Battery
- Thread starter msturner
- Start date
Seemingly simple questions are often more complex. Before anyone can give you an insightful answer they will need more information.
What kind of sailing do you do?
Are you at a dock with shore power or a mooring?
What kind of charger do you have?
What kind of alternator do you have?
Do you have solar?
Do you a good battery monitoring system?
How much. room do you have for batteries?
Are you interested in modernizing the DC electrical system?
What kind of sailing do you do?
Are you at a dock with shore power or a mooring?
What kind of charger do you have?
What kind of alternator do you have?
Do you have solar?
Do you a good battery monitoring system?
How much. room do you have for batteries?
Are you interested in modernizing the DC electrical system?
An alternative answer might depend on how you use them. Group size 4D 12-volt flooded makes a good house battery if you’re doing limited-range cruising. Another (better) option is to wire two 6-volt deep-cycle golf cart batteries in series to get 12 volts to use as house batteries. If you don’t have refrigeration to keep up you probably don’t need two 12-volt house batteries, but do get a separate 12-volt starting (cranking) battery. So, maybe two battery “sets” that can deliver 12 volts each.
I had a Hunter 280 that spent most of the time on shore power and was primarily day sailed. She had modest power needs…no refrigerator. No solar, just a battery charger when on shore power.
I used a pair of Group 27 12-volt batteries, wired through a 1-2-both-off switches.
On my current boat, I had something similar, but I switched to a pair of 6-volt golf cart batteries, wired in series to give me a 12 volt bank. I do not have an engine start battery though in this configuration. I plan to add one this year, but be aware that you could run down the bank and not be able,to start the engine.
Greg
I used a pair of Group 27 12-volt batteries, wired through a 1-2-both-off switches.
On my current boat, I had something similar, but I switched to a pair of 6-volt golf cart batteries, wired in series to give me a 12 volt bank. I do not have an engine start battery though in this configuration. I plan to add one this year, but be aware that you could run down the bank and not be able,to start the engine.
Greg
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,270
For a literal answer to your query...
If you need stored electrical DC power for temporary use than any auto, big box store, or battery store can provide a replacement for about $80. Different batteries will provide the power for different lengths of time. All of it dependent on the many factors listed above.
It is likely you posted a simple query.... The best answer depends on you and your intended usage.
If you need stored electrical DC power for temporary use than any auto, big box store, or battery store can provide a replacement for about $80. Different batteries will provide the power for different lengths of time. All of it dependent on the many factors listed above.
It is likely you posted a simple query.... The best answer depends on you and your intended usage.
Go to the big box and get a couple of identical 12v deep cycle (so-called) flooded lead acid batteries, with the same date on them. You can run one as house and the other as starter, or because they're identical, you can run them on "both".
You could go to Sam's or the equivalent and get the Duracell Brand. They're a rebranded battery, but from a decent manufacturer.
There are more complex solutions, but if you had some specific/complex requirements, you would have said so, right?
You could go to Sam's or the equivalent and get the Duracell Brand. They're a rebranded battery, but from a decent manufacturer.
There are more complex solutions, but if you had some specific/complex requirements, you would have said so, right?
In my applications I've found I get 6 years out of FLA batteries and 10 years from AGM's and they don't need water added or leak. Your boat probably uses group 27 batteries, if you have room you may fit a slightly larger 29 or 31. Unless you've added refrigeration or some large load like it, 27's should work well.
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I have been using Duracell AGM batteries from Sam's club with good results at a reasonable price point. They are group 31's (105 amp). The first set lasted 8 years and were totally abused. I avoided a 4D setup because the heavy weight prevented me from installing myself. As others have stated, the size of your bank will be determined by your onboard power requirements, charging systems, etc.
Please describe the 12 volt battery bank(s) system presently in use. Also the AC system. Do you have a shore power charger in use?
What sort of DC charging do you have now?
Makes me wonder why someone would ask such a vague question without bothering to respond with essential information necessary to obtain a useful answer. Seems like some folks think everyone else’s time is worthless.
This is actually pretty funny. The guy asks what seems like it could be the simplest of questions and a bunch of sailboat owner gurus respond with all these complicated questions about chargers, alternators, battery monitoring, golf carts, FLA, AGM, 4D, yada yada yada. (I'm including myself in this crowd!
).The guy may be thinking ... "sheesh what am I getting into?" Probably the simplest answer to this question is "just go over to Walmart and pick-up one of those 12v batteries that says Deep Cycle on the side."
I've done it (picked up a pair of Walmart batteries) in the past ... they lasted maybe 3 years while I undercharged the batts with no shore power. It wasn't the most painful mistake I've ever made! 
The problem with 4D & 8D flooded batteries are that most of them are not deep-cycle batteries. The ones that actually are deep-cycle, Dyno & Rolls are very expensive. For this reason 6V golf car batteries are by far the best bang for the buck..
What is a Deep-Cycle Battery?
Same as Tally Hoo, 2 group 27 deep cycle batteries were more than enough for the h27. The 15Amp Hitachi alternator was adequate to recharge the batteries without robbing the single cylinder 6HP engine from too much power.