine-based propulsion. Extra lighting, computers, comfort controls, visual displays, accessory charging, the power demands have made it so the starting battery is no longer enough, not nearly. Ok, so we have large electrical loads, why not just use a deep-cycle battery like a golf cart would use? That is possible, but not ideal as we’ll see.

Go with a deep-cycle and call it good.

Ah, yes, now we’re getting into the weeds, the really special side to our beloved Dual-Service battery comes out when we compare it to a true deep cycle battery. A deep-cycle battery’s core competency is running electrical loads for long periods of time. It is less capable when it comes to starting an engine, because it wasn’t designed with this purpose in mind. The thick plates inside a deep cycle battery don’t have the surface area to provide the large amp draw that cranking requires as efficiently as a starting battery. And there’s another drawback to using a deep-cycle battery, the thick plates take much longer to recharge. Once the engine is fired up and sending current to the battery, the uptake of energy is slower because of those thick plates.

Solution: Full Throttle

At this point the direction we’re headed in should be more obvious. The battery needs to be a hybrid of sorts. The sponge lead starting battery is out, it just can’t take the cycling or keep up with higher power demands. The thick plates in a deep-cycle battery are great for a golf cart or solar, but they’re also out, they aren’t great for cranking and take too long to charge. Fullriver’s solution to the problem is Full Throttle. Bear in mind, not all dual-purpose batteries are created equal. Many manufacturers’ solution to the problem is simply a stripped down deep-cycle battery. Full Throttle is built for beast level cranking, outdoing most standard starting batteries, while offering resilient cyclic capability, and excellent charge acceptance. Of course, like all Fullriver batteries, Full Throttle is also built to handle the rigors of outdoor environs.

Brass Tacks

What makes a superior dual-purpose battery? Of course, any battery should be purpose built for the application it’s serving. In the case of Full Throttle, we accomplish the needs of a dual-purpose battery (cranking and cycling) by using specially designed plates, and the materials they are constructed with, and top it all off with a tough ABS case, cells packed under compression, and over-the-partition cell connections to mitigate vibration.

Cranking

Full Throttle batteries use TPPL (Thin-Plate, Pure Lead) plates, picture lots of strands of the purest lead running through the whole battery. This allows huge amounts of current to flow easily out from the battery. Unlike a deep-cycle battery, with its thick plates, which can take quite a bit longer to charge, TPPL allows for ease of charge acceptance due its very low resistance.

Cycling

In addition to plates constructed of 99.994% pure lead, Full Throttle uses a proprietary blend of metals it applies to the grids inside the battery that allow it to stand up to deep discharges without being compromised the way a typical starting battery would be by the wear and tear of taking more energy out of the battery before recharging it. This “plating” process comes with added cost but assures longer life for the battery. The final product is a battery that performs both of its functions with ease.

And that is what makes a true dual-purpose battery. A reliable battery that can keep up with the workload and abuse, whether it’s being used for a fire engine, police cruiser, or in a UTV for a weekend of shredding at the dunes.

Do I need a special charger for an AGM battery?

Special: noun: one that is used for a special service or occasion. Adjective: designed for a particular purpose or occasion.

Going by Meriam Webster’s definition, a special charger is called for when charging any battery type. In the early days of AGM batteries, when almost all the existing chargers ran on hand wound timers, and could go on charging indefinitely, you very much needed a special charger. When you plugged a battery into one of those dinosaurs, it was constant current, constant voltage, until the electrolyte had a good boil!

Fortunately, there’s a huge offering of various types of chargers in the marketplace today, some better, some worse. We’ll do a quick review of what to look for when choosing the right charger.

AGM Charge Profile (Algorithm)

First, look for a charger that has a specific setting for AGM. It’s best to avoid chargers that claim to charge any battery with one algorithm. Most “one size fits all” products typically only do a mediocre job at best when they try to account for everything under one umbrella.

