[C320-list] Battery Replacement Choices

[LOCALJG at aol.com]

After doing extensive research, I have found the best way to go is golf  
cart batteries.  They are light weight, very deep cycle, four of them will  
give you 550 amp hours onboard.  AGMs need a huge alternator to supply them  
with a recharge or they will be damaged.  The golf cart battery is the best  
bang for your buck and the most efficient use of your battery space.  Also  
get them hooked up so you can get them topped off without having to remove 
the  battery caps. That system works great and makes for an almost trouble 
free  battery system.  
 
John G.
1996/#329
 
 
In a message dated 1/25/2011 10:58:47 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
lorasalum at yahoo.com writes:

on my  1995 I had Exide 4ds which were rated at 205 amp hours



-----  Original Message ----
From: Bruce Heyman <bruceheyman at cox.net>
To:  C320-List at Catalina320.com
Sent: Tue, January 25, 2011 10:37:14  AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Replacement Choices

Chris,
I  called Catalina Technical Support and asked them about the AH capasity 
of the  
original batteries that came on our boat.  They never called  back.
What I read on a different blog was that our batteries had  significantly 
mor AH 
and were specifically made for the matine  application.  They were made by 
a 
company that was bought by  Interstate.
When I talked to the Interstated District Manager about it I  got a blank 
stare 
back.
Bruce
Somerset     671  SoCal
Bruce Heyman
(949)  289-8400
BruceHeyman at cox.net

-----Original message-----
From:  Chris Burti <clburti at gmail.com>
To:  C320-List at catalina320.com
Sent: Tue, Jan 25, 2011 15:17:32  GMT+00:00
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Replacement Choices

I  have had excellent luck with the Exide COM-4D-P. It specs out a bit
better  than their Nautilus Gold Deep Cycle Marine battery and has
performed as  well as or better than the OEM Exide Nautilus Gold's that
originally came  on our boat which had a significantly higher RC than
the the current  version.

CB
2001 - #867

On Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 7:45 AM,  Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com> wrote:
> Because flooded 4D  batteries are sold as truck batteries, many don't 
show a
> standard amp  hour rating. You can call the distributor or manufacturer, 
or
> divide  the Reserve Capacity (RC) by 0.6 to get an approximation of AH
>  capacity, (I learned from Interstate Batteries.)
>
> The  designation of "4D" has little to do with the capacity of the 
battery.
>  4D is merely the industry standard sizing designation.  All 4D batteries 
 as
> all Group 2x batteries, etc., will have the same dimensions. This  is 
because
> when buying a car or truck battery the most important  condition is will 
it
> fit in the space allowed.  The energy  capacity of a battery for marine 
use
> is dependent on the number of,  size of, and thickness of the plates.
>
> Most flooded 4D  batteries fall into the class of "combination" use: 
starting
> and deep  cycle.  Starting, of course because it's a truck; and, deep 
cycle
>  because OTR truckers often live in the cab and have a similar kind of  DC
> power demand as we do on boats.  Some mfgr's make a 4D they  class as deep
> cycle in that they have heaver plates than their  standard 4D.
>
> It's hard to get information about 4D batteries  beyond what is published,
> particularly enough to make an apples to  apples comparison.
>
> Interesting tidbit: Some of the Excide car  and truck batteries I see in
> Sam's Club are made by Johnson Controls  under license from Exide who 
appears
> to be a Johnson competitor in  other markets.  Johnson's other brands are
> Optima and  Varta.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bruce Heyman  [mailto:bruceheyman at cox.net]
> Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2011 10:49  AM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list]  Battery Replacement Choices
>
> Another advantage of AGM's is they  can accept a higher charge rate.  
This is
>
> important if  you've beefed up your altinator and you spend a lot of time 
on
>
>  the hook.
> There are lots of good books and articles on this subject  ansd it often
> leeds to upgrading your altinator, adding an external  regulator, 
upgradding
>
> the AC charger adding a starting battery  along with and echo charger and
> ofcourse you just have to add a  battery monitoring system.
> We just replaced our batteries and while we  considered the truck 
batteries
> because of cost we went with the NG4Ds  due to there higher amp hour 
rating.
>
> When crusing we spend a  lot of time away from the dock so the extra 
capacity
>
> reduces  the amount of time we have to run the engine.
> Bruce
> Somerset  671 SoCal
>
> Bruce Heyman
> (949) 289-8400
>  BruceHeyman at cox.net
>
> -----Original message-----
> From:  Pat Ireland <cherie320 at gmail.com>
> To:  C320-List at catalina320.com
> Sent: Sun, Jan 23, 2011 15:26:37  GMT+00:00
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Replacement  Choices
>
> David
>
> Try searching on the forum.  There are several conversations on battery
>  choice.
>
> Folks that need lots of amp hours and have an  extensive budget of boat 
bucks
> seem to like the AGM technology.  Folks that are on a tight budget and 
have
> more access to  dockside power, find the flooded cells a vey good value.
>
> If  you go flooded, heavy duty truck batteries can be purchased for less
>  than $200 each.  We got ours for about $180.  Chris got his for  evenlss.
> Flooded cells from your friendly boating store will be  significantly 
more,
> but there are differences that may or may not be  worth the price 
difference
> to you for your type of sailing.  As  an example, our truck cells have 
push
> on caps.  The marine cells  we replaced had screw on caps.  A small
> difference, unless it's a  deal breaker for you.
>
> Your 6.5 years is good performance.  Ours went about 5 years.  The AGMs
> should do better, but  only if you match the charger to the cells and
> maintain a good  charging protocol.
>
> Research is your friend in making the  decision.
>
> Good luck
>
> Pat,  801
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 11:33 AM, Paul  Rickman
> <ilove2sail at verizon.net>wrote:
>
>>  AGM
>>
>> Pro - No maint
>>
>> Con - More  expensive, you must have a battery charger that will charge 
an
>> AGM  --
>> not all  do.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  ________________________________
>> From: David Detrick  <dldetrick at live.com>
>> To:  c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
>> Sent: Sat, January 22, 2011  2:26:23 PM
>> Subject: [C320-list] Battery Replacement  Choices
>>
>> Have had the original factory batteries in my  boat for 6.5 years. What 
are
>> the pros and cons of Flooded  batteries over AGM batteries?
>>
>>
>>
>>  Also, is 6.5 years of serviceable usage in a San Diego climate,  below,
>> above, or about the norm for flooded  batteries?
>>
>>
>>
>> David  Detrick
>>
>> Hull 1004
>>
>> San  Diego
>>
>
>
>
>



-- 
Chris  Burti
Farmville, NC