Remote Battery Filling System
 

Here's a product that I just stumbled across that may be of interest
to those with large battery banks that are difficult to access:

http://www.batteryfillingsystems.com....asp?page=home

I have no experience with this system but it was recommended by
someone on a boating EMAIL list that I subscribe to, and looks like it
might solve a problem on my boat.

Basically it uses special replacement battery caps that are tied
together with plastic tubing and a remote filling device. Each cap
has a float valve which closes when the cell is full. They sell
different types of caps and floats depending on battery type.

It is being marketed to industrial and golf cart users but I can't see
any reason why it wouldn't work on a boat.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mar 9, 11:57 pm, Wayne.B wrote:
Here's a product that I just stumbled across that may be of interest
to those with large battery banks that are difficult to access:

http://www.batteryfillingsystems.com....asp?page=home

I have no experience with this system but it was recommended by
someone on a boating EMAIL list that I subscribe to, and looks like it
might solve a problem on my boat.

Basically it uses special replacement battery caps that are tied
together with plastic tubing and a remote filling device. Each cap
has a float valve which closes when the cell is full. They sell
different types of caps and floats depending on battery type.

It is being marketed to industrial and golf cart users but I can't see
any reason why it wouldn't work on a boat.

The only complaint I have is the ridiculous cost for some molded
plastic

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mar 9, 9:57�pm, Wayne.B wrote:
Here's a product that I just stumbled across that may be of interest
to those with large battery banks that are difficult to access:

http://www.batteryfillingsystems.com....asp?page=home

I have no experience with this system but it was recommended by
someone on a boating EMAIL list that I subscribe to, and looks like it
might solve a problem on my boat.

Basically it uses special replacement battery caps that are tied
together with plastic tubing and a remote filling device. *Each cap
has a float valve which closes when the cell is full. *They sell
different types of caps and floats depending on battery type.

It is being marketed to industrial and golf cart users but I can't see
any reason why it wouldn't work on a boat.


"Large battery banks that are difficult to access" sounds like a
serious problem, at least on a boat. What do you do when it's time to
replace 'em?

Also, with all of the plumbing, etc, how do you get the lid back onto
the battery box? Cut some additional holes?

(I use a hydro-cap on my Rolls batteries, does a lot to prevent loss
of electrolyte),

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On 10 Mar 2007 12:23:23 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

"Large battery banks that are difficult to access" sounds like a
serious problem, at least on a boat. What do you do when it's time to
replace 'em?

Also, with all of the plumbing, etc, how do you get the lid back onto
the battery box? Cut some additional holes?

(I use a hydro-cap on my Rolls batteries, does a lot to prevent loss
of electrolyte),

Funny you should ask about replacement since I just had to do that.
It was a heavy duty 8D weighing about 130 lbs or so. It's installed
back under a shelf in the engine room which makes checking and adding
water difficult. To make matters worse I've installed a bank of 4
golf cart batts outside of the 8D in their own custom box with a lot
of jumper wires for the series/parallel arrangement. In order to
remove the 8D I had to uninstall the golf carts, the jumper wires and
the golf cart box. Then I had to slide the 8D out of its hole under
the shelf and horse it up out of the engine compartment. Not a fun
job, and I ended up giving myself a mild case of tendonitis in my
right elbow.

My theory (thus far unproven) is that an automatic watering systems
would allow me to take better care of the almost inaccessible 8D and
get better life out of it. The tubing for the plumbing system looks
like it is quite thin and should exit out of the existing cutout in
the battery box. We'll see. First I've got to finish some other
projects and then find out how much these fancy battery caps cost.
The tubing and filling arrangement should be very inexpensive.

The Rolls hydrocaps are nice but I don't know if you can get them for
a standard 8D. How much height do they add?

Remote Battery Filling System
 

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On 10 Mar 2007 12:23:23 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

"Large battery banks that are difficult to access" sounds like a
serious problem, at least on a boat. What do you do when it's time to
replace 'em?

Also, with all of the plumbing, etc, how do you get the lid back onto
the battery box? Cut some additional holes?

