[Public-List] Batteries

[Rod Symmes]

Michael;

      The previous owner of my boat installed honking big gel batteries that I have used for six years now and I am very pleased with them still.  I just checked the records that came with the boat and it looks like they were installed in 2002.  Sixteen years is fabulous, I think.  My previous boat had flooded (lead/acid) deep cycle and I seemed to be replacing it every 3 to 5 years.  Deep discharge shortens their life.  The gel batteries are supposed to be more tolerant of deep discharge and can supply very heavy output if you use them to start the engine and also accept high charge currents as well.  I recently had a problem with the solar panel (another long story) and found the voltage was down to 11.6 volts.  I could have switched to the other, fully charged battery to start the engine, but instead ran an experiment.  I powered up the chart plotter first because it will shut down if the voltage is too low even briefly and then hit the starter on the 3 cylinder Yanmar to see if it would fire up.  Fast crank speed, instant fire up and did not even shut down the plotter.  I was very pleased on sixteen year old batteries.   I shudder to think what they would cost today BUT ...........

     Oh - and no spill hazzard - no explosive vapour - accept heavy charging if you happen to have a high output alternator.  What is not to like ?


 Cheers,     Rod

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