Battery blues. Or why I am never as clever as I thought I was.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by GILow

Any brands you've found to be OK? Once I move away from the big brands like Trojan, I feel I have no compass on what represents decent or acceptable quality.

I talk to a large number of RV owners who all use 6v golf cart batteries. Some of them swear by Trojan, but most of them buy the batteries at the local membership store (Costco or Sam's Club in the US) and they're made by reputable companies, like Johnson Controls, Interstate, US Battery, etc.

We usually get 4-6 yrs out of a set as long as they aren't abused, in an undersized bank or left without water. These are fairly inexpensive at about $85 per battery. It amazes me how expensive batteries are in other parts of the world.

[socaldmax]

Forgot to mention, I'd call around to the local golf courses and ask them where they get their golf cart batteries, probably a wholesale outfit.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

I have always found Exide to be OK.

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Not that means anything these days as even once decent companies seem to like flogging off cheaper substandard products for a quick buck! I normally get exide just because my folks had a bank of exide deep cycle batteries that lasted well. YMMV.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Not that means anything these days as even once decent companies seem to like flogging off cheaper substandard products for a quick buck! I normally get exide just because my folks had a bank of exide deep cycle batteries that lasted well. YMMV.

Yes, I went with Supercharge because they were made in the USA, never even been to china for a holiday.

[0urh]

Originally Posted by GILow

On my short list now. Kind of favouring the interim battery measure. It may be irrational but I really like the slide of setting off in three years with a brand new fresh battery bank. But I am also pricing Uncle Bob's idea as a counterpoint. FWIW the supercharge code is giving me references to Amptech batteries. Not sure if anyone knows anything about that brand?


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Supercharge make Amp-Tech batteries. Deep cycle used commonly as second batteries in dual battery systems for 4wds in Australia. Should be tough to withstand under bonnet heat, vibration etc.

AMP-TECH, Others

[GILow]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

... are fairly inexpensive at about $85 per battery. It amazes me how expensive batteries are in other parts of the world.

And sometimes I think Australia is one of THE most expensive.


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[RJ catfisher]

If everything else is correct in your system then do you turn your fridge and other accessories off when not on the boat?

If say the fridge is left on, perhaps to keep a few beers cold for when you get there Friday evening, then the solar will kick in each time the fridge runs through a few cycles. doing this over a period of time without other usage maintenance can damage the batteries and seriously shorten their life.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by RJ catfisher

If everything else is correct in your system then do you turn your fridge and other accessories off when not on the boat?

If say the fridge is left on, perhaps to keep a few beers cold for when you get there Friday evening, then the solar will kick in each time the fridge runs through a few cycles. doing this over a period of time without other usage maintenance can damage the batteries and seriously shorten their life.

All good. Seriously.

I am a CDO kind of guy (that's OCD with the letters in the correct order.) The ENTIRE electrical system is shut down with a master isolator key, the only thing permanently connected to the batteries is the solar reg itself. I have three separate devices tracking power use down to the milliamp hour and I am the kind of sad geek that makes his own monitoring systems because he doesn't trust the commercial stuff.

I have a master switch holder at the companionway that I hang each of the various electrical, seacock and gas master flags/switches so that I cannot inadvertently leave the boat with something still switched on.

Yep, it is sad, but I am reconciled to being this way.

And yet, despite all this (or possible because of it), I am still stupid enough to buy a pair of batteries at AU$120 each and get all surprised when they sh-t themselves in a year.

Sigh.

The truth ain't pretty sometimes.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by 0urh

Supercharge make Amp-Tech batteries. Deep cycle used commonly as second batteries in dual battery systems for 4wds in Australia. Should be tough to withstand under bonnet heat, vibration etc.

AMP-TECH, Others

Thank you, checking them out.

[CapnBazza]

So much info, where to from here. AGM Battery | Deep Cycle Batteries

[CapnBazza]

Had not noticed "new condition" before and on checking found it absent from other eBay listings that specified items as "new". Interesting to say the least. Wet batteries not an option for me as I cannot reach them to check electrolyte levels without partially dismantling binnacle and steering gear. Then there is the question do I use 6v in series or 12v in parallel. I cannot get one 200ah + battery into position but 2 batteries I can.

[a64pilot]

Only thing I would disagree with is I think AGM's are THE battery for a dock queen.
Why? Cause the shorepower can return them to 100% charge every time the boat is used for a weekend etc., and they are install and forget about them until they need replacing.
I would say maybe that they are not THE battery for a cruising boat though.

However they may require different absorption and float voltages though

[GILow]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Only thing I would disagree with is I think AGM's are THE battery for a dock queen.
Why? Cause the shorepower can return them to 100% charge every time the boat is used for a weekend etc., and they are install and forget about them until they need replacing.

Yep. That was part of the theory. Of course I had not expected them to need replacing quite so soon, so perhaps the theory should be expanded to say "decent quality AGMs are suitable for a dock queen."


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[GILow]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

However they may require different absorption and float voltages though

Yes to this. But I should have been concerned when the batteries I bought came without ANY charging data. I phoned the distributor and they didn't have a clue about charging them either. They suggested I use a car battery charger from Bunnings.

So I used the pre-programmed AGM setting on my MPPT controller as it had a charge profile that agreed with most of the general AGM literature I could find. Maybe that profile did not suit the batteries, but without any other information available it was the best I could do.


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[barnakiel]

We killed our AGMs by overcharging them now and then (solar). So if your charging systems are very basic, you may upgrade these systems up before you invest in AGMs.

Just saying, maybe someone will avoid the same kind of mistake we made here. I mean I made.

b.