Posted by Dave_Benjamin (dave_benjamin@…>)
I think proper maintenance and charging has a lot to do with it.
Rolls and Surrettes are fine batteries but you can get 8 or 10 years
out of golf cart batteries if they are properly cared for. Charging,
both dockside and at sea must be properly regulated and the batteries
must be maintained. Most quality inverters offer 3 or 4 stage
regulated charging when plugged into shore power. A good high output
regulator combined with a good charge controller will do the job
right when away from the dock. Charging voltage must be appropriate
for the battery type. AGM’s lead acid, and gel cells all use
different voltages. Check the manufacturers guidelines or the Calder
bible for specs. Finally a good monitoring system will tell you how
much of the bank is used up. I don’t like to run a bank below 50%. If
it’s a 400A bank once the monitor says 200A have been used it’s time
to crank the engine and start charging.
Don’t ask the batteries to do too much. As a general guideline try
not to place a load greater than 10% of the rated capacity of the
bank. IE: a typical bank of 4 T-105’s with a rated capacity of 440A
should not be subjected to a draw of greater than 44A. That means the
largest inverter size is around 1000W not the 2000W units commonly
installed. An isolator/eliminator should be used to maintain a charge
on the starting battery.
— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “William A. Cormack”
<wacormack@w…> wrote:
Allen:
Beware the discount battery store. I used to buy cheap batteries
that cost half as much as good ones but lasted only a year or two.
Later I bought a Rolls and then a Surette which were 9 and 8 years
old when I sold the boat and still going strong.
Bill
William A. Cormack, CPA
Principal and Chief Financial Officer
Whelan Associates, LLC, a Corporate Real Estate Service firm
Bourne Counting House at One Merrill’s Wharf
New Bedford, MA 02740
Voice: 508-984-4100, Fax: 508-984-4101, Cell 508-254-5828
MailTo:wacormack@w…
----- Original Message -----
From: Allen McClung
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 10:54 AM
Subject: Re: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Batteries
Okay, thanks. I’ll go to my local discount battery store and see
what they’ve got. I printed out the picture of the battery setup on
the Blue Merle. I’ll take that along with me. The print on the photo
of the battery says “Trojan, deep cycle, something, something
technical.” I’ve already got two marine batteries, one came with, and
one I bought and put in my dock box. The Merle also has a switcher (I
think), a round orange object, connected to what looks like an
electrical panel and a smaller aluminum square box with a red light
at the bottom. Then there’s a solar panel line going in someplace
constantly charging the batteries. I’ve been trying to get one of my
electric-savvy nautical buddies to explain this operation to me, but
all they want to do is sail.
----- Original Message -----
From: katorpus
To: freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 12:19 AM
Subject: [freedomyachts2003] Re: Batteries
--- In <freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com>, "allenmcclung"
<amcclung@f...> wrote:
> I've been trying to get some of the things on my F-21 that
are
shown
> on the Blue Merle. Can somebody tell me what he means
by "Group
29"
> batteries?
>
> If that's an ignorant question, please forgive.
>
> Allen McClung
Hey Allen...we're ALL ignorant until we find out the answers.
No
harm in ignorance
Group size:
A set of standard sizes for the external dimensions of a
battery
(and the terminal configuration), standardized by Battery
Council
International. All "group 29", etc, batteries are the same
size,
though they may differ in weight and capacity. If you know the
group
size you're looking for, then you know the battery will "fit"
and
you buy the battery within that group with the appropriate amp
hour
ratings etc for your application (higher amp hour rating = more
lead= more weight in a given group size. GENERALLY, larger
group
size = larger dimensions...except that it gets weird 8D is a
group
size and they are HUGE.
Wander down to Wally World or your local battery store and
peruse
the catalog for various sizes (in relation to what they fit
into)and
the racks of what's there. You'll get the idea.
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