Battery choices

[sailaway78]

removehtml]It is about time for me to start thinking about replacing batteries on my house bank. Going to go with golf cart's, for a 400+ah bank. I was in Sam's today, and they have the Exide golf carts for 66 bucks. 220ah. Does anyone have any experience with these as opposed to the Trojans. Performance, life span, etc. Or are they all the same. Error: Error: expected [/URL], but found [/removehtml] instead[/removehtml]

 

[ITMaster]

2 4 D's

For $100 each vs. how many golf cart batteries at $66 each? We have wondered about the golf cart batteries that everybody talks about, but I have the room for the 4D's built into the boat. To change, I have to do serious modification and I doubt that 4 golf cart batteries would fit in the battery compartment made for the 4D's and 4 golf cart batteries would run me more than $200.

 

[RAD]

what I did

I went to a golf cart dealer/repair place that I had done work at and talked to the owner about what he would recommend and Trojan was the only choice and his batterys are fresh cause of the turn around I bought a pair for an electric bucket truck and I'm very impressed with the long life I get out of them and when my group 31's in the boat are ready to be replaced I'm going with 4 T105 Trojans

 

[Landsend]

I've used the Sams golf cart batteries and they seem fine.

Had to build a special battery box, and if you install they off the centerline of the boat they will alter the trim of the boat because they are very heavy

 

[Daryl]

Sam's Golf Cart Batteries

Mine are five years old and still keep the beer cold

 

[Brian D]

I don't use the golf cart batteries...

Just the regular Gp27 type, but I got mine at Walmart and have had zero problems. So you might want to look there also.Just my 2¢ worth.

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Nice, if you're like me

you've yet to set foot in a Walmart or Sams.(same thing) So, going with the Trojans is cool. I replaced my T105's with T115's. They're taller with the same footprint as the 105's so they have more capacity. Have fun.

 

[Don]

I use Exide batteries

I got 6 years on the first set of 6 volts, but I let them run dry. My current batteries are 7 years old and seem to be doing fine. I have refrigeration and frequently run them down to 50% of charge. Many like their Trojans, but I don't think they are worth the extra $$.

 

[Tim Welsh]

Mastervolt AGM's

I'm currently using 2 Mastervolt AGMS they are like a group 31 90 amp hours apiece. then 5 exide group 24 agm's they are only like 50 amp hours apiece. It's about a thousand dollar investment, but I have no problem with running inverters, microwaves, high end stereos reefer or anything. I do need do do some solar panels for extended periods away from the dock.Tim WelshHunter 34S/V Cabo Wabo

 

[larry w]

I use two 8D Trojans

to get 430AH. A smart charger and a smart regulator and I have no problems, but like any wet cell, you have to check the water. If you never have to replace water, the batts are not being charged hard enough.

 

[Brian D]

Got me confused on this one...

"If you never have to replace water, the batts are not being charged hard enough."How can you charge your batteries "hard enough"? I leave my battery switch off while in port and run a trickle charge. My bilge pump is directly connected to the batteries and is seldom used. So my draw on the pump is nothing. I haven't touched the water in the batteries since I purchased them. The batteries are cool to the touch, unlike my last set that could never keep water in them.So, could you help me out here and explain in layman terms what you mean by "hard enough"? Thanks

 

[Wally]

4 D's for $100???

Where can you get deep cycle 4D's for $100 ea? My last ones were ~$180.

 

[Chris Burti]

Think about Exide COM-4D-P

Caution...this suggestion deviates from accepted wisdom.Bought 2 of them last year for $118 ea. with trade. They have 25% more CCA, CA and RC@25amps than their Nautilus 4D deep cycle counterparts. They are constructed with same glass mat shock protection for less money.Check the specs on Excides website. My understanding of battery technology is that "deep cycle" batteries are built with heavier plates to withstand the repeated running down and charging cycles. I suspect (and essentially have bet)Marine DC's can be equated to a certain extent with the heavier plates, you get those in these commercial heavy truck batteries.I don't think Exide is likely to come out and say so, but I have found them to be a good choice so far. If they fail prematurely, I'll post a MY BAD right here.

 

[gr8_2_av8]

My question

If you have (2) 6 volt @ 220ah each battery and hook them to a 12 volt system do they provide 440ah or 220ah total????

 

[Fred Ficarra]

220 amps @12VDC. And

110amp hours @ 24VDC. Simple pattern, Huh?

 

[RAD]

This is really simple, but it's amazing how many boaters screw it all up

In series, volts increase; amps remain the same.In parallel, amps increase; volts remain the same.In Parallel: you connect the (+) of one 12vbat to the (+) of the other. Connect (-) of one to the (-) of the other. You will then have still have a 12volt bat, but with greater amp hour capacity. This is now an ordinary 12V bat, except that instead of being in one "box," it is in two boxes.In Series: If you were to hook two 12 volt batteries in series, you'd have 24 volts. Clearly not the thing to do unless you have a bus conversion or custom rig that uses 24Volts. However, many RVers use 6 volt (usually golf cart) batteries. E.G., Two 105AH 6v in series would still = about 105AH but @ a nominal 12V.

 

[r.w.landau]

The thng that is not mentioned here is how you use your batteries

The ammount of power you get from a battery is directely connected to how fast you pull power from them.Batteries drained slowly will last longer. Batteries drained quickly will have a hard time keeping up with the ,chemically, discharge rate.Two 110 amp/hr 6 volt batteries will handle discharge better than a single 110 amp/hr 12 volt battery. That is why they use the 6 volt batteries in golf carts.just something to think about.r.w.landau

 

[CalebD]

Hello? Anyone who does not know the difference

between series vs. parallel wired circuits and probably did not take physics or much science. You will find out the problems associated with mis-wiring a battery bank (rebuilt alternator). Just don't ask me how I know this the it rum answered. It was my friends boat and I watched the alternator diodes fry as the battery bank was was set up incorrectly. A little bit of smoke came out of the alternator which I could see as I was watching the engine from the cabin. The diodes in the alternator had turned to toast and once removed and brought to a shop in Annapolis and re-built I did not recognize it. It was so clean and worked wonderfully for about $250 or less than the cost of a new alternator of marine grade.Once the house bank of 6V GC batteries were replaced ($250 - ?) in SERIES to the 12V starting battery in PARALLEL set up by me in their proper sequence with the refurbished alternator that Universal diesel had no problems starting. Do your homework and hook your wiring up right the first time.

 

[Brian D]

Well CalebD, that's the problem...

You are not suppose to let the smoke out of diodes. That is how they work. That is how all electronic work. Once you let the smoke out, they no longer work.

 

[Ross]

There is a station on the production line

where they install a puff of smoke in each electrical component. That is what makes them all work. If you let the puff of smoke out they don't work any more and you have to send them back for a refill.