New Battery Bank

[leechy]

Hello Everybody

This is my first time so be patient if i cock it up.I am in the process of installing a new Beta 43 Greenline on my 57 foot Colecraft ,it has 2 alternators and the leisure is 150 amps.I now think that updating my leisure batteries is well overdue but then hit the minefield of does & don'ts,alternator regulators agm vs lead acid baterries and so on.Can anyone give much needed advice ,i would like a bank size of around 500 amphours but dont know if this is sized to my alternator.I also rang Beta Marine about their Beta controller regulator which they say they no longer produce for the 43 due to previous problems and i also dont fancy opening up 2 brand new alternators to install an Adverc ,do i need one anyway Beta say not ?Thats it for now would really appreciate some help. :

[Keeping Up]

Hello Everybody

This is my first time so be patient if i cock it up.I am in the process of installing a new Beta 43 Greenline on my 57 foot Colecraft ,it has 2 alternators and the leisure is 150 amps.I now think that updating my leisure batteries is well overdue but then hit the minefield of does & don'ts,alternator regulators agm vs lead acid baterries and so on.Can anyone give much needed advice ,i would like a bank size of around 500 amphours but dont know if this is sized to my alternator.I also rang Beta Marine about their Beta controller regulator which they say they no longer produce for the 43 due to previous problems and i also dont fancy opening up 2 brand new alternators to install an Adverc ,do i need one anyway Beta say not ?Thats it for now would really appreciate some help. :

My gut reaction is to say just connect up some simple batteries and go!

 

If you've got 2 modern alternators you really don't need an extra controller. I'm a fan of the Adverc but you really only need it if you've got an older style of alternator (I do) or a diode splitter (I do). Modern alternators charge at a higher voltage than the older ones and the controller is really unnecessary when the alternator is connected directly to the battery and a second one is doing the same for the starter battery.

 

The 150 Amp alternator is to my mind ideal for charging a 500 Ah bank on its own. The charge rate may start at 150 Amp which is about the max allowable but will of course drop as the batteries charge up.

 

I have no experience of AGM batteries etc, only of simple Lead-Acid wet-cells. But if the alternator is designed to charge wet cells, that's what you should go for. Some people say get fully sealed-for-life cells; I happen to prefer ones where you can unscrew the caps to check each cell and top up where needed.

 

Ask 5 different people and you will get 6 different answers. Ask a forum and you'll probably get at least a dozen, most of which directly contradict each other. But I truly believe that the simplest answer is the best here, so I repeat, just connect and go!

 

Allan

[Guest]

What I wouldn't recommend are the batteries that I have: sealed for life lead acid type. Brand new with a brand new 90amp alternator they are lazy. They do not like being charged, they do not like being discharged, worse in winter (I have tested charging system,all is well). Other than that they are fine. Previous lead acid (open) were OK on last boat even with a smaller alternator, have never had AGM. As someone else said there are many answers, and it depends what kind of use you put them to (leisure/liveaboard etc.).

 

Edit: cant see that you'll need a controller.

Edited February 25, 2006 by Guest

[charles123]

Hello Everybody

This is my first time so be patient if i cock it up.I am in the process of installing a new Beta 43 Greenline on my 57 foot Colecraft ,it has 2 alternators and the leisure is 150 amps.I now think that updating my leisure batteries is well overdue but then hit the minefield of does & don'ts,alternator regulators agm vs lead acid baterries and so on.Can anyone give much needed advice ,i would like a bank size of around 500 amphours but dont know if this is sized to my alternator.I also rang Beta Marine about their Beta controller regulator which they say they no longer produce for the 43 due to previous problems and i also dont fancy opening up 2 brand new alternators to install an Adverc ,do i need one anyway Beta say not ?Thats it for now would really appreciate some help. :

 

 

If you are going to the trouble of replacing your batteries I suggest you go for at least 600 amp capacity. I would go for 4 x 180 amp batteries giving 720 amp, standard batteries of this capacity take up no more space than 110 amp ones for example and cost less than £100 each. You really cant have enough storage and as you have a very powerfull alternator you will easily recharge that capacity. Do a search on the site this topic has come up many times

 

Charles

[John Orentas]

Hi Leechy and welcome to the forum.

 

This isn't fair, I am in near total agreement with Keeping Up, Catwealsel and Charles 123. But every time I use such heresies as, buy conventional low cost batteries and suggest controllers are not always necessary 50 people jump all over me.