Amp Output

Second, you need to right-size the charger to go with the capacity of your battery bank. The rule here is a minimum of 10%, but Fullriver recommends 25% of rated capacity in amps for circuits in parallel. For example, if you’re using our DC55-12, this battery has a capacity of 55Ah. You will want to find a charger that puts out at least 5.5 amps, but ideally 13-14 amps. If you have 2, DC55-12’s in a parallel string (12V, 110Ah) you’ll need at least 11 amps, but better if you have 22 amps. Conversely, you don’t want to throw too many amps at the battery, or you’ll run the risk of an early failure. While 25% of rated capacity is ideal, we don’t recommend more than 30% if you need to charge a bit faster. Why? It has a lot to do with surface area. Imagine trying to fill a tea pot with a fire hose.

Phased Charging

Third, if it’s a reputable charger, it will charge the battery in phases to ensure the battery is fully and efficiently charged every time. A prominent example of a single-phase charger would be the alternator in car or truck. An alternator was primarily designed to top-off the vehicle battery after it fulfilled its primary task of starting the vehicle. A car’s alternator lacks the distinctive phases of absorb and finish/float that ensure a battery is balanced and fully charged, especially important in charging a deep-cycle battery. The charger should have at least 3 phases of charging, Bulk, Absorb, and Finish/Float. Some chargers will have a recovery phase in case the battery is inadvertently over-discharged and showing very low voltage.

Voltage Parameter

Finally, attention should be given to the voltage of a given charger at each phase of the charging cycle. AGM in general, and Fullriver AGM in particular takes a bit higher voltage range in the first two phases of charging (Bulk and Absorb) than a gel type battery but needs a lower float/finish voltage. Most charger makers readily share their voltage for each phase of charging. If you don’t see it anywhere obvious, a simple email to the manufacturer will usually do the trick.

The table below shows Fullriver’s acceptable voltage range, with the numbers in bold being our recommended voltage:

In summary, we have seen that pairing the right sized charger and battery can make a great difference in charging a battery as

The impact of these voltages will have less of an impact in lighter applications like RV and will be more critical in heavy use applications like golf/ev.

Fullriver Can Help

Fullriver offers a wide range of chargers with verified algorithms to ensure great charging results. If you’re having trouble finding the right charger for your application, please contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

We want to hear from you. Tell us your charging story. Did you know so much went into charging a battery?

How long does a Fullriver AGM battery last?

Not all AGM batteries are created equal. The difference between a Fullriver AGM and Brand X is often worlds apart. From the purity of the lead, or the thickness of the plates, to the extra time invested in the plate curing process. So, today we’ll talk about what we know on an intimate level, Fullriver premium AGM batteries.

Context, Context, Context.

How long? A question that humans have been asking seemingly since the beginning of time. How long will I live? How long until I can retire? And of course, the ubiquitous, “How long until we get there?” Questions like these are best answered by looking at the specifics of each situation. How long will I live? This largely depends on where and how you live and some good luck with your genetics. How long does an AGM battery last? While Fullriver batteries have a 10-year design life, this must be put into context with several factors.

Usage

First, let’s talk about usage of the battery. Any battery has a finite amount of energy it can give over its lifetime. If every time the battery is used it is drained completely, the amount of time the battery will last is less than if the battery was used moderately and then recharged.

Golf is a good example application to better understand the concept. Batteries used to play two to three rounds of golf before being recharged will not last nearly as long as a set of batteries used to play one round of golf before being recharged. The amount of energy removed from a battery is known as Depth of Discharge (DoD). Fullriver’s Cycle Life vs. DoD chart is a great reference for understanding the impact of battery usage:

Graph Pictured for Fullriver DC Series Batteries

We can see from the above chart how widely cycle life can vary based on usage. If every time the battery pack is used, it is discharged fully to 100%, we can expect ~450-500 cycles. Conversely, if only half of the usable energy is discharged, the cycle life will be somewhere around 1000 cyc

We could further discuss the impact that the rate of discharge has on the batteries (i.e., how fast the energy is removed from the batteries), but let’s keep this at a 30,000-foot view. Suffice it to say that the lower the energy demand on the battery, theoretically, the longer the usable life of the battery will be.

Charging

Charging is the fuel of a battery. Just like automobiles, high quality fuel produces the best performance and longevity. Charging batteries properly is perhaps the most important aspect of ensuring a set of batteries lasts as long as possible. A reputable charger should be used that includes an actual AGM setting. Avoid chargers that claim to charge any battery type using one generic algorithm. Additionally, the charger should at a minimum put out at least 10% of the battery’s rated capacity in amperage, but ideally the output will be closer to 25% of the rated capacity. Look for a charger that approximates our recommended voltage for each phase of charging.

