[C320-list] Flooded batteries to AGM

[Warren Updike]

My lessons learned with wet cell batteries:
---If you have to add water every few weeks to a month, something is wrong,
most likely with the charging system (alternator and/or charger.)
---As much as possible, keep fully charged. Constantly undercharged
batteries will tend to lose capacity and never fully charge again. 
---Never discharge more than 50% of capacity as that will weaken the battery
and reduce the number of charge/discharge cycles.
---The longer a battery remains in a discharged state the more damage is
done.
---The most accurate way to determine State of Charge is with a hygrometer
to measure specific gravity: messy and a pain. If cruising for days or
weeks, invest in a battery monitor. It works like a gas gage for your
batteries. Gives good measure of State of Charge, if you follow the
instructions. 
---When running engine to charge at anchor/mooring, put in reverse not
neutral. Diesels like to be under load. Unloaded running produces unburned
fuel in exhaust and contributes to carbon build-up.

For those who leave refer running while away from boat, there is a device
that will sense State of Charge and disconnect a load (refer.) This avoids
running a good battery into the ground (below 11V) should shore power be
lost (a sure way to shorten your battery's life.) Jeff Hare can say more
about this device.

The three people most helpful to me over the years in understanding 12V boat
power are: (in alphabetical order)
Nigel Calder, various books on boat systems, and articles in Sail Mag.
R.C. Collins, aka Main Sail on catalinaowners.com and Compass Marine
pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects
Jeff Hare, bit-biter, techno-geek, and all around good guy. Thanks Jeff.

Warren and Pattie Updike
1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62

-----Original Message-----
From: William Morack [mailto:whmorack at live.com] 
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2014 6:55 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Flooded batteries to AGM

I just replaced my 2005 batteries this spring. One had a bad cell, drew the
other down, so I had to get it jumped at launch this spring, Nine years, I'm
thinking that is about as good a life span as one could expect from OEM
supplied equipment. (Exide) Replaced them with Interstate marine deep cycle.
About $450.00 for the pair. One of these had to be returned the first month,
due to a bad cell. These Interstate batteries have only a six month
warranty. They feel like they are twenty pounds heavier! (more lead?)The
spec. says they are 125# I think.

I keep the boat plugged in at the marina, with the fridge running 24/7. We
anchor almost every weekend.  Some times more than one night. The boat sits
all winter with the batteries in it, in upstate NY. I try to put the charger
on once during the winter, for an hour or so, but thats about it. They
always show almost fully charged in the spring.

I changed out the Charles 30 amp that came with the boat about four years
ago, due to it's tendancy to forget to turn back on every year or so,
letting the fridge kill the batteries, and spoiling all the food. Replaced
with a 20 amp Zantrex, which has not skipped a beat as of yet. 

Bill Morack

FAT CAT

Hull# 1058


On Jun 30, 2014, at 11:09 AM, Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com> wrote:

> For excellent article on choosing AGM batteries see Main Sail on
CatalinaOwners.com at http://tinyurl.com/kcwaprk
> 
> Warren and Pattie Updike
> 1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tim Westhoven [mailto:westhoven at wcnet.org] 
> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 9:14 AM
> To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] Flooded batteries to AGM
> 
> After waiting a couple months for a minor fiberglass repair, I finally
> launched Affinity this past Wednesday. As I attempted to start her up, we
> realized the four year old batteries were toast. That started several days
> of researching AGM batteries, chargers and all things electrical, but to
no
> definitive end. Half the people I spoke to told me to just reinstall the
> wet battery type, even though I had thought I really didn't want the
> hassles of leaky wet batteries that have to be fed distilled water every
> month. The old batteries slopped battery acid all over the compartment
> beneath the settee and I have been told that the gas they put off in the
> cabin area isn't such a good thing, either. AGMs are supposed to last
twice
> as long and the Lifeline AGMs with 210 AH (amp hours) cost over twice as
> much-- $599 each X two batteries-- $1,200. Other brands can be purchased
at
> $350 each-$700 total, with around 200 AH. When I ask distributors about
the
> differences, they talk about the construction of the cases that glass mats
> are held in and imply that cheaper brands may allow shifting to the point
> where panels touch and cause the elements inside to fail. I haven't had a
> real clear discussion about that issue yet. At this point, I am inclined
> toward spending $350 each for cheap AGM over $1,200 for the big name
> brands, which I would consider still better than the flooded batteries
> which so far are anywhere from $175 for the cheap ones and $275 for good
> ones.
> 
> I have a Xantrex 20 charger that is switchable between flooded, gel or AGM
> for charging. It is in the port lazarette on the forward wall-- down in
> there a bit and a little hard to get to with the lazarette full of life
> jackets, deck brushes with long handles and other junk. I suppose the
> distances are just a few feet from the breaker panel for power to the
> charger and quite a bit further for the serpentine route from charger to
> batteries. I will double check the gauges of wiring today to see that they
> are heavy enough not to lose charging power as 20 amp is about as small as
> they recommend for these two batteries. (200 Amp Hours divided by 20 amps
> is ten hours of charging for a fully 100 percent discharged battery, but I
> doubt we would ever fully discharge that much battery in a day anyway.)
> 
> Catalina used the flooded type batteries from the factory and have
> recommended the Exide Nauti Gold 4Ds, but another post I read somewhere
> suggests that Exide bought out another company and consolidated their two
> lines and it takes some looking to determine which of their batteries is
> the stronger. And when I would be finished with that, I would still have a
> flooded battery at about $287 each.
> 
> So my question is, has anyone had to face down this battery issue with
> their 320? Cheaper end of the AGMs or expensive end of the flooded
> batteries? Any wisdom you can impart would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tim WesthovenAffinity Hull # 657Herl's Harbor2263 N.E. CatawbaPort
> Clinton, Ohio 43452419-409-1000 mobilewesthoven at wcnet.org
> <westhoven at wcnet.org>*
> 
> 
>