Replacing batteries

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

40 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Just as a warning - are you aware that reduced voltage to most electric motors like your water pump and shower pump (if you have one) will result in them turning slower AND demanding more current. This can and does burn them out if allowed to go on for long periods.

I know motors will eventually turn slower  but never considered they’d burn out. 

So, thanks the warning.

As it happens I’m going away for a week and will replace the batteries when I’m back, so hopefully things won’t get that bad. 

 

 

 

 

[dmr]

38 minutes ago, Goliath said:

I know motors will eventually turn slower  but never considered they’d burn out. 

So, thanks the warning.

As it happens I’m going away for a week and will replace the batteries when I’m back, so hopefully things won’t get that bad. 

 

 

 

 

Batteries loose a surprising amount of capacity when they get cold, take them to the pub with you to keep them warm, ideally sit right next to the fire. If you can coax them through the winter you can probably get another year out of them.

 

...............Dave

[Wanderer Vagabond]

3 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Just as a warning - are you aware that reduced voltage to most electric motors like your water pump and shower pump (if you have one) will result in them turning slower AND demanding more current. This can and does burn them out if allowed to go on for long periods.

My water pumps seem OK however I'm guessing it was the reduced voltage/increased amperage that was blowing the 16A fuse on my Eberspacher heating system, I'd guess that 16A is probably the fuse for the fan motor.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I'd guess that 16A is probably the fuse for the fan motor.

 

The fan motor should be drawing nothing like 16A to blow the fuse. More like 3A.

 

A far more likely candidate is the heater plug which could be drawing something close to 16A during start up. But heater plugs being purely resistive simply draw less current when the batts are low. So that is not really an explanation for the fuse-blowing. 

 

 

[MtB]

5 hours ago, dmr said:

Batteries loose a surprising amount of capacity when they get cold,

 

I'm surprised....

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

6 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

The fan motor should be drawing nothing like 16A to blow the fuse. More like 3A.

 

A far more likely candidate is the heater plug which could be drawing something close to 16A during start up. But heater plugs being purely resistive simply draw less current when the batts are low. So that is not really an explanation for the fuse-blowing. 

 

 

I think I mentioned the possibility it was low voltage blowing the fuse a while back and my thoughts were the 16A rating may not allow sufficient "headroom" when things start to go wrong so with low batteries the increase in motor current might just be enough to tip the balance. However I agree the glow plug will reduce its current with low voltage. However I may be confusing this with a different question.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

The fan motor should be drawing nothing like 16A to blow the fuse. More like 3A.

 

A far more likely candidate is the heater plug which could be drawing something close to 16A during start up. But heater plugs being purely resistive simply draw less current when the batts are low. So that is not really an explanation for the fuse-blowing. 

 

 

Surely with an Eberspacher the heater plug would be on whilst the unit is running rather than only on start up? I was only guessing what the fuse was for all I knew was that it was a red 16A fuse. Since I've been on shoreline the heating works fine.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

12 hours ago, dmr said:

Batteries loose a surprising amount of capacity when they get cold, take them to the pub with you to keep them warm, ideally sit right next to the fire. If you can coax them through the winter you can probably get another year out of them.

 

...............Dave

Long past that now. 

When batteries go they go very quickly. 

8v this morning. Having to run engine just to work water pump. Even the LED’s were dim. 

 

Thinking of replacing my 3x110Ah leisure with 2x120Ah that they’re selling in a local marina for £85 each. I’m on a tight budget at the moment. I lasted such a long time on 3 batteries that 2 should suffice for now. 

 

Also, I’d like to get a starter battery as a back up for when this one goes. As far as I’m aware the one I have at the moment is a leisure. But I’ve read elsewhere it’s best to get a proper starter. What would anyone recommend? Engine is a 1.8 BMC. And again, budget price. I’d have thought scrap value of the 3 old batteries should go someway to paying for it. 

[Laurie Booth]

13 hours ago, dmr said:

Batteries loose a surprising amount of capacity when they get cold, take them to the pub with you to keep them warm, ideally sit right next to the fire. If you can coax them through the winter you can probably get another year out of them.

 

...............Dave

Works on women as well

 

[dmr]

30 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Long past that now. 

When batteries go they go very quickly. 

8v this morning. Having to run engine just to work water pump. Even the LED’s were dim. 

 

Thinking of replacing my 3x110Ah leisure with 2x120Ah that they’re selling in a local marina for £85 each. I’m on a tight budget at the moment. I lasted such a long time on 3 batteries that 2 should suffice for now. 

