this seems like something worth looking into given a golf cart battery has to truly be a deep cycle battery. on the other hand I do believe in capitalism so I don't understand why the folks who make golf cart batteries don't slap a marine label on them and advertise actual data about them being better deep cycle batteries. Can anyone resolve this for me? seems weird since the boat market I think is huge compared to the golf cart market.
Are golf cart batteries better than marine batteries
- Thread starter Ted10028
- Start date
Needing a marketing label is for folks who choose not to understand the properties of their selection.
Batteries labeled Golf Cart is marketing to a specific channel. They are simply 6V deep cycle batteries.
Here is a suggested Manufacture. Trojan Battery | T-105 6V Flooded Battery
Simple. 6V battery. HERE IS THE MARKETING
The T-105 6V deep cycle flooded lead acid battery provides rugged durability and excellent performance in a variety of applications, such as Recreational Vehicles, Floor Cleaning Machines, or Solar.
NO GOLF CART LABEL… but is used by many golf courses to power their golf carts.A look in the battery boxes of boats you are likely to find them as well.
Relative to the Golf Cart market, the marine market is minuscule. Not worth the marketing effort and expense. The same companies who make GC batteries also make 12v Marine Batteries which West Marine sells at inflated prices to naive boaters. It is at once capitalism at its best and worst. If I were in the market for GC batteries I would look to source them from a dealer who dealt with large volumes of GC batteries, the batteries would be fresher and cheaper than a GC battery with a Marine label. That's good consumerism.
Experienced sailors learn from their experience and from listening to those who are experts in their field, like Nigel Calder, Rod Collins, the folks at Panbo, Steve D'Antonio and others. From them, we have learned the pros and cons of various battery chemistries and forms, how to safely install an optimize our systems, and myriad other bits of information which make our sailing and cruising experiences safer and more pleasurable, Thanks guys!
so would you suggest golf cart batteries and a high cranking battery for a sailboat?
I chose a different approach. Studying the battery specs for “Sweeper batteries “, a local source makes and sells at their plant, 12v deep cycle batteries 135amp hrs in a Group 27 sized box. Two of these gives me 270amp hrs, priced competitively.
Two 6v GC batteries gives me 235 amp hrs.
Plus if one Grp27 battery fails I still can supply 12v to my boat system.
Being a capitalist consumer, armed with knowledge from marine experts, I found the details that optimize my system and minimize my costs by ignoring labels and focusing on manufacturing specifications
addendum:
Two 6v GC batteries gives me 235 amp hrs.
Plus if one Grp27 battery fails I still can supply 12v to my boat system.
Being a capitalist consumer, armed with knowledge from marine experts, I found the details that optimize my system and minimize my costs by ignoring labels and focusing on manufacturing specifications
addendum:
Time and Cost for converting dual 12v house bank to 4 6v's?
can those who have done this project give me an idea of what the time involved and costs would be for this job ? I won't factor in battery cost , since th home batterie are done. So i have to replace my house bank with two 8Ds at 220 aH each, or my...
forums.sailboatowners.com
Ted, it is a good choice but one of many OPTIONS. Like asking "What's the BEST?" which is areally a silly question.
Ted, Dave "nailed it" ^^^ Many of us here are "experienced" sailors, and have been "around the block" at least once if not more.
We are more than happy to share what we've learned. Here's one of my contributions:Electrical Systems 101 Electrical Systems 101
It starts off with this:
Over the past decade or more, "regular" electrical topics come up repeatedly. In developing responses to questions, many of us use the handy links to earlier discussions. I've developed this "Electrical 101" topic, which is a group of links to popular subjects and those discussions. Many of them include links to other websites and message boards, since boat electrical systems are not boat-specific. Many thanks to Maine Sail, not only for his contributions to this message board, but for his "Musings with Maine Sail" on www.catalinaowners.com
Musings With Maine Sail and his own website: Marine How To - DIY for Boaters - Marine How To
You could buy a few good books (see Reply #7 below), or you could read this stuff.
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obviously i'm not really interested in reading books on every boat topic that comes up. I just need a good answer to basic questions. thanksTed, it is a good choice but one of many OPTIONS. Like asking "What's the BEST?" which is areally a silly question.
Ted, Dave "nailed it" ^^^ Many of us here are "experienced" sailors, and have been "around the block" at least once if not more.
