[C320-list] Fw: Flooded batteries to AGM

[Martin Rosenberg]

I don't think that they are really sealed. My son had one in his car and it
went bad due to low fluid!
 On Jun 28, 2014 12:11 PM, "Jerry Clayton" <jsea at prodigy.net> wrote:

> Tim,
>
>     Have you considered "maintenace free" HD batteries, price wise they
> would fall between flooded and AGM's but would get you the sealed battery
> you want.
>
> Jerry Clayton
> #988
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Westhoven" <westhoven at wcnet.org>
> To: <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com>
> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 6:14 AM
> 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>*
>>
>
>