monkeyhanger Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 I have two 110ah batteries which run everything on my boat, including starting the engine. They are 5 years old and must by now be nearing the end of their effective lives. When I consider replacements, do I go for similar 110ah at £67 each, or is it worth changing to 130ah at £83 each from the same company? Both batteries are the same physical size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlt Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 If the 110ah ones suited you then why pay more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyhanger Posted May 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 1 minute ago, carlt said: If the 110ah ones suited you then why pay more? I wasn't sure whether the extra capacity is worth the extra money, but I figured that bigger SHOULD be better. I thought I'd canvas opinion, as there are some very knowledgeable people on here. I did wonder that, as the two types of battery are the same external size, perhaps the plates may have to be thinner to create that extra 20ah capacity. Thinner plates, more prone to distortion perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 36 minutes ago, monkeyhanger said: I figured that bigger SHOULD be better. Bigger means that for the same usage you will (obviously) discharge them less, thereby treating them slightly more gently. However, if you’ve had 5 years and counting from your existing set then I don’t really see what you’d gain. A larger set would allow you to increase your usage somewhat but then you have to put more back in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 (edited) All leisure batteries have thin plates. Thin plates provide more instantaneous current than thick ones, and all leisure batteries are rebadgwd starter batteries. I would go for the larger capacity batteries because with the same use they will be slightly less discharged each time than the smaller ones, ehich should show itself as longer life. Damn cross posted with WotEver his name is ? Edited May 8, 2019 by cuthound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGoat Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 I reckon the more important point is that the OP doesn't have a starter battery - thus if he runs down / gooses his main battery bank, he can't start the engine to recharge what he's got. Get a 'reasonably priced' starter battery and put that in the mix. Prolly not much use if there's only one alternator / no diode block to make separate battery banks practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen-in-Wellies Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 Are the larger batteries also a larger size? If so, then you'll probably need to alter the battery box, or clamps and cover so they will still meet the Boat Safety Scheme requirements. Jen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said: Are the larger batteries also a larger size? If so, then you'll probably need to alter the battery box, or clamps and cover so they will still meet the Boat Safety Scheme requirements. Jen Oops! Methinks you should go to Specsavers. Then have another read of post #1. ☺ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 I think when you go to 140 amp and over they become much taller ''Heavy truck batteries'' Length and width the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted May 8, 2019 Report Share Posted May 8, 2019 A battery 18% higher capacity but still the same size, suggests to me it's the same battery but a different way of measuring its capacity has been devised. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyhanger Posted May 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 13 hours ago, OldGoat said: I reckon the more important point is that the OP doesn't have a starter battery - thus if he runs down / gooses his main battery bank, he can't start the engine to recharge what he's got. Get a 'reasonably priced' starter battery and put that in the mix. Prolly not much use if there's only one alternator / no diode block to make separate battery banks practical. I built this engine 30 years ago, when it was only hand start. As the years have caught up with me, I thought it sensible to have an electric start fitted. Without a dedicated starter battery, I was warned that my leisure batteries might suffer, but I've managed to get 5 years out of each pair so far. On a 24volt system, fitting two extra starter batteries and all the extra paraphernalia required is not too easy nor convenient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted May 9, 2019 Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 (edited) 10 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said: A battery 18% higher capacity but still the same size, suggests to me it's the same battery but a different way of measuring its capacity has been devised. Possibly, the OP needs to check that the discharge rates are over the same time period. For example C10 equates to the 10 hour rate. A battery gives more apparent capacity the longer time period it is discharged over, so the same battery measured at C20 will show a greater capacity than ehen measured at C5. However some manufacturers make batteries of differing capacities with the same case size by simply adding more plates. Does the bigger capacity battery weigh more? It should. Edited May 9, 2019 by cuthound To add the last paragraph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyhanger Posted May 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 (edited) 10 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said: A battery 18% higher capacity but still the same size, suggests to me it's the same battery but a different way of measuring its capacity has been devised. That's what I wondered too! Posts crossed with Cuthound. Edited May 9, 2019 by monkeyhanger Another post added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen-in-Wellies Posted May 9, 2019 Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 11 hours ago, Lily Rose said: Oops! Methinks you should go to Specsavers. Then have another read of post #1. ☺ Well if people won't post in Large Print. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted May 9, 2019 Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 Dunno but £67 seems very reasonable for a 110ah battery, where from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted May 9, 2019 Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 5 minutes ago, Bee said: Dunno but £67 seems very reasonable for a 110ah battery, where from? Strikes me as way too cheap! Either that or the end seller is giving away their retail profit margin. I'd be surprised if bog standard 110AH batteries bought 30 at a time on a palette cost much less than that each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted May 10, 2019 Report Share Posted May 10, 2019 On 09/05/2019 at 10:19, Bee said: Dunno but £67 seems very reasonable for a 110ah battery, where from? Quite a few sources do them for that price range. Pro Batt charges that to include delivery. Ya can always pay 100 quid for the same article with a posh name sticker on the side if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyhanger Posted May 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2019 On 09/05/2019 at 10:19, Bee said: Dunno but £67 seems very reasonable for a 110ah battery, where from? Probat on Ebay. I bought my current ones, 5 yers ago, on Ebay also for £59 each delivered. Can't remember where though. Someone told me that most batteries these days are made in China and they're virtually all the same. The retailers just stick their own labels on them. Don't know how much truth there is in that suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boater Sam Posted May 10, 2019 Report Share Posted May 10, 2019 8 hours ago, monkeyhanger said: Probat on Ebay. I bought my current ones, 5 yers ago, on Ebay also for £59 each delivered. Can't remember where though. Someone told me that most batteries these days are made in China and they're virtually all the same. The retailers just stick their own labels on them. Don't know how much truth there is in that suggestion. Probat from autocarpartrus seller on ebay. Mine are 2 years old 130Ah and are fine. Yes they are heavy. Thought they were made in Poland, may be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted May 10, 2019 Report Share Posted May 10, 2019 This one perhaps? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-120ah-DEEP-CYCLE-LEISURE-Battery-CARAVAN-MOTORHOME-BOAT-Sealed-for-life/302337997711?hash=item4664bfbb8f:g:tzgAAOSwhHJbImA8 Seems to be listed twice by this seller, and different prices. Can't spot any difference in the product. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-120ah-DEEP-CYCLE-LEISURE-Battery-CARAVAN-MOTORHOME-BOAT-Sealed-for-life/111513953238?hash=item19f6bfe3d6:g:2cEAAOSwOyJX9RjA&frcectupt=true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Featured Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now