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stevensuf · 11-02-2013, 08:12

So how long have your batteries lasted?

Please only reply if you are full time cruising, Looking to gain information on real life everyday use, not dockside live aboards or weekend use.

Please reply with make/model and lifespan.

stevensuf · 11-02-2013, 08:16

My first lot were Elecsol AGMS and lasted about 6 months full time use, not very good.

Lancerbye · 11-02-2013, 08:30

I did cruise full time for three years and now I am back to summers only. I just replaced 4 golf cart type Trojans which had been giving good service for 6 years. Those were the start and electronics supplier. I also have a 2 8d High priced gels that are used only for inverter feed. They have been in there for 12 years and still going strong.

Stu Jackson · 11-02-2013, 08:32

A very important component of battery life is the care the skipper takes. That makes answers to this question somewhat moot. Recharging, checking water levels, etc. is very important to battery life. Some skippers have solar, some generators, some only engines. It's really a hard question to answer the way you put it. With good maintenance, well over 3 years should be the norm, easily.

donradcliffe · 11-02-2013, 08:34

Gel batteries lasted 5 to 7 years.

RabidRabbit · 11-02-2013, 08:41

I bought 6 marine deep cycles (85 ah) from costco for $480, 510 ah total and this is my house bank. Solar and windgen, never run the diesel for charging, well maybe 10 times in the last 3 1/2 years. I wasnt sure what to expect from them but they've been great. I checked the fluid in them for the first time a couple months ago and added a pint total. When they do die I wanna add more ah's, so I'll look to see what better value is available. I have reefer, auto pilot, LCD/DVD tv, stero, LED nav lights.

The Garbone · 11-02-2013, 08:41

A good lead acid battery will give you about 5 years of service under good conditions. I have seen some last 7 or 8 and some only 2 but 5 is the rule of thumb.

Where I work we have started using SAFT batteries instead of lead acid an they are projected to last over 10. One issue is the newer batteries pull a crap ton of amps when recharging compared to lead acid. If your charge rsystem is not up to the extra load many headache may result.

RabidRabbit · 11-02-2013, 08:44

How many ah's were those AMGs and what did they cost?

**Dockhead** · 11-02-2013, 09:10

Batts will last much longer if they live in a marina with a float charge on most of the time. A much harder life is on a mooring with no trickle charging, or off grid liveaboard with 50% discharges every day. Even much less if those discharges are 70%

Livia · 11-02-2013, 09:15

Full time cruisers.

We installed new AGM batteries just under 3 years ago. We have noticed some voltage drop because of hard use and lack of complete charging which so far we can 'fix' by a good long charge at 100%.

NahanniV · 11-02-2013, 09:43

Had a pair of Trojan L-16's on my last boat that were used hard for 3-1/2 years (often more than 50% discharged) cruising anchoring most of the time. After that they still had enough life for liveaboard and weekend cruising for another 3 years. They never died catastrophically, but the capacity was very low at the end.

barnakiel · 11-02-2013, 10:22

Varta starter 10 years.

Hella deep cycle 3+ years, Tudor Leisure 3+ years.

I bet the Hellas had some potential but I killed them with solar charging.

b.

highseas · 11-02-2013, 10:41

With lead acid,full time cruising how often are batteries equalized?I do mine every 3 or 4 months.Not sure if that is too much or not.With regular charging,I try to get into float more than once a week.