car batteries

tiempo2010 · Jul 11, 2013

Nothing wrong with WalMart or CostCo batteries - but the best bang for the
buck is their golf cart 6 volt batteries, around $85 each at CostCo. Better
than any affordable deep cycle and much better than any starting battery.

n6ric · Jul 11, 2013

Deep cycle (and 6v golf cart) batteries have thicker lead plates and give up the current more slowly and will hold a charge longer. Starting batteries have thinner plates and give up the current more quickly as starting draws a lot of current. Car/starting batteries can't be discharged as deeply or as many times as deep cycle batteries. You definitely want deep cycle/6v batteries for your house batteries.

Ric
s/v Blue Max
#2692
www.ric-maxfield.net

dougpol1 · Jul 12, 2013

I agree golf cart batteries and good deep cycle batteries are better than starting batteries with out a doubt, His argument is that the car batteries as the same 2 to three years as the marine/deep cycle batteries last and if they don't last 3 years they replace them. He says he told them he was going to put them in a boat and they told him they were guarantee 3 years. I am thinking maybe the cheapest thing you can buy if it's guaranteed might be the best even it it don't last. DougOn Thu, 11 Jul 2013 19:55:39 -0700
Brian Stannard brianstannard@... wrote:

imbissfrank · Jul 12, 2013

Personally, when I lived aboard Cin Cin, I always bought car batteries from K-Mart and elsewhere, and they worked for me. Had to replace them every few years, but what the hey ....MSG Frank Gallardo Jr.
Casualty Assistance Officer
Berlin Military Community
U.S. Army Special Forces Retired

________________________________
From: Douglas Pollard dougpol2@...
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2013 4:14 PM
Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] car batteries

I agree golf cart batteries and good deep cycle batteries are better than starting batteries with out a doubt, His argument is that the car batteries as the same 2 to three years as the marine/deep cycle batteries last and if they don't last 3 years they replace them. He says he told them he was going to put them in a boat and they told him they were guarantee 3 years. I am thinking maybe the cheapest thing you can buy if it's guaranteed might be the best even it it don't last. Doug

On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 19:55:39 -0700
Brian Stannard mailto:brianstannard%40gmail.com wrote:

n6ric · Jul 12, 2013

You can get the same type of warranty from Sams Club or Costco on their 6v batteries. I got two 200ah 6v batteries from Sams Club for $74 each and they have held up great. I've used them for my Ham Radio, at several Field Days, and as a UPS backup in my home office. You can't get that number of amp hours in a car battery for that price. And it always comes down to amp hours...

Ric
s/v Blue Max
#2692
www.ric-maxfield.net

tiempo2010 · Jul 12, 2013

Ric is right. Most golf carts I have seen or installed are 225 to 245 AH.
The ones we sell in Victoria are 242 AH. The Costco golf carts I have
installed for customers are 240 AH.

As far as durability and longevity, if they don't last more than 3 years
you are doing something wrong or have charging system issues. They should
last 4 to 5 years at a minimum. Golf carts should last 5 to 8 years or
longer if charged fully on a regular basis and fluid levels kept up
monthly, with a proper charging system of course.

dougpol1 · Jul 13, 2013

Well really for a smallish 27 ft boat like a Vega with todays Led lights if electrical use is kept down the original small starting battery and a larger house battery that is really likely all that is needed. I have three batteries and they are all in the starboard locker under the seat where it is very hard to check fluid levels. To use batteries that have to be checked is kind of hard. I guess I could take a mirror down in there and see water levels?? Had the batteries not been put in the cockpit I likely would have put two agm batteries down in the keel likely a group 24 starting and a group 27 or 31 if it would fit for the house there is not room for two 6 volt batteries unless they were really small. This would also put the weight down low where it belongs. MY fuel is gravity feed so I don't even need power to run a fuel pump. Likely with a solar panel I could run a small refrigerator if I wanted one though a single battery with that kind of load might be a problem.
I think the whole thing is one of trying to have too much electrical's. I came from a time when there were none on board. That worked really well too. There wasn't a generator and there was no battery. The gasoline engine had only a magneto. I would like that but my wife would have a fit

I am really surprised to here that you can buy Golfcart batteries for $75 that really puts another light on batteries. Still I never intended to use car starting batteries. Since the subject came up I brought it up here. My thinking is to go the AGM route as their is no maintenance, just use them. The big thing with Prevailer Gelcell batteries was that the were fully guaranteed for 5 years back in the early 1990's. ( not prorated) Of course you paid for it! Doug

