[C320-list] Battery Replacement Choices

[David Nolte]

That echoes what I have heard a couple of Marine Electrical experts say at classes and boat show seminars.

David Nolte
Beach House #4 w/ 2 4Ds


On Jan 27, 2011, at 3:47 PM, LOCALJG at aol.com wrote:

> 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
> 
> 
> 
>