Yes . . . every installer that gave me install quotes was pushing the Power Battery AGMs. I refused them.
I'm not saying they are necessarily bad batteries. What I am saying it they have a worse track record then cheaper conventional flooded lead-acid batteries. They don't last as long and cost more. The AGMs are intolerant to slight "mishaps" with charging and discharging. The advantages are - cheaper shipping since they are sealed, do not need venting because they are sealed, and the makers give better markup and incentives to installers.
In your situation - since your batteries are for backup only - having AGMs probably won't matter much one way or the other. If you were off-grid and used them on a daily basis - I'd tell you it's a waste of money to have them.
Your installer must be relatively new. Back maybe four years ago when I put in my system, I had a list of every certified installer in NY. He is not on that list.
Since I know nothing about your installer, I can't comment. He might be a real good guy.
Note though that when I had my system all planned out - I had 8 different companies come here to give me install quotes. All 8 were wrong on many issues - especially how many panels I needed. NY is full of micro-climates and just 10 miles one way or the other can make a difference in yearly sunlight. I've been here 35 years and have paid attention. NY incentives want you to install a system that can produce 110% of your annual usage. I figured I needed 5400 watts of panels. All 8 installers insisted on 3400 watts and I told them to get lost. That's when I found the new installers from Burdett and convinced them to do it with my plan. Well ?? Four years now and it's been 110% every year. My figures were dead-on and the 8 "Pro" installers were all wrong. I also bought my own panels and did not let the installers get a huge mark-up on them. That is also not easy to do with some installers. I figured with some of the quotes I got - they were figuring a labor rate of $200 an hour per person and 30% markup on components.
By the way, when I did mine I had to design my own battery backup system. It was uncommon then. Many if not most installers only want to install pre-engineered kits shipped from Sun-Wize in Kingston. I suspect maybe now that has changed?
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