Electrical Systems 101 Electrical Systems 101
It starts off with this:
Over the past decade or more, "regular" electrical topics come up repeatedly. In developing responses to questions, many of us use the handy links to earlier discussions. I've developed this "Electrical 101" topic, which is a group of links to popular subjects and those discussions. Many of them include links to other websites and message boards, since boat electrical systems are not boat-specific. Many thanks to Maine Sail, not only for his contributions to this message board, but for his "Musings with Maine Sail" on www.catalinaowners.com
Musings With Maine Sail and his own website: Marine How To - DIY for Boaters - Marine How To
You could buy a few good books (see Reply #7 below), or you could read this stuff.Good luck.
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Always remember to provide contributions which will help others. Your experiences and outcomes of how you have tackled your original questions can be helpful to others on "what not to" or "what to do" . In my opinion, don't be a taker all the time, be a giver as well. Just saying.
Ted, I think twoduz answered you in a kindly manner. My answer is: did you really get through school by having someone else do your homework for you?
obviously I don't want to do homework on every boat topic. that would take a lifetime.Ted, I think twoduz answered you in a kindly manner. My answer is: did you really get through school by having someone else do your homework for you?
As you can tell from the responses, golf cart batteries are known to be a preferred option for many. I don't know if they work on our boat without significant modifications. As I said in an earlier post, the battery pans are obviously located under the stbd settee and there is limited vertical clearance. I know the 6 volt batts are significantly taller than the standard 12v sizes. I imagine that is how they pack in greater capacity in a limited footprint but it doesn't always work for boat layouts, which are not typically designed for the 6v battery configuration.
I think somebody suggested that their 6v batts are at least 11 inches tall. I don't think we have the vertical clearance under the settee. You can reinvent the wheel regarding the layout, but that may not be worth the effort.
I think somebody suggested that their 6v batts are at least 11 inches tall. I don't think we have the vertical clearance under the settee. You can reinvent the wheel regarding the layout, but that may not be worth the effort.
Most (all?) battery manufacturers publish data about the battery's size and weight.
Here is some data from East Penn.
Here is some data from East Penn.
For many of us, sailing is our lifetime pursuit.
A saying I heard a long time ago that always stuck with me goes like this "Skiing is not just sport, it's a way of life". The same goes for sailing. If you don't relish the homework, what is the point?
Yep, 11" ... I've never really settled the question that I always have ... is the height to the top of the casing or is it to the top of the studs? My current batts measure 9.5" to top of casing but 10.5" to top of studs. Any higher than 10.5" and my hatch cover (Ted's neither) won't seat properly. 11" isn't the end of it in any case. That's not even considering the height of an enclosed battery box, since that is what you should have for wet cell batts.
Maybe not in Norwalk but in many parts of the country the golf cart market dwarfs the boating market and both are trivial compared with the market for deep cycle batteries. I’d suggest you drop the reference to “marine” batteries as there really isn’t any such animal - they are generally deep cycle batteries marketed to the uninformed. The only thing “marine” batteries are better at is increased retail revenue.
I have two Duracell Golf Cart batteries and highly recommend them - they are 11 inches tall so don't fit in a lot of boats without some modification. I would look into Jssailem's sweeper batteries as the Group 27 size is easy to fit in most boats - this along with a starter battery would be a good "general" solution for many boat owners and much better than the stock set-up - especially as you don't want to get into the details since most other options would be more complicated. Reminds me of a great line from Laugh-in:
Dan Rowan: Goldie, what's the difference between ignorance and apathy.
Goldie Hawn: I don't know and I don't care.
Dan Rowan: Goldie, what's the difference between ignorance and apathy.
Goldie Hawn: I don't know and I don't care.
When going "off label" on a battery it is important to understand what the battery was designed for. The characteristics to look for are service life, i.e., what kind of charge cycles are expected and how they are going to be used. GC batteries work on boats because like golf carts there are heavy drains on the battery and the batteries get bounced around a lot.
Other high quality batteries are really ill suited for boats. A while back a member asked about his very expensive Thin Plate Pure Lead AGM batteries that had died quickly. A little research into the battery revealed it was designed for the telecommunications industry to keep cell phone towers running during power outages. It was designed to be on a charger all the time and at 100% SOC until it was needed. It was not designed to be subjected to frequent deep discharges and was designed to sit on a shelf that didn't move around much. No wonder it died an early death.
So much to learn and read to manage the systems on our boats. Somedays I just want to hop in a Flying Scot and sail and not be concerned batteries and chargers and diesels, and smelly heads.
Another consideration (YMMV) is the lug factor. The golf-cart battery is lighter. If you have to lug the batter up over a gunwale, then down a companionway ... lifting and carying two smaller 6V batteries (one at a time) might be a real plus over a single (heavier) 12 V.