(I use a hydro-cap on my Rolls batteries, does a lot to prevent loss
of electrolyte),

Funny you should ask about replacement since I just had to do that.
It was a heavy duty 8D weighing about 130 lbs or so. It's installed
back under a shelf in the engine room which makes checking and adding
water difficult. To make matters worse I've installed a bank of 4
golf cart batts outside of the 8D in their own custom box with a lot
of jumper wires for the series/parallel arrangement. In order to
remove the 8D I had to uninstall the golf carts, the jumper wires and
the golf cart box. Then I had to slide the 8D out of its hole under
the shelf and horse it up out of the engine compartment. Not a fun
job, and I ended up giving myself a mild case of tendonitis in my
right elbow.

My theory (thus far unproven) is that an automatic watering systems
would allow me to take better care of the almost inaccessible 8D and
get better life out of it. The tubing for the plumbing system looks
like it is quite thin and should exit out of the existing cutout in
the battery box. We'll see. First I've got to finish some other
projects and then find out how much these fancy battery caps cost.
The tubing and filling arrangement should be very inexpensive.

The Rolls hydrocaps are nice but I don't know if you can get them for
a standard 8D. How much height do they add?


The weight of hydrocaps is negligible, AFAIK. But I have to ask, will your
remote watering system also measure specific gravity?

Remote Battery Filling System
 

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...

On 10 Mar 2007 12:23:23 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

"Large battery banks that are difficult to access" sounds like a
serious problem, at least on a boat. What do you do when it's time to
replace 'em?

Also, with all of the plumbing, etc, how do you get the lid back onto
the battery box? Cut some additional holes?

(I use a hydro-cap on my Rolls batteries, does a lot to prevent loss
of electrolyte),

Funny you should ask about replacement since I just had to do that.
It was a heavy duty 8D weighing about 130 lbs or so. It's installed
back under a shelf in the engine room which makes checking and adding
water difficult. To make matters worse I've installed a bank of 4
golf cart batts outside of the 8D in their own custom box with a lot
of jumper wires for the series/parallel arrangement.


What kind of a charger are you guys using when on shore power?
The ferro-resonant types can really cause a lot of electrolyte loss.
The dedicated batteries for the thrusters on my boat (Navigator) used to be
tied to the old, FR charger and they were in need of water almost monthly.
For other reasons ... I bought a dedicated, dual output, 3 stage "smart"
charger for them and I now add a small amount of water once a year, if that.
The batteries are always being maintained by the smart charger.

I still have 3 8Ds that are charged by the older charger and they require
regular water replenishment. If I were going to keep the boat, I'd consider
investing in a smart charger for them as well.

Might be worth considering on the GB, though.

Eisboch

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mar 10, 1:59�pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On 10 Mar 2007 12:23:23 -0800, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
"Large battery banks that are difficult to access" sounds like a
serious problem, at least on a boat. What do you do when it's time to
replace 'em?

Also, with all of the plumbing, etc, how do you get the lid back onto
the battery box? Cut some additional holes?

(I use a hydro-cap on my Rolls batteries, does a lot to prevent loss
of electrolyte),

Funny you should ask about replacement since I just had to do that.
It was a heavy duty 8D weighing about 130 lbs or so. *It's installed
back under a shelf in the engine room which makes checking and adding
water difficult. *To make matters worse I've installed a bank of 4
golf cart batts outside of the 8D in their own custom box with a lot
of jumper wires for the series/parallel arrangement. * In order to
remove the 8D I had to uninstall the golf carts, the jumper wires and
the golf cart box. *Then I had to slide the 8D out of its hole under
the shelf and horse it up out of the engine compartment. *Not a fun
job, and I ended up giving myself a mild case of tendonitis in my
right elbow.

My theory (thus far unproven) is that an automatic watering systems
would allow me to take better care of the almost inaccessible 8D and
get better life out of it. *The tubing for the plumbing system looks
like it is quite thin and should exit out of the existing cutout in
the battery box. *We'll see. *First I've got to finish some other
projects and then find out how much these fancy battery caps cost.
The tubing and filling arrangement should be very inexpensive.

