Battery analysis

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Sarnia

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Has anyone a copy of or link to an article written by someone in the trade, who highlighted the benefits of lead acid batteries, and the way they are sold as 'marine batteries' but which are the same thing in effect.
The article is controversial but gives what I consider a pretty good analysis of what is good value for money and a guide to boaties buying or replacing.
I ask because I recently lost some files on my pc in which the article was contained, I know it has been on here and discussed in the passed.
 
Most batteries used on boats are lead acid. If you were thinking of the Sterling article, be aware that it was rather biased and contained a number of inaccurate claims.
 
pvb said:
Most batteries used on boats are lead acid. If you were thinking of the Sterling article, be aware that it was rather biased and contained a number of inaccurate claims.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your comments on all things electrical as you did help me choose an alternator previously, is there a thread where the Sterling article was discussed.
 
Sarnia said:
I appreciate your comments on all things electrical as you did help me choose an alternator previously, is there a thread where the Sterling article was discussed.
Click to expand...

Happy to help if I can. Don't know about threads discussing the article. Bear in mind that many Sterling products work by increasing the alternator's charge voltage, which can cause gassing. Obviously, this isn't good for so-called sealed batteries, so - surprise, surprise - Sterling says they're no good and we should use open lead acid batteries which can be topped up.

In fact, "sealed" batteries are pretty good for boat use; clean, spill-proof, safe. Those with lead-calcium plates are more resistant to higher charge voltages than ordinary batteries. On my old boat, I've had 8 years from a set of maintenance-free batteries, being fast-charged by an Adverc booster.

And AGM batteries, of which Sterling is critical, are able to absorb high rates of charge safely, as the battery has a low internal resistance. I have AGMs on my new boat, for engine start, domestic and thruster, and expect them to last well.
 
pvb said:
Happy to help if I can. Don't know about threads discussing the article. Bear in mind that many Sterling products work by increasing the alternator's charge voltage, which can cause gassing. Obviously, this isn't good for so-called sealed batteries, so - surprise, surprise - Sterling says they're no good and we should use open lead acid batteries which can be topped up.

In fact, "sealed" batteries are pretty good for boat use; clean, spill-proof, safe. Those with lead-calcium plates are more resistant to higher charge voltages than ordinary batteries. On my old boat, I've had 8 years from a set of maintenance-free batteries, being fast-charged by an Adverc booster.

And AGM batteries, of which Sterling is critical, are able to absorb high rates of charge safely, as the battery has a low internal resistance. I have AGMs on my new boat, for engine start, domestic and thruster, and expect them to last well.
Click to expand...

I also have had both sealed and serviceable batteries, life span has been about the same, but I am still trying to find the article Charles Sterling wrote, furious I lost it amongst other things when my pc went haywire
 
pvb said:
In fact, "sealed" batteries are pretty good for boat use; clean, spill-proof, safe. Those with lead-calcium plates are more resistant to higher charge voltages than ordinary batteries. On my old boat, I've had 8 years from a set of maintenance-free batteries, being fast-charged by an Adverc booster.

And AGM batteries, of which Sterling is critical, are able to absorb high rates of charge safely, as the battery has a low internal resistance. I have AGMs on my new boat, for engine start, domestic and thruster, and expect them to last well.
Click to expand...

I have sealed Bosch batteries for the domestic bank charged by a Sterling alternator regulator. Have only had them for four years so not claiming perfection yet but many half-year liveaboards would consider this life to be not bad. My starter battery is an AGM but only 1 year old. I run them both on the 'sealed battery' setting on the Sterling.
 
pvb said:
Happy to help if I can. Don't know about threads discussing the article. Bear in mind that many Sterling products work by increasing the alternator's charge voltage, which can cause gassing. Obviously, this isn't good for so-called sealed batteries, so - surprise, surprise - Sterling says they're no good and we should use open lead acid batteries which can be topped up.

In fact, "sealed" batteries are pretty good for boat use; clean, spill-proof, safe. Those with lead-calcium plates are more resistant to higher charge voltages than ordinary batteries. On my old boat, I've had 8 years from a set of maintenance-free batteries, being fast-charged by an Adverc booster.

And AGM batteries, of which Sterling is critical, are able to absorb high rates of charge safely, as the battery has a low internal resistance. I have AGMs on my new boat, for engine start, domestic and thruster, and expect them to last well.
Click to expand...

i have an adverc & got our trusty local sparks to wire up the alternator. when i said "i have an alternator controller" he said "it isnt a sterling is it"
 
Sarnia said:
Thanks, but google not getting very far would you have the link please.
Click to expand...

I suspect that the link has been withdrawn. This alternative link from 2009 http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f14/an-idiots-guide-to-deep-cycle-batteries-32051.html refers to it and gives many reasons why it is now outdated. My Sterling is well over ten years old, which is when I first had a copy of the article, and I suspect that there have been many changes in battery technology since then.
 
Sarnia said:
.. but I am still trying to find the article Charles Sterling wrote, furious I lost it amongst other things when my pc went haywire
Click to expand...

It used to be in the Sterling Product Catalogue each year, but it hasn't been in recent ones (maybe he saw he'd been rumbled!). I have a PDF of the 2008 catalogue with the article in. If you'd like to send me a PM with your email address, I'll send it to you.

And, having suffered like you, I now have an external hard drive which backs up my computer every day! Hindsight!!
 
pvb said:
And AGM batteries, of which Sterling is critical, are able to absorb high rates of charge safely, as the battery has a low internal resistance. I have AGMs on my new boat, for engine start, domestic and thruster, and expect them to last well.
Click to expand...

The ability to take a high charge is a great advantage of AGMs but they do have significant downsides, depending on how you use your boat and the batteries. For one thing, to get maximum life AGMs need to be maintained at a high state of charge and also need to be completely topped off on a regular basis.

Boaters who keep their boat at a slip with a charger connected or at anchor with solar they might be a good choice. For a boater that is not able to keep AGMs fully charged on a regular basis it is quite likely they will see early failure. Since AGMs are much more expensive than a standard flooded lead acid battery (sealed or unsealed) an early death would be a big bite out of the wallet.
 
pvb said:
It used to be in the Sterling Product Catalogue each year, but it hasn't been in recent ones (maybe he saw he'd been rumbled!). I have a PDF of the 2008 catalogue with the article in. If you'd like to send me a PM with your email address, I'll send it to you.

And, having suffered like you, I now have an external hard drive which backs up my computer every day! Hindsight!!
Click to expand...

Thank you PM sent
 
GHA said:
slight thread drift, but dropbox is free, mine has loads of manuals, handy articles etc in it amongst other things stored safe and available from any machine. evernote is great for saving stuff as well, like useful forum threads :)
Click to expand...

Sounds great will check it out
 
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