I buy my house batteries, Grp 27 lead acid - lowest price, in pairs. I place them - once, in their position beneath the galley next to the engine.
I charge them fully twice a season - spring and fall - with an auto charger. I leave them disconnected over the winter. I check the fluid level usually once a season.
I turn the battery switch to BOTH when on the boat. No battery combiner. Most of the time I motor in and out of the harbor for 10 - 20 minutes then shut the engine down. Old Balmar dual post alt that charges a separate starting battery(which last about forever).
We go days at anchor without charging and of course weeks on the mooring (*). I check the voltage at resting state (at least 24 hours no charge), religiously, and also with light loads on. That's my sole indicator. I get a 'feel' for the batteries health.
This spring after a full charge in November, the two batteries were (independently) showing 12.5 (with a hundredth of a volt differential). With a light load the reading went to 12.4, 12.3. Hmmm,....
I could get another season out of these batteries. But I suspect their storage capacity is low. I know I wish to spend more time sailing and anchored this year, days on end, without running the engine (we often sail onto and off our anchor). I enjoy that freedom.
The problem is, I don't know how old the battereis are. They put the date stickers on the side of the battery, which is inside a plastic container (dumb). I've forgotten installing them, so I figure that's the final nail in their coffin. Out they came which I know is a one-way trip.
Sure enough, 2015. That seems to be my average over 2 boats and 30 seasons of battery brutality.
(*) I've mended my ways,...a little. I'll be trickle charging these with a small solar panel. I'm looking to keep them better charged on the mooring. And I demanded (of myself) to mark the date on the top with a magic marker(will I do it?).
I charge them fully twice a season - spring and fall - with an auto charger. I leave them disconnected over the winter. I check the fluid level usually once a season.
I turn the battery switch to BOTH when on the boat. No battery combiner. Most of the time I motor in and out of the harbor for 10 - 20 minutes then shut the engine down. Old Balmar dual post alt that charges a separate starting battery(which last about forever).
We go days at anchor without charging and of course weeks on the mooring (*). I check the voltage at resting state (at least 24 hours no charge), religiously, and also with light loads on. That's my sole indicator. I get a 'feel' for the batteries health.
This spring after a full charge in November, the two batteries were (independently) showing 12.5 (with a hundredth of a volt differential). With a light load the reading went to 12.4, 12.3. Hmmm,....
I could get another season out of these batteries. But I suspect their storage capacity is low. I know I wish to spend more time sailing and anchored this year, days on end, without running the engine (we often sail onto and off our anchor). I enjoy that freedom.
The problem is, I don't know how old the battereis are. They put the date stickers on the side of the battery, which is inside a plastic container (dumb). I've forgotten installing them, so I figure that's the final nail in their coffin. Out they came which I know is a one-way trip.
Sure enough, 2015. That seems to be my average over 2 boats and 30 seasons of battery brutality.
(*) I've mended my ways,...a little. I'll be trickle charging these with a small solar panel. I'm looking to keep them better charged on the mooring. And I demanded (of myself) to mark the date on the top with a magic marker(will I do it?).