The Rolls hydrocaps are nice but I don't know if you can get them for
a standard 8D. *How much height do they add?

One of the major reasons I used the Rolls 8D, (aside from a 10 year
warranty wiht the first 7 not pro-rated) is that they are so super
easy to install and replace. You never lift more than about 30 pounds
at a whack, as you bolt 6 2-volt cells together inside a battery box.
If your 8D's are in a tough spot, it's a lot easier to swap them out
in 30-pound increments than making an awkward reach to try and lift a
couple of hundred pounds of battery. Why put the chiropractor's seven
kids through college? :-)

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On 10 Mar 2007 17:08:01 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

On Mar 10, 1:59?pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On 10 Mar 2007 12:23:23 -0800, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
"Large battery banks that are difficult to access" sounds like a
serious problem, at least on a boat. What do you do when it's time to
replace 'em?

Also, with all of the plumbing, etc, how do you get the lid back onto
the battery box? Cut some additional holes?

(I use a hydro-cap on my Rolls batteries, does a lot to prevent loss
of electrolyte),

Funny you should ask about replacement since I just had to do that.
It was a heavy duty 8D weighing about 130 lbs or so. t's installed
back under a shelf in the engine room which makes checking and adding
water difficult. o make matters worse I've installed a bank of 4
golf cart batts outside of the 8D in their own custom box with a lot
of jumper wires for the series/parallel arrangement. In order to
remove the 8D I had to uninstall the golf carts, the jumper wires and
the golf cart box. hen I had to slide the 8D out of its hole under
the shelf and horse it up out of the engine compartment. ot a fun
job, and I ended up giving myself a mild case of tendonitis in my
right elbow.

My theory (thus far unproven) is that an automatic watering systems
would allow me to take better care of the almost inaccessible 8D and
get better life out of it. he tubing for the plumbing system looks
like it is quite thin and should exit out of the existing cutout in
the battery box. e'll see. irst I've got to finish some other
projects and then find out how much these fancy battery caps cost.
The tubing and filling arrangement should be very inexpensive.

The Rolls hydrocaps are nice but I don't know if you can get them for
a standard 8D. ow much height do they add?

One of the major reasons I used the Rolls 8D, (aside from a 10 year
warranty wiht the first 7 not pro-rated) is that they are so super
easy to install and replace. You never lift more than about 30 pounds
at a whack, as you bolt 6 2-volt cells together inside a battery box.
If your 8D's are in a tough spot, it's a lot easier to swap them out
in 30-pound increments than making an awkward reach to try and lift a
couple of hundred pounds of battery. Why put the chiropractor's seven
kids through college? :-)

Somebody has to.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On 10 Mar 2007 17:08:01 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

One of the major reasons I used the Rolls 8D, (aside from a 10 year
warranty wiht the first 7 not pro-rated) is that they are so super
easy to install and replace.

Rolls makes a great battery, no question. On the other hand the cost
of a Rolls 8D is somewhere north of $500 if my memory is correct. I
recently purchased a brand X 8D from NAPA auto parts for $160.
Assuming I get the usual 5 years from it, I'll be money ahead.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

Wayne.B wrote in
:

Rolls makes a great battery, no question. On the other hand the cost
of a Rolls 8D is somewhere north of $500 if my memory is correct. I
recently purchased a brand X 8D from NAPA auto parts for $160.
Assuming I get the usual 5 years from it, I'll be money ahead.



Yeah, but you will lose "dock prestige" if they ever discover the cheap
batteries after all that braggin' about only using the most expensive
batteries on earth in such a fine yacht....like the rest of them do....


Larry
--
How much price inflation is caused by illegal
aliens gobbling up goods and services, creating
shortages for the natives? I heard 40%!

Remote Battery Filling System
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Wayne.B wrote in
:

Rolls makes a great battery, no question. On the other hand the cost
of a Rolls 8D is somewhere north of $500 if my memory is correct. I
recently purchased a brand X 8D from NAPA auto parts for $160.
Assuming I get the usual 5 years from it, I'll be money ahead.



