[C320-list] Battery boxes

[Jeff Hare]

Hi John,

It is unlikely that a charger would switch to the conditioning (equalization?) Mode on its own. This is something you would normally have to do intentionally since there are precautions that need to be taken before using this mode. 

I have lifeline 4Ds.  They're great in my situation because of the long winter layup we have.  I can disconnect them and ignore them all winter and they're still fully charged after 6 mos.  Standard Flooded batteries wouldn't survive this without periodic charging or a solar panel. 

 What charger do you have?  The mfgr could clear up the equalization mode question for you. 

-Jeff





-----Original Message-----
From: LOCALJG at aol.com
Sender: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 00:48:34 
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Reply-To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery boxes

Great info Bill!  Thanks.  It sounds like the Lifeline 4D AGMs  are the way 
to go.  My charging system is the three stage type so I  will have to 
figure out a way how to get rid of the conditioning stage.  I  hear that you can 
fry an AGM if it goes through the conditioning stage of  the recharge 
process.  It looks like a little more research is in  order on my part?  
 
John  #329
 
 
In a message dated 8/14/2010 3:58:30 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
billculb_a2 at yahoo.com writes:

John,
Rolls are pretty much the Rolls-Royce of lead-acid  batteries.  For AGMs I 
feel 
that Lifeline's are the  Rolls-Royce.  I replaced my original Exide Gold's 
with 2 
LifeLine  4D's 2 years ago after getting a whopping 7 years out of the 
Exide's. 
The  Lifeline's are expensive but projected to give lots of years and I'm 
sold on  
the advantages of AGMs.  Also they are rated @ 210Ah and I had lots  of 
trouble 
finding any 4Ds over 180Ah. 
http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/marinedeepcycle.php 

-bill
Harmony  #859



________________________________
From:  "LOCALJG at aol.com" <LOCALJG at aol.com>
To:  C320-List at Catalina320.com
Sent: Sat, August 14, 2010 3:30:03 PM
Subject:  Re: [C320-list] Battery boxes

Hi Larry:  Thanks for the  info.  My boat is paid for so this isn't an 
insurance issue.  I  was just curious.  I like doing things correctly and 
just 
couldn't  understand why Catalina would not be doing "the right thing" when 
it 
came  to battery boxes.  Apparently Catalina is doing the right thing.   

Which reminds me; thank you to all the people who provided me with the  
wealth of information that has been sent.  Whatever they are paying  you 
guys, it 

isn't enough.  

Larry, you mentioned two  other types of batteries; AGMs and Gells.  I was 
under the  understanding that the Rolls 4D was, well, the Rolls Royce of  
batteries?  For a cruising C320, do you believe another battery would  
provide 
the 

requisite energy and still provide such a long life as  the 4D?  The 4Ds I 
am about to replace have been in service for over  10 years and are only 
now 
beginning to have issues.  

One  thing I can say about not having a battery sealed in a battery box is 
that  there has been some acid leakage down the battery and onto the  
fiberglass.  The fiberglass has been discolored but still holds  strong.  

Does anyone else have this acid on fiberglass  issue?  

John #  329