Battery help needed!

[jimi]

After engine failing to start today necessitating a rapid anchor deployment, I need to replace my cranking battery. Can some kind soul tell me if there is much difference between these?

http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/MF31-1000/

and

http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/656/


many thanks!

 

[BarryH]

hmm the cheaper one has a higher CCC and a longer warranty than the dearer one.......you pays your money etc etc etc. What have you got fitted at the moment??

 

[sailorman]

the first has more zip (1000 CCA) than the latter (750 CCA)

 

[jimi]

hmm the cheaper one has a higher CCC and a longer warranty than the dearer one.......you pays your money etc etc etc. What have you got fitted at the moment??

I've got a 656 of unknown age and manufacture at the moment .. suspect its a few years old cos it was in the boat when I bought it. The 656 is heavier than the other one, does that mean much?

 

[Rigger Mortice]

The cheaper one has a longer warranty, much the same AH, and claims to have better cold cranking performance.

 

[sailorman]

i have these
http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/DC31/
1 x engine
3 x domestic

 

[jimi]

thats a deep cycle battery is it not better to get a dedicated cranking battery rather than a deep cycle one?

 

[Richard10002]

You don't really need that many Ah in a starter. You will use very few Ah starting the engine, and the battery will be replenished by the alternator very quickly.

Of the 2 you mention, I'd buy the cheaper one. But I can see no reason not to buy this one:

http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/XV31/ and save some more money.

 

[sailorman]

thats a deep cycle battery is it not better to get a dedicated cranking battery rather than a deep cycle one?

i have used these for many years

 

[Richard10002]

thats a deep cycle battery is it not better to get a dedicated cranking battery rather than a deep cycle one?

They probably aren't true deep cycle ... Although even Trojan say that their deep cycle batteries will start an engine if necessary.

 

[Tranona]

If you have two banks with one dedicated to starting only then you do not need a battery like that, but a simple start battery such as fitted to small diesel engine cars - usually around 70AH but high CCA (600+). Those big capacity batteries are a waste for engine start, but suitable if you have only one battery bank.

 

[jimi]

I'd rather have too much than too little ;-) I've got one cranking battery and 2 leisure.

 

[GHA]

I've got a 656 of unknown age and manufacture at the moment .. suspect its a few years old cos it was in the boat when I bought it. The 656 is heavier than the other one, does that mean much?

One of the 12v books says a general rule of thumb is heavier is better, more metal. First one is sealed as well so need to be a bit careful not to boil it, plus not really possible to do much equalising. Not that that the should really need to on an engine battery spose.

 

[charles_reed]

To answer the OP's original question.
# 1 is a sealed lead-calcium battery - likely to need greater care in the charging, both bulk and equalising. It also has terminals on the centerline and may not fit some battery boxes, it's quite considerably smaller than #2 (and less expensive), it's most unlikely to be a deep-cycle battery.
#2 is an old-fashioned open-vented battery which will accept far more hit-and-miss charging regimes and probably has more space between the plate bottom and cell bottom and is therefore likely to be better for deep-cycling. It's larger than #1 and, with adequate maintenance likely to last longer. Whilst it has lower CCA, (supporting its likely deep-cycling capability) I doubt any but the largest marine engine will require more than the 750 CCA.
Faced with the price difference vs the greater suitability for marine use of #2, I'd almost certainly go for the larger, more expensive one, providing it fitted.

 

[Stemar]

If a dud engine battery causes problems of the rapid anchor deployment type, maybe you'd be better off with a a cheaper battery and a means of switching conveniently to start from the domestic system if the engine battery gets a strop on.

Jissel's starter battery for a VP2003 was, for 10 years up to last Spring, a second hand car battery. I don't think you'll need that big a battery to start a healthy marine diesel. Look up the starting current for your engine (mine's around 140a) and get a battery with around double that CCA and about 70 AH capacity and you'll be fine. I wouldn't expect to spend more than £50-60 for that.

 

[Koeketiene]

After engine failing to start today necessitating a rapid anchor deployment, I need to replace my cranking battery. Can some kind soul tell me if there is much difference between these?

http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/MF31-1000/

and

http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/656/


many thanks!

Get whatever is on offer at Halfords this week.
As long as it is suitable for diesel cars, it will be fine for the boat.

We did - 5 years ago. IIRC paid £49 for it at the time.
Engine still starts whenever I turn the key.

 

[Tranona]

I'd rather have too much than too little ;-) I've got one cranking battery and 2 leisure.

But it really is a waste if you are only using it for starting. You can't do anything with the excess capacity unless you turn it into all one bank. Much more sensible to have a dedicated start battery which will always be fully charged plus some way of using the house bank for starting in an emergency.

 

[bigman1]

Ebay for best battery buy.

 

[Blueboatman]

Probably posting 'after the fact' now, lol

But, I doubled up te engine crank batteries when fitting a electric windlass as both come off the same bank, t'other two are so called deep cycle domestics..

Occasionally quite nice to lift the anchor without recourse to engine, and chust sail quietly off I to the sunrise n all that...

So, what was strongly suggested when I bought was to check the weight first! More lead is, well, more lead innit. Maybe

 

[No Regrets]

Just a bit different.

Fifty Shades uses three 110 a/h batteries for starting and for leisure.

Now for most of the time, that huge bank easily starts the Volvo TAMD40b's with pathetic ease, to the point that engine starting doesn't impact on them at all. It doesn't matter what kind of batteries they are!

If they run flat during extended 'leisure' periods, there is an emergency 90 a/h battery which gets the engines easily started, while the twin alternators whack some power into the bank of three.

Obviously, if I were knowingly to stop for extended periods, I carry a Honda EX500 generator. Just enough to charge those batteries quietly and efficiently.

Anything else is far too complicated!!