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Larry Larry is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,275
Default Interesting Lead Acid Battery facts

"purple_stars" wrote in
oups.com:

That's a very good thought, Larry. And I suspect you are right about
it, that you can make the batteries last longer by plugging them into
shore power. You could probably make them last longer by having them
hooked to a wind generator and/or solar panel too since they would be
getting constant recharge current and would spend their lives more
charged than more discharged. As far as I am concerned that only makes
more of a case for using really cheap ass batteries from a mega-store
.. because those AGM batteries are 4.5 times as expensive for the same
number of amp hours, so if you can get 5 years, or 8 years, or whatever
out of a lead-acid deep cycle, you're looking at 20 years, or 30 years
that you'd have to get out of AGM's to get the same cost/benefit.


You don't want to "constant recharge" them all the time! That will only
lead to electrolyte loss as the water is converted to hydrogen, leaving
concentrated sulphuric eating the bottoms off the plates still
submerged....not good!

The shore charger needs to charge until it reaches 14.2, then completely
shut down and just sit there until the voltage drops to around 13 to
13.2, when it cycles on again for a BRIEF period at LOW current....not
percolate them to death...(c;

My answer to the Rolls buyer is in another post. The warranty on the
5000 (best-the-gots) is only 3 years and ONLY for MANUFACTURING DEFECTS,
not for worn out cells. If there's a manufacturing defect, it's easy to
spot....acid leaking out into the bilge rotting the bilge pumps or the
ensuing explosion when the plates shorted out. NOONE's warranty covers
ANYTHING about how long it takes them to WEAR OUT! WEAR OUT simply isn't
covered by any battery warranty!


I would be interested in anyone's experience with using batteries that
you can remove the plates from, has anyone used any like that ? I
assume they exist. The idea being to take the plates out every few
years and get some kind of a solvent, or I don't know .. a toothbrush I
guess, and scrub the plates clean. I'm sure they wouldn't advertise
that "feature" since it would no doubt get environmentalist feathers
ruffled if people did that out in their driveway or something. I'd
like to know about it though. Sure, it might take off a little plating
material, but who cares if the plates are thick ? I wish I had the
problem of using deep cycle batteries so long that the plating material
wears thin, that would be a dream come true.


The $89 golf cart batteries have replaceable cells....3 at a time....(c;

A 6V golf cart battery costs, I'm guessing because there is NO MENTION OF
PRICE on Rolls' website, whatsoever, so the dealers can rip 'em
off....I'd guess ONE Rolls cell is easily more money than THREE golf cart
cells....and NO SHIPPING FROM NOVA SCOTIA to pay for, which ISN'T
covered, either!

As usual, we don't read the fine print on the warranty page....which is
buried, conveniently, in the "Site Map" tab of Rolls' webpage. There's
no tab for SUPPORT or SERVICE or WARRANTY up front. Coincidence?? It
certainly is curious, at least.

I just wish WALMART had big golf cart batteries, without having to go to
the bogus Sam's Club and "pay to go shopping with us", which is stupid.
I haven't asked them if they could order them and how much. I only buy
car tires from WalMart, any more, after an incident in Florida. My
Goodyear tire came apart and I didn't have all my "papers" for it from 3
years ago from WalMart. Finding a Walmart was easy...sometimes you have
to stand on the hood, but it's close. I took the tire to WalMart at
Daytona Beach and told them I bought it in Charleston. "Not a problem.
What's your phone number?", she asked. My record popped up with my
lifetime $6.94 warranty. "Did you want us to rotate and balance them
all, too? It's been quite a few miles. It's free." I was in a hurry so
declined. The kid put the car on the lift and put a brand new Goodyear
tire on my rim. "Sir, your car is ready.", she smiles. I pull out my
credit card to pay and she says, "Oh, there's no charge. You have the
Walmart lifetime warranty.", as she hands me my keys....280 miles from
home. Make fun of Wally if you must, but that's pretty hard to beat...no
papers, no hassles, no arguing... I hope all the tires tear up before
the tread wears out. I'll never have to buy tires again!

I also don't use Amsoil Synthetic over Shell Rotella T dino oil, either.
One of my cars is a 1973 Mercedes 220 Diesel. We can be in California
across the country in a week or so in it....on REGULAR detergent oil it's
been running on for 34 years....cheaply. I can't tell how many miles are
on it. I rolled it over 99,999 twice since I owned it and the previous
owner couldn't remember whether it was once or twice he rolled the
odometer over...?? There's 264,000 on the six digit '83 300TD wagon I
use as a dump truck at the thrift shops.

Oops...boating....boating's great! Let's go cruising! There. Now we're
on-topic...(c;

Does Belize have a Walmart, in case I need a replacement battery? Japan
has them. Russia has them. Probably Belize has them....


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