New House Battery for a Bavaria 30

Emjaytoo

Emjaytoo

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 Jan 2005
Messages
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Location
Us: Kent; Emjaytoo: Holland; Kate: Conyer Creek
www.emjaytoo.net
During last season it became apparent that our house battery was shot - wouldn't hold charge for more than about 12 -14 hours. As last season was the fifth year year of the battery's life I guess that was good going, but now it is time to get a replacement. The existing factory fitted battery is a 140Ah Bosch 640 036 076. Research on the internet reveals this to be a standard heavy duty truck battery as fitted to Mercedes trucks. Is that the right choice of battery for a boat? Bavaria obviously thought so in 2007. I had thought the boat would have a deep cycle leisure battery, but seemingly not.

A like for like (Varta equivalent) will cost about £220. Should I be looking at something else? proper leisure battery or even a gel battery?
 
Emjaytoo said:
During last season it became apparent that our house battery was shot - wouldn't hold charge for more than about 12 -14 hours. As last season was the fifth year year of the battery's life I guess that was good going, but now it is time to get a replacement. The existing factory fitted battery is a 140Ah Bosch 640 036 076. Research on the internet reveals this to be a standard heavy duty truck battery as fitted to Mercedes trucks. Is that the right choice of battery for a boat? Bavaria obviously thought so in 2007. I had thought the boat would have a deep cycle leisure battery, but seemingly not.

A like for like (Varta equivalent) will cost about £220. Should I be looking at something else? proper leisure battery or even a gel battery?
Click to expand...

I use
http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/products/group/?c=Battery&a=Boat

i bought 4 of these - Part Number: DC27
1 x engine
3 x domestic


free nxt day delivery too
 
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Richard10002 said:
Looks interesting, but wondering why you bought a Deep Cycle battery for engine starter and, if it works for starting the engine, is it truly Deep Cycle, or just another leisure battery?
Click to expand...

AH made a mistake they were the XV 31s

the last set lasted over 9 yrs ( some of them still going in a beach hut) the new bank 3 yrs to date
 
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Whichever you get.. just make sure the +ve and -ve posts are on the right corners...

Think of the battery on the ground with the long edge (with the terminals) towards your feet. Sometimes the +ve is on the right and sometimes on the left. It will make it easier to fit if they are in the right place since the leads are usually rather short and immovable...
 
Do a search on Elecsol deep cycle batteries. I have just bought a 110aH one good for 1000 cycles and is a deep discharge battery to boot.
 
wizard said:
Do a search on Elecsol deep cycle batteries. I have just bought a 110aH one good for 1000 cycles and is a deep discharge battery to boot.
Click to expand...

I don't think Elecsol are true deep cycle, and I think you will come unstuck if you think you can discharge them deeply on a regular basis. I also get the impression that the 1000 cycles is for something like a 10% or 20% discharge.

I may be wrong but, unless you pay the price for Trojans or Rolls, you don't get Deep Cycle.
 
Richard10002 said:
I don't think Elecsol are true deep cycle, and I think you will come unstuck if you think you can discharge them deeply on a regular basis. I also get the impression that the 1000 cycles is for something like a 10% or 20% discharge.

I may be wrong but, unless you pay the price for Trojans or Rolls, you don't get Deep Cycle.
Click to expand...


Correct, the 1000 cycles is for 80% depth of discharge but it still has a load of benefits which relates to the price - in my case £113 as follows:

