Anyone use gel type batteries ?
What do you think of them ?
I helped my daughter replace a dead battery in her Escalade.
Her husband wanted a gel battery.
It was $220 vs $160 for a lead acid battery.
She went with the traditional battery.
My experience with low maintenance batteries was that they do not last as long.
You are the chemist, why ask us. You have experience with them so why ask?
Aren’t the gel types quite a bit more expensive? It seems like the flooded design is a better choice unless you have a reason to use a gel type, like you want to use it for 4wd off road use, sailplanes, boats in rough seas, etc, where a flooded type might spill over.
Maybe your experience but that opinion is not shared in general.
A gel cell battery is nothing but a different type of a lead acid battery. Both contain electrolyte. The major difference is that a gel-type battery holds a charge much longer. Unlike a wet-cell battery the gel-type contains…just what it says…a gel. They don’t leak and you could literally mount them upside-down. I can’t imagine that they are worth the extra cost, but that’s just me.
Cost is no problem. They own an Escalade. $220 is walking around money.
Isn’t there a gel type, and a gel-mat type?
My reply was directed to those who respond in a cheerful manner.
According to my daughter, many things break down with it.
I recommended buying foreign.
Gel cells are more expensive, seem to provide greater initial amps, but rated as lower cca. Money no matter go for it, it should be fine, may be better, but I have not seen enough info to convince me to buy one.
Are you talking about Optima batteries?
We have some of them in our fleet, and they generally last a few years longer, versus the more traditional batteries
You may be thinking of an Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery. It’s similar to a gel battery, but I don’t have details.
Optima batteries are of gel-type, yes. The AGM type.
Gentlemen,
Thanks for the info.
A new Escalade has a MSRP of $73,400 and therefore even a used one is very expensive. If they can afford the Escalade, they can afford the gel battery and the repairs they need. I’ve read that the most popular luxury SUV is the Range Rover, despite the high upkeep cost. People that can afford luxury SUVs can usually afford the maintenance and repairs.
You made an assumption that the car was new.
2008 Cadillac Escalade
100K
Trade in value 16K
There’s absolutely no reason whatsoever to rethink her decision. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with her having gotten a traditional battery.
As others have already pointed out, gel batteries and absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries are just of a different design. Gel and AGM batteries are less prone to problems if subjected to water, however this is an Escalade… not a boat. Well, some would call it a “boat” but that’s a different discussion. 
I’ve attached a link to a site that describes batteries and also contains links to other resources. You might find it interesting.
Thanks the_same_mountainbik for the link.
I have heard the term “land boat” to describe some of the bigger vehicles.
She got rid of the Hummer they had.
It was sturdily built, but the gas fill ups put the hurt on the finances.
LOL, I loved the Hummer comment! 
Thanks for understanding that my comment was meant in humor and not meant as a criticism. I would fight for her right to buy a “land yacht” even if it isn’t what I’d choose.
I guess she help keep Americans employed in the oil industry. 
Well, if things are going wrong with the car already, then spending extra on a battery that might outlive the car would not had been wise.