Age of new batteries - how important?

[Irish Rover]

My new to me boat has 3 x 210AH AGM house batteries. The boat is 2018 and as far as I can determine they're the original batteries. I'm probably going to replace them soon. I did a quick Google this morning for replacements in Türkiye and Varta appears to be the most commonly available known brand. Some of the sellers list the year of production with 2022 batteries around 20% cheaper that 2023. How important is this?

 

[VicS]

My new to me boat has 3 x 210AH AGM house batteries. The boat is 2018 and as far as I can determine they're the original batteries. I'm probably going to replace them soon. I did a quick Google this morning for replacements in Türkiye and Varta appears to be the most commonly available known brand. Some of the sellers list the year of production with 2022 batteries around 20% cheaper that 2023. How important is this?

It depends on how well they have been looked after, ie regularly charged, and how important it is to you to save 20%

You will have no idea if they have been regularly charged . Only you know how important the discount is

 

[Refueler]

It can also make a difference if Dry stored or Wet Stored .... but that only applies to Flooded Wet Lead Acid - not AGM etc.

In OP's case ? If I was not contemplating serious passage voyages - then I would go for the discounted - as long as warranty was full as of purchase date.

 

[pandos]

Why not see if your existing ones behave to the standard you need.

My first agm batteries lasted for 15 years and I totally abused them..., I still use one of the originals as a start battery..my current ones are 4 years old (I bought them used from a guy who was going lithium to save space in a camper), they "feel" to be not as good as my originals...
(I say feel because I haven't any wish to actually measure their performance scientifically)

 

[Neeves]

Why not see if your existing ones behave to the standard you need.

My first agm batteries lasted for 15 years and I totally abused them..., I still use one of the originals as a start battery..my current ones are 4 years old (I bought them used from a guy who was going lithium to save space in a camper), they "feel" to be not as good as my originals...
(I say feel because I haven't any wish to actually measure their performance scientifically)

How do you 'feel' the performance of a battery?

Jonathan

 

[Irish Rover]

Why not see if your existing ones behave to the standard you need.

My first agm batteries lasted for 15 years and I totally abused them..., I still use one of the originals as a start battery..my current ones are 4 years old (I bought them used from a guy who was going lithium to save space in a camper), they "feel" to be not as good as my originals...
(I say feel because I haven't any wish to actually measure their performance scientifically)

I too haven't measured the performance of the batteries scientifically but I do "feel" they're on their way to being knackered. We've been tied up in a small port since Sunday lunchtime with no shore power. On Sunday night I got a low battery warning but there was stuff powered on which didn't need to be. Yesterday the solar panels [2 x 70W] brought the batteries back up and they were showing 13.20 while the sun was shining. We ran the generator for around 40 minutes in the evening to heat water etc and the batteries were showing 12.70 when we went to bed. I had switched off everything except the fridge-freezer going to bed and at 06.30 the voltage was showing 11.70. It increases to 12.20 when the fridge/freezer cycles off.

 

[NBs]

Lead-acid batteries when undercharged lose capacity as the plates "oxidise".

Personally, I ended up switching to Agm bank lifepo4 batteries. Prices have come down and they have a lot of advantages vs lead e.g. They charge quickly, capacity same Ah about twice as much, they don't need to be fully charged like lead batteries to perform well. Consider switching to lifepo4, you won't regret it.

You will have to change your system a bit, but it will be worth the effort.

 

[Neeves]

A comment to the OP

My new to me boat has 3 x 210AH AGM house batteries. The boat is 2018 and as far as I can determine they're the original batteries. I'm probably going to replace them soon. I did a quick Google this morning for replacements in Türkiye and Varta appears to be the most commonly available known brand. Some of the sellers list the year of production with 2022 batteries around 20% cheaper that 2023. How important is this?

Coincidentally

This is terrestrial

I had, till this morning, an underperforming 60amp battery with a 12 month warranty. The underperforming battery was 11 months old. I took it to be checked (and (potentially) replaced). It was found to be at fault - I was given a 60 amp replacement with a 2 year warranty.

Check the warranty on the cheap batteries.

Jonathan

 

[pandos]

I too haven't measured the performance of the batteries scientifically but I do "feel" they're on their way to being knackered. We've been tied up in a small port since Sunday lunchtime with no shore power. On Sunday night I got a low battery warning but there was stuff powered on which didn't need to be. Yesterday the solar panels [2 x 70W] brought the batteries back up and they were showing 13.20 while the sun was shining. We ran the generator for around 40 minutes in the evening to heat water etc and the batteries were showing 12.70 when we went to bed. I had switched off everything except the fridge-freezer going to bed and at 06.30 the voltage was showing 11.70. It increases to 12.20 when the fridge/freezer cycles off.

How do you 'feel' the performance of a battery?

Jonathan

One way is as described by Irish Rover, (where a good guess is often better than a bad measurement)

I think if one experiments with nipple clamps piercings and jump leads one may also be able to "feel" the performance of a battery...

 

[MontyMariner]

I had switched off everything except the fridge-freezer going to bed and at 06.30 the voltage was showing 11.70. It increases to 12.20 when the fridge/freezer cycles off

Have you looked into the possibility that just one of the batteries is dragging the bank down?
I would run on one battery at a time and see how they perform.