[C320-list] battery replacement

[Chris Burti]

I purchased them from one of our local small town auto parts stores. They
were ordered for us and received the next day. I paid $125 ea. when I bought
ours.  I was able to do the core exchange a few days later as a courtesy.

Manufacturers rarely share all of the specs, but what I was able to find out
is that the  Exide commercial batteries have heavier plates and glass mat
anti-vibration matting like the deep cycle marine batteries. While it is
probable that they are not as heavy as the deep cycle plates, I doubt that
Exide would want you to buy a truck battery when they can sell you a marine
battery for twice as much if they are at all close in specifications. They
have auto terminal posts rather than marine posts, so first time you
buy, you have to spend a couple of bucks for those.

Ours are over 4 years old and, knock on wood, working great.

Buying a Xantrex charger and replacing the promariner virtually eliminated
maintenance issues.
We do not make extended stays (beyond a week) away from the dock. We are old
school cruisers that hoard our amp hours like watt misers harking back to a
time when a single group 27 had to cover all bases and start the engine too.
We run the engine in gear in reverse for about a half an hour morning and
evening to heat water and add some AH back to the batteries. We rotate usage
on odd/even dates for the odd/even battery. We use block ice, a medium
thermostat setting a and low watt fan in the reefer to increase
efficiency. I have had power outages cause the reefer to draw them down, but
the fail-safe cut-off has prevented any serious damage so far and I check
them often enough to bring them back up without too long a delay.
This setup is not for everyone, but it works very well for us and at the
price we are paying, it suits us well. I have adding a starting battery to
my wish list, but is in the bottom half.


On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 12:44 PM, <amshd2 at aol.com> wrote:

>
> Chris
>
> I want to do away with the wet cells on the boat.  My reasons are to stream
> line matenance and get rid of dealing with acid.   I just relooked at my wet
> cell number and it was 159 -180. But yours at at $135 is hard to beat.
>  Where did you get it.
>
>  I also looked into the Exide truck 4Ds I was led to believe there is a
> difference between the truck model and the marine model (heavier plates 7
> deeper cycle) and as such I am leaning towards the marine deep cycle.   Did
> you find a differance????
>
>
> Tony
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chris Burti <clburti at gmail.com>
> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
> Sent: Mon, Apr 5, 2010 11:41 am
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] battery replacement
>
>
> Exide Com-4D-P have 320 AH and retail for about $135 ea.
> AGM are great if want to spend the money and have the need.
> On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 10:56 AM, <amshd2 at aol.com> wrote:
> >
>  Chris
>
>  I am also looking at replacing my Batteries. I have been researching where
>  to buy and who carries what brands in the PA/  MD / VA AOR.  I found the
>  best place to buy was Battery Warehouse.    On Sat I went to the Battery
>  Warehouse Store in Annapolis MD I checked out what they had.
>  http://www.batterywarehouse.net/    They keep a large stock of Marine Wet
>  and AGM Batteries.  Their wet battery are made and sold under their own
>  label.  The AGM are made by Decca and Life Line.
>
>  These are Marine  Deep cycle 27 Group and 4Ds.
>
>  I did not spend a lot of time on the  wet cell because I have decided to
> go
>  with AGMs. But they carried a full line line of Wet Cells .
>
>  Wet Cell 4d were about $180
>
>  AGM Decca 4D 190 AMP Hrs $370 2 Yr Warranty  (Same brand as West Marine
>  @599)
>
>  AGMs Life Line 4 Ds $538 210 AMP Hrs  5 Yr Warranty
>
>  AGM 27 Grp  Decca $200
>
>  AGM 27 Grp Lifeline $287
>
>  AGM 27 Gp Optima $179
>
>  Hope this helps
>
>  Tony
>  #30
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: Chris Burti <clburti at gmail.com>
>  To: C320-List at catalina320.com
>  Sent: Mon, Apr 5, 2010 10:19 am
>  Subject: Re: [C320-list] battery replacement
>
>
>  You will find them listed under the heavy duty commercial truck section. I
>  urchased mine from a local auto parts store. they had to order them, but
>  hey were in next day.
>  I would replace both batteries if they are over three years old as the
>  older
>  attery will genrally tend to pull down the newer. it isn't mixing
>  anufacturers nearly so much as mixing the condition and charge
>  cceptance rates of the two.
>  On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 9:56 AM, <hcreech at comcast.net> wrote:
>  >
>  Chris, Seems this must be my day to be active on the list. I went to
>  Exide's site this morning found 4D-NG4D, but not COM-4D-P. I need to
>  replace
>  one battery , is there any problem mixing battery manufactures in the same
>  bank? I only have the original two batteries, no starting.
>
>
>  Thanks
>  Herb
>
>
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: "Chris Burti" <clburti at gmail.com>
>  To: C320-List at catalina320.com
>  Sent: Sunday, April 4, 2010 11:48:21 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
>  Subject: Re: [C320-list] battery replacement
>
>  * Exide COM-4D-P* unless you are on a mooring or cruise off the grid for
>  mor
>  than a week at a time you can't beat these for the money. $135 each and
>  more
>  AH than the the marine deep cycle Nautilus Gold.
>
>  On Sun, Apr 4, 2010 at 9:28 PM, Sue Lockett <locketts at embarqmail.com>
>  wrote:
>
>  > One of my two main batteries (made by Exide) is faulty and I need to
>  > replace it. Does anyone have a suggestion as to a good, reasonably
>  priced
>  > replacement battery and where it can be purchased?
>  > Thanks!
>  > Ed
>  >
>
>
>
>  --
>  Chris Burti Farmville, NC
>
>
>  --
>  hris Burti Farmville, NC
>
>
>
> -
> hris Burti Farmville, NC
>
>


-- 
Chris Burti Farmville, NC