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Replacing leisure batteries

Tony ralph

By Tony ralph
in Boat Equipment

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MtB Veteran II

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Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Tony ralph said:

Hi mike

Here's my sterling charger

 

Thanks, perfect!

 

Thats a pretty old model and I think it is configured using DIP switches almost but not quite in view on the right hand side of your photo. What are the settings? A photo would be great.

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

Posted
Posted (edited)
20 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Hmmmm after a brief google and look on the sterling site I'm not finding a manual for this.

Have found a 1240ced manual, not sure if it is the same beast

 

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/165473/Sterling-Power-Products-1230ced.html

 

 

Edited by rusty69
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Dr Bob Veteran II

Dr Bob

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, Tony ralph said:

To be fair because of my work commitments they have been on charge most of the time so not conditioned I know I've been told to turn them off of a night as to condition the batteries stop them from becoming lazy . Any advice on best quality batteries .

Thanks tony Prada

 

Going back to Tony's first post, it sounds like you may have only been charging in the day and then turning off the charger in the evening or night. How long have you been doing that? If that has been going on a while ....and there have been times when you have been out on the boat and not kept it fully charged so you have sulphation, that could account for why you get 14.4V on charge and 10.4V (ie knackered ) in the morning. If you are on a charger, dont turn it off at night - you are just then adding cycles to the battery and it would only last 300 or so - if you are running 100Ahrs out each night over winter. If on the charger all the time then the cycles will be far less and the batteries last longer.

To look after batteries properly you need to be able to measure current in and out as well as measure voltage at rest.

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Tony Brooks Veteran II

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Posted
Posted

I think much of the problem is that the OP swallowed a load of bull hook line and sinker. Lead acid batteries do not "become lazy", they do not require conditioning, and they certainly do not need to have that sort of charger turned off at night. Yes, they would probably benefit from an occasional equalise if the charger can be persuaded to do it but not if they are changed to AGMs or other sealed cells.

 

The performance of NEW lead acid batteries may improve over the first few full charge cycles but that is not conditioning as described by the OP, neither is equalisation. Yes some rechargeable batteries can suffer a "memory effect" but they are no lead acids so no point in taking good practice from one and applying it to the other - especially when to do so will deplete cyclic life.

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Tony ralph Engager

Tony ralph

Posted
  • Author
Posted
10 hours ago, Dr Bob said:

Going back to Tony's first post, it sounds like you may have only been charging in the day and then turning off the charger in the evening or night. How long have you been doing that? If that has been going on a while ....and there have been times when you have been out on the boat and not kept it fully charged so you have sulphation, that could account for why you get 14.4V on charge and 10.4V (ie knackered ) in the morning. If you are on a charger, dont turn it off at night - you are just then adding cycles to the battery and it would only last 300 or so - if you are running 100Ahrs out each night over winter. If on the charger all the time then the cycles will be far less and the batteries last longer.

To look after batteries properly you need to be able to measure current in and out as well as measure voltage at rest.

Thank you Dr bob 

I have been turning off batteries for roundabout a year . So now I know it  doesn't do any good causing extra charging Cycles on batteries .

I'm still not sure what my charging rate on trickle charge should be .

When I came onto the boat 4 years ago I was just a novice and me batteries were knackered on boat they were not sealed lead acid batteries and replaced and with sealed lead acid batteries so not sure if I set charger in right charging voltage think may be iv been undercharging from that day.  

At moment on trickle charge they are 13.4 on Leisure battery

and 13.7 on starter battery

As soon as I start engine they jump up to 

Leisure battery 14.2 starter battery 14.4 

Does that mean I've been under charging my batteries should they be same  charging rate as battery charger

 

 

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Nightwatch Veteran II

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Posted
Posted

I don't pretend to be an expert or specialist. But your description of charging pattern detailed above seems about right to me. Not sure if this has been mentioned. If you take them off charge and ' do your thing', how long do the batteries last? 

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Tony ralph Engager

Tony ralph

Posted
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Posted
2 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

I don't pretend to be an expert or specialist. But your description of charging pattern detailed above seems about right to me. Not sure if this has been mentioned. If you take them off charge and ' do your thing', how long do the batteries last? 

Hi Nightwatch

Next morning they'll at 10.4. Round about ??

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

In my limited opinion, sounds like they're on their way out sadly. Listen to the 'experts'. Not to me.

On their way out, they died at the same time as the Brexit vote!:)

Edited by rusty69
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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Flat morale is more to the point.

The moral is.

 

Charge your'e batteries day and night, if you have the choice. They'll likely last you twice as long, and save some bits in Cyberspoice!

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

Posted
Posted (edited)
55 minutes ago, Tony ralph said:

Haha sounds like it 

Have a look at Tayna,they usually have a good selection. Make sure when choosing that the new batteries will fit, and the post positions are in the same location and type as the old ones (unless you want to make up new cables or have length in your existing cables).

 

If you are in a marina all the time, you could do away with batteries alltogether, and get a battery charger that will supply all your 12v (assume) requirements. Your existing charger may well already achieve that.

 

https://www.tayna.co.uk/

 

I personally wouldn't bother with expensive quality batteries, AGM or otherwise in your position unless you intend to rely on them with no shore power in the near future.Just do without or get some cheapie FLA's

Edited by rusty69
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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

I think much of the problem is that the OP swallowed a load of bull hook line and sinker. Lead acid batteries do not "become lazy", they do not require conditioning, and they certainly do not need to have that sort of charger turned off at night. Yes, they would probably benefit from an occasional equalise if the charger can be persuaded to do it but not if they are changed to AGMs or other sealed cells.

 

The performance of NEW lead acid batteries may improve over the first few full charge cycles but that is not conditioning as described by the OP, neither is equalisation. Yes some rechargeable batteries can suffer a "memory effect" but they are no lead acids so no point in taking good practice from one and applying it to the other - especially when to do so will deplete cyclic life.

It's interesting you say that because after three months ashore fully on charge 24/7 our batteries do seem to suffer from being lazy for a couple of weeks and then after a few cycles run they seem to recover again.

 

The current set of batteries which we installed last March were useless when we fitted them but after a couple of months use improved no end. They are now providing excellent service where as when installed they were almost as bad as the ones they had replaced!

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Tony ralph Engager

Tony ralph

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Posted
48 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Have a look at Tayna,they usually have a good selection. Make sure when choosing that the new batteries will fit, and the post positions are in the same location and type as the old ones (unless you want to make up new cables or have length in your existing cables).

 

If you are in a marina all the time, you could do away with batteries alltogether, and get a battery charger that will supply all your 12v (assume) requirements. Your existing charger may well already achieve that.

 

https://www.tayna.co.uk/

 

I personally wouldn't bother with expensive quality batteries, AGM or otherwise in your position unless you intend to rely on them with no shore power in the near future.Just do without or get some cheapie FLA's

 hi rusty 69

We do like to sail out as much as possible we sailed out last week for 3 days and our batteries let us down terribly in the morning down to 10.4 on voltmeter .

 

Thanks for letting me know about that 

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Tony ralph Engager

Tony ralph

Posted
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Posted
19 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Before we replaced ours last year they went down to 8. Something volts. And quickly recharged which is apparently sure way to tