Hoppecke Batteries

[boy boater]

Our boat has had Hoppecke batteries fitted from new which have proven to be very reliable and long lived. The batteries may well need replacing before too long. How do others rate this make of battery, please? Where do these batteries stand in the quality/price rankings?

 

[aquapower]

These are a very good battery, although they not the cheapest the quality is very good, I would stick with them if you have had them before and found them reliable as theres nothing worse than a battery that lets you down.

 

[[2068]]

I faced the same dilemma last year: problem is that I'm not sure that Hoppecke make general purpose leisure batteries any more - I couldn't find any.

In the end, I contacted Sealine, who said that they were fitting Numax batteries as standard now. Early days, but I'm happy so far with these:

http://www.tayna.co.uk/catalog/586/0/MarineBoat-Batteries-Numax-Sealed-Marine-Batteries-page1.html

 

[aquapower]

If these are not available then another equally good battery is trojan, they are available in all sizes and are well suited to marine use.

 

[tico]

Hoppecke are one of our major suppliers but unfortunately they no longer produce the Leisure battery range and have concentrated on the industrial range... bit big for boat use! (bugger!)

 

[boy boater]

Thank you all for the above most useful info. Just one other question. I notice that the batteries fitted (from new) are the same, i.e. starting & domestic. I was under the impression that the characteristics required from a starting battery are different from one used for domestic purposes. Am I mis-informed? Has battery technology advanced such that these days one battery 'type' suits both needs?

 

[tico]

'Starting' batteries are designed to give high currents for a short time and be recharged quickly.... hence thicker plates

'Domestic' ones on the other hand are designed to give lower currents over a longer period and with more capacity and depth-of-discharge..... thus have thinner plates but more of them

'Leisure' batteries.. as I understand are a compromise of both types of characteristics.

 

[boy boater]

Following recommendation for Numax batteries above, I went back to supplier who stated that the batteries are 'dual' purpose, i.e. starting and domestic. It was not stated how much of a compromise these batteries are on either front. Again, thanks for help, all.

 

[DavidJ]

I was under the impression that the characteristics required from a starting battery are different from one used for domestic purposes.

True, and domestic and cranking need very different battery requirements which cannot be 'designed' into one battery nomatter what the marketing blurb says. However, I notice that Sealine (mine's an S37) just double up the leisure batteries on the non-domestic, cranking side and all has worked well for many years. In this way they just have one type of battery. My Hoppecke's all failed withing 6 months of each other after 7 years of use. I replaced all six (or was it five??) with Bosch leisure fron Costco at £72 each.
You probably know this, but when replacing with another type, make sure that the poles are in the same position as original or you will have some messy lead extending to do.