Batteries!!!

[gleeeza]

Hi all

I am just considering my replacement battery/ batteries at the 3.5 year mark of their life, not from need as yet but from a maintenance perspective.

At the moment I have a maintenance free type that was supplied with the boat and so far so good with the onset of cold weather but I am going to get them load tested soon and was wondering if someone had any useful intel on replacement type, make and perhaps cost.

With a single 4st donk reliant on power I just dont want to wait til the last minute.

Cheers

Glenn

[White Pointer]

Hi all

I am just considering my replacement battery/ batteries at the 3.5 year mark of their life, not from need as yet but from a maintenance perspective.

At the moment I have a maintenance free type that was supplied with the boat and so far so good with the onset of cold weather but I am going to get them load tested soon and was wondering if someone had any useful intel on replacement type, make and perhaps cost.

With a single 4st donk reliant on power I just dont want to wait til the last minute.

Cheers

Glenn

G'day,

Good move, but it may be worthwhile investinging in a battery charger that gives you a battery condition read out after charging. Saves you money and also tells if if you one dud on board.

I'm sure the electricians on this site can help.

Regards,

White Pointer

[black runner]

I recently installed an absorbed glass mat (AGM) Optima D34 cranking/deep cycle combo and brought a CTEK charger to go with it. Cost $316 for the battery and $116 for the ctek 3600 charger from batteries direct. Delivered to the doorstep 2 days later from Sydney. Extremely happy with both. Expensive I know but I expect twice the life out of the AGM.

I have a 4 stroke as well and chose the AGM after reading a great article in PAB4 by a marine sparky. Essentially his message was that in most trailerboat applications a properly sized, good quality AGM battery is all that is required for starting and instruments. He was also of the view that wet (and spillable) lead acid batteries have no place on an alloy boat.

If you have additional heavy load accessories, or need backup for twin o/b and/or operation in remote areas then an additional battery that can be isolated from the start battery is required.

Cheers

[gleeeza]

Thanks White Pointer and Black Runner

I will have a look at the AGM type battery and I kind of agree with the no lead acid type in boats. I have recently put a new battery in my wives car( which was maintenance free) and my auto sparky said not to touch certain types of maintenance free batteries because if they flattened for whatever reason you had to pull them out and fully bench charge them, you couldn't jump them or use a starter pack, this is not an outcome I want out wide,so.....

The ones I have to date are maintenance free but I wonder if they are the same problematic type as the ones he warned me about, a shame I didn't suss him out about it at the time!!! The boat came with an isolating switch but my mechanic said to turn off my electrics before switching over batteries because it is a cheaper type that totally disconnects power between poles, bummer!! The one I should have got he said stays in contact through the cycle but costs a bit more( don't ya love hindsight!!!).

I will let you know what I come up with.

Cheers

Glenn

[troy]

G'day,

Good move, but it may be worthwhile investinging in a battery charger that gives you a battery condition read out after charging. Saves you money and also tells if if you one dud on board.

I'm sure the electricians on this site can help.

Regards,

White Pointer
White Pointer,
Mate any particular brand of charger you recommend and how many amps as i have to buy a new one.
Thanks
Troy

[White Pointer]

White Pointer,
Mate any particular brand of charger you recommend and how many amps as i have to buy a new one.
Thanks
Troy

G'day,

I can't make a recommendation. Don'y know enough.

Suggest you ask the sparkies on AUSFISH or talk to battery world or one of the other specialist battery outlets.

Regards,

White Pointer