Elecsol 100Ah Carbon Fibre Deep Cycle Leisure Batteries
Elecsol Deep Cycle*batteries offer high power and performance.
Independent tests have shown that the Elecsol 12V battery gives 20% more power for no overall increase in the weight of the battery.
Elecsol batteries have proven themselves over the past decade to consistently offer 3 x the cycling life, more power - less weight, than conventional leisure batteries.
These batteries come with an unrivalled Five Year Guarantee which is backed up both nationally and internationally with distributor supporting the product in every continent world-wide.
These latest technology batteries are now completely sealed for life design requiring no topping up or maintenance throughout the life of the battery. Recombient valve technology is employed allowing for all gases created during the charge / discharge cycle to replenish through the electrolyte. This ensures water levels remain constant at all times with no water loss.
Carbon fibre technology in the battery increases the cycling performance and life of the battery, these batteries will complete over 1000 deep discharge cycles (3 times as many cycles as the nearest equivalent)**
The high strength of the grids ensures no plate buckling under high cranking loads. This is unusual in a leisure battery as conventionally the plates under these conditions will buckle.*These batteries offer the user the benefit of deep discharge cycling together with cold cranking capabilities resulting in a dual purpose battery.
Millions of strands of Carbon Fibre build up a conductive network within the grid itself. This gives greater plate surface area able to absorb the charge faster and more efficiently. The Carbon Fibres act as an osmosis pump ensuring the acid is drawn deeper in to the plate, utilising more of the potential capacity.
Product Endorsements.
Elecsol batteries have received the following endorsements:*
*Which *Caravan Club *Caravan Life *Team Group 4 Autotrail Motor Homes
More Power - Less Weight.
These batteries offer higher power and performance through the use of unique patented carbon
Fibre technology. Independent tests prove they give 20% more power output for no increase in the overall weight of the battery
*
Ultimate 5 Year Guarantee.
A full 5 year guarantee is offered world-wide for all our products for Deep Cycling Application and Engine Start.
*
3 x the Cycling Life.
The carbon fibre technology employed in the whole battery range significantly increases the cycling performance and life of the battery when compared to equivalent semi traction batteries.*These*batteries will complete over 1000 deep discharge cycles -3 times as many cycles as the nearest equivalent.

No plate sulphation.
Incredible but true! The major failure of traditional leisure batteries is plate sulphation. This is caused by continuously discharging the battery or leaving the battery in a flat condition. Upon recharging, the capacity loss is significant as a large portion of the battery plates have a permanent deposition of lead sulphate. Carbon fibre technology incorporated in this range of batteries ensures the battery can be deeper discharged without permanent damage resulting. Highly conductive carbon fibres allow acid to flow deeper into the plate forming a conductive network within the grid preventing the build up of lead sulphation.*


No connection with the company but after 3 months of research this was the best bang for bucks i could find

:D:D
 
You could go the gucci battery route, or you could think about whether paying twice or 3 times the price of a bog standard leisure battery will get you 2 or 3 times life out aforementioned gucci model.

If you find one that does could you let me know.

:):)
 
Comrade Red said:
You could go the gucci battery route, or you could think about whether paying twice or 3 times the price of a bog standard leisure battery will get you 2 or 3 times life out aforementioned gucci model.

If you find one that does could you let me know.

:):)
Click to expand...

i believe that with L.A. batteries are by & large the same construction ,the extra over is to fund the longer warranty
 
sailorman said:
i believe that with L.A. batteries are by & large the same construction ,the extra over is to fund the longer warranty
Click to expand...

The major differences for life and cycle resistance are plate thickness and separation methods.
Unfortunately "leisure" doesn't mean anything in particular. I've no doubt some are just relabelled ordinary batteries. Most however will use a smaller number of thicker plates (probably selected from the manufacturer's truck battery range) than would be used in that box for a starter battery, and an extra separator layer, possibly enveloped.

Car battery typically 1-1.5mm thick, truck 2-3mm, Trojan or similar 4-6mm.
Posher batteries may include extra alloying elements (in addition to the normal antimony or calcium) in the grid metal e.g. a trace of silver this can help too.

There is truth in what you say though. At one time Unipart sold batteries with a 3 year warranty and with a lifetime warranty at different prices. The only difference was the colour of the box. The company I was with made both so I know!

