[Rhodes22-list] Battery Advice

Tue Apr 3 12:25:33 EDT 2012

Thanks Lee. I've archived your email. Geoff

On Tue, Apr 3, 2012 at 8:09 AM, Leland <LKUHN at cnmc.org> 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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>
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