Battery Suppliers

[mayalld]

Mr Jinks is now 3 years old, and still on her original set of batteries. At present, they seem to be performing well.

 

However, I'm resigned to the fact that cheapo batteries last about 3 years, and non-cheapo batteries last about 6 months longer if well looked after.

 

I must confess that I haven't lavish hours of care on the batteries (Too busy enjoying boating, and the sneaky feeling that the batteries are probably the cheapest the builder could find, so it's pointless trying to prolong life)

 

So, I suspect that in the next few months I shall be investing in some new batteries....

 

From a practical point of view, I'd like the new batteries to fit into the same sized space as the old ones, so case size matching is important.

 

I had a look at them tonight, and they are marked as type 629 180Ah each (hmm, I'm sure the advert said 2x200Ah domestic batteries)

 

I've found the odd type 629 online (but at 160-170 Ah)

 

So, what I want is;

 

629 footprint (513x223 or marginally bigger)

as many Ah as possible (220 per battery would be nice)

layout 3 (both terminals at one end, negative on the left when looking at battery with terminals at top)

as cheap as possible.

 

Anybody any ideas on a supplier?

[Supermalc]

Battery Suppliers, Where can I get them cheap

 

Get friendly with your local 'recycling' plant manager......you'll come home with armfulls of useable ones

[John Orentas]

Keeps on coming up this one, how on earth do you lavish care on a battery, what do you do?. I have always bought the cheapest batteries I could find and I've never had one that has lasted LESS than five years.

 

If you live near a town of any size just look for Batteries in yellow pages, or alternatively Motor-home dealers seem cheap for some reason. Personally I wouldn't touch a second hand battery with the proverbial pole, I always wonder why someone else got rid of it.

[StoneHenge]

A place called multicell do good batteries. Not exactly cheap, but they do the job (now we found out why our old battery wasn't charging, it was duff).

 

You can buy online too. Good multicell, they are in Broughton Astley in Leicestershire.

[NB Alnwick]

This is an area where it is probably a good idea to support your local chandlery (that is if they sell batteries) because batteries tend to be a big investment and if you buy them through someone you trust, then you are more likely to the right product.

[Moisha]

Phoenix Batteries sells 110ah batteries for 35-40 quid a pop (depending on their mood)--and they have very good reports from users on the Ox canal. I got some. Will see how they do. Look them up on the web, but I will look for their number among my pieces of paper.

 

cheers,

[David Schweizer]

Try these people:- http://www.mac-batteries.co.uk

 

I bought two extra deep cycle batteries from them two years ago, they keep their charge very well, even aftrer prolonged periods without running the engine, and I haven't had to top them up yet. They are not the cheapest option (although they are cheap for extra deep cycle batteries), but the suppliers reckon that with proper care they should last between ten and fourteen years, which is about correct, the last pair lasted nearly thirteen years.

Edited May 2, 2007 by David Schweizer

[mayalld]

Keeps on coming up this one, how on earth do you lavish care on a battery, what do you do?.

 

You check the electrolytes weekly or more often, you take care never to discharge them too much, or too fast. You always discharge them a fair bit before recharging them, you carry out regular equalisation charges.

 

In short, you spend a lot of good drinking time on them.

 

I use them as I need them, check the electrolyte when I remember, and keep them on float with a cheap charger when I'm on the home mooring.

[NB Willawaw]

Mr.Jinks - was she a warble boat - the original Warble not the Moroccan copy ?

 

You check the electrolytes weekly or more often, you take care never to discharge them too much, or too fast. You always discharge them a fair bit before recharging them, you carry out regular equalisation charges.

 

In short, you spend a lot of good drinking time on them.

 

I use them as I need them, check the electrolyte when I remember, and keep them on float with a cheap charger when I'm on the home mooring.

[NB Willawaw]

I don't know what you mean by cheap, but the nearest I know of to match your size/arrangement criteria is the Varta 96351 180AHC which is 513x223mm with layout 3 standard tapered posts. They do a 230AHC one which is a lot bigger at 518x276mm. The smaller of the two costs about GBP 213 each.

 

The above are semi-traction batteries - are you a liveaboard or just using the boats for weekends and holidays ?

If you just want the cheapest, you can buy ordinary lead-acid batteries for much less providing you are not bothered about size and post arrangements.

 

Mr Jinks is now 3 years old, and still on her original set of batteries. At present, they seem to be performing well.

 

However, I'm resigned to the fact that cheapo batteries last about 3 years, and non-cheapo batteries last about 6 months longer if well looked after.

 

I must confess that I haven't lavish hours of care on the batteries (Too busy enjoying boating, and the sneaky feeling that the batteries are probably the cheapest the builder could find, so it's pointless trying to prolong life)

 

So, I suspect that in the next few months I shall be investing in some new batteries....

 

From a practical point of view, I'd like the new batteries to fit into the same sized space as the old ones, so case size matching is important.

 

I had a look at them tonight, and they are marked as type 629 180Ah each (hmm, I'm sure the advert said 2x200Ah domestic batteries)

 

I've found the odd type 629 online (but at 160-170 Ah)

 

So, what I want is;

 

629 footprint (513x223 or marginally bigger)

as many Ah as possible (220 per battery would be nice)

layout 3 (both terminals at one end, negative on the left when looking at battery with terminals at top)

as cheap as possible.

