Battery types

[cheshirecat]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to the site and to boating so will probably be asking lots of questions over the next couple of months! everyone seems very friendly and helpful on the site.

 

I'm having fun with batteries at the moment, out starter battery is fine, but the one dedicated to the leisure circiut I think needs replacing (we are currently running both to keep things working in the cabin!). We are not sure how old the batteries are, but I had the leisure battery on charge for 12 hours yesterday and it still only managed 11V this morning.

 

I'm not that knowledgable about batteries but I have managed to get some reading material off the internet which I will look at tonight, my main query is battery type. Out batteries are type DP100, whilst a few other boats around us have type M110. Am I correct in thinking that the 100 and 110 part refers to the amp hours? (and therefor we have less) Is this the only difference between these two types? and is one better than the other (other than just giving more power, does 10amps make a lot of difference)?

 

We were initially only planning on replacing the one battery, is this ok to do? (the starter battery is usually arond 12.5V and probably ok)if we do can we mix different types?

 

Sorry, lots of questions rolled into one there, I hope it makes sense!

 

Thanks

 

Cheshirecat

[DHutch]

It does really matter eaxctly what battery size you use (eather capacity, or physical dimentions)

- However, obvously the higher the capacity the more storage you have, and longer you can run between charges. Or the less induviudal batterys you need.

- And clearly, if the phyical dimentions are the same, or simular enough, it makes fitting them into your battery box/holder/tray more easy.

 

We have four 110amp lesure batterys for the domesic bank, which is properbly about normal for most narrowboat.

- Although we have the wierd into two 24v banks (we run a 24v system). Where as most just paralell them all up into a bit 440Ah 12v lump.

 

 

 

Daniel

[Keeping Up]

If the starter battery is OK you'll probably be fine just replacing the leisure battery. The combination that gives problems is when you have two or more leisure batteries connected together, because in that case replacing just one of them hardly ever gives good results.

 

In my search for a good replacement battery recently I was advised that the old Lucas leisure batteries were the best, but the new ones aren't the same because they sold the "Lucas" name to a different company. The old batteries are still being produced, however, in the old Lucas factory but by its new owners Yuasa who in this country sell them not under their own name but instead through Halfords as their own-brand leisure batteries. So the upshot of this is that Halfords own-brand 110 Ah leisure batteries MAY be the best around. They are the same dimensions, and I can confirm that they are very heavy (which is a good sign) and are not too expensive, but as to how good they are, ask me in a few years time.

[Keeping Up]

OK I know I said to ask me in a few years time - but here is a much quicker answer.

 

The new batteries were just great for the first three weeks of use, then they started to go downhill rapidly. After a further 3 weeks of use they were decidedly poorly; I couldn't get their specific gravity rise above 1215, even though I know that my charging system is working properly, and a day of very careful testing showed that their capacity was down to under one-half of what it should be. To add insult to injury, one of them also has a very slight leak (thank goodness for acid-resistant plastic battery boxes!) so my trousers are now full of holes from when I carried them off the boat.

 

Since all three batteries have performed identically, I'm not going to accept replacements of the same type. So I am now "in discussion" with Halfords about whether or not I can get my money back.

[John Orentas]

Hi Chesh.

 

This is about the most popular topic on the forum, first a battery that has been on charge for any length of time and is only reading 11 volts is to put it technically 'Knackered'. There have been a million opinions expressed out the best types of battery, my own view for what it is worth, buy the lowest cost leisure batteries you can find, I have mixed them up to big and small, old and new, different makes never had problems. The going rate for a 110 a/h is in the region of £40 to £50.

 

I always find motor caravan places are good, don't know why perhaps they just sell a lot.

Edited July 12, 2007 by John Orentas

[Moisha]

Phoenix Batteries sell good deep cycle acid batteries. 110 a/h for 35 quid a pop!!! ANd we've had good reviews from long-time user neighbours. We got 4 ourselves and are so far happy with them. They are somewhere in the Midlands and their phone number is: 07792513447.

 

Cheers,

Moisha