 

Also, I’d like to get a starter battery as a back up for when this one goes. As far as I’m aware the one I have at the moment is a leisure. But I’ve read elsewhere it’s best to get a proper starter. What would anyone recommend? Engine is a 1.8 BMC. And again, budget price. I’d have thought scrap value of the 3 old batteries should go someway to paying for it. 

Cheaper leisures and starters are pretty much the same. Batteries are like milk, get them when you need them, no point in keeping a spare one stashed away in the cupboard just in case you need it. Wait till the starter battery is at the end of its life then weigh it in and get a new one. Starters can last a long time, up to about 7 years if you are lucky.

 

How quickly does your engine start? Can the starter deliver a good cranking speed for several seconds on a cold morning?  Trouble with starters is they can be almost dead and so if your engine normally starts quickly don't notice till you have a difficult extra cold start and they let you down.  Try cranking the engine (cold) with the stop knob pulled out to make sure it can crank for plenty long enough. Best to do this when moored near a battery shop , but, in an emergency if the starter fails you can jump start from the leisures to get you going..

 

................Dave

[Alan de Enfield]

52 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Also, I’d like to get a starter battery as a back up for when this one goes.

 

14 minutes ago, dmr said:

Batteries are like milk, get them when you need them, no point in keeping a spare one stashed away in the cupboard just in case you need it.

Investing in a good set of Jump leads (you only actually need one lead) that are long enough to reach from the domestic bank to the starter battery would be better investment than a JIC* Battery

 

*JIC = Just In case

[dmr]

13 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Investing in a good set of Jump leads (you only actually need one lead) that are long enough to reach from the domestic bank to the starter battery would be better investment than a JIC* Battery

 

*JIC = Just In case

 

In many boats the starter and leisure positive terminals are right next to each other so if you are brave you can do it with a spanner. Jump leads are long and cumbersome so making a dedicated short jump lead would be a good investment, I will put that on the list of "jobs that never get to the top of the list".

 

.................Dave

[Alan de Enfield]

13 minutes ago, dmr said:

...........making a dedicated short jump lead

That exactly what I did - made a 12" one that just sits 'clipped onto' the side of the battery box ready for use.

[tree monkey]

1 hour ago, Laurie.Booth said:

Works on women as well

 

I salute you sir, we will miss you when you are gone

 

[pearley]

28 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

In many boats the starter and leisure positive terminals are right next to each other so if you are brave you can do it with a spanner. Jump leads are long and cumbersome so making a dedicated short jump lead would be a good investment, I will put that on the list of "jobs that never get to the top of the list".

 

.................Dave

Mine are a distance apart, and the starter is s right pain to get to, buy the isolators are next to each other do easy to put a spanner across.

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

I salute you sir, we will miss you when you are gone

 

 

Where's he going then??

 

 

[cuthound]

47 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Where's he going then??

 

 

 

I think that rather depends on whether his wife reads the forum or not! ?

[Dr Bob]

2 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

I think that rather depends on whether his wife reads the forum or not! ?

Prolly a warm pub then!?

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

6 hours ago, dmr said:

Cheaper leisures and starters are pretty much the same. Batteries are like milk, get them when you need them, no point in keeping a spare one stashed away in the cupboard just in case you need it. Wait till the starter battery is at the end of its life then weigh it in and get a new one. Starters can last a long time, up to about 7 years if you are lucky.

 

How quickly does your engine start? Can the starter deliver a good cranking speed for several seconds on a cold morning?  Trouble with starters is they can be almost dead and so if your engine normally starts quickly don't notice till you have a difficult extra cold start and they let you down.  Try cranking the engine (cold) with the stop knob pulled out to make sure it can crank for plenty long enough. Best to do this when moored near a battery shop , but, in an emergency if the starter fails you can jump start from the leisures to get you going..

 

................Dave

Starts first time at the moment.  

 

Ok. Sounds good advice. 

Was worrying about starter packing up soon because it’s as old as the leisures. 

5 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Investing in a good set of Jump leads (you only actually need one lead) that are long enough to reach from the domestic bank to the starter battery would be better investment than a JIC* Battery

 

*JIC = Just In case

Will do that. ?

 

5 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

That exactly what I did - made a 12" one that just sits 'clipped onto' the side of the battery box ready for use.

Even better. 

?

[Tony Brooks]

10 minutes ago, Goliath said:

Was worrying about starter packing up soon because it’s as old as the leisures. 

 

 

Despite the high starting current the in use time is so short you on;y discharge  start battery by a very few amp hours so they last for many years - probably 10 years or more unless you have a starting fault.