Which batteries should I purchase

[mldpt]

After 15 years I finally bought a new alternator and adverc regulator the Alternator was also Adverc, I have always bought cheap batteries around £50 usually 100ah X 2 for service bqatteries, I have room for three, possibly smaller AH and a dedicated engine battery, I have always blamed my lack of Volts on my old alternator not charging enough but now with a new 105 A one which wacks 50amps in when ever I need it but my present batteries are soon back down to 11.7 volts which batteries should I buy now I sail a Westerly Corsair in the North west and in Scotland offering Skipper charter and RYA instruction so have people on board most of the year all useing Volts as if ashore. Regards Mike /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[pvb]

Lots...

Mike, I used to own a Corsair, so I know there's lots of room to store batteries. If you want to minimise your power problems, put at least 6 x 100 Ah batteries in as your domestic bank. You'll find that the alternator will charge them quickly, and you'll have fewer problems. The batteries will also last longer, as you'll usually be discharging them to a lesser degree. I use maintenance-free batteries in my domestic bank, as their chemistry is quite tolerant of the higher charge voltages produced by the Adverc. My batteries are about 8 years old, and still seem OK.

 

[Guest]

Having read so much in posts ..... I found this

Laed Acid Battery use and charging

As many know - I am in process of sorting out battery installation "in true Luther economic" mode .....

The Maplin charge splitter will do me nicely with my Halfords charger for when I have shore power available. As per Alistair Garrods book - I shall cheat the alternator senses - actually get an electrician to do it for me ! - so alternator will charge via the diode splitter I already have on boat ....

What I find interesting is the variation in prices / details / set-ups and how much trouble people will go to in finding a way to keep batterys charged. I have a motor sailer that would never win any races so have got used to engine on for reasonable %age of time ... so that gives me charge while out on water ... but many others are not so - literally engine off asap and on as late as poss.
I had a wind charger on previous boat and was not so impressed - it was a heavy item and the amount of charge put back against mounting / loss of space where it mounted ... not an exercise I will repeat ... Solar panels ... tried the trickle charge ones and they worked ... but mine were prone to cells crazing ... so have stopped using them ...

As to batterys and where to source / what type .... still I take the breakers yard route ... Consider price of new battery against price of good one from breakers yard .. the difference will pay for a load-tester .... as here :>

Battery Tester

or if you really want to more upmarket .... try looking at the range here >

Battery items range

So you can buy cheaper battery's, test them before walking away .... making sure you have good cells etc. You also have the ability to truly check out any battery on your boat, car etc. with that tester you bought with the spare saved cash .....

IMHO of course ......

 

[DickB]

I bought two caravan 110 amp battries from TowSure for about £35 each two years ago. Seem fine. You have to visit a store to get them. Apparently they dont go through te post very well

 

[Graham_Wright]

Re: Having read so much in posts ..... I found this

[ QUOTE ]
As to batterys and where to source / what type .... still I take the breakers yard route ... Consider price of new battery against price of good one from breakers yard .. the difference will pay for a load-tester

[/ QUOTE ]

Man after my own heart!
I found half a dozen brand new AGM maintenanve free, sealed for life marine/leisure, 85 Ah batteries in my local scrap yard. One was marked "U/S" but the others accept charge and have run a constant 5amp discharge for 20 hours down to 11volts. So far they don't seem to self discharge (2 weeks) but time will tell. Perhaps they will explode;- must be a catch somewhere!

I also found three pallets of lower capacity but physically much larger same type. They have to be tested but could be heavy discharge type. Cost;- virtually nil.

It pays to visit your scrap yard!

 

[trouville]

Re: Having read so much in posts ..... I found this

Quote from PVB I use maintenance-free batteries in my domestic bank, as their chemistry is quite tolerant of the higher charge voltages produced by the Adverc. My batteries are about 8 years old, and still seem OK.

Thats the first time ive heard that! I always wonderd what maintaance free ment!and as PVBs advise is always spot on and helpful, i wonder if my marine battery is differant to a car one?

In october i got a VARTA 81271 marine power battery its 75amp/hr i bought 2 50 amp/hr dryfit traction blocks S/H for £18 each later the garage (near a canal) gave me a free 115amp/hr as he realised i couldent use the other batteries for engin starting!?

As it was a bit big for my limited space he gave me the Varta which had been part of a battry bank on a MOBO !!

The varta having been used to run my SSB for the last week still has 13v!! when i checked yesterday and im only useing an 18w solar panel to charge it?

I looked again under my engin cover, but my johnson 6 dosent seem to have an alternator?

 

[bobg]

Mike, your website and connection seems a bit wonky. I am interested in some of the services you mentioned in your post. Is there a better weblink to you or a way of contacting you?

 

[Anonymous]

Since you are going for fast charging and want deep discharge, I would recommend flooded lead acid, semi traction. These should be better for your application and less expensive. Big benefit of gels and AGMs is that they work when upside down. Really useful, that /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif