MARINE DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES

[Daniel Grant]

I get twice the amps from two golf cart 6 volt batteries than he will from his 12 volt Exide.

[waterman46]

Fellow Ham here - and part time cruiser. OK I guess you wanted to get the batteries to operate portable to get away from some noise sources. Getting away from those sources on land is getting very difficult due to all the high voltage power lines crossing the country. But on the sea I do see a much lower noise level once we are out of the harbor and 50 to 100 miles from any city. Especially in the less developed countries.

Anyway HF propagation has been terrible for the last several years. Guess you know all that. So going away from terrestrial noise sources still won't buy you great HF.

Batteries: Home Depot or Costco, etc, will not have marine deep cycle batteries, though they may be labeled as such. If you want a true deep cycle battery you need to buy it from a marine dealer or direct from battery vendor - much more on that in other threads.

Doug
KG6U

[john61ct]

There is no maker of sealed batteries sourcing their cell pouches from A123, without shouting that fact from the rooftops.

They cost 3-5x more than the hundreds of other LFP cell makers out there, and the difference in longevity would not start to show up until over five years later.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The bike batteries are I’m almost certain A123 cells, they don’t have any kind of BMS, or I don’t think they do anyway.

Agreed, I will be sticking with AGM for the Suzi. At £50 they last me 4 years so not really worth worrying about or being a guinea pig for someone who has slapped some LFP together and hopes there won't be any returns in a few years time.

Back to the OP, since you have the batteries now and unless they can be returned, you should aim to keep them above 50% state of charge (SOC) probably 12.2v rested and charge them fully after each use to maximise their life.

Pete

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grant

I get twice the amps from two golf cart 6 volt batteries than he will from his 12 volt Exide.

What is the value of your high maximum discharge rate?


I guess you are wiring them in parallel?

[john61ct]

probably meant energy capacity (Ah), rather than discharge power (amps)

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by waterman46

Batteries: Home Depot or Costco, etc, will not have marine deep cycle batteries, though they may be labeled as such. If you want a true deep cycle battery you need to buy it from a marine dealer or direct from battery vendor - much more on that in other threads.

Doug
KG6U

Correct. Two common brands of deep cycle batteries that are frequently seen on boats are Lifeline and Odyssey.

https://lifelinebatteries.com/
https://www.odysseybattery.com/

They are heavy. I just replaced my group 31 Odyssey battery. It weights 78 pounds. And they are expensive. That battery cost $400 - but it lasted 8.5 years - so I spent less than $50 per year for it. Both brands will last a long time provided you don't discharge them below 50% state-of-charge (resting terminal voltage of 12.2 volts) and recharge them promptly with a good three-stage charger, floating them when not in use.

Your transmit power will decline as the battery discharges. You will need a battery booster to prevent that affect. Transmitter output power is commonly rated with a 13.8 volt supply. If it's feasible, connecting the battery to your vehicle battery with jumper cables, with the engine running, should keep the voltage up around 14 volts and eliminate the need for a booster. But then, why not just use the battery in your vehicle?

So far as carrying those batteries: I use a cart and my 4-to-1 mainsheet tackle to lift them in and out. https://www.garhauermarine.com/4-to-...0-uab-4-1.html -- it's cheaper than back surgery.

N8QH

[Sailor 99]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Those 6V GCs are best value, but weigh well over 60lbs each.

If you are a healthy male and can not lift 60-70 lbs then I would suggest you start spending time doing something other than surfing the internet or watching TV. Maybe try a work out or 2.



At the age most of us here are at I would not think that 100 chin ups would be a reasonable request but lifting 60 lbs.....

[Cpt Pat]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

If you are a healthy male and can not lift 60-70 lbs then I would suggest you start spending time doing something other than surfing the internet or watching TV. Maybe try a work out or 2.



At the age most of us here are at I would not think that 100 chin ups would be a reasonable request but lifting 60 lbs.....

Are you trolling* the OP? I wouldn't cast snarky lifestyle comments at a stranger based on physical limitations.

There are people here with unknown disabilities who are of unknown ages. Would you say that to a 90 year old who gets around in a wheelchair? Well, maybe you are. You can't know.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

If you are a healthy male and can not lift 60-70 lbs then I would suggest you start spending time doing something other than surfing the internet or watching TV. Maybe try a work out or 2.



At the age most of us here are at I would not think that 100 chin ups would be a reasonable request but lifting 60 lbs.....

Really?

Let's start comparing our bench press #s, oh! you big brute, what a man!

Do people just start trolling without even reading the OP? Clueless, toxic masculinity and ableist all in one

Originally Posted by shepaug

They weigh about 75 pounds.



hmmm I told myself these things are heavy !! Watch your back. I was careful and lifted using my legs and later a 2 wheel hand truck.