 

Yes there are lots of previous topics on this I can't add any more to what I have already contributed.

Edited February 26, 2006 by John Orentas

[Gary Peacock]

Much to the disappointment of the battery manufacturers who got all excited about expensive Gel batteries, in the new build world based on the advice of some of the big electrical system manufacturers it now seems that AGM batteries are the favoured choice for marine use and they're cheaper than Gel.

 

Saying all that there is no reason why cheap wet cells if well maintained and managed can't do a very satisfactory job too, we don't fit them because the average new boater doesn't know how to or take the time to care for them and you can guess who they blame when they fail.

 

When buying batteries do not be tempted to just go for the ones with the longest warranty it doesn't always meen the batteries are any better! It comes more down to a marketing exercise and you might find out that the warranty isn't worth a lot if the battery fails.

 

A certain unnamed manufacturer is now playing this game after some very slick marketing of a fairly normal range of batteries a few years ago the long warranty offered is coming home to bite them now and they don't like having to hand out free batteries at all.

[Cafnod]

HI

Reckon you have a good consensus opinion that I also happen to agree with.

Batteries are always a problem in some respect, be it having enough capacity, draining, charging, or whatever. We have an external regulator on our old boat, it has given problems and the supplier was not very helpful, it was not an Adverc I have heard good things about those, but I honestly do not think you need one with a large, modern seperate alternator designed for charging a biggish bank.

As for type we have had problems with all of them, acid, gel, sealed. I would buy non sealed acid type, you can top them up and keep an eye on any potential problems such as a cell that seems to get low reularly and inform the seller before warranties expire, incidentally many chandlers will sell you a non sealed acid starter/leisure 110 for under £50 these days. We have had a pair on our boat for 18 months with no problem, I have also used them on our large coach converted motorhome, charged them with split charging relay, 12 volt genny, mains and wind generator, none of which has caused any problems. I bought them from a small independant chandler and I spoke to him yeaterday and he said he has only ever had one returned in years of flogging them AND they have a two year guarantee. When we get our new shell in six weeks time I will buy four more.

Hope this helps, although it is only expanded reiteration.

 

Richard

[leechy]

If you are going to the trouble of replacing your batteries I suggest you go for at least 600 amp capacity. I would go for 4 x 180 amp batteries giving 720 amp, standard batteries of this capacity take up no more space than 110 amp ones for example and cost less than £100 each. You really cant have enough storage and as you have a very powerfull alternator you will easily recharge that capacity. Do a search on the site this topic has come up many times

 

Charles

Many thanks to all you folks for your prompt replies and good advice.Charles ,in your reply you say to go for at least 600-720 amp hours ,this sounds great but will i have any problems with my alternator coping with the recharge and also ive heard stories of alternators overheating ,how does this happen?(i have 150amp leisure alternator and 45amp alternator to the starter.Within reason space for my new bank is not an issue and i would rather go for a big a bank as possible at this stage .

 

Many thanks again

Leechy

 

P.S. how do you thank everybody for their reply,or do you just post a new heading?

[Guest]

Many thanks to all you folks for your prompt replies and good advice.Charles ,in your reply you say to go for at least 600-720 amp hours ,this sounds great but will i have any problems with my alternator coping with the recharge and also ive heard stories of alternators overheating ,how does this happen?(i have 150amp leisure alternator and 45amp alternator to the starter.Within reason space for my new bank is not an issue and i would rather go for a big a bank as possible at this stage .

 

Many thanks again

Leechy

 

P.S. how do you thank everybody for their reply,or do you just post a new heading?

Our bank is 600A/H with 90amp alternator. I have known the alternator get hot when engine is idling and the batteries are fairly low. If the revs are increased it tends to cool better, but other than that no great probs, but as I said earlier I am not keen on SLF batteries so far. we find 600a/h essential with a 3kw inverter, plus it is more efficient to discharge a big bank slowly than a small bank quickly (there is a name for this effect but i'm damned if i can remember). Think you should be fine with 150A alt and 600ish a/h bank. Others may know better than I.

[NB Willawaw]

Peukerts

 

plus it is more efficient to discharge a big bank slowly than a small bank quickly (there is a name for this effect but i'm damned if i can remember).

[Guest]

Peukerts

Ta, thats the one.