Buying new batteries! Most bang for the buck?

[Caribsurf]

As topic, Whats the best buy and where?

I going to change my house battery bank. Looking for around 400Ah. Have a Balmar 75amp alternator, Kiss windgen and 170wat solar pannel.
Use to have 2 6v Deka@240Ah it was fine for running the frige, lights, laptop. Until my now wife moved aboard and her super 22"laptop that killed my batteries. So now I going to invest in a honda gen also.

Going to order from US and have them shipped to Caribbean. Anybody done something simular and can recommend a hassel free and help full battery company in US?

When I cruse around the net to read up on all the new typs of batteries, it sounds grate whit AGM, GEL, carbon fiber etc.
Hows the review on this exotic battery typs in the real world?
Like to here from you proud owner/previous owner, why/why not.

Caribsurf...

[foggysail]

I prefer the old wet cell lead acid stuff. I don't know if anything can come close to their cost. I also prefer batteries that I can handle alone! The days when lifting 150#s or so from a bilge are long gone. So my battery banks consist of 6v golf carts purchased from Sam's Club for less than $90 each.

If you plan to ship to the Caribbean, it might be worth while to check out Trojans. There is another thread where they are discussed. (See threads by Mainesails...I think I have his spelling correct)

There is a company in Fort Lauderdale that sells the T105s for about $82 each!

Foggy

[jdoe71]

US Battery makes very good flooded 6V batteries and they are cheaper than Trojans. I have a set of 4, very happy with them. They're worth checking out.

[Caribsurf]

Originally Posted by foggysail

I prefer the old wet cell lead acid stuff. I don't know if anything can come close to their cost. I also prefer batteries that I can handle alone! The days when lifting 150#s or so from a bilge are long gone. So my battery banks consist of 6v golf carts purchased from Sam's Club for less than $90 each.

If you plan to ship to the Caribbean, it might be worth while to check out Trojans. There is another thread where they are discussed. (See threads by Mainesails...I think I have his spelling correct)

There is a company in Fort Lauderdale that sells the T105s for about $82 each!

Foggy

Thanks for your reply Foggy.
Yes, I always hade wett cells 6v sett up to a 12v system. Except now I have a temporary 4D and its a beast to move around and I bench-press 200lbs...hehe


You dont happen to have that company in FL name?

Caribsurf...

[foggysail]

I don't have the name but it is posted. GEEZ, Mainesail got into it with somebody over the prices offered, he didn't believe they could be sold for that price. He was going to send a truck down there to purchase a boat load from them.....of course he later found the shipping cost would kill his savings. This may have been discussed in another sailing site. If I remember it was a solar panel discussion where it came up about 2 months or so ago.

Might be worth doing a Google for Trogan batteries in Fort Lauderdale. The price was real according to Mainesail.

Foggy

[Caribsurf]

Originally Posted by jdoe71

US Battery makes very good flooded 6V batteries and they are cheaper than Trojans. I have a set of 4, very happy with them. They're worth checking out.

Thanks for the tip and your feedback on your batteries.

Found this 6v golfcar att Sam Club under $100, best price so far.
Caribsurf...

[Caribsurf]

Originally Posted by foggysail

I don't have the name but it is posted. GEEZ, Mainesail got into it with somebody over the prices offered, he didn't believe they could be sold for that price. He was going to send a truck down there to purchase a boat load from them.....of course he later found the shipping cost would kill his savings. This may have been discussed in another sailing site. If I remember it was a solar panel discussion where it came up about 2 months or so ago.

Might be worth doing a Google for Trogan batteries in Fort Lauderdale. The price was real according to Mainesail.

Foggy

I find one thread started by you, about the topic. Good reading and just what I looking for.
No company in FL in it yet.

Caribsurf...

[foggysail]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...s-85618-4.html

Southwest Florida Retail, $86 post by DotDun

[Caribsurf]

Affordablecarts

Caribsurf...

[tartansail]

Originally Posted by Caribsurf

Thanks for the tip and your feedback on your batteries.

Found this 6v golfcar att Sam Club under $100, best price so far.
Caribsurf...

Those are the ones that Mainesail reported on on another forum. They're Deka 6V at an insanely lower price than the branded at retail. He called Deka and said that he was told that they're identical to the branded ones. The caution is that some of the older 6V were not as well made as the Deka's. I expect you'll find his review if you google "Mainesail batteries".