Yeah, but you will lose "dock prestige" if they ever discover the cheap
batteries after all that braggin' about only using the most expensive
batteries on earth in such a fine yacht....like the rest of them do....


Larry
--

Boaters ask each other questions about what systems they use on their
boats -- happens in every marina, every day. If boater "A" says, "I use only
Optima batteries!" because they like them, and boater "B" says, "Good
enough, I prefer Rolls," is the Rolls owner bragging and expecting to gain
this mythical "dock prestige," or are they simply passing on information?

Would you have Rolls owners remain silent about their batteries to avoid
appearing "snobbish," or would you have them lie, claiming instead that they
use Duracells?

You can be a very silly person at times, you know?

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mar 10, 11:41�pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On 10 Mar 2007 17:08:01 -0800, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
One of the major reasons I used the Rolls 8D, (aside from a 10 year
warranty wiht the first 7 not pro-rated) is that they are so super
easy to install and replace.

Rolls makes a great battery, no question. *On the other hand the cost
of a Rolls 8D is somewhere north of $500 if my memory is correct. *I
recently purchased a brand X 8D from NAPA auto parts for $160.
Assuming I get the usual 5 years from it, I'll be money ahead.

If you get five years from a bargain basement battery you're doing
really well.

Rolls pencils out if you figure the more typical three years from a
generic battery. If you pay somebody to replace the battery for you,
or if you value the
time involved or put any value on avoiding the risk of physical injury
associated with "horsing" 150 pounds in what always turns out to be an
incorrect posture, the Rolls puts you money ahead. The warranty on
Rolls is 10 years, (vs 24-36 months for most Brand X), and life
expectancy is often several years beyond the end of the warranty.

The other spiffy thing about the Rolls is that when most batteries
fail it's a failure in a single cell. With most batteries, you have to
junk all six cells bcause one has gone bad. With a Rolls, you simply
test the cells until you find the bad one, unbolt the bad cell from
the network, buy one new cell instead of six new cells, and forge
ahead.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mar 11, 3:05�pm, Larry wrote:
Wayne.B wrote :

Rolls makes a great battery, no question. *On the other hand the cost
of a Rolls 8D is somewhere north of $500 if my memory is correct. *I
recently purchased a brand X 8D from NAPA auto parts for $160.
Assuming I get the usual 5 years from it, I'll be money ahead.

Yeah, but you will lose "dock prestige" if they ever discover the cheap
batteries after all that braggin' about only using the most expensive
batteries on earth in such a fine yacht....like the rest of them do....



That, and after a long weekend at anchor somebody has to be able to
jump start the fleet of guys who think that cheaper is better. :-)

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On 11 Mar 2007 16:31:08 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

If you get five years from a bargain basement battery you're doing
really well.

Depends how you use it. In this particular case it is a starting
battery for my generators and also powers the anchor windlass. I'll
be very disappointed if it doesn't go at least 5 years in light duty
service like that, assuming I keep the cells watered properly.

Rolls pencils out if you figure the more typical three years from a
generic battery. If you pay somebody to replace the battery for you,
or if you value the
time involved or put any value on avoiding the risk of physical injury
associated with "horsing" 150 pounds in what always turns out to be an
incorrect posture, the Rolls puts you money ahead. The warranty on
Rolls is 10 years, (vs 24-36 months for most Brand X), and life
expectancy is often several years beyond the end of the warranty.

The other spiffy thing about the Rolls is that when most batteries
fail it's a failure in a single cell. With most batteries, you have to
junk all six cells bcause one has gone bad. With a Rolls, you simply
test the cells until you find the bad one, unbolt the bad cell from
the network, buy one new cell instead of six new cells, and forge
ahead.

All true, Rolls are great batteries, certainly among the best.

