What Battery Bank to Replace One Destroyed By Rodents?

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I can see the benefits of the Firefly batteries.

Only a few extra dollars per C/20 AH rating, but you get the faster charging and less worry over all.

Firefly! Firefly!

LittleWing77

[billgewater]

Probably much cheaper to keep a cat on board. Here to help.

[Compass790]

Originally Posted by Chotu

So mice chewed through my solar wire while I was away.

This left my batteries dead for months. They only hold 11.5V now. Dead. Destroyed.

They were a set of 4 Trojan T105s. I’ve been using this type of battery for decades.

I was thinking of upgrading to 6 of these because I’m doing a real apartment size refrigerator.

I will have 1440 watts of solar and currently have 700 watts of that installed using an Outback charge controller.

I have a Link/Xantrex battery monitor and small inverter too. Will be upgrading to a 2000 watt pure sine inverter for running some appliances.

What sort of batteries should I get?

I’m not looking for a project, to spend $20,000 on batteries or to learn lots of new stuff about building batteries.

I’m looking for batteries I can set and mostly forget after entering in the right charge parameters on my Outback solar controller.

What type of batteries would you get?

Did you try a high voltage equalizing charge? Sorry if I'm stating the obvious but we have some old crown 6v 225A batteries much like Trojans that were left flat for a long time & we recovered some capacity. They sit at 6.25 v now & we have been using them for 2 years

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Compass790

Did you try a high voltage equalizing charge? Sorry if I'm stating the obvious but we have some old crown 6v 225A batteries much like Trojans that were left flat for a long time & we recovered some capacity. They sit at 6.25 v now & we have been using them for 2 years

As it says in the thread, I bought new batteries. I did not try an equalization charge at 10.5 volts best voltage they would produce. They had been sitting for at least 3mos at 0% state of charge. I tried nothing other than a PWM charger and an MPPT solver charger. 10.5 V after a PWM charger signals super dead to me.
I need reliable batteries even during the build out

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by billgewater

Probably much cheaper to keep a cat on board. Here to help.

Apparently not our little princess (and he’s male) of a cat. Ha ha. My girlfriend is convinced he won’t go after anything. I can’t argue. He’s been awful when I’ve seen him trying to hunt things. Never caught anything he’s gone after.

Very good at eating, sleeping and getting pets however.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by billgewater

Probably much cheaper to keep a cat on board. Here to help.

+1

Bilgewater, you're a hoot!

(And I did read Chotu's later post about his cat being not only a lazy cat, but a lousy hunter as well.)

He's a really, really gorgeous cat, though. That from me, who is a absolutely and unequivocally a dog person. So at least he's ornamental - while pointedly *not* reducing the rodent population destroying the wiring...

LittleWing77

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

+1

Bilgewater, you're a hoot!

(And I did read Chotu's later post about his cat being not only a lazy cat, but a lousy hunter as well.)

He's a really, really gorgeous cat, though. That from me, who is a absolutely and unequivocally a dog person. So at least he's ornamental - while pointedly *not* reducing the rodent population destroying the wiring...

LittleWing77

Awww that was nice to say. He appreciates the compliments.

He definitely just gets by on his looks. Ha ha ha.

[chris mac]

The other night we heard a scratching noise from the cockpit. I was able to see a mouse through the vents of our portable ac unit[emoji2959]
We were doing a 30 hour passage the next morning, so figured we would buy some traps when we arrived. However, at about midnight, I saw it moving across the deck and into the winch handle pocket. Luckily it stayed put and I was able to catch it and forced it to walk the plank!
I hope there are no others to cause problems like yours! I think I'm still buying those traps!!!

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I saw completely different prices than you’re seeing.

What price did you see for the Firefly batteries?

[Phil_Fr]

Originally Posted by Chotu

They only hold 11.5V now. Dead. Destroyed.

Maybe you can rescue this kind of battery with a very slow charge (in Amp). Trojan are robust.
Sorry, too late, I've read you've replaced it.
I would have done the trash to recover them ... Too bad!

[billcrowley]

For rodent reduction, we have found CONTRAX blocks effective (avoid pet contact!), (www.doyourownpestcontrol.com). If you are at a dock or in a berth & secured by docklines in any area where there is a rodent problem, it may be worth your while to place reverse cones, 6 or more inches in diameter, on all lines leading to your boat (assuming your boat is far enough from the dock that they can't make the jump). Cones can be made from the walls of large tin cans, or (more safely & longer lasting) from large plastic bottles.

[Talbot]

Lithium.
Battleborn are good,(amazon or direct), or

Some cheaper recommendations here

[Ken Fry]

Originally Posted by Chotu

This left my batteries dead for months. They only hold 11.5V now. Dead. Destroyed.

If these were lithium, you'd be fine. Lithium, left 1/4 to 1/2 charged, will last for a year or more without any need for charging.

[commander500]

Getting concerned about posts here.

I believe I am getting senile, old, altzheimery, all of the above. Yes, replace the batteries, make sure they are not ones the rodents like....

Me/You - take the boat out of the water, mitigate, sell boat.

[commander500]

Just FYI, I am in the middle of refitting Liberty 28 boat. So, I relate to any and all concerns with non marine creatures in a boat. This forum is excellent but common sense, please......