A note about PSoC

It is critical that the batteries are not left discharged for long periods of time between usage, commonly referred to Partial State of Charge (PsoC). This does not mean that the second a battery has been discharged it must be recharged immediately, but it does mean that a battery should not sit for days until it is recharged. If battery usage is light, a complete, uninterrupted charge once a week should be sufficient. For heavier use applications, a complete charge cycle may be required daily.

Climate

Not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Of all battery chemistries, AGM batteries are documented to perform the best in the cold. While all chemistries suffer temporary capacity loss in the cold, AGM seems to fair the best when compared to lithium, flooded, or gel batteries. On the other end of the spectrum is, of course, heat. For any lead-acid battery, heat degrades cycle life. Specifically, every 12°C (22°F) over 25°C (77°F) can reduce battery life by as much as half. The Fullriver cycle life graph is based on cycling at a constant 25°C (77°F). In the real world, temperatures fluctuate by season, and even between night and day.

The right tool for the right job

Just like using a screwdriver that is one gauge too small or large can create frustration, and a stripped screw head occasionally, batteries are designed to tackle specific needs. Using an automotive starting battery to power a golf cart would be disastrous. But the design specification is even more tightly focused when it comes to deep-cycle and dual-purpose batteries.

Deep-cycle batteries like the Fullriver DC or EGL Series are designed to run a purely electrical application until their energy is depleted and then be recharged. They were designed to do this process on repeat, discharge, recharge, and so on. While they can start an engine reliably, this wasn’t part of their design intent. Plus, they can be more expensive when the extra cost may not be warranted.

Dual-purpose batteries like Fullriver’s Full Throttle series are a hybrid in that they are very capable when starting an engine, but they have a specialized grid design (Thin-plate, pure-lead) that also allows them to do some cycling. Full Throttle excels in applications like marine where they serve to start the engine and also need extra capacity to keep instruments running, especially with the engine off for short periods. For pure cyclic applications like mobility, they just won’t have as long of life as a true deep-cycle battery.

We can see that there are many factors to consider in predicting the life of a battery. Starting with the highest quality battery, and accounting for usage, charging, climate, and the needs of a specific application are all relevant to determining how long a battery is going to last. With all of these factors optimized, we can expect battery life to go on long after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired.

We want to hear from you! What has your experience with battery life been? How are you maximizing battery life?

How fast can you charge an AGM Battery?

How long does it take to charge an AGM battery? First, the good news, of all lead acid batteries available (Flooded, Gel, AGM), AGM charges faster and more efficiently than the others. However, there are a few important factors to consider before determining the answer to this question. Once these questions are answered, then we can estimate the time it will take to charge an AGM battery.

Size Matters?

The old saying “size matters” is very true when it comes to charging batteries. In AGM the physical size of the battery will typically indicate the amount of energy the battery can store. The more energy stored; the more energy that will need to be put back into the battery after it’s been used. For example, one of the smaller batteries from Fullriver is our DC35-12 (U1). At 420W/35Ah of stored capacity, the DC35-12 is approximately the size of two bricks stacked on top of each other. On the opposite end is our DC260-12 (8D), this beast holds 3,120W/260Ah, and is comparable in size to some laser jet printers.

The Red Cup

The next factor we must account for is the power output capability of the charger. Imagine it in terms of filling up a swimming pool with water and using a Solo Red Cup. But what if we were talking about a kiddie pool, nay a Barbie pool? Then the Red Cup might even be too big and harm the battery. Because we are returning energy to the battery, a 12V, 2A (24W) charge tender is going to take a lot longer to recharge a battery than a 12V, 25A (300W) charger, while at the same time using this 300W charger on the 420W DC35-12 is like filling the Barbie pool with a garden hose. Charging is all relative like our Red Cup analogy notes.