Brand-X from NAPA has one more advantage however - the NAPA store is
10 minutes from my house and the closest Rolls dealers are 2 1/2 hours
away in Lauderdale or Miami.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On 11 Mar 2007 16:31:08 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

If you get five years from a bargain basement battery you're doing
really well.

Depends how you use it. In this particular case it is a starting
battery for my generators and also powers the anchor windlass. I'll
be very disappointed if it doesn't go at least 5 years in light duty
service like that, assuming I keep the cells watered properly.

Rolls pencils out if you figure the more typical three years from a
generic battery. If you pay somebody to replace the battery for you,
or if you value the
time involved or put any value on avoiding the risk of physical injury
associated with "horsing" 150 pounds in what always turns out to be an
incorrect posture, the Rolls puts you money ahead. The warranty on
Rolls is 10 years, (vs 24-36 months for most Brand X), and life
expectancy is often several years beyond the end of the warranty.

The other spiffy thing about the Rolls is that when most batteries
fail it's a failure in a single cell. With most batteries, you have to
junk all six cells bcause one has gone bad. With a Rolls, you simply
test the cells until you find the bad one, unbolt the bad cell from
the network, buy one new cell instead of six new cells, and forge
ahead.

All true, Rolls are great batteries, certainly among the best.

Brand-X from NAPA has one more advantage however - the NAPA store is
10 minutes from my house and the closest Rolls dealers are 2 1/2 hours
away in Lauderdale or Miami.


How close is NAPA to that nice remote anchorage where the cheapy battery
fails? ;-)

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 18:15:14 -0600, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

How close is NAPA to that nice remote anchorage where the cheapy battery
fails? ;-)

My boat has so much redundancy in critical systems that replacement
parts in a remote anchorage are an unlikely scenario. This particular
8D can be parallelled with a bank of 4 golf cart batts, which in turn
can be parallelled with with either a second set of golf carts or an
engine starting 8D.

We had the raw water pump fail on our primary generator last year mid
way through a cruise of the Abaco out islands. After spending a
futile couple of hours trying to locate a new one, we continued on
using the backup generator. If both generators fail I can now
generate enough 12 volt amperage with the main engine alternators to
power a 2 KW inverter. That's enough to keep the holding plate
fridges and freezer cold, or do some light duty cooking. It would be
an act of hubris to rename the boat the M/V Unstoppable but it comes
as close as I know to make it.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

You've clearly thought this through. Would that I have room for so much
battery storage. :-)

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 18:15:14 -0600, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

How close is NAPA to that nice remote anchorage where the cheapy battery
fails? ;-)

My boat has so much redundancy in critical systems that replacement
parts in a remote anchorage are an unlikely scenario. This particular
8D can be parallelled with a bank of 4 golf cart batts, which in turn
can be parallelled with with either a second set of golf carts or an
engine starting 8D.

We had the raw water pump fail on our primary generator last year mid
way through a cruise of the Abaco out islands. After spending a
futile couple of hours trying to locate a new one, we continued on
using the backup generator. If both generators fail I can now
generate enough 12 volt amperage with the main engine alternators to
power a 2 KW inverter. That's enough to keep the holding plate
fridges and freezer cold, or do some light duty cooking. It would be
an act of hubris to rename the boat the M/V Unstoppable but it comes
as close as I know to make it.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:25:49 -0600, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

You've clearly thought this through. Would that I have room for so much
battery storage. :-)

Yeah, they're big and they're heavy, but compared to a couple of
Detroit 671s, a 15 and 20 KW generator, 1000 gallons of fuel and 500
gallons of water - it's a drop in the bucket.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

"KLC Lewis" wrote in
et:

You can be a very silly person at times, you know?



GUILTY AS CHARGED!

Male humans have been comparing the sizes of their penises since the
language was a series of grunts and screams.

This has not changed, just because we are on a dock.

Larry
--
Mine IS bigger'n urs....fo sho!

Remote Battery Filling System
 

"Chuck Gould" wrote in
ups.com:

associated with "horsing" 150 pounds in what always turns out to be an
incorrect posture

150 pounds? Oh, you're swapping out our STARTING battery....sorry

Larry
--
How much price inflation is caused by illegal
aliens gobbling up goods and services, creating
shortages for the natives? I heard 40%!

