Batteries

[Hampton]

I hope we don't have to post these kinds of things here. I like getting a whole bunch of people in one room, General Discussion, and having everyone converse there. With too many rooms, no body goes into all of them, and you lose a lot of exposure.

I'm going to try to switch my Stbd to Port battery banks (physically moving batteriers) to extend the life of the 4 of them. The port ones get drained hard. The stbd don't get used much at all.

They are three years old. We'll see what happens - maybe they will all die.

 

[wish2fish]

can't talk about batteries

but I have my link set to go to all new posts since last visit. If you are on the discussion board list page you can select "view post since last visit", "view your posts", "view latest: 24h, 48h, 72h". That way I have a choice to see any new post since I was last on the site.

 

[cr0ck1]

can't talk about batteries

but I have my link set to go to all new posts since last visit. If you are on the discussion board list page you can select "view post since last visit", "view your posts", "view latest: 24h, 48h, 72h". That way I have a choice to see any new post since I was last on the site.

:smt017

 

[First Born]

View since last logged in

 

[cr0ck1]

View since last logged in

NO FREAKIN DUH!! lol.. i was just wondering why that was posted in a batteries thread :smt017

 

[cr0ck1]

:thumbsup: :grin:

 

[MLauman]

I hope we don't have to post these kinds of things here. I like getting a whole bunch of people in one room, General Discussion, and having everyone converse there. With too many rooms, no body goes into all of them, and you lose a lot of exposure.

The alternative is that posts like this end up scattered all over the place. There are 'electrical' posts in about 6-8 'rooms' and many of them apply universally to most boat models. I think this is a much needed forum.

 

[Bridog]

View since last logged in

NO FREAKIN DUH!! lol.. i was just wondering why that was posted in a batteries thread :smt017

Re- read it and you might understand.

 

[Hampton]

Back to batteries. I ex-changed the ports for stbds and vice verca. My thought process is that the worst thing for a battery is to deep-discharge it. We've been doing that, and the previous owner probably did too. The port side is the only side that drains due to feeding the house. The port side has seemed weak since I got the boat.

Now, I'll have to see if the stbd batteries were any better, or if the house just drains tons of power. The batteries are not that high of rating - 800 cranking amps, 1000 something else, and 180 reserve whatevers.

Worst case scenario - The former port batteries were shot and won't hold enough of a charge to crank the engine(s). The former stbd batteries, now on the port, get run down by the house on the beach. Then, we're stuck without any power, until we plug into one our neighbor's 510's, or 50, or 420...

I know you're wondering, "Why doesn't he just leave the genny running?" I can't. If we're hot, and want to hang out inside for a nap, or cooking, or watching a movie, or getting out of the rain - fine. Otherwise, if we're not using it - it's off. Besides, it gets clogged by weeds every 10 hours or so. Cleaning the strainer once a day is enough.

 

[islandhopper00]

One word for you, Optima. Yes they are expensive but, I've been using them for about 3 years now and I love them. You can leave them flat discharged or however you leave them. They charge back up quickly and need no maintenance. Theres no special charging requirements (not like gell) really. I have two in parallel for house loads, and one for starting, period. The two paralleled will run my fridge, stereo, lights, anchor lights, fans, dvd/tv, and aux. things over night easily, and sometimes will still start the motor in the morning. If I just run the fridge and anchor lights who knows how long. I am still waiting to see how they die. If they just all of a sudden die or taper off gradually. Hopefully taper off. I'll see some day. :thumbsup:

 

[Hampton]

Islehopper,

You're right. My port batteries, now on the stbd side, barely hold a charge over night without being drained. My stbd batteries, now on the port side, run the fridges all day with no problem, but I have to save them to start engines too, 'cause the former house batteries now can't even start one engine.

PLAN: I'm looking to buy 4 (four), yes, FOUR Optima D31M's!!!!!!!!!
I want to get them to my house for less than $800. I'm close, but does anyone have any ideas? I have checked with Jim here on CSR, but they don't carry this brand.

 

[Skip]

I bought 5 new Optima Blue Top Group 27 AGMs for the 420DA in Feb 2006 for about $188 each. I purchased from a local battery distributor, and I bought his last five in stock. Three of the five factory group 27s on the boat failed the load test at survey, and I did not want to mess with inexpensive, barely adequate replacements.

The Optima AGMs have been superb so far. Plenty of oomph to spin the Cummins and zero, nada, no maintenance.

All good.

Skip

 

[Hampton]

Any good leads on Optima Batteries?