Goldilocks

And there’s one other thing to consider when choosing a charger, the Goldilocks principal. We don’t want to go too small (undercharge) or too big (overcharge), but we want it to be “just right”. Fullriver batteries can be charged with more amperage than a typical flooded or gel battery. We advise at a minimum 10% of rated capacity but recommend 25% in amp output from the charger (e.g., 100Ah battery should be charged with a minimum of 10A, but we recommend using a 25A charger to achieve 25%).

Are we there yet?

Finally, we can begin to answer the question that we started with using simple math. To determine how long it will take to charge an AGM battery, simply divide the rated capacity of the battery at the 20hr. rate by the amp output of the charger, and then multiply by 1.33 to account for the balancing phase of the charging and the natural aging of the battery.

Ah/A*1.33= ~Charge Time (H)

We’ll use our popular DC105-12, 12V, 105Ah battery, and assume it is discharged fully, recharging with a 25A charger:

100/25*1.33= ~5.58 or ~5hrs 30mins Of course, this accounts for a fully discharged battery, and gives a very good picture of how long recharging typically will take. In the real world you can perform this same exercise and get pretty close to the actual time by referencing the open circuit voltage (OCV) of the battery to our chart below:

In summary, we have seen that pairing the right sized charger and battery can make a great difference in charging a battery as quickly and efficiently as possible. Determining how much time recharging will take is just some simple math and a bit of estimation.

Did you already know this about recharging batteries? We’d love to hear some of your experiences with recharging batteries!

Make Sure Your Battery Isn’t An Anchor This Spring!

The new year is upon us, so there’s never been a better time to start addressing things you need to be prepared for what’s to come. Spring happens upon us very quickly, and you can beat the rush on essential gear and preparations now.

And this year, with the rampant supply chain and freight issues affecting every aspect of our lives, you will be best served by looking ahead to that one part that gets you moving and keeps you on the water – batteries!

Fullriver AGM has the only application specific lines built to perform for each of the different functions the Marine market demands, and it’s best you familiarize yourself with and secure your products now, rather than wait for every other boater, angler, and weekend warrior off the water looking to get out there first.

For your starting batteries and accessories, we recommend the high CCA, high Reserve Capacity Full Throttle (FT Series) AGM.

A thin-plate pure-lead monster, the FT Series comes in the widest range of sizes available, and is built for high shock and vibration. This allows our batteries to provide a clean start and consistent performance no matter if you are running a personal water craft, a jet boat, a twin outboard, a bass boat, a trawler… you get the idea.

And don’t worry about how many fish finders, coolers, speakers, or radars you run to make your time on the water productive – our industry leading Reserve Capacity will keep them running from sun up to sundown.

We can even provide power to run a bow thruster, but we recommend you add a separate battery for those little gremlins – they may not be a big machine, but they can cause some major problems if you don’t keep them in mind, so make sure you give them their own power supply so you don’t wind up running out of battery away from the dock, or run into some major damage when you get back.

A lot of us also have need for separate batteries to run trolling motors as we fish that perfect spot nobody else knows about, which is where our Deep Cycle products come in. The Fullriver DC Series and EGL Series are thick plate pure lead batteries designed for electric vehicles and motors, which is exactly what a trolling motor is.

Our competitors will try to get you sold on a ‘dual purpose’ battery, which may seem like a great option, except you don’t have ‘dual purpose’ applications – and the last thing you need when you are trying to reel big fish is having your boat float out of your sweet spot and having to light up your outboard to get back, scaring all the fish away in the process.

Photos courtesy of Offroad Power Products, which is based out of Spokane, WA.

Our DC Series and EGL Series lines – which, again, come in the widest range of sizes of any Deep Cycle Battery manufacturer – are made to provide long lasting, consistent power to electric motors, and come with the longest warranties in the industry – 2 year free in the DC Series, and 4 year free in the EGL.

So as you get ready to get back on the water in ’22, make sure you are prepared not just to get out there first, but to stay out there all year with a battery pack that will keep your boat out of the shop* with the right combination of power for your marine needs – Full Throttle, DC Series, and EGL Series AGM from Fullriver Battery.

*We cannot be held responsible for you winding up in the shop due to non-battery issues, like allowing your idiot cousin to drive your boat, or forgetting to untie from the dock before lighting up the engine. Yeah, we heard about that.