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mar 11, 9:35�pm, Larry wrote:
"Chuck Gould" wrote groups.com:

associated with "horsing" 150 pounds in what always turns out to be an
incorrect posture

150 pounds? *Oh, you're swapping out our STARTING battery....sorry

Larry
--


Actually, you're right if you're being sarcastic- I was shooting from
the hip on the weight and I was light by some 58 pounds. The actual
weight of a Rolls 8D is 208 pounds.

http://www.rollsbattery.com/


That's approximately 40 pounds heavier than a typical discount-store
battery of the same size (and most of the discount stores get their
batteries from the same manufacturers and simply get a private label
attached.) Your typical 8D is pretty close to the 150 I used as an off
the cuff example.


http://www.apexbattery.com/group-8d-...batteries.html


As you undoubtedly know, weight is a fairly reliable indicator of
quality and capacity in a lead-acid battery.


The Rolls (Surette in Canada) retails for aout 2 1/2 times the battery
linked above. The warranty is 10 times as long. On an amp/hour per
year of service basis, Rolls is probably the cheapest battery you can
buy- let alone the hassle of doing the swap out.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:48:14 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:25:49 -0600, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

You've clearly thought this through. Would that I have room for so much
battery storage. :-)

Yeah, they're big and they're heavy, but compared to a couple of
Detroit 671s, a 15 and 20 KW generator, 1000 gallons of fuel and 500
gallons of water - it's a drop in the bucket.

The gensets are water cooled diesels?

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On 11 Mar 2007 22:50:58 -0700, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

As you undoubtedly know, weight is a fairly reliable indicator of
quality and capacity in a lead-acid battery.

I didn't know that, but it makes sense.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

Well, I might as well get in here and throw a grenade.

I buy 5 @ 12V Wall Mart batteries that sell for $40 each and have an 8
year warranty. It is full replacement for 3 years and prorated after
that. They weigh about 40lbs each and are easy to move around.

Now, what if the one on the engine fails? Well, I have four more on
the house bank and any one of those can replace the engine battery
with a flip of a switch. Suppose I get 5 years before a failure
(typically thats what I get) and the proration has clicked in. Wall
mart is a short walk from almost any pier or at the least a short cab
ride if you cant bum a car from another boater. The price of the
replacement after proration is about $20 and you have a 40 pound
battery that you can easily replace yourself...I am 70 years old so I
know the young whipper snappers can.

Now, I can replace all 5 of them every 5 years and I will have only
invested $300 over a ten year time span. I will have invested only
twice as much time in replacement labor than the one time replacement
labor of the Rolls. Thats about 3 hours time. Thus I was paid
roughly $1200 for three hours labor (assuming that you need TWO Rolls
bats, one for engine and one for house). I would not run on one
battery no mater HOW reliable it is.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

"jim.isbell" wrote in news:1173720620.931062.26890
@8g2000cwh.googlegroups.com:

Thus I was paid
roughly $1200 for three hours labor

Mr Jim I LOVE your math lesson.....(c;

I buy all my TIRES from WalMart for the same reason. Every Walmart is
interconnected by satellite to every other WalMart. If I blow a tire 800
miles from home, I go to the nearest WalMart and they give me a new one
(Lifetime Warranty for another $10/tire). Noone hassles me. Noone says
just because they are a Michelin dealer doesn't mean they have to honor
tire warranty some other dealer sold me.

Nearly dead center in the middle of the tread, I had a nail making a
WalMart Goodyear leak that was a couple years old. I took it to WalMart.
The guy dismounted the tire and consulted with the shop manager as to
what to do. The shop manager showed me the nail, dead center in the
tread.....of a half-worn-out Goodyear.

