JoeM

I can comment on Omnipower Batteries. Worst batteries I ever bought. Bought 6 of them from Sinetech. Was not cheap (-apparently they wholesale them-). Six batteries was a bit of an overkill for running my laptop, fridge and led lights in the case the well known 4 hour load shedding cycles of Eskom. Was constantly connected to a pure sinewave inverter with an intelligent charging algorithm which was set for AGM batteries and charging at the lower end specified for omnipower batteries for float and bulk. After 2/3 years those batteries were basically dead. Called Sinetech Strijdompark and they told me I abused the batteries and denied all the high end specs advertised, basically saying that because it experienced one low voltage cut out from the inverter they were fried. Bullshit. When I spoke to a solar energy shop about it the other day they told me they heard similar experiences from sinetech and omnipower batteries. I just decided I will never buy from sinetech and never an omnipower battery again. I open the batteries and saw they bone dry. Gassing should never occur in the light way I used them and not at the lower end of the specified charging range. I added distilled water and recovered 5% of capacity that is basically very little. I have them on a desulfator to see if any capacity can be recovered. Based on the voltages I can see there are no dead cells. Provide high voltage but no Ah. Currently I am looking at buying either flooded batteries, because they will last if you keep them charged and has the ability to top up water; or a diesel generator that will cost less than 6 omnipower batteries and less noisy than my petrol generator. It is just not worth it to buy 6 omnipower batteries every 2 or 3 years at R21k that are maintenance free with unproven high end Chinese specs that means nothing. AGM "maintenance free" means actually you CANNOT maintain them. Like buying a car but cannot change or top up the oil. Its not a plus. If you look at the videos from Rolls that are manufacturing gel, agm and flooded batteries, they say you only buy an AGM when you are not in the position to top up water every few months like a cabin in the woods otherwise you buy flooded. Unless there is a SANS spec or SABS tested, dont believe the omipower marketing brochures.