 

Anybody any ideas on a supplier?

Edited May 2, 2007 by NB Willawaw

[John Orentas]

You check the electrolytes weekly or more often, you take care never to discharge them too much, or too fast. You always discharge them a fair bit before recharging them, you carry out regular equalisation charges.

 

In short, you spend a lot of good drinking time on them.

 

I use them as I need them, check the electrolyte when I remember, and keep them on float with a cheap charger when I'm on the home mooring.

 

 

OK so we check the electrolyte every week, then we find they don't need topping up more often than once every 12 months. Do we then continue to check them every week, and what is an equalisation charge? never heard that one before. I have a ten year old car which I have had for seven years, the battery is the original from new, I've peered into the cells once or twice but it never needed topping up, I have run out of things to do by that time and I feel bored. What am I doing wrong!

[mayalld]

OK so we check the electrolyte every week, then we find they don't need topping up more often than once every 12 months. Do we then continue to check them every week, and what is an equalisation charge? never heard that one before. I have a ten year old car which I have had for seven years, the battery is the original from new, I've peered into the cells once or twice but it never needed topping up, I have run out of things to do by that time and I feel bored. What am I doing wrong!

 

Equalisation charge involves putting 15v or so through the battery to recondition it occasionally. It's a trade off, as a battery will only stand so many such charges, but they do win back lost capacity.

 

As to electrolytes, a lot depends on how hard you drive your batteries. If you have no alternator controller, you probably won't use any electrolyte, but your batteries will never reach more than 75% of full charge.

 

Alternator controllers make batteries charge to 95%, and do so faster, but they tend to use water.

 

Finally, car batteries are not a good yardstick, because they are used very differently. They never get fully charged, and are pretty much just used to start the car. They will last much longer than a battery used for domestic purposes.

[John Orentas]

Hi Mayalld.

 

I don't know what you have been reading but all that home-spun technology has not done you any favours if you are getting so little life from your batteries. I think I will stay with my methods (or lack of them) and continue to get my 7/8 years of life.

[boatgoball]

Hi Mayalld.

 

I don't know what you have been reading but all that home-spun technology has not done you any favours if you are getting so little life from your batteries. I think I will stay with my methods (or lack of them) and continue to get my 7/8 years of life.

 

 

i can sell you some great AGM baterries 110 AH ex aircraft baterries have been using the same type on my boat ( two banks of 10 x 110ah ) and they perform brilliantly can run my pc /washing machine baterries/ jacuzzi /tv for over a week without charging

 

mail if interested

[NB Willawaw]

Another possibility is Squadron.

They offer a few layout 3 batteries which would meet your size criteria.

 

http://www.energy-batteries.com/

 

From a practical point of view, I'd like the new batteries to fit into the same sized space as the old ones, so case size matching is important.

 

I had a look at them tonight, and they are marked as type 629 180Ah each (hmm, I'm sure the advert said 2x200Ah domestic batteries)

 

I've found the odd type 629 online (but at 160-170 Ah)

 

So, what I want is;

 

629 footprint (513x223 or marginally bigger)

as many Ah as possible (220 per battery would be nice)

layout 3 (both terminals at one end, negative on the left when looking at battery with terminals at top)

as cheap as possible.

 

Anybody any ideas on a supplier?

[NB Alnwick]

The Adverc site has some useful battery information and they supply a range of batteries suitable for boats at reasonable prices:

 

Adverc - Numax Batteries

[mayalld]

Hi Mayalld.

 

I don't know what you have been reading but all that home-spun technology has not done you any favours if you are getting so little life from your batteries. I think I will stay with my methods (or lack of them) and continue to get my 7/8 years of life.

 

It isn't that I am getting so little life from them.

 

The batteries are 3 years old, and are working fine.

 

I am however mindful that they have a finite life, and may last another 3 years, or may pack up soon. I want to prepare for the necessity of replacing them.

 

I would point out that;

1) It isn't homesput technology

2) Much of the charging regime is designed to get maximum capacity and that is a trade off on battery life.

[DHutch]

I think you might be well on for another few years really.

- Unless there geting some serous abuse, in which case the best bet would proberbly to think about enlarging the bank a bit.

- BUt as long as your not over flattenting them, or puting any stupid loads on them the should be fine. Check the levals once a year if you can, but yeah, ours do 5+ years. And the BT batterys we're 12 when they dead. Pair of 90ah lesure batterys running a 3kv bow prop! All be it not overly frequently.

 

 

Daniel

[mayalld]

I think you might be well on for another few years really.

- Unless there geting some serous abuse, in which case the best bet would proberbly to think about enlarging the bank a bit.

- BUt as long as your not over flattenting them, or puting any stupid loads on them the should be fine. Check the levals once a year if you can, but yeah, ours do 5+ years. And the BT batterys we're 12 when they dead. Pair of 90ah lesure batterys running a 3kv bow prop! All be it not overly frequently.

 

 

Daniel

 

I am ever the pessimist!

 

They may yet last another couple of years (that would be good on the finacial front)

 

Thanks to all for the info everybody though.