Vetus Deep Cycle Batteries

[Keegan]

I am planning to replace my house bank this year of about 650 amps. My boat is located in the Caribbean so you dont get too many battery choices out of the chandleries in the caribbean. Vetus marine has a line of batteries being sold at Budget marine that touts "lighter and smaller" due to Lead/calcium grids instead of lead/antimony. Does anyone that knows batteries have an opinion on these batteries and the stated calcium technology for a house bank? I can go with lifeline AGM but at considerable cost and weight.

Vetus Maintenance Free Deep Cycle Batteries


Designed especially for the rigors of marine use.
The VETUS battery has sufficient electrolyte to last the whole of its life.
A special construction with lead/calcium grids instead of lead/antimony plates reduces the water consumption considerably. The latter in conjunction with the large reserve of electrolyte means that “topping-up” is no longer required. This special construction also means that Vetus batteries are up to 25% lighter and 40% smaller than equivalent batteries. The wrought lead-calcium grids and special separators give the batteries extremely long cycle lifetimes in either starting or house bank applications.
Topping-up, “periodic cleaning”, and greasing of the connections are no longer required. You just install and forget it. Recharging can be done with a conventional battery-charger. Also the state of charge can be checked from the outside. A test indicator on top clearly illustrates this. The use of a hydrometer is eliminated.



<< Vetus Maintenance Free Batt. (technical details)
Article number Weight lb Weight kg Amp-hrs 20 hr Rate CCA @ 0 deg F Length Inches Length cm Width Inches Width cm Height Inches Height cm

VET/BATT12165 91lb 41.3kg 165 1000 20 50.8 8.5 21.5 9.25 23.5
VET/BATT12225 132lb 59.9kg 225 1060 20.2 51.2 10.9 27.7 9.5 24.1

[GordMay]

Sounds like typical marketing bull, to me.

Battery Cell Construction Antimony / Calcium / Selenium / Tin
➥ Battery Cell Construction Antimony / Calcium / Selenium / Tin Alloying - Engineers Edge

Comparison of Positive Grid Alloys for Standby Lead Acid Batteries
➥ http://www.cdtechno.com/whitepaper/p...comparison.pdf

The Lead Selenium Cell, Fact or Fiction?
➥ http://www.enersysreservepower.com/d...Se%2010-05.pdf

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Sounds like typical marketing bull, to me.

Battery Cell Construction Antimony / Calcium / Selenium / Tin
➥ Battery Cell Construction Antimony / Calcium / Selenium / Tin Alloying - Engineers Edge

Comparison of Positive Grid Alloys for Standby Lead Acid Batteries
➥ http://www.cdtechno.com/whitepaper/p...comparison.pdf

The Lead Selenium Cell, Fact or Fiction?
➥ http://www.enersysreservepower.com/d...Se%2010-05.pdf

Thanks Gord:

Those articles were a direct hit. That is clearly marketing mumbo jumbo that is probably only describing an average quality deep cycle battery.

[JayH]

FWIW, I have a lot of Vetus equipment that was installed on my boat when it was new in 1991. On the whole, I'd say their stuff is pretty good quality, though European marketing can be a little different from what we're used to. They don't make everything in their catalog, but rebrand lots of things from other companies. For example, a Vetus windlass is really a Lofrans. I doubt they make batteries.

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by JayH

FWIW, I have a lot of Vetus equipment that was installed on my boat when it was new in 1991. On the whole, I'd say their stuff is pretty good quality, though European marketing can be a little different from what we're used to. They don't make everything in their catalog, but rebrand lots of things from other companies. For example, a Vetus windlass is really a Lofrans. I doubt they make batteries.

Yeah, I am not sure they make anything. I think all their stuff is private label.

[CharlieJ]

I looked on the Vetus website and could not find a listing for batteries.

Old stock in the Caribbean??

[Albro359]

Originally Posted by CharlieJ

I looked on the Vetus website and could not find a listing for batteries.

Old stock in the Caribbean??

Catalogue 2009 - English

from the Vetus online catalog...calcium, AGM and gel batteries

Alan

[s/v Jedi]

If you want Dutch batteries, look at the Victron range, not Vetus... ;-)

cheers,
Nick.