Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising these days
 

It looks like I'll need new house batteries soon. This set of 6
Trojan T-105 has been function for exactly 5 years now. About 4 years
away from the docks. Before we had 2 Surette 8D's - cruised 5 years
and lasted 7 years before I replaced them early to go cruising again.

So - what's good now? Whatever it is has to fit in the 2 x 8D or 6 x
T-105 footprint. Too hard to change that.
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Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising these days
 

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:30:07 -0700, wrote:

It looks like I'll need new house batteries soon. This set of 6
Trojan T-105 has been function for exactly 5 years now. About 4 years
away from the docks. Before we had 2 Surette 8D's - cruised 5 years
and lasted 7 years before I replaced them early to go cruising again.

So - what's good now? Whatever it is has to fit in the 2 x 8D or 6 x
T-105 footprint. Too hard to change that.
-----------------

6 L16s will fit in the same footprint but are taller. They would give
you a substantial increase in amp-hours.

Rolls makes a modular 8D in 3 sections which comes with a great
warranty and is much easier to handle.

Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising thesedays
 

On Jun 13, 4:30 pm, wrote:
It looks like I'll need new house batteries soon. ...
Whatever it is has to fit in the 2 x 8D or 6 x
T-105 footprint. Too hard to change that.

I've been very happy with my Lifeline AGMs (2x8D). I've got a couple
of buddies who installed Full River AGMs and they like them too and
they cost a lot less. There are some other interesting developments
out there including the Thin Plate Pure Lead AGMs. But, none of those
will be in the running if you're looking to get the best AH/$$. For
that I think your T-105s are about as good as it gets.

-- Tom.

Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising these days
 

http://www.umces.edu/vessel/

I asked the electrical subcontractors what kind of starting and house
batteries they intended to put in. They said, "AGM".

I said, "For the safety?"

They said, "No, for the performance. The safety is just the icing on the
cake."

This outfit does a lot of marine installation but their core business is
mission critical applications such as unattended communications switching
stations and hospital backup power. They are Canadian so they do stuff
that has to work in very harsh climate conditions. I've been very
impressed with their work and knowledge. They made a good case that the
wet cell has gone the way of the carburators for car engines. Maybe fun
to have if you like to tinker but, if you just want to go somewhere
reliably and efficiently, the modern technology is better.

--
Roger Long

If you go AGM make sure you have a charger that is made for them...
otherwise they have a very short life.

Also, thanks to Solar energy, be prepared for a huge hike in battery prices
compared to the last time you bought them....(especially flooded trojans...)

Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising these days
 

On Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:25:22 -0400, "Roger Long"
wrote:

Be prepared for EVERYTHING to be more expensive than the last time you
bought it. After all, everything comes to you in diesel and gas fueled
trucks.

A big part of the pricing issue is the weak dollar which has lifted
the cost of all commodities. The major expense component of batteries
is the price of lead.

Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising these days
 

"Roger Long" wrote in news:48546dfb$0$12938
:

Be prepared for EVERYTHING to be more expensive than the last time you
bought it. After all, everything comes to you in diesel and gas fueled
trucks.


Took the stepvan to the warehouse, today. Pumped in 29 gallons of filtered
vegoil from the French Fried Oil and Refining Company main ballast tankage
with the 55 gallon drum hand pump.

We just GOTTA get an electric transfer pump to match the filter
pump.....It's too hot in that damned warehouse to pump by hand!

Another of my consorts was there and we promised each other to drive around
a lot this weekend to use up some of the excess....again. I got 13 more 5
gallon boxes of used oil on Friday from the Chinese guys.

This batch I'm running now is going to smell a little. My hands smelled
like fish oil after I pumped it. Fish is the only smell I can detect,
intermittently, in the exhaust, which is really clean.

Screw OPEC and Big Oil....we got fuel running out our EARS if we're not too
lazy to just go get it!

Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising these days
 

On Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:32:18 +0000, Larry wrote:

Screw OPEC and Big Oil....we got fuel running out our EARS if we're not too
lazy to just go get it!

I'll be ready for another 7 or 800 gallons in a few weeks if you're
still having a storage problem.

Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising these days
 

No, that's gel cell's that need the special charger. I've been using a
standard charger and alternator with mine going on three seasons and they
seem as good as new.


Correct.... that is what I get for jumping on the news groups during happy
hour!!! I still have a bad taste in my mouth for smoking 2 gels many years
ago....

Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising thesedays
 

wrote:
It looks like I'll need new house batteries soon. This set of 6
Trojan T-105 has been function for exactly 5 years now. About 4 years
away from the docks. Before we had 2 Surette 8D's - cruised 5 years
and lasted 7 years before I replaced them early to go cruising again.

So - what's good now? Whatever it is has to fit in the 2 x 8D or 6 x
T-105 footprint. Too hard to change that.
-----------------
www.Newsgroup-Binaries.com - *Completion*Retention*Speed*
Access your favorite newsgroups from home or on the road
-----------------

Your question is difficult to answer without without knowledge on how
you will charge the batteries. I think one of the best articles I know
of on batteries in general is
http://www.sterling-power.com/support-faq-2.htm.
I certainly wouldn't touch AGM for any kind of serious cycling use.

Batteries - what's best and cheapest for long term cruising these days
 

On Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:32:18 +0000, Larry wrote:

Took the stepvan to the warehouse, today. Pumped in 29 gallons of filtered
vegoil from the French Fried Oil and Refining Company main ballast tankage
with the 55 gallon drum hand pump.

We just GOTTA get an electric transfer pump to match the filter
pump.....It's too hot in that damned warehouse to pump by hand!

Another of my consorts was there and we promised each other to drive around
a lot this weekend to use up some of the excess....again. I got 13 more 5
gallon boxes of used oil on Friday from the Chinese guys.

This batch I'm running now is going to smell a little. My hands smelled
like fish oil after I pumped it. Fish is the only smell I can detect,
intermittently, in the exhaust, which is really clean.

I was walking down Main Street, and it hit me: the aroma of
old time Castrol R Castrol racing oil, aka castor oil. I used to put
it in an MGA just for the gorgeous smell. I wonder if, could it
be? that reclaimed oil makes the same nose?
If so, count me in!

Brian W