Purchasing advice for batteries and charger/inverter

[Alberg37yawl]

Originally Posted by Scot McPherson

Not wholistic advice, just one small piece of the puzzle. Someone mentioned that your laptop was going to be one of your largest power draws second to your fridge and AC.


One way to limit the amount of draw is how you use it. Do not use your laptop while charging it, that will cause the largest draw of all. Plug the laptop in while it's shut off so the power is being used to charge the batteries only. When you use the laptop, unplug it. Although you can adjust power profiles for when on battery or when plugged in, there are power options that you don't have access to, or only have access to them in the BIOS, which you don't want to mess with if you don't know what you are doing. If you unplug your laptop while you are using it, and shut it off when it's being charged, you will be at the highest efficiency possible for that laptop's power consumption.


Not only does the transformer charge your batteries but it draw electricity when it's plugged in and not in use, so unplug it, or put it on a circuit you can break when you aren't charging. Unplug it.

Same with your inverter, if you aren't using it, power it down...It's still using electricity even when it's not in use. It may not be a lot, but it's _something_ and you want to eliminate all parasitic drain from your system. We are talking things like ICs, diodes, LEDs, and all that so forth stuff that continues to consume power. If you can, and if you know how to do it properly, put the inverter on a circuit breaker. It may be a single breaker on it's own panel, but it will give you the option to eliminate all electricity it may draw when powered down.


Unplug or break the circuit to ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING that's not being used. Even if there is nothing on that circuit right now.

Thanks for the heads up. My laptop will only run about 3 hours not plugged in. I may need to buy something less powerful and easier on the batteries.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Alberg37yawl

Please let me know if I am missing something or something got lost in translation.

You may want to consider the caps that allow you to water the batteries automatically or at least all at once. I think choosing the caps though may be based a lot on how hard are the batteries to access.
Initially check them frequently until you get an idea on how long between watering is safe

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Hi Bruce, you would be the perfect person to respond to the above about Firefly Oasis.

I didn't realise Nigel's negative experience was that recent.

Please re-affirm the channel's handling of such issues if they should indeed continue to arise in end-users' hands.

Also while I've got you, what is the right bank type setting for Smartgauge?

I have experienced one bad Firefly battery. A valve went bad. While the boat was idle for over a month, in the fall, the bad cell caused that battery to discharge and take the others with it. Batt #1 (bad cell battery) was in parallel with two others.

When I capacity tested the two other batteries, that batt #1 was in parallel with, they were also damaged and could not deliver capacity. Firefly replaced all three batteries under warranty. I have yet to have any other company replace the batteries in parallel, if one goes bad and takes the others with it. It did take a bit of time to get the replacements but they were great about it. Bad batteries can happen to any company.

SmartGauge setting #3 is what you want for the Firefly's..

[Alberg37yawl]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

I have experienced one bad Firefly battery. A valve went bad. While the boat was idle for over a month, in the fall, the bad cell caused that battery to discharge and take the others with it. Batt #1 (bad cell battery) was in parallel with two others.

When I capacity tested the two other batteries, that batt #1 was in parallel with, they were also damaged and could not deliver capacity. Firefly replaced all three batteries under warranty. I have yet to have any other company replace the batteries in parallel, if one goes bad and takes the others with it. It did take a bit of time to get the replacements but they were great about it. Bad batteries can happen to any company.

SmartGauge setting #3 is what you want for the Firefly's..

So you think Firefly batteries are the way to go?

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

I have experienced one bad Firefly battery.
...
Firefly replaced all three batteries under warranty. I have yet to have any other company replace the batteries in parallel, if one goes bad and takes the others with it. It did take a bit of time to get the replacements but they were great about it. Bad batteries can happen to any company.

Of course. I am a big promoter based on your and Nigel's reports and full trust in y'all and Bruce.

However there is some FUD / "early claims" skepticism out there wrt you, Nigel and Bruce's cordial relations to Kurt, so you have to admit your service experience there in Maine may not exactly be 100% matched by Joe Sailor's out in whoop-whoop.

