Group 27 AGM Batteries

[Ducati]

Question?

What is a Group 27 AGM Battery?

I was given a price for 2 of them installed for $490.00 + Tax.

Is that a fair number?

Thanks

 

[Snotter]

AGMs need less maintenance, can be charged quicker (provided you have the appropriate voltage regulators), weigh less, and stand up better in a pounding seaway than standard lead-acid batteries. Also, in advent of a capsize, there is no chance of battery acid getting all over everything and everybody. However, these benefits come at significant expense. If you aren't a blue water sailor and have no need to run your engine everyday to charge batteries, you will save much money by buying lead-acid.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Battery types

Try this: http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-battery-selection.html

"Installed?" Odd that since most of us can do that ourselves, especially with the smaller sized Grp 27 batteries. Perhaps you, like me, have a physical disability.

Installing two batteries and removing the existing ones, should be less than an hours work.

 

[Patrick17430]

Maybe he's mentally challenged like me. With the prices of those batteries being as high as they are, it looks to me like a he got a fair deal and they will install them for nothing. Unless they're crap.

 

[Joe]

Question?

What is a Group 27 AGM Battery?

Group 27 is the size, AGM is the type. Read this: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc.../10001/Selecting-a-Marine-Storage-Battery.htm

I was given a price for 2 of them installed for $490.00 + Tax.

Is that a fair number?

Yes, if they're going to deliver, install and exchange for the old batteries.

Thanks

You're welcome.

 

[Ron20324]

AGMs need a specific battery charging voltage/format that your present charger may not have- check that first. I agree with Snotter. Yeah, AGMs may charge faster, but if you're using amps up that quickly then I hope you can put size 29 or 31s in there for increase capacity. I went from size 24s to Exide brand 31s in my B323 and have never been lacking power since then. Nothing wrong with lead-acid batteries unless your batteries are in a terrible place to check the fluid once in a while.

 

[Roger Long]

AGMs need a specific battery charging voltage/format that your present charger may not have- check that first.

Not necessarily. They do quite well charging from regular alternator and a modern stage charger with just regular wet cell setting. Mine have been in since 2005 with many 8+ hour legs under power. The appear to be just as good as the day I put them in.

You do need to be careful that your voltage regulator is within specs and is not putting out over 14 volts. If you have a high draw system, refrigeration, big screen TV, stereo, big navigation system, etc. and are routinely drawing your system way down and trying to re-charge it at maximum rate, you may shorten the life of AGM batteries with wet cell charging cycles. If you are going to be driving your batteries that hard, you need monitors, sophisticated chargers and smart regulators on your alternator anyway and they will probably have an AGM profile you can set them to.

It is gel cells that absolutely must have special chargers. They are a different animal.

 

[Ed Schenck]

You do not state the amp-hour rating of your batteries. As seen in this link prices vary a lot: http://www.e-marine-inc.com/products/batteries/dekaagm.html . Prices must have gone up as I paid about $150. each for my 90ah AGMs. Thankfully I am able to install them myself as I have five of them.

I received eight years of service from my Gel batteries. They were still going strong but I changed them out when I left Lake Erie. I am hoping for ten years with the AGMs.

 

[shorty]

I paid $500 for the yard to put in two Group 31, 105AH Lifelines in 2006. I have a Yanmar 3GMF with a Hitachi 80A alternator internally regulated and all works fine so far. Also have 20W solar panel for maintenance in my absence. Described charging setup to Lifeline customer service & he said it sounded fine.
My draw is paltry by 2010 standards, mostly navigational & wheel pilot. LED's in cabin & navigation lights.
I think they're worth it.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Charging regimens for different battery types

Balmar has a good table that shows the different charging voltages for the bulk, absorption and float stages for various battery chemistry.

Go to this Balmar regulator page, then review the MC-612 manual, the bottom of one of the pages has a very good table with this info.

http://balmar.net/page15-maxchargemain.html

 

[Prime Time]

Other Advantages

AGMs also self discharge more slowly than wet cell batteries.
They also do not "gas" when charged properly and do not need to be vented.

 

[Jimm]

6V systems

While we're talking batteries, I'm about to convert to 2-6V (T-105) deep cycle batteries and a third isolated 12V starting battery with the associated switching and alternator/regulator changes on my Cat30
Any one here have experience with such an arrangement?

 

[Tom Spohn]

Jimm--I have two 6volt GC2 batteries in series for the house and a single 12 volt for starting on my 35' boat. They are wired to a "combiner" that separates the batteries when there is no charging current available and combines them when a charging current is present. This makes a very simple setup and eliminates the need to remember switching back and forth. For safety you can wire in a switch to turn off all the batteries.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...Primary Search/mode matchallpartial/0/0?N=377 710&Ne=0&Ntt=battery combiner&Ntk=Primary Search&Ntx=mode matchallpartial&Nao=0&Ns=0&keyword=battery combiner&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5002&subdeptNum=9&classNum=12106

 

[Stu Jackson]

Electrical Systems Wiring Diagrams

While we're talking batteries, I'm about to convert to 2-6V (T-105) deep cycle batteries and a third isolated 12V starting battery with the associated switching and alternator/regulator changes on my Cat30
Any one here have experience with such an arrangement?

We just had this discussion, it occurs regularly.

Try this and follow the links in it for good discussions about wiring arrangements: http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=114941

The golf carts are great batteries. Do a search if you want more info on those.

Combiners are great for connecting battery banks, but an echo charger is superior to limit current to the reserve bank.

Remove your alternator output from the 1-2-B switch and send it to the house bank, use a combiner with a switch in the ground leg to turn it off if motoring for long periods, an echo charger or a simple switch; keep the 1-2-B switch.

Draw a wiring diagram.