But it is also suspicious that AGM battery prices have continued to be set at more than double that of wet lead given the reduced lead needed for the same capacity.
Bruce, i suspect battery pricing has nothing to do with manufacturing cost, but Watt hours capacity.... watt they can get away with consumers.
Here is a lead carbon for sale here in NZ
https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/caravans-motorhomes/parts-accessories/batteries-inverters/auction-1448246050.htmthats 120 ah 12 volt at $960nz This price seems excessive for a little added carbon when a normal 115ah 12 volt from the same retail outlet is $305..... or 1/3rd the price
https://www.trademe.co.nz/business-farming-industry/industrial/generators-power-supply/solar/auction-1448245446.htmThe first is rated at the full 120 ah at 100 percent DOD whereas the second is usually expected to supply whatever at around 30 percent DoD normally.
I cannot figure out the chemistry of these, carbon is inert, im thinking its presence is more mechanical, the carbon disrupting and preventing sulphate crystals to form/link in the negative plates, thereby keeping them in solution.
The supercapacitor reference I think is rubbish.
on a related note....
I have over time, as most of us have, tried the battery revitalisation thing.
I have had good success with this
Short out the faulty battery for several days.
Connect it BACKWARDS to a cheap old school non intelligent charger.
Charge it for a few days at low current, a few amps is fine.
Short the battery again, then charge normally with correct polarity.
The idea of this, sulphation can only occur on the negative plates, reversing polarity causes the sulphates to either dissolve, or drop to the bottom.