But maybe it would, hence why I was looking for something from Bruce, the horse's mouth as NA distributor. Responsive warranty service is great, but ideally that any detectable QC issues from the India factory have either been systemically resolved at source, or next-best are being culled before they get into the channel.

Especially since I haven't got the dosh for mine saved up yet 8-)

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

SmartGauge setting #3 is what you want for the Firefly's..

Excellent, thanks so much!

[OceanPlanet]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Of course. I am a big promoter based on your and Nigel's reports and full trust in y'all and Bruce.

However there is some FUD / "early claims" skepticism out there wrt you, Nigel and Bruce's cordial relations to Kurt, so you have to admit your service experience there in Maine may not exactly be 100% matched by Joe Sailor's out in whoop-whoop.

But maybe it would, hence why I was looking for something from Bruce, the horse's mouth as NA distributor. Responsive warranty service is great, but ideally that any detectable QC issues from the India factory have either been systemically resolved at source, or next-best are being culled before they get into the channel.

Especially since I haven't got the dosh for mine saved up yet 8-)


Excellent, thanks so much!

Regarding Firefly, note that we have only been selling units that are assembled in Peoria (albeit with some parts from India). We have been hoping that US production would increase to cover our needs, but it is still lagging behind. Firefly does intend to mass produce in India, however we will thoroughly vetting and testing units from there before selling anything other than the US-assembled ones.

In any case, the crew in Peoria has been exemplary in replacing any batteries with issues. If overseas there would be shipping costs but that would be the case with any warrantied batteries that we know of.

[john61ct]

Perfect, thanks so much for re-affirming what I thought.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Alberg37yawl

I have not seen the 4x the cost that you have based on the same ah (maybe I am not looking in the right place) This is more toward what I am seeing,

AGM = MASTERVOLT 6-Volt AGM Battery, 400Ah Cost $599
Flooded = WEST MARINE 6-Volt Flooded Marine Battery, 370 Ah Cost $440

Am I missing something?

Yes.

WM is the worst place to buy batteries. They are rebranded/relabeled batteries that can be bought for 2/3 or less the price elsewhere.

A failed equivalency.

[john61ct]

Duracell (Deka East Penn) 6v GC2s, $180-200 for 245AH, Batteries Plus or Sam's Club. Costco's JC not quite as good quality but fine.

Good AGMs - Odyssey, Northstar, Lifeline may not be so easy to source locally.

Firefly $500 per 100 AH.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Alberg37yawl

So you think Firefly batteries are the way to go?

IMO pay a premium for them compared to the other AGMs above, only if you need the PSOC resilience.

If the others cost the same, then you're weighing might-need for PSOC vs FF are less widely proven over time.

[smac999]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

I have experienced one bad Firefly battery. A valve went bad. While the boat was idle for over a month, in the fall, the bad cell caused that battery to discharge and take the others with it. Batt #1 (bad cell battery) was in parallel with two others.

When I capacity tested the two other batteries, that batt #1 was in parallel with, they were also damaged and could not deliver capacity. Firefly replaced all three batteries under warranty. I have yet to have any other company replace the batteries in parallel, if one goes bad and takes the others with it. It did take a bit of time to get the replacements but they were great about it. Bad batteries can happen to any company.

.

I had one go bad. brand new one week old. client was actually measuring each battery and making notes which is totally not normal for my clients. so he caught it right away. (48v bank in series so was easy to catch, would have been harder in parallel. one battery was around 10v I think with the others at 12+. when removed and load tested I couldn't even get 1 amp of load from it. it dropped to 0v. and wouldn't take any amps under charge

[dlentz]

"I have experienced one bad Firefly battery. A valve went bad. While the boat was idle for over a month, in the fall, the bad cell caused that battery to discharge and take the others with it. Batt #1 (bad cell battery) was in parallel with two others. "

Interesting, I had 10 out of twelve bad valves upon delivery. Took a couple of months but Firefly was "nice enough" to send replacement caps! Funny, they didn't offer to replace the batteries for me! I wonder what ultimate effect the leaking acid will have upon the life of these VERY expensive batteries.