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09-09-2016, 10:21
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#16
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Martinique
Boat: Fortuna Island Spirit 40
Posts: 2,298
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Installed a brand new battery bank before I went cruising. Researched and contemplated all the other options (Li-on, AGM, Firefly, LA). In the end I went with 6V Costco golf cart batts. We have been cruising 8 months now and am very happy with my decision. Cheap, simple and well know technology.
I looked very closely at the Firefly products and was very close to picking them. In the end I decided against them due to price. They are not popular enough yet to benefit from "Economy of Scale". If you plan to keep your bank for 5+ years, then they make sense. If you don't know, then maybe not!
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09-09-2016, 10:53
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Santa Cruz
Boat: SAnta Cruz 27
Posts: 6,711
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by barnakiel
I never use 6V in a 12 or 24V system.
Asked others the answer seems in a big boat only 6V units are easy to manage without a crane. I agree.
As long as the boat bank is not 'huge', I would always use 12V units in a 12V wired boat.
b.
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I'm not sure why--lead acid battery cells are 2V each, so 6V batteries are 3 cells wired in series internally, and 12v batteries are 6 cells wired in series internally. Do you really think there is a difference, other than the one extra external wire you need with 6V batteries in series??
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09-09-2016, 11:46
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,315
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellotaxi
Batteries: 6 volt in series or 12 volt in parallel ?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chala
If a single bank consists of two or more battery in parallel then this configuration will be one of the less efficient.
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Simple.
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09-09-2016, 13:01
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#19
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Maryland, USA
Boat: 58' Sedan Bridge
Posts: 5,420
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by DDabs
I honestly don't understand how cruisers, especially retired cruisers, have huge AGM batteries. How the hell do you lift them out of the boat? depend on others i guess
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Easy enough. Avoid 8Ds and 4Ds.
AGM Group 31s = 77.8-lbs (Odyssey C-2150s).
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA.
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09-09-2016, 13:09
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#20
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 20,420
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by donradcliffe
I'm not sure why--lead acid battery cells are 2V each, so 6V batteries are 3 cells wired in series internally, and 12v batteries are 6 cells wired in series internally. Do you really think there is a difference, other than the one extra external wire you need with 6V batteries in series??
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I like things to be simple. Small boats wired 12V can use 12V batteries. Not simply simpler ;-) but also way better choice in the store.
I understand big boats big banks wired 24V - no 24V batteries so we use ... exactly. I would use 12V batteries, seen 6V batteries wired too many times.
I understand then big boats, big banks, big batteries, one opts for 6 or 2V batteries, for handling.
What I do not buy is doing the same when the bank is small and the boat wired 12V.
b.
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09-09-2016, 14:30
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#21
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Ponce Inlet, FL
Boat: Beneteau Moorings 432
Posts: 241
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
6 v AGMs here. 420 amp hour house bank
12v AGM starter.
Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum
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09-09-2016, 14:40
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#22
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CLOD
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: being planted in Jacksonville Fl
Boat: none
Posts: 20,364
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellotaxi
Batteries: 6 volt in series or 12 volt in parallel ?
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yes, both!
__________________
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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09-09-2016, 14:52
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#23
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 503
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Series would be more even in charging. And 6v is in true deep cycle.
But that's the first time I heard of firefly, do they charge better and have better life's?
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09-09-2016, 18:02
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#24
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Boat: Pearson 36-2
Posts: 37
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by roverhi
Firefly sounds interesting but what do they cost??? With all the new battery technology it comes back to bang for the buck which Golf Cart Batteries seem to continue to win.
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They list for $486 here in FL. After some discounting, I got them for $411/each. It may be the answer, it may not. Time will tell. (Also bought a panel and controller so that may have helped the discount)
Sent from my SM-G935V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
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09-09-2016, 20:00
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#25
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Boat: 1976 Sabre 28-2
Posts: 7,505
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
$411 for how much amperage/voltage??? Can get 440 amps at 12 volts using GC batteries so hope there is a lot of amps in those batteries.
__________________
Peter O.
'Ae'a, Pearson 35
'Ms American Pie', Sabre 28 Mark II
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09-09-2016, 20:28
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#26
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Long Island, NY
Boat: Cal 33-2
Posts: 450
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by roverhi
$411 for how much amperage/voltage??? Can get 440 amps at 12 volts using GC batteries so hope there is a lot of amps in those batteries.
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No. The advantage is in much lower loss of capacity over time (partial discharges) and more cycles over the battery life. Most batteries on boats die a premature death due to improper charging. it's more of a life-cycle cost thing. Great battery, but pricey. I'm sticking with standard flooded deep cycles.
__________________
S/V First Tracks
1985 Cal 33-2
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09-09-2016, 20:34
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#27
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: canada
Posts: 4,642
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by DDabs
I honestly don't understand how cruisers, especially retired cruisers, have huge AGM batteries. How the hell do you lift them out of the boat? depend on others i guess
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agm batteries are the exact same size as flooded batteries....
battery size = battery size.
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09-09-2016, 20:37
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#28
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: canada
Posts: 4,642
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by donradcliffe
I'm not sure why--lead acid battery cells are 2V each, so 6V batteries are 3 cells wired in series internally, and 12v batteries are 6 cells wired in series internally. Do you really think there is a difference, other than the one extra external wire you need with 6V batteries in series??
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the differnce is having only 3 cells in a battery means they can have thicker plates vs craming 6 cells in a simular sized battery. which is why golf carts are much better at deep cycling then any 12v sized car battery. (24-31)
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10-09-2016, 03:07
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#29
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,888
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by roverhi
$411 for how much amperage/voltage??? Can get 440 amps at 12 volts using GC batteries so hope there is a lot of amps in those batteries.
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I presume that you meant Amp hours, not cranking Amps.
But who knows? Please use the correct units when discussing electrical systems here.
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10-09-2016, 04:43
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#30
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Maryland, USA
Boat: 58' Sedan Bridge
Posts: 5,420
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Re: Right batteries for cruising
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellotaxi
Batteries: 6 volt in series or 12 volt in parallel ?
Looking for the better way to go for cruising. A well respected friend mentioned that when he was sailing/cruising 15 years ago, 6 volt golf cart batteries were the way to go. However, he raise the question if with the new technology thsi may no longer be true.
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A thought about how to answer battery questions:
Seems like useful to start with a series of questions:
- Are you willing to perform (monthly?) maintenance?
- Will your batteries be reasonably accessible for maintenance?
- If inadvertent off-gassing acceptable?
- Can you recharge to 100% immediately after discharging batteries?
- Is immediate cost a driving function? Or is life-cycle cost more important?
- Are you willing to install a battery management system? (or do you already have one?)
- And so forth.
The "right" answer would perhaps arise from that kind of analysis.
And then life-cycle info -- informed by info from above -- about various options would be useful, too.
I suspect any 10 different members here would come up with about 14 different "best" approaches... depending on how they walk in their shoes.
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA.
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