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27-10-2014, 11:20
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Shelter Island, NY
Boat: American Tug 34
Posts: 2
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Life of a gel Battery
Bought a West Marine deep cycle marine gel battery. After 5 years of light use, it has failed. Could the culprit be a dumb charging system consisting of a basic J35/Yanmar alternator? Thanks in advance for ideas.
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27-10-2014, 11:33
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Western Caribbean
Boat: Seaton Durbeck 48
Posts: 59
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Re: Life of a gel Battery
Five years from a West Marine battery sounds like you got more than your money's worth.
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27-10-2014, 20:17
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central California
Boat: Catalina 30
Posts: 880
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Re: Life of a gel Battery
We used 3 Sonnenshein batteries back in 1986-91
or so and then sold the boat. When we next saw
the boat in 1999, the same batteries were working.
It was 270 amp hours of batteries charged by
96 watts of solar, through a controller that would
never let the batteries see more than 14.2 volts.
That's the critical thing with sealed gel batteries.
We had refrigeration and ham radio and autopilot.
Love the gel cells.
__________________
Bill
...........................................
You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ribeye.
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28-10-2014, 04:02
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Woolwich, Maine
Boat: Mull 42-cold molded NZ 1970
Posts: 512
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Re: Life of a gel Battery
I went around the world twice with the same set of gel batteries. I think they were Geltech. Gel batts are really underrated (most AGM greatly overrated), you just need to properly charge them. The CAR may not be so high, however most boats don't have that much charging power anyhow.
Of course they are heavy, and you can still ruin them with extended PSOC (Partial State Of Charge) operation, same as with AGM.
__________________
Twice around was enough for me...
Now I just help others prep for ocean trips...
www.oceanplanetenergy.com
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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29-10-2014, 10:07
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: canada
Posts: 4,634
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Re: Life of a gel Battery
Probably. Both your alternator and chargers need to be configured to gel voltages
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29-10-2014, 10:20
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Cowichan Bay, BC (Maple Bay Marina)
Posts: 9,703
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Re: Life of a gel Battery
Don't buy batteries at WM, they are the same with huge markups.
5 years is OK, but many have lasted longer. As Maine Sail says, "Batteries don't die, they are murdered!!!"
Poke around here on the battery topics and find out why:
Electrical Systems 101 Electrical Systems 101
__________________
Stu Jackson
Catalina 34 #224 (1986) C34IA Secretary
Cowichan Bay, BC, SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)
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02-11-2014, 13:16
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Shelter Island, NY
Boat: American Tug 34
Posts: 2
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Re: Life of a gel Battery
A lot of good info. Whats the best way to remedy the "dumb" charger to be more friendly to the remaining gel battery? Thanks.
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02-11-2014, 13:45
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#8
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Eastern Shore, MD
Boat: Camper Nicholson 44 Ketch
Posts: 2,059
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Re: Life of a gel Battery
Gels should last much longer than that. It may not be the only issue, but sustained internally regulated alternator use, with charge voltage probably set for wet cells and not gels, is certainly a suspect.
Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum
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02-11-2014, 13:47
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#9
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S/V rubber ducky
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,362
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Re: Life of a gel Battery
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghost0070
Bought a West Marine deep cycle marine gel battery. After 5 years of light use, it has failed. Could the culprit be a dumb charging system consisting of a basic J35/Yanmar alternator? Thanks in advance for ideas.
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I doubt it really is the fault of the charger. Unless you can provide data as to the amount of discharge, state of charge, how you left the battery state etc., I would say it more likely the way you treated and maintained the battery is the answer.
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
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