On Sat, 13 Jul 2013 03:10:48 -0000
"Ric" n6ric@... wrote:

dougpol1 · Jul 13, 2013

I have done a lot of reading on batteries and one thing I keep seeing is that the better quality batteries are heavier. Trojan Group 27 deep cycle batteries weigh about 65lbs more or less a pound or two. The discount batteries often weigh around 52 lbs more or less. There is a claim that they both have thick plates but the cheaper batteries are high porosity plates so actually have less lead in them. Obviously none of this matters if you guys are getting five years out of batteries. A thing I am thinking is the higher maintenance batteries are lasting longer in lead acid ones. So it seems that maintenance free is paid for by shorter life. Good quality AGM batteries are expensive probably only a little cheaper than Gelcells. The advantage being not that they last longer but that you can shove them in a locker and forget about them a until they begin to fail. This is what is being paid for. I know how long Gel cells last but I don't really know about AGM batteries. I am hearing good reports from some who use them. If I were thinking about going to sea I would like to leave with fairly new battery's. I am no longer going to do that but will jump over to the Bahamas and south some. I will spend some time in the keys and up and down a lot of rivers here in the states. So in this case battery failure is not a big problem as I can go buy another one. At the present time I have three Walmart marine deep cycle, maintenance free batteries so we will see if they last more than two years. I am not confident. Doug Fri, 12 Jul 2013 20:45:24 -0700
Brian Stannard brianstannard@... wrote:

vegaboat · Jul 13, 2013

An interesting discussion. Next week I'm replacing a set of Trojan golf
cart batteries on a boat that I installed 10 years ago, a pretty good life
span. But, the set will cost about $600. Owner's choice...it's a time vs
money thing.
Ric Eiserling, #935
the batteries were on a well regulated solar charger.

groundhogyh · Jul 13, 2013

But .... In our vega, I can only fit automotive shaped/sized batteries in the bilge area...

Sent from my iPad

n4lbl · Jul 13, 2013

Is there a reason I can't find Costco batteries online?? A coarse search
at the costco.com website yields nothing. A Google search for "costco golf
cart battery" and some alternative arguments only yields discussions like
this. Nothing from costco.com.

thanx,,,
Alan

pjacobs55 · Jul 13, 2013

I fitted 2 deep cycle 6 volt golf cart batteries in Sin Tacha's bilge battery compartment. The only modification needed was to shave 1/4" off the lip around the rear of the compartment to accommodate the height, allowing the rear battery to be slid aft under the floor.

Most suppliers have exact measurements of their batteries, and it's easy enough to make up a cardboard "battery" for test fitting, and a whole lot lighter to move around too!

My new boat has 2 group 24 AGM batteries. Everything is LED and no refrigeration or furnace to guzzle power. I believe a solar panel is the kindest way to charge batteries.

Peter
www.sintacha.com

dougpol1 · Jul 13, 2013

I can get two group 27 batteries in mine. maybe that is an automotive size. I might be able to get one group 31 with a 27 not sure about that??
Going down to work on the electrical on Sealegs in about and hour. I will be gone all week so you guys have a good week. DougOn Sat, 13 Jul 2013 10:35:53 -0400
groundhog groundhogyh@... wrote:

n6ric · Jul 13, 2013

Alan,
I'm not sure about Costco. I included it in my response because someone else's response mentioned Costco. I bought mine at Sam's Club, but no longer have that membership, but still have my Costco membership and plan on checking that out next time I'm there.

I'm in a little different position than most of you. With deciding to go with a 15hp long shaft outboard, the old engine compartment is a perfect location for four 6v batteries. I'll probably end up going with AGM batteries because you're supposed to be able to discharge them to 80%, instead of the 50% with lead acid batteries, without damaging them or shortening their life. That's more usable amp hours between charges.

Ric
s/v Blue Max
#2692
www.ric-maxfield.net

lewills30 · Jul 13, 2013

Seeings’that I have no engine right at the moment, are these little engines 6V/ 12V?

Sent from Windows Mail

From: Ric
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎July‎ ‎13‎, ‎2013 ‎9‎:‎39‎ ‎AM
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com

Alan,
I\'m not sure about Costco. I included it in my response because someone else\'s response mentioned Costco. I bought mine at Sam\'s Club, but no longer have that membership, but still have my Costco membership and plan on checking that out next time I\'m there.

I\'m in a little different position than most of you. With deciding to go with a 15hp long shaft outboard, the old engine compartment is a perfect location for four 6v batteries. I\'ll probably end up going with AGM batteries because you\'re supposed to be able to discharge them to 80%, instead of the 50% with lead acid batteries, without damaging them or shortening their life. That\'s more usable amp hours between charges.

Ric
s/v Blue Max
#2692
www.ric-maxfield.net

dougpol1 · Jul 20, 2013

If you are talking about the 2 cylinder Volvo engines they use 12 volts to spin the starter and they generate 12 volts. You can put two 6volt batteries put together to make 12 volts to start them or a single 12 volt. But here is a little secret not everyone knows. The starters are 6 volt but 12 volts are used on them to make them spin faster. This is why they over heat if you crank the engine too long. Cars used to be 6 volts and they changed them to 12 volts but they never changed the starters. I have never tried it but I am pretty sure you can Jump start these engines with a 6volt battery. You need very heavy duty jumper cables and the battery cables in the boat are for 12 volts so they are likely not heavy enough. Doug
On Sun, 14 Jul 2013 04:49:06 +0000
lewills30@... wrote: