Steve Lusardi wrote:
Gordon,
If the information you have posted is all the info you possess, it is
not enough to blame anyone for the 2 year life cycle. Here are two facts.

1) All lead acid batteries degenerate over time and that degeneration is
amazingly linear. The slope of this linear line is a function of usage.
The accepted industry typical usage length is 5 years if the discharge
doesn't drop below 70%. (That's charge, like in coulombs, not voltage)

2) Battery design choice and sizing is very important and should be
tailored to the intended service expected.

I suspect you have either underestimated your house load, underrated
your storage requirement or violated one or more of the rules above.
Keep in mind that the rating a manufacturer states is based on the best
conditions possible, which you have no chance of duplicating. You should
derate the amp/hr rating by at least 25% to compensate. You should
re-analyze your real requirements to make certain the failure isn't your
own.
Steve


"Gordon" wrote in message
m...
This is an email from the south bound cruising group. Take it as you
will.



Be Careful!!
Here is my short story on Trojan AGM Batteries:

AS I said, this was a post in the south bound group. NOT my boat and
this is all I know. Take it as you will!
Gordon

Gordon wrote:
Steve Lusardi wrote:
Gordon,
If the information you have posted is all the info you possess, it is
not enough to blame anyone for the 2 year life cycle. Here are two facts.



Be Careful!!
Here is my short story on Trojan AGM Batteries:

AS I said, this was a post in the south bound group. NOT my boat and
this is all I know. Take it as you will!
Gordon

Another cruiser reported having problems with 6 month old Trojans. He
was in southern Mexico and was told by Trojan that his warranty was no
good in another country and he would have to return to the US for
warranty replacement.
As he was headed farther south, this was not an option. He replaced
the Trojans with cheap Mexican batteries and lived happily ever after.
Again this is not my boat and I have no details so ...........
Gordon

Actually, maybe no company will honor a warranty out of country due to
cost of shipping.

On Sun, 24 Oct 2010 13:09:56 -0700, Gordon wrote:

Another cruiser reported having problems with 6 month old Trojans. He
was in southern Mexico and was told by Trojan that his warranty was no
good in another country and he would have to return to the US for
warranty replacement.
As he was headed farther south, this was not an option. He replaced
the Trojans with cheap Mexican batteries and lived happily ever after.
Again this is not my boat and I have no details so ...........
Gordon

Actually, maybe no company will honor a warranty out of country due to
cost of shipping.

A lot of battery problems are caused by owner abuse, and shipping out
of country is a *major* issue. Earlier this year I had to get an
alternator shipped to the Caribbean - $255 to get it from Illinois to
St Croix. If it had gone anywhere but the USVI or Puerto Rico it
would have cost even more, and it could have easily taken one or two
weeks to get it through customs, assuming it didn't get *lost* in
customs which happens fairly frequently.