[Rhodes22-list] Battteries

[Bill Effros]

Bud,

I tried this.  It didn't work.

No matter how you play it, the weaker battery weakens the stronger 
battery faster.

Buy 2 new batteries at the same time.  I hook them up in parallel--no 
switch--nothing tricky. 

They never run out of juice.  They keep each other healthy.  They never 
have less than a 75% charge, and never approach as little as 50%. 

Hooked up like this they will last 25% longer than their advertised life. 

Get a cheap voltmeter, and test the voltage in the system from time to 
time.  The voltage should remain above 13v.  As soon as it dips below 
13v, it's time to start looking for 2 new  batteries on sale.  You'll 
need them in a year or two.

I like wet cell batteries.  I don't heel my boat severely.  All 
batteries are made by the same 3 or 4 companies.  Costco; Walmart; 
Interstate; Sears--all offer top quality batteries.

Bill Effros



Bud wrote:
> Another suggestion on batteries is to buy two, but buy them a few years 
> apart.
> That way you (typically) won't have both of them fail at the same time 
> or during the
> same season.  And when the first battery does fail, it will give you an 
> idea of the
> life of the second battery, given the use/abuse of your particular 
> sailing and charging
> habits.
>
> -Bud
>
> John Lock wrote:
>
>   
>> At 11:33 AM 4/13/2007 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>>  
>>
>>     
>>> Hmmm.  This may apply to wives as well.  Let me think about that!
>>>    
>>>
>>>       
>> No thinking required... that's a no-brainer ;-)
>>
>> Regarding el-cheapo batteries - that has been my experience as 
>> well.  They tend to last about the same if you take good care of 
>> them.  The more expensive ones will tolerate neglect better.
>>
>> Now... about flooded-cell, gel-cell, and AGM - does the same apply to 
>> the more expensive technologies?  IOW, can you get just as good 
>> service from conventional flooded-cell as the more expensive 
>> alternatives IF you maintain them properly?  But if you're a slacker 
>> about maintaining them, spend the bucks on AGM (or whatever).
>>
>> Cheers!
>>
>> John Lock
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> s/v Pandion - '79 Rhodes 22
>> Lake Sinclair, GA
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
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>>  
>>
>>     
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