"Doesn't that look awfully close to the sidewall, to you, requiring me to
replace that tire?", he asked me. "Oh, yes! I can see it cuts right
into the sidewall! We can't plug it when it's that close." His mechanic
was already mounting my new tire to the rim. I'll always buy from
WalMart. Besides the same tire being cheaper, I get great service 800
miles from home from the SAME tire store...WalMart. I don't even need my
warranty. I'm on every computer terminal on the planet!

Larry
--

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mar 12, 6:19 pm, Gene Kearns
wrote:
On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 01:10:56 GMT, Tom Francis penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:





On 10 Mar 2007 17:08:01 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

On Mar 10, 1:59?pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On 10 Mar 2007 12:23:23 -0800, "Chuck Gould"

wrote:
"Large battery banks that are difficult to access" sounds like a
serious problem, at least on a boat. What do you do when it's time to
replace 'em?

Also, with all of the plumbing, etc, how do you get the lid back onto
the battery box? Cut some additional holes?

(I use a hydro-cap on my Rolls batteries, does a lot to prevent loss
of electrolyte),

Funny you should ask about replacement since I just had to do that.
It was a heavy duty 8D weighing about 130 lbs or so. t's installed
back under a shelf in the engine room which makes checking and adding
water difficult. o make matters worse I've installed a bank of 4
golf cart batts outside of the 8D in their own custom box with a lot
of jumper wires for the series/parallel arrangement. In order to
remove the 8D I had to uninstall the golf carts, the jumper wires and
the golf cart box. hen I had to slide the 8D out of its hole under
the shelf and horse it up out of the engine compartment. ot a fun
job, and I ended up giving myself a mild case of tendonitis in my
right elbow.

My theory (thus far unproven) is that an automatic watering systems
would allow me to take better care of the almost inaccessible 8D and
get better life out of it. he tubing for the plumbing system looks
like it is quite thin and should exit out of the existing cutout in
the battery box. e'll see. irst I've got to finish some other
projects and then find out how much these fancy battery caps cost.
The tubing and filling arrangement should be very inexpensive.

The Rolls hydrocaps are nice but I don't know if you can get them for
a standard 8D. ow much height do they add?

One of the major reasons I used the Rolls 8D, (aside from a 10 year
warranty wiht the first 7 not pro-rated) is that they are so super
easy to install and replace. You never lift more than about 30 pounds
at a whack, as you bolt 6 2-volt cells together inside a battery box.
If your 8D's are in a tough spot, it's a lot easier to swap them out
in 30-pound increments than making an awkward reach to try and lift a
couple of hundred pounds of battery. Why put the chiropractor's seven
kids through college? :-)

Somebody has to.

Whadda ya think????http://tinyurl.com/2gjgpa

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepagehttp://pamandgene.idleplay.net/

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguidehttp://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats - Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Gene, that looks to me like a good way to get battery acid/electrolyte/
water all over stuff, as well as yourself.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On 12 Mar 2007 10:30:21 -0700, "jim.isbell"
wrote:

Now, what if the one on the engine fails? Well, I have four more on
the house bank and any one of those can replace the engine battery
with a flip of a switch.

You can't start a big diesel on a small 12 volt Walmart battery, not
for very long anyway.

Period.

If you're boat has 8Ds on it, they are there for a reason.

Garden variety 12 volt batteries are lousy performers in deep cycle
marine service as well.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:22:10 GMT, Tom Francis
wrote:

The gensets are water cooled diesels?

Yes, fresh water cooled.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Mar 12, 9:42 pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On 12 Mar 2007 10:30:21 -0700, "jim.isbell"
wrote:

Now, what if the one on the engine fails? Well, I have four more on
the house bank and any one of those can replace the engine battery
with a flip of a switch.

You can't start a big diesel on a small 12 volt Walmart battery, not
for very long anyway.

Period.

If you're boat has 8Ds on it, they are there for a reason.

Garden variety 12 volt batteries are lousy performers in deep cycle
marine service as well.

Well, I am running a Perkins 4-108 so I don't think that could be
called a "big diesel"

I agree that for a 12 cyl Detroit you will need special batteries of a
type that Wall Mart does not sell.

