Yacht Batteries

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Sailfree

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Battery megastore (that has often been recommended on here) recomend a brand of batteries "Alphaline" they are guaranteed for 4 years.

When phoning round many suppliers initially offer their own cheaper brand.

Are they all made in China and just different labels put on them or are there significant differences between makes.

Currently looking at 3 deep cycle batteries 125AH and 1 cranking battery of similar dimensions
 
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All batteries are not created equal!

I wouldn't pretend to great expertise, but from the research I did recently, there's no substitute for lead. Of two batteries of equal alleged performance, I'd always choose the heavier one.

Another thing to watch out for is that the capacity quoted is comparing like with like. I can't remember the rates, but the standard is at one discharge rate, while companies that want to big up their cheap and nasties will quote a longer time. The same capacity at a 20 hour rate is significantly better than at a 40 hour rate.

Finally, a long warranty sounds great, but read the small print - a lot of them are so hedged about with conditions that they aren't worth having.

Having said all that, My domestic battery is an Alphaline. It's only a few months old, but so far so good.
 
Sailfree said:
Battery megastore (hat has often been recommended on here) romote a brand of batteries "Alphaline" they are guaranteed for 4 years.

When phoning round many suppliers initially offer their own cheaper brand.

Are they all made in China and just different labels put on them or are there significant differences between makes.

Currently looking at 3 deep cycle batteries 125AH and 1 cranking battery of similar dimensions
Click to expand...

FWIW I bought my new small leisure battery From Tayna

http://www.tayna.co.uk/Leisure-Batteries-C45.html

Decided what I wanted. Tayna was the best price.
Ordered one day and delivered first thing the next day even though not specifically ordered for "next day" delivery
 
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Sailfree said:
Battery megastore (hat has often been recommended on here) romote a brand of batteries "Alphaline" they are guaranteed for 4 years.

When phoning round many suppliers initially offer their own cheaper brand.

Are they all made in China and just different labels put on them or are there significant differences between makes.

Currently looking at 3 deep cycle batteries 125AH and 1 cranking battery of similar dimensions
Click to expand...

I went to Morgans in Oswestry 5 years ago, bought 2 numax 110amp leisure batteries, used by farmers for electric fences, still going strong, no probs. I dont see the point of buying supa dupa ones!
stu
 
VicS said:
FWIW I bought my new small leisure battery From Tayna

http://www.tayna.co.uk/Leisure-Batteries-C45.html

Decided what I wanted. Tayna was the best price.
Click to expand...

I asked the question as the deep cycle one on Tayna website looks an identical case to the one on battery Megastore so my intial impression is that only the brand name label is different!

I found this aspect interesting starting about 5 yrs ago as two major manufactures of Valves are Hattersley and Crane and examining them together the major part - the metal bodies - were identical but the plastic top were the only component different in colour/name/shape
 
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Sailfree said:
I asked the question as the deep cycle one on Tayna website looks an identical case to the one on battery Megastore so my intial impression is that only the brand name label is different!
Click to expand...

I came to that conclusion too: you can find the same batteries branded as Alphaline, Powerline, Numax etc. and they even use the same model no. e.g. 'XV31MF'.

Another gold star for Tayna from me. Next day delivery and very well packaged - sealed in HD plastic and padded with about 100 egg boxes!
I was wary of ordering mail order as previously I had sufferred the dreadful Elecsol experience, with broken, leaking batteries arriving wrapped in nothing more than newspaper and a cardboard box, but Tayna were first class.
 
Steve_N said:
I came to that conclusion too: you can find the same batteries branded as Alphaline, Powerline, Numax etc. and they even use the same model no. e.g. 'XV31MF'.

Another gold star for Tayna from me. Next day delivery and very well packaged - sealed in HD plastic and padded with about 100 egg boxes!
.
Click to expand...

OK I will go and upset myself and check out Tanya prices as ordered from Battery megastore. May be me but I found Tanya website less user friendly.
 
Stemar said:
All batteries are not created equal!

I wouldn't pretend to great expertise, but from the research I did recently, there's no substitute for lead. Of two batteries of equal alleged performance, I'd always choose the heavier one.

