magic-martinh
Well-Known Member
Got to buy a new one but my manual and dead battery are onboard. Recommendations please - does it have to be 'marine' or will automotive be fine? 55 ah? Thanks
What starter battery for a 1GM10
- Thread starter magic-martinh
- Start date
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Sailing boat or power boat?
Used for domestics when the engine isn't running or just engine starting?
Used for domestics when the engine isn't running or just engine starting?
misterg
Well-Known Member
I can't see anything in the Operating Manual, but I have a maintenance manual which says minimum 70Ah for 1GM10 (and 2GM20 and 3GM30).
Doesn't have to be 'marine'. Just make sure that the terminal type and layout match your existing set-up (which side (+) and (-) are for example).
You may want to add a bit of capacity if this battery powers your domestics, too.
Warning! Contentious & opinionated statement:
I personally don't think it's worth spending extra on 'leisure' or 'marine' "deep cycle" batteries for domestics (the ones with pretty pictures of caravans or boats on the side). Yes, if you're talking about pukka industrial deep cycle batteries, but otherwise put a bit of extra money into a known brand of 'automotive' battery (Hint: Ha_for_s isn't one of them).
/ends
Andy
Doesn't have to be 'marine'. Just make sure that the terminal type and layout match your existing set-up (which side (+) and (-) are for example).
You may want to add a bit of capacity if this battery powers your domestics, too.
Warning! Contentious & opinionated statement:
I personally don't think it's worth spending extra on 'leisure' or 'marine' "deep cycle" batteries for domestics (the ones with pretty pictures of caravans or boats on the side). Yes, if you're talking about pukka industrial deep cycle batteries, but otherwise put a bit of extra money into a known brand of 'automotive' battery (Hint: Ha_for_s isn't one of them).
/ends
Andy
magic-martinh
Well-Known Member
After some thread searching I came up with 70AH too, sailboat, starting only. Thanks for input people.
Martin_J
Well-Known Member
As misterg says.. I would say that you need to know what side the +ve and -ve terminals are.
Image the battery on the floor at your feet, with the terminals on the side closest to you. Some then have the +ve by your left foot and some have the +ve to your right foot.
If you get it wrong (back to front) you might just find the cables in the boat don't reach...
Image the battery on the floor at your feet, with the terminals on the side closest to you. Some then have the +ve by your left foot and some have the +ve to your right foot.
If you get it wrong (back to front) you might just find the cables in the boat don't reach...
30boat
N/A
70 is the recommended size.I had a boat with two 80 Ah batteries one for starting one domestic and they lasted for 9 years.No fridge though.
blackbeard
Well-Known Member
I can't see what battery capacity has to do with it, unless your engine takes an inordinately long time to start. What you need is amps for cranking the engine, and that can come from a relatively small automotive battery. My 1GM engine start battery (automotive type) can give 440 amps (nominally) from a capacity of 40 AH and that seems to start the engine OK.
The starter motor on a 1GM is nominally 1 kW so that's about 100 A, but it might take more for a short while and you want to have some power in reserve, hence the 440 amps.
Automotive batteries are designed (mainly) to start engines, for which a large current is needed. Leisure batteries are not, although they might in an emergency, they are designed to give smaller currents for long periods - as for instance would be needed for lights, radio, even fridges.
The starter motor on a 1GM is nominally 1 kW so that's about 100 A, but it might take more for a short while and you want to have some power in reserve, hence the 440 amps.
Automotive batteries are designed (mainly) to start engines, for which a large current is needed. Leisure batteries are not, although they might in an emergency, they are designed to give smaller currents for long periods - as for instance would be needed for lights, radio, even fridges.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
You might also consider using a dedicated starter battery such as a Red Flash or Odyssey. Sealed units, can be mounted any orientation and about half the size and weight of an automotive lead acid battery.
Ubergeekian
Well-Known Member
I'd have a thought a car battery would do fine. It's only a titchy wee diesel (three hundred and something cee cee - I've got one two) and even with the higher diesel compression ratio that's peanuts.
Burnham Bob
Well-Known Member
for five years we ran our halycon 23 with a 1GM10 off a single battery - engine start and domestics such as lights plus the instruments, nav lights and anchor light. admittedly the load wasn't high but we used to go away for up to two weeks and as long as we ran the engine from marina to marina there were never any problems. We used a car battery designed for a range rover. only died when we lent the boat to a friend for a season and it got totally discharged through lack of use.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
Starter motor requirements are measured in Cold Cranking Amps, CCA. All GM series engines have a CCA of 200 Amps. see this link for information on GM and other engines.
As suggested by Tranona, if you want a compact and maintenance-free option, you could do worse than look at Red Flash AGM types. I fitted a 900 as a starter battery for my 3GM, with a CCA of 420 it is plenty powerful enough but small enough to fit alongside the engine.
It has proved to be quite adequate for starting the engine after one season's use.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Just to endorse Vyv's recommendation. I have the same battery , done 5 years with a 1GM. Just had it tested because now fitting a Nanni 14. Battery seems like new. Takes full load and holds charge well. Good buy.
magic-martinh
Well-Known Member
Ah, looks like I can us ethe Red Top 25 Racing battery I have for the car I'm building. Thanks eveyone - that should do very nicely.
