Bow thruster battery replacement

[spannerman]

I need to replace the bow thruster batteries as the existing ones are terminally dead due to failure of a megga fuse I didn't know existed and the lack of desire to use the bow thruster

 

Currently fitted are 110 amp/hr type 663, 775 cca with standard round posts

 

Anyone have any recommendations/suggestions as to what brand/supplier could be used to source replacements

 

Thanks in anticipation

 

spannerman

[Guest]

I need to replace the bow thruster batteries as the existing ones are terminally dead due to failure of a megga fuse I didn't know existed and the lack of desire to use the bow thruster

 

Currently fitted are 110 amp/hr type 663, 775 cca with standard round posts

 

Anyone have any recommendations/suggestions as to what brand/supplier could be used to source replacements

 

Thanks in anticipation

 

spannerman

 

Varta.

 

But why bother....you don't need it.

[blackrose]

Bear in mind that because they will be used to provide brief, high draw surges (a bit like when you turn a starter motor), you don't really need expensive deep-cycle leisure batteries. As long as they're kept properly charged and arent over-used then I think ordinary car batteries would be ok.

[spannerman]

Varta.

 

But why bother....you don't need it.

 

Oh, I totally agree, however, Mrs Spanners has decreed the bow thruster will work

 

Bear in mind that because they will be used to provide brief, high draw surges (a bit like when you turn a starter motor), you don't really need expensive deep-cycle leisure batteries. As long as they're kept properly charged and arent over-used then I think ordinary car batteries would be ok.

 

Thanks for your comment, I shall look into this possibility. Unfortunately the original batteries have no makers labels etc for comparison

[Arthur Brown]

If 663 was professionally specified then that's a good place to start. Once you have the battery fitted check that there is a reasonable charging system really working. The batteries will sit there but if they don't get charged they will go flat before you need them.

[spannerman]

If 663 was professionally specified then that's a good place to start. Once you have the battery fitted check that there is a reasonable charging system really working. The batteries will sit there but if they don't get charged they will go flat before you need them.

 

Thanks. I had charging system professionally checked hence discovery of blown megga fuse. Once fuse replaced power was once more getting to batteries via the charging system however it was too late to recover them so will keep a much closer eye on things once I have forked out for replacement batteries

[Taslim]

Thanks. I had charging system professionally checked hence discovery of blown megga fuse. Once fuse replaced power was once more getting to batteries via the charging system however it was too late to recover them so will keep a much closer eye on things once I have forked out for replacement batteries

 

Have you found out why the fuse blew?

 

taslim.

[Robbo]

I need to replace the bow thruster batteries as the existing ones are terminally dead due to failure of a megga fuse I didn't know existed and the lack of desire to use the bow thruster

 

Currently fitted are 110 amp/hr type 663, 775 cca with standard round posts

 

Anyone have any recommendations/suggestions as to what brand/supplier could be used to source replacements

 

Optima battery is recommend (from Victron's Book)

 

5.2.3.5 The bow thruster battery

Optima is the ideal battery for this application. It can deliver extremely high currents and also withstands high

recharge currents as well as a wide recharge voltage range. So alternative a) of 5..3.4 would be advisable.

[smileypete]

Have you found out why the fuse blew?

There's loads on these sort of problems in past threads, including different ways round it.

 

If the fuse still pops with healthy BT batts, one way to charge them would be a small inverter and charger.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[Bob-18]

Or a DC/DC charger - very handy when faced by the voltage drop over the length of a narrowboat, and probably a lower loss than the inverter/charger combination, on the other hand it might be more expensive...