As to deep cycle, I don't deep cycle the engine battery as the engine
starts on the first turn and I have enough house batteries that they
don't deep cycle either. If your engine doest start on the first turn
then you have some engine maintenance to do and its going to be a lot
more expensive than batteries.

But how long they last is not the point as long as they last a couple
of years. They are GUARANTEED so its only labor to replace them and
at 40 pounds apiece its a piece of cake. They weight about what a 5
gallon can of diesel weighs and I take on two 5 gallon cans of diesel
at every stop but don't complain about the fuel consumption or having
to lug it down the dock on a cart. I think I can handle a battery
every 6 months or so....if its free.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

jim.isbell wrote:
On Mar 12, 9:42 pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On 12 Mar 2007 10:30:21 -0700, "jim.isbell"
wrote:

Now, what if the one on the engine fails? Well, I have four more on
the house bank and any one of those can replace the engine battery
with a flip of a switch.
You can't start a big diesel on a small 12 volt Walmart battery, not
for very long anyway.

Period.

If you're boat has 8Ds on it, they are there for a reason.

Garden variety 12 volt batteries are lousy performers in deep cycle
marine service as well.

Well, I am running a Perkins 4-108 so I don't think that could be
called a "big diesel"

I agree that for a 12 cyl Detroit you will need special batteries of a
type that Wall Mart does not sell.

As to deep cycle, I don't deep cycle the engine battery as the engine
starts on the first turn and I have enough house batteries that they
don't deep cycle either. If your engine doest start on the first turn
then you have some engine maintenance to do and its going to be a lot
more expensive than batteries.

But how long they last is not the point as long as they last a couple
of years. They are GUARANTEED so its only labor to replace them and
at 40 pounds apiece its a piece of cake. They weight about what a 5
gallon can of diesel weighs and I take on two 5 gallon cans of diesel
at every stop but don't complain about the fuel consumption or having
to lug it down the dock on a cart. I think I can handle a battery
every 6 months or so....if its free.

Yea, as long as you cruise within range of a wall Mart. Try that down
island. I want something more dependable and long lasting.

Remote Battery Filling System
 

jim.isbell wrote:
On Mar 12, 9:42 pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On 12 Mar 2007 10:30:21 -0700, "jim.isbell"
wrote:

Now, what if the one on the engine fails? Well, I have four more on
the house bank and any one of those can replace the engine battery
with a flip of a switch.
You can't start a big diesel on a small 12 volt Walmart battery, not
for very long anyway.

Period.

If you're boat has 8Ds on it, they are there for a reason.

Garden variety 12 volt batteries are lousy performers in deep cycle
marine service as well.

Well, I am running a Perkins 4-108 so I don't think that could be
called a "big diesel"

I agree that for a 12 cyl Detroit you will need special batteries of a
type that Wall Mart does not sell.

As to deep cycle, I don't deep cycle the engine battery as the engine
starts on the first turn and I have enough house batteries that they
don't deep cycle either. If your engine doest start on the first turn
then you have some engine maintenance to do and its going to be a lot
more expensive than batteries.

But how long they last is not the point as long as they last a couple
of years. They are GUARANTEED so its only labor to replace them and
at 40 pounds apiece its a piece of cake. They weight about what a 5
gallon can of diesel weighs and I take on two 5 gallon cans of diesel
at every stop but don't complain about the fuel consumption or having
to lug it down the dock on a cart. I think I can handle a battery
every 6 months or so....if its free.


A couple notes. A Dodge Cummins uses a pair of small batteries day
in and day out. My Walmarters were warranted for 3 years but they
weren't quite hacking it this winter with 2 years time on them. Took
them to Walmart and they replaced them for free without even testing
them! The 3 year warranty began all over again!
Walmart batteries are made by Exide FYI, not that it means anything.
Gordon

Remote Battery Filling System
 

On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:10:15 -0800, Gordon wrote:

A couple notes. A Dodge Cummins uses a pair of small batteries day
in and day out. My Walmarters were warranted for 3 years but they
weren't quite hacking it this winter with 2 years time on them.

I rest my case.