[C320-list] Battery Question

[Doug Stieber]

Thank you for the quick response.  Money is always an object, but when it
comes to my boat I always seems to find the money to overspend!

Doug Stieber, Second Chance #406


On 6/25/06, Jeffrey Hare <catalina at thehares.com> wrote:
>
>
> Well,  if money's not the object, go with AGMs.  They have virtually no
> leakage loss, so they're ideal for storing over the winter or at a mooring
> with no trickle charge.  Flooded batteries drain by themselves and like to
> have a float charge on them.  Gels are better than flooded, but not as
> good
> as AGM.
>
> Deep cycle and combo-starting/deep cycle batteries (which we mostly have)
> typically have lower cranking amps regardless of their type simply due to
> the thicker plates.  The thicker plates, however give them the ability to
> stand being discharged to 60% repeatedly, whereas the batteries with
> higher
> cranking amps (thinner plates) are damaged faster by discharging them.
>
> The cranking amps are less important than the amp hours.  CCA of 700+ amps
> is plenty and a 4D sized gel/flooded/AGM should deliver that pretty
> easily,
> but if you're worried about that add a starting battery and forget about
> the
> whole issue.
>
> :)
>
> -Jeff
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Doug Stieber [mailto:djstieber at gmail.com]
> Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2006 7:19 PM
> To: C320-List
> Subject: [C320-list] Battery Question
>
> I apologize for not reading all the questions and answers about batteries
> in
> the past.  But, now I have two dying batteries, and I was going to replace
> them with West Marine gel batteries.  I noticed that the gel batteries
> have
> two disadvantages.  One is lower cranking amps.  The other is more of a
> warning that "gel batteries must charge at lower voltages than deep cycle
> or
> AGM" batteries.  Any suggestions on gel vs. AGM?
>
> Thanks...  Doug Stieber, Second Chance #406
> >
>
>
>