About 2 days later my right upper back started hurting. Then it kept getting worse. Terrible. By MRI I seem to have some torn muscle back there.



This seems ridiculous but maybe I just got too old.



My big question is if people handle these batteries 24/7/365 there must be some type of crane tool/gadget to lift and lower ? Then physics might say if your lifting 75-125 lbs, etc. the tool would have to weigh more than the batteries.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by shepaug

I have a hobby of amateur radio/ham radio and simply enjoy 2 way radios, etc.

In 2019 electrical noise is something that is making all communications difficult or impossible. (it normally is not apparent at VHF/UHF frequencies, etc.) HF..Shortwave frequencies...

Many get away from NOISE by operating portable somewhere. Maybe even on a boat if you don't have something generating NOISE.

Take a portable radio and listen where you live. NOISE ?

I was advised to invest in some deep cycle marine batteries !!!

I ended up buying 4 of the things from a Home Depot. They weigh about 75 pounds.

hmmm I told myself these things are heavy !! Watch your back. I was careful and lifted using my legs and later a 2 wheel hand truck.

About 2 days later my right upper back started hurting. Then it kept getting worse. Terrible. By MRI I seem to have some torn muscle back there.

This seems ridiculous but maybe I just got too old.

My big question is if people handle these batteries 24/7/365 there must be some type of crane tool/gadget to lift and lower ? Then physics might say if your lifting 75-125 lbs, etc. the tool would have to weigh more than the batteries.

Lithium might be the solution but playing with such can get expensive.

Frustrated. Hope I just have some muscle tear but for anybody back injuries can literally ruin ones lives !!!!

Any suggestions ?

So let’s get some more info before making assumptions and steering you wrong.

1. What is the average hourly energy consumption of your radio in Ah? (Note that it will be significantly higher when transmitting than when receiving so you will have to estimate average minutes per hour talking vs listening.)

2. How many hours will you use the radio between charges?

If you’re average consumption will be 10 A for 3 hrs (30 Ahrs) you really only need to use one of those batteries; it will only be discharged to ~70%.

3. How often will you use it? Every day? Once per week? Once per month.

These batteries should be good for at least 300 cycles to 50%, or 800 cycles to 75%, if always recharged immediately and kept on float when not in use,

So if you discharge to 75% and use once per week, they should last you 10-15 years. I would not recommend any more expensive batteries than you purchased, unless weight reduction is essential.

Re: Lifting / transporting batteries:

1. Get a cart suitable for weight, with wheels suitable for terrain.
2. Get a carry strap that fastens securely to the battery.
3. Use a 2x4”x8’ timber to push through the carry strap and use as a lever to lift the battery. Strap half way up the timber = 1/2 load, 1/4 way up = 1/4 load, etc.
4. Do not tip the batteries if they are not sealed or you may spill acid
Which will hurt the batteries and ruin fabric / carpet etc. Keep some baking soda handy to neutralize the acid, just in case.
5. Lastly, heed battery manufacturers safe handling recommendations.

[planetminder]

This question is only tangentially related to the OP's inquiry, but I keep hearing about "true" deep cycle batteries, like the Trojan T105 6-volt batteries. Apparently these greatly outperform regular auto battery-sized deep-cycle batteries due to having thicker plates. Due to space constraints, though, I can only fit two group 31 batteries in the battery compartment under the bunk - the T105s would be WAY too tall. Are there any "true" deep-cycle batteries out there that maintain the group 27/29/31 form-factor? Will AGM batteries rival the performance of 6-volt deep-cycle batteries? (I know LiPO4 would solve my problem, but they are not in the budget.)

David

[john61ct]

There may be FLA units, but I don't know of any.

In AGM, look at Lifeline, Odyssey and Northstar.

Odyssey's PC-2150 is highly recommended.

Also Firefly Oasis makes a good G31, OceanPlanet can help you identify a dealer near you.

All these choices will cost a lot more than FLA GCs, and require more precise care to get good longevity.

[Blazim]

https://www.emarineinc.com/Firefly-O...oup-31-Battery

The cost ratio for available output is better with the oasis vs FLA or AGM batteries.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Frankly

Both a sailor and a ham. Probably the one thing this crowd (donkycrats, preublicans, and dependents) would agree is that Sams Club 6 volt golf cart batteries provide the best deep cycle experience for the buck/ peso/ €.

As to lifting, get a strap as suggested and then use your head not your back. I change out 6 on my yacht and exert more drinking my morning coffee. We use the main halyard to drop them through the fwd hatch, slide along floor on rug, and a small block and tackle into the battery box. The two powering my house rig are lifted onto a 6ft high shelf using the same block and tackle.

Messed up my back when I turned 70, but quickly got religion after I got over that. You will be amazed at what you can work out if you just "stop and think".

Amen on the increased background noise.


Frankly

Second for Handy billy!