crown,us or Trojan

[crossley]

Yes,it's battery decision time once again, I've been playing all the usual suppliers off against each other as you do, and have got the prices down for 4 off 6v batteries as follows, Trojan l16 @ £255 each

Crown cr430 @ £218 each

Us batteries 16p @ £202 each.

That's inc vat&delivery.

Don't think I can squeeze any more out of them on price.

Thing is, are they all much the same, or is any one brand far better? The crowns are heaviest at 55 kg. Anyone any direct experience of these, any horror stories or recommendations? Need the taller style battery as takes up less floor space. So,which to snog,marry,or avoid? All of there websites seek to big themselves up and rubbish the competition in true transatlantic style. Don't we make big 6v batteries in the UK now?

[magnetman]

Have you considered Rolls?

 

I put a pair of Rolls 530s in my barge a few years ago. I managed to kill them in 18 months. I claimed on warranty and they were replaced.

 

I thought and claimed at the time that they were faulty blocks but it is possible I killed them because at the time I was running a generator with a large (120a) charger and hitting them hard without any float or anything, to save diesel basically.

 

Anyway I think they are more expensive but they do seem to replace them if they go down so may be worth considering ?

 

 

One problem with the tall batteries is they suffer from "stratification" and may not be ideal for boats.

 

Make sure you can easily pull them out - 55kg is heavy! I use a cable winch to bring them up to floor level from the machinery 'ole under the wheelhouse.

[peterboat]

A full traction bank will be a similar price John has bought 6 including connectors and self watering system £600for a 750 ah bank 2 volt cells are better and liable to be a lot longer lasting I can post details of where he bought them from.

I have two of these banks in my widebeam one is over 10 years old now

Edited May 4, 2016 by peterboat

[magnetman]

That sounds interesting - please do provide details.

 

I expect to be killing my second set of Rolls batteries and am not sure if they will be interested in replacing them this time

 

£600 for a 750ah 12v bank of 2v cells sounds good and worth considering !

Edited May 4, 2016 by magnetman

[Dave_P]

I'd be interested too.

 

Also, can someone explain to a layman (me) why 2v is better than 6v or 12v? I'd assumed that the only benefit of 6v was the weight advantage. So, does lower voltage equal better batteries?

[magnetman]

One advantage is you can swap out a single cell if one goes down. Both my failed Rolls 6v batteries had a single bad cell the other two in each were perfectly ok but not individually replaceable.

[Dave_P]

Surely that's a disadvantage? With 2v, if one goes down, your whole bank is unusable until you replace it. With 12v, you can lose a battery and still have a usable battery bank from the rest.

[nicknorman]

Surely that's a disadvantage? With 2v, if one goes down, your whole bank is unusable until you replace it. With 12v, you can lose a battery and still have a usable battery bank from the rest.

In the context of you and a boat, yes. But in the context of say an industrial battery room, they would have spares.

 

Anyway I think it is perhaps mostly convention that leads to "quality" proper deep cycle batteries being single cell.

[magnetman]

There is also a financial advantage in that if one cell fails you replace one cell. As soon as you string several together you are going to lose your 12v if any cell fails either in a block (6v for example) or an individual cell. Assuming the discussion is about large (L16 type) battery blocks then in the event of failure you are basically paying for 3 cells as a replacement for a single failed cell.

I doubt traction batteries are worthwhile over ordinary 110 leisure types on boats but if you are fitting traction batteries then 2v cells is an attractive if rather expensive option imo

[Richard10002]

Trojan l16 @ £255 each

Crown cr430 @ £218 each

Us batteries 16p @ £202 each.

That's inc vat&delivery.

Don't think I can squeeze any more out of them on price.

 

Who are you squeezing to get these prices?

[MtB]

In the context of you and a boat, yes. But in the context of say an industrial battery room, they would have spares.

 

Anyway I think it is perhaps mostly convention that leads to "quality" proper deep cycle batteries being single cell.

 

So down to what SoC can I discharge my "quality" proper deep cycle batteries", should I ever purchase a set?

 

Presumably a good deal lower than 50% or they wouldn't be known as 'deep cycle'. Or does that mean something else?

[nicknorman]

So down to what SoC can I discharge my "quality" proper deep cycle batteries", should I ever purchase a set?

 

Presumably a good deal lower than 50% or they wouldn't be known as 'deep cycle'. Or does that mean something else?

20% or so, but it would be best to check with the specific manufacturer.

[cuthound]

Surely that's a disadvantage? With 2v, if one goes down, your whole bank is unusable until you replace it. With 12v, you can lose a battery and still have a usable battery bank from the rest.

Depends on the cell failure mode.

 

If a cell goes open circuit, whether it is a single 2v cell, or one in a 6v or 12v battery, the battery will no longer function.

If a cell goes short circuit, the battery can still function at a lower voltage, but may explode.

[crossley]

Looks like its going to be neither.

Going looking at going looking at a two year old bank of twelve 500 A/hr chloride 2v cells on Monday.

£500 cash. Looks ok, should have plenty of life left in them,just hoping they will outlive a new set of Trojans or whatever.

[peterboat]

Hi all the info for mine and plenty of other boaters is as follows

IBCS

0845 208 8748

Neil Downing service manager

Unit 4

Eden Close

Hellaby Ind est

Rotherham

SW66 8RW

Neil is an ok guy very helpful so give him a whirl

[Jon12345]

Hi all the info for mine and plenty of other boaters is as follows

IBCS

0845 208 8748

Neil Downing service manager

Unit 4

Eden Close

Hellaby Ind est

Rotherham

SW66 8RW

Neil is an ok guy very helpful so give him a whirl

 

Thanks for that, great contact. Cheers.