[Rhodes22-list] Battery Advice

Tue Apr 3 09:53:06 EDT 2012

Rob,

Great website with an incredible amount of information.  It's amazing what I
know and don't know about batteries now.  :)

Looks like I can forget about checking amps.

Looks like my battery gave a "false capacity" because it was dead.

To summarize, I should ensure my voltage remains between 12.06 and 12.42,
approximately.

Thanks!

Lee

___________________________________________________________________________
Lee,
If you had 13.4 volts on a battery not being actively charged, something
doesn't sound right with that battery.  A fully charged battery should be
around 12.7 volts. But then you did say your battery was dead.

State of Charge 	12 Volt battery 	Volts per Cell
100% 			12.7 			2.12
90% 			12.5 			2.08
80% 			12.42 		2.07
70% 			12.32 		2.05
60% 			12.20 		2.03
50% 			12.06 		2.01
40% 			11.9 			1.98
30% 			11.75 		1.96
20% 			11.58 		1.93
10% 			11.31 		1.89
0 			10.5 			1.75

Much more on batteries, should you care to read.  I agree a group 27 deep
cycle is appropriate for our boats.  Gel and AGM might require less
maintenance, but they are costly. - rob

http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Top

Leland wrote:
> 
> David and Geoff,
> 
> Went to West Marine and Western Auto yesterday.  I guess it depends on the
> individual sales/service person, but the Western Auto staff seem to know
> far more about boat mechanics.  We live in a fishing community so I guess
> West Marine is for recreational boaters and Western Auto is for working
> boaters.  Last month West Marine couldn't figure out what size spark plug
> wrench I needed (18mm).  Last night they checked the volts but not the
> amps on my dead battery and declared it was a connection problem.  Sounds
> like something I would do.
> 
> Anyway if you have a 9.9, 4-stroke Mercury you'll need a 12V deep cell
> with about 465 amps of marine cranking and 350 amps of cold cranking.  A
> starting battery might be better for your electric-start outboard but not
> for your motor lift.  Very important is the group size which tells nothing
> more than the physical size of your battery.  You want to ensure it fits
> in the tray that Stan installed.  Mine was a group 27 (27G).
> 
> 
> http://www.mercurymarine.com/service-and-support/storage-and-maintenance/faqs/outboards/?category=electrical
> http://www.mercurymarine.com/service-and-support/storage-and-maintenance/faqs/outboards/?category=electrical 
> 
> I basically bought the same battery that Stan gave me.  The Western Auto
> mechanic told me that if it lasted seven years without maintenance then it
> was the right battery.  Like Geoff he said to check the battery
> acid/distilled water level once a year.  He said it was impossible to
> overcharge the battery with the outboard or solar panels.  If you use a
> charger without an automatic cut-off you could overcharge the battery
> (boils the acid/water).  Charging the battery if needed is a good idea,
> but you need to check the volts and the amps.  My dead battery had 13.4
> volts but hardly any amperage.
> 
> Gel and AGM batteries cost more and may not last as long.  Big advantage
> is that they're maintenance-free and won't leak.  Just ensure your
> fluid-filled battery covers are on tight for those bury-the-rail heels.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Lee
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _________________________________________________________________________________
> I'd be interested in the same.  Original GBI batteries going into their
> seventh year, and the boat has been out of the water for almost two years.
> I'll pull the plastic shrink wrap off next weekend and see if the motor
> will turn over...
> 
> David
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Apr 2, 2012 at 11:35 AM, Geoff Farrell
> <geoffreylfarrell at gmail.com>wrote:
> 
>> I have the same setup as you do. My batteries stay charged with the 
>> solar panels. It's interesting to note that although I stored my boat 
>> under a roof from April 15 through Dec 1 my batteries were fully 
>> charged when I got the boat out of storage. Seems the ambient light 
>> was enough to keep them topped off.
>>
>> I do notice that my batteries use a lot of water, perhaps because they 
>> are constantly being charged by the panels. I was warned by an old 
>> salt to check the fluid often, and he was right.
>>
>>  Recently, I purchased a battery meter that simply plugs into the 12V 
>> outlet over the galley. It monitors the batteries during charging and 
>> also while they are being used, and seems to work great. I can measure 
>> voltage drop while using various combinations of equipment (radio, nav 
>> lights, etc.). I have been very pleased that on bright sunny days I 
>> can use the VHF radio and my Ipod (for navigation and music) and 
>> charge an external portable speaker without any battery drain.
>>
>> My motor is hard wired to battery 2. When cruising I set my battery 
>> switch to battery 1 to keep battery 2 fully charged for restarting the 
>> engine. I haven't, however, done any overnighters so my battery use is
>> minimal.
>>
>> I still have Stan's original batteries and so I would also be 
>> interested in what the best replacement batteries are for when mine die.
> 
> Leland wrote:
>> 
>> Need some battery advice.  
>> 
>> Probably should have replaced my battery long ago.  When I need to
>> pull-start my outboard in the marina it usually recharges the battery
>> enough that I can use the electric start when I'm ready to come in. 
>> Didn't happen yesterday.  By the time I unscrewed everything to get to
>> the flywheel I was dangerously close to running into the causeway
>> rip-rap.
>> 
>> Easy answer would be to replace the battery with the one Stan put in. 
>> Wasn't sure if there was something better out there now.  I've got the
>> electric motor winch which I assume uses a ridiculous amount of juice.  I
>> have one battery hardwired to the motor which is linked to a second house
>> battery.  Both batteries are linked to two solar panels.
>> 
>> I've taken zero care of the batteries since I bought the boat seven years
>> ago.
>> 
>> Should I be concerned about the solar panels overcharging the batteries?
>> 
>> Should I periodically charge the batteries to full capacity?
>> 
>> Any advice on what battery would be best and what care it needs?
>> 
>> Thanks!
>> 
>> Lee
>> 1986 Rhodes22  AT EASE
>> Kent Island, MD
>> 
> 
> 

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