Colin_W
New Member
I need a new battery is there any reason I shouldn’t use a standard car battery? If so what should I look for?
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Which type of batteries?
- Thread starter Colin_W
- Start date
longjohnsilver
Well-Known Member
As long as it fits and has sufficient amperage, the cheapest you can find!
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Spyro
Well-Known Member
If you want to buy from an auto shop make sure you get a "leisure battery" they have larger plates do not get damaged from bumping and banging experienced on a boat and allow for deeper discharge cycles
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redhot
Well-Known Member
Are you talking leisure or starting battery?
If it's a starter, just buy the cheapest highest amp hour you can find.
If its a leisure, read on...
The problem with car batteries is that they have ALL their power briefly (for starting a car) but not for long, whereas a leisure battery holds the voltage for longer and then dies quite quickly, which is good news if like me you run appliances that shut off below 10.5 volts.
The secret is to get a deep cycle leisure battery.
Having said all of the above, I have friends that just use car batteries as leisure batteries and have no problems. It's one of those things that everyone seems to have an opinion on.
Mike.
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If it's a starter, just buy the cheapest highest amp hour you can find.
If its a leisure, read on...
The problem with car batteries is that they have ALL their power briefly (for starting a car) but not for long, whereas a leisure battery holds the voltage for longer and then dies quite quickly, which is good news if like me you run appliances that shut off below 10.5 volts.
The secret is to get a deep cycle leisure battery.
Having said all of the above, I have friends that just use car batteries as leisure batteries and have no problems. It's one of those things that everyone seems to have an opinion on.
Mike.
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bedouin
Well-Known Member
The most cost effective solution seems to be to use "Leisure" batteries from caravan suppliers. These tend to give you more AH per pound than a car battery (you should be able to pick up 85AH for £35, or 110AH for £50) while still being capable of starting an engine (within reason).
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foskett
New Member
Go and get a TRUCK battery.
we have been using these for some years, no problems.
Regards Ian
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we have been using these for some years, no problems.
Regards Ian
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Indalo
Member
I have a heavy-duty car battery for starting, and a general purpose marine battery for lights, domestics etc. Seems to work well enough, and the car battery is much better as a starter - the domestic battery won't start the engine on a cold morning without the aid of the crank handle.
<hr width=100% size=1>Stan
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dk
Well-Known Member
Colin
One invaluable tip - buy the heaviest one you can afford - weight usually means thick plates.
2nd tip (applies to anything really) - buy the one with the longest guarantee - manufacturers don't want to pay you back, so if they are confident to put a 5-year warranty on their product, it should be good for at least that!
Duncan
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One invaluable tip - buy the heaviest one you can afford - weight usually means thick plates.
2nd tip (applies to anything really) - buy the one with the longest guarantee - manufacturers don't want to pay you back, so if they are confident to put a 5-year warranty on their product, it should be good for at least that!
Duncan
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HaraldS
Well-Known Member
think the best advice was to get truck batteries, or what is often called semi tracktion.
These are the batteries used in large trucks or busses. They have enough 'cranking amps' to start any engine, but they also are very robust allowing for frequent deeper (not more than down to about 40% capacity) discharge and they have a huge electrolyte volume which keeps the muddy stuff below the plates and covers the plates with a large surplus. Finally the plates are thicker and more robust and these batteries allow collecting the gases into a smale hose.
I have put these batteries into my boat on the assumption that I would replace them with very expensive AGM batteries after four years. AGM because they can take a fast high-current charge (like the truck batteries, but not the gel type ones), can deal with very deep discharge, and they last for some ten years. Still they are more expensive compared to replacing truck batteries every four years. So if I would remain in civilized areas where it's easy to get new batteries, I wouldn't think twice and just get truck batteries. Mine are so good, that I know they are going to be as good next year when I plan to replace them. Real pitty.
I'd warn using 'standard cheap' car batteries. I had to change those cheep batteries in two of our cars with less than two years life time, I have a starting battery of that kind on my boat, same age as the service batteries, which is in pretty bad shape, especially when comared to the domestic batteries. Surpricingly it's still good enough to crank and start my 100HP Yanmar, but it has trouble to start my much smaller genertor.
So for curiosity I have connected a 'MegaPulse' to it and I'm wondering whether it'll reecover this battery after a few months of conditioning. Dont know the outcome yet, but I'm prepared to replace the starting battery.
If you are thinking about using cheap super-market starting batteries, I would strongly advice against that.
On the other hand there is no need to buy the very expensive Gel or Agm batteries unless you plan to leave the civilzed world for some longer period.
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.taniwani.de>http://www.taniwani.de</A>
These are the batteries used in large trucks or busses. They have enough 'cranking amps' to start any engine, but they also are very robust allowing for frequent deeper (not more than down to about 40% capacity) discharge and they have a huge electrolyte volume which keeps the muddy stuff below the plates and covers the plates with a large surplus. Finally the plates are thicker and more robust and these batteries allow collecting the gases into a smale hose.
I have put these batteries into my boat on the assumption that I would replace them with very expensive AGM batteries after four years. AGM because they can take a fast high-current charge (like the truck batteries, but not the gel type ones), can deal with very deep discharge, and they last for some ten years. Still they are more expensive compared to replacing truck batteries every four years. So if I would remain in civilized areas where it's easy to get new batteries, I wouldn't think twice and just get truck batteries. Mine are so good, that I know they are going to be as good next year when I plan to replace them. Real pitty.
I'd warn using 'standard cheap' car batteries. I had to change those cheep batteries in two of our cars with less than two years life time, I have a starting battery of that kind on my boat, same age as the service batteries, which is in pretty bad shape, especially when comared to the domestic batteries. Surpricingly it's still good enough to crank and start my 100HP Yanmar, but it has trouble to start my much smaller genertor.
So for curiosity I have connected a 'MegaPulse' to it and I'm wondering whether it'll reecover this battery after a few months of conditioning. Dont know the outcome yet, but I'm prepared to replace the starting battery.
If you are thinking about using cheap super-market starting batteries, I would strongly advice against that.
On the other hand there is no need to buy the very expensive Gel or Agm batteries unless you plan to leave the civilzed world for some longer period.
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.taniwani.de>http://www.taniwani.de</A>
longjohnsilver
Well-Known Member
Spoke to a friend yesterday who had just bought 120 amphr batteries direct from Cummins for £50. Worth giving your local dealer a ring?
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Evadne
Well-Known Member
Lots of good advice above. You pay a premium for something marked "yacht battery" from a chandler vs. the same product from a motor factors. Battery life depends on how deeply you cycle it more than any other factor, including whether it is a "deep cycle" battery or not so if you habitually run electrics in harbour or without the engine running, lights especially, those cheap 120Ah batteries sound a good investment. If not, then a battery suitable for a large diesel car will last you for years.
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duncanm2000
New Member
I recently fitted heating, autohelm and a fridge to my Dufour 32, my domestic battery is a 70AH.
If I am away for more that 3 days with no shore power there is sometimes not enough power in the batt to start the heating.
I have a new heavy duty truck battery and intend to connect it in parallel to the leisure battery.
Would this any harm to either battery?
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If I am away for more that 3 days with no shore power there is sometimes not enough power in the batt to start the heating.
I have a new heavy duty truck battery and intend to connect it in parallel to the leisure battery.
Would this any harm to either battery?
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