Another thing to watch out for is that the capacity quoted is comparing like with like. I can't remember the rates, but the standard is at one discharge rate, while companies that want to big up their cheap and nasties will quote a longer time. The same capacity at a 20 hour rate is significantly better than at a 40 hour rate.

Finally, a long warranty sounds great, but read the small print - a lot of them are so hedged about with conditions that they aren't worth having.

Having said all that, My domestic battery is an Alphaline. It's only a few months old, but so far so good .
Click to expand...

all my batteries are Alphaline & must be 4 yrs old. I would have to check back to confirm that date
 
Sailfree said:
Battery megastore (that has often been recommended on here) recomend a brand of batteries "Alphaline" they are guaranteed for 4 years.

When phoning round many suppliers initially offer their own cheaper brand.

Are they all made in China and just different labels put on them or are there significant differences between makes.

Currently looking at 3 deep cycle batteries 125AH and 1 cranking battery of similar dimensions
Click to expand...

To name but two, East Penn Industries and USA Batteries both make unlabelled batteries to order - minimum order is 65 pallets.
 
KellysEye said:
If you want deep cycle for house batteries buy Trojan, we used them and they, 2xT105s, lasted for 5 years using them 24x365.
Click to expand...

Bit more info for everyone.

I cannot fit Trojan as they are not sealed - compulsary on a charter boat now! Is that a good example for others to follow?

Ref quote :- "you can find the same batteries branded as Alphaline, Powerline, Numax etc. and they even use the same model no. e.g. 'XV31MF'."

Yes but decide what you want Cranking / leisure/deep cycle Looking at Tanya website they name leisure batteries for boats, Battery Megastore have all 3. A leisure battery is a compromise battery that will crank and work deep cycle. I am not sure its not a jack of all trades and master of none. For the size I need I have gone for 1 cranking MF31-100, 3 deep cycle DC31. They did have a leisure XV31. Price for the batteries I bought was cheaper at Battery megastore than Tanya (tanya did not have DC!) and buying 4 they knocked a further amount off their listed prices - free delivery.

The batteries I am replacing are 8yrs old and all look identical. I suspect they were therefore "leisure" batteries fitted by Jeanneau. I will inspect them carefully when I take them out to see if I can spot the "cranking" battery Being a charter boat and marine berthed I suspect they get more regular better use than most privately used boats - not sure!

Will only know how good probably after 4 -6 yrs!!


Thanks for everyones contributions and hopefully this thread helps others needing to sort replacement batteries
 
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No idea about the original question but a good man to ask is at Superstart in Southbourne near Emsworth. It's local to Solent - not sure which bit you're in though.
 
Hold on a minute - I think Boeing will be putting some realy good litium iron batteries on the market soon and they come with built in cabin heaters !
 
VicS said:
FWIW I bought my new small leisure battery From Tayna

http://www.tayna.co.uk/Leisure-Batteries-C45.html

Decided what I wanted. Tayna was the best price.
Ordered one day and delivered first thing the next day even though not specifically ordered for "next day" delivery
Click to expand...
Another vote for Tayna, quick delivery, will haggle if their offering is more expensive than rivals, good knowledge of range and good advice. 3 years on and still going strong, and my batterys get a good hammering.
 
Steve Clayton said:
Tudor?????
Click to expand...

Yes - hole in one.

All the fuss about deep cycle batteries/cranking batteries. Jeanneau fitted 4 tudor batteries 110Ah and 775 on side so I assume that cranking. I assume they are what called leisure, I noticed that they have 24month guarantee on the top. As theylasted 8.5 yrs I can't complain. Put them in the marina Battery bin. If still there in a few weeks time I might out of curiosity measure the voltage as they never actually failed but charter boat with regular use/charge was probably kind to them.

Battery Megastore was cheapest and free delivery and one of the few that had real deep cycle, leisure and cranking.
 
I have 8 x 3v varta lead acid batteries installed about 5 years ago

How long can I expect them to last? At present they seem ok although two drink more water than the other 6!

When they need replacing, should I install gel instead?

Is the performance of gel the same as for lead acid?

Thanks


TudorSailor
 
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