Batteries etc.

ccscott49

ccscott49

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Well, blow me down! After asking you lot about battery chargers, now my bloody batteries have failed!!! So I now need eight 105 ah, batteries. Been looking at some DEKA, AGM ones, just how good are AGM batteries, its either them or Delphi voyagers. The price, by the time shipping is taken into account, the delphi ones are a little cheaper. These DEKA ones have a good reputation around Spain and Italy, inported from the states I believe. Anybody know them? Remember I am in Spain, ballearics at the moment and would need them down there, any reccomendations would be appreciated.
 
Yep, checked them individualy, but I wouldnt replace single batteries anyway, they are all the same age and have just got worse over the last few months, been in the boat for 4 years, they get a hammering as a permanent liveaboard. The capacity has diminished, the magic eyes show them to be charged, but they just dont have more than 20% of their capacity, just got old I guess.
 
I had a failed battery back in March and replaced both of them. I bought Elecsol leisure batteries as my boatyard had them in stock. They feature carbon fibre reinforcement of the plates to prevent buckling. Far too early for me to give a verdict on them but has anyone else tried them?
 
Sorry for cutting and pasting a recent answer...

This article sums up my thinking...

http://www.adverc.co.uk/technical/technical-batteries.asp

I pay about 50p/amp hour for 130Ah truck batteries. I use exactly the same battery for engine start and domestic banks, that way everything fits everywhere, and I can always move things around should there be a failure - until a replacement is obtained. I like built in redundancy. I particulary like simplicity. Standard wet cells are simple to understand, maintain and charge. As soon as you start with gel and AGM you need a different charging rate and system for that bank.

Keep it simple I say.

See also...

http://www.sterling-power.com/

and check out FAQ's.

Edit.

Forgot to add, buy from a truck battery supplier and pay a sensible price. You can get these in any pole configuration.
 
Personally, and assuming lead acid, for a liveaboard having a big house bank I would (and do) stick to wet cell. Far more robust and no real possibility of charging accidents destroying them.

We, and others, have had very good service from Trojan batteries which are available world wide - and assume they are in Europe too. Thats just a personal preference but they do have a good name.

I have a client who uses AGM's on commercial vessels (big MoBo's) for cranking and house as no servicing required - but he replaces them annually as the potential down time from failure is too costly.

John
 
I have elecsol, as of 2 weeks ago, and so far so good.... they took a real hammering at the weekend, given the hot weather, with the fridge running pretty hard, along with radio, and a decent amount of PC usage and held up beautifully over 3 days off shore power.... too soon to tell obviously over longeivity....
 
Me too CCS, but unfortunately he is not here in NZ (and in case yer wondering not near you either /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif).

John
 
Exeter battery centre is the place for you my boy, no doubt they'll be happy to post them on to you for a nominal charge /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
That's where I bought my last lot in UK, they were bloody good as well, (south affi)not to mention cheap! But getting them to Mallorca might be a slight drawback!!
 
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