(These comments relate to flooded batteries not AGM)
 
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Troubadour said:
The major differences for life and cycle resistance are plate thickness and separation methods.
Unfortunately "leisure" doesn't mean anything in particular. I've no doubt some are just relabelled ordinary batteries. Most however will use a smaller number of thicker plates (probably selected from the manufacturer's truck battery range) than would be used in that box for a starter battery, and an extra separator layer, possibly enveloped.QUOTE]

Does that explain why the original battery was a "bog standard" truck battery? And does that suggest that a truck battery is probably a good option?
Click to expand...
 
wizard said:
Correct, the 1000 cycles is for 80% depth of discharge but it still has a load of benefits which relates to the price - in my case £113 as follows:

Elecsol 100Ah Carbon Fibre Deep Cycle Leisure Batteries
Elecsol Deep Cycle*batteries offer high power and performance.
Independent tests have shown that the Elecsol 12V battery gives 20% more power for no overall increase in the weight of the battery.
Elecsol batteries have proven themselves over the past decade to consistently offer 3 x the cycling life, more power - less weight, than conventional leisure batteries.
These batteries come with an unrivalled Five Year Guarantee which is backed up both nationally and internationally with distributor supporting the product in every continent world-wide.
These latest technology batteries are now completely sealed for life design requiring no topping up or maintenance throughout the life of the battery. Recombient valve technology is employed allowing for all gases created during the charge / discharge cycle to replenish through the electrolyte. This ensures water levels remain constant at all times with no water loss.
Carbon fibre technology in the battery increases the cycling performance and life of the battery, these batteries will complete over 1000 deep discharge cycles (3 times as many cycles as the nearest equivalent)**
The high strength of the grids ensures no plate buckling under high cranking loads. This is unusual in a leisure battery as conventionally the plates under these conditions will buckle.*These batteries offer the user the benefit of deep discharge cycling together with cold cranking capabilities resulting in a dual purpose battery.
Millions of strands of Carbon Fibre build up a conductive network within the grid itself. This gives greater plate surface area able to absorb the charge faster and more efficiently. The Carbon Fibres act as an osmosis pump ensuring the acid is drawn deeper in to the plate, utilising more of the potential capacity.
Product Endorsements.
Elecsol batteries have received the following endorsements:*
*Which *Caravan Club *Caravan Life *Team Group 4 Autotrail Motor Homes
More Power - Less Weight.
These batteries offer higher power and performance through the use of unique patented carbon
Fibre technology. Independent tests prove they give 20% more power output for no increase in the overall weight of the battery
*
Ultimate 5 Year Guarantee.
A full 5 year guarantee is offered world-wide for all our products for Deep Cycling Application and Engine Start.
*
3 x the Cycling Life.
The carbon fibre technology employed in the whole battery range significantly increases the cycling performance and life of the battery when compared to equivalent semi traction batteries.*These*batteries will complete over 1000 deep discharge cycles -3 times as many cycles as the nearest equivalent.

No plate sulphation.
Incredible but true! The major failure of traditional leisure batteries is plate sulphation. This is caused by continuously discharging the battery or leaving the battery in a flat condition. Upon recharging, the capacity loss is significant as a large portion of the battery plates have a permanent deposition of lead sulphate. Carbon fibre technology incorporated in this range of batteries ensures the battery can be deeper discharged without permanent damage resulting. Highly conductive carbon fibres allow acid to flow deeper into the plate forming a conductive network within the grid preventing the build up of lead sulphation.*


No connection with the company but after 3 months of research this was the best bang for bucks i could find

:D:D
Click to expand...
One born every 20".
 
A simple compromise-I have three 110 AH truck/tractor starter batteries-general purpose ones will cost you upwards of £80- to just over £100 each.I use one dedicated start and two for ancilliaries-in my case lighting; autopilot; pressurised water and fridge.
I can individually isolate all my batteries or if I want divert any /all to start/ancilliary.
I made up a long switch panel with 5 rotary on-off isolator switches.Not going into wiring detail but they are directly linked using copper strip.
My 110 AH battery will quite happily fire up 50 hp and would happily fire in series a big truck engine .
 
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