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Old 11-03-2007, 15:22   #1
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Lead Battery-angle

I would assume that a lead battery in a sailboat should be facing fore and aft. That is with the caps running F/A.

I also assume that being true due to the plates normally run perpendicular to F/A allowing the plate to be fully saturated while on a tack (healing), especially if the acid level might be a bit low.

Or, does it really make any difference ...................._/)
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Old 11-03-2007, 15:35   #2
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Quote:
Or, does it really make any difference
As far as I know they all have lead.

With flood batteries you want them to remain level caps up so the orientation is not a big thing. I can't see that it matters if the fluid level is appropriate. The plates are about as covered either way. It's not good the heel them over but they seem to withstand it most of the time.Turned over they probably could leak.

With an AGM battery there is no improper orientation. As long as they can't get loose any way is as good as any other.
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Old 11-03-2007, 15:51   #3
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Old 11-03-2007, 15:57   #4
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The angle is not all that critical on lead acids as long as the surface of the plates are not left dry for prolonged periods of time and the fluids are not allowed to run out of the caps. Such a small portion of the plates are exposed under normal healing circumstances that it is not going to affect the battery in the long run. Of course you do want the batteries level when the boat is at rest. If the boat is healed over enough to spill fluids you probably have the spreaders in the water and will be worrying about more than the batteries.
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Old 12-03-2007, 02:37   #5
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The battery plates will always be oriented at 90 degrees to the row of caps.
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Old 12-03-2007, 02:38   #6
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Very interesting question delmarrey,I suppose if it was a problem,somebody would have come up with a gimbald type box thingie for them to be locked into.Mudnut.
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Old 12-03-2007, 11:16   #7
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Mudnut, you mean you DON'T have your wet lead batteries in a gimballed box? How did you pass survey without them? <VBG>
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Old 12-03-2007, 11:19   #8
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It just seems every boat that I've worked on has had the batteries with the caps running F/A. I didn't know if that was a builder requirement or coincidence. But, I do remember seeing a power boat with the batteries across the transom but that's the only time.

Now that I've brought it up, I'm going to get a bunch of replies from those with the batteries running P/S, No???
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Old 12-03-2007, 11:44   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by delmarrey
Now that I've brought it up, I'm going to get a bunch of replies from those with the batteries running P/S, No???
Is that what I've been doing all along? All my batt/caps run port/stbd. Maybe that's why they weren't charging, eh?

Fore/aft would seem to make the most sense on a heeling sailboat. Less likelyhood of a spill from the end caps when heeled over. The only time my boat is heeled over to the same degree as a sailboat it's doing 30 kts in a turn so the centrifugal force keeps the acid in the cells.
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Old 12-03-2007, 17:06   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by delmarrey
Now that I've brought it up, I'm going to get a bunch of replies from those with the batteries running P/S, No???
Yes. My starting battery is mounted port/starboard. The house batteries were port/starboard until I replaced them with AGMs. My previous boat had four 6 volt batteries, two mounted fore/aft and two port/starboard.

I don't think it matters.

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Originally Posted by knottybuoyz
Fore/aft would seem to make the most sense on a heeling sailboat. Less likelyhood of a spill from the end caps when heeled over.
Each cap covers a separate compartment. The cell at the end is at the same angle as the cell in the middle, so the electrolyte level is also the same. The cap on the end does not have more liquid on it than the one in the middle.
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Old 12-03-2007, 18:03   #11
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Originally Posted by coot
Each cap covers a separate compartment. The cell at the end is at the same angle as the cell in the middle, so the electrolyte level is also the same. The cap on the end does not have more liquid on it than the one in the middle.
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Old 12-03-2007, 21:52   #12
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On our mono, the start battery is fore and aft, house batteries are P&S. There's been no problem with either.

If it's important for you to know for sure, get an old battery, replace the acid with water, and test it both ways against a protractor. I tend to think fore and aft would be less likely to spill, but I doubt there's much in it. If it really worries you, get some AGM's.
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Old 12-03-2007, 22:43   #13
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one F and A , the other P and S...my little ferro boat loves to lean. 15 knots up 35 deg and rising. No problems
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Old 12-03-2007, 22:43   #14
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I not really worried. I was just wondering why most batteries I've seem run F/A. And that's the way mine are. I thought manufactures might have a spec for installation that they may have to follow. Apparently not!

As for spilling, all the batteries theses days have caps that shouldn't allow spillage, unlike the old days. But it seems outside of my realm batt's are installed both ways and without problems!

Thanks for all the feed back!........................................_/)
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Old 12-03-2007, 23:44   #15
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Originally Posted by hellosailor
Mudnut, you mean you DON'T have your wet lead batteries in a gimballed box? How did you pass survey without them? <VBG>
Is this the 1st of April,Ha Ha.Thilly thailor,I haven't got a boat,YET,But I will gimble the dinner table along with the fridge,the TV the head and the double bed just to make sure I pass survey.<VVBG>Mudnut.
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