Whats the hatered of AGM cells?
My main bank for the last 3 years has been 24 x 500AH 2V AGM cells.
I have a slightly over 10' turbine (1KW nominal, produces a little over that in a good wind), and until recently, 660W odd of PV.
I also drive a 5KW (continuous rated, 10KW peak) inverter off this battery.
I have never had a dumpload or charge controller on the system - partly because I always used more than I made, and partly because there's usually someone here to kick on extra load in the (unlikely) event we had surplus.
I've just installed another 1200W of PV and for the first time ever, have more power than base load, and I concede I've just purchased a charge controller - partly to get the most out of my array, and partly to protect the battery from potential damaging overcharge conditions.
My AGMs were not new when I got them, they've so far been keeping up with two charge/discharge cycles every day (sometimes 3) - so thats over 2200 cycles that I've given them (I know not how many before I got them). Thats way better than I got out of my trojan T105 cells, yet these have had no real maintenance or mollycoddling.
I too was warned of how "delicate" they are, but have to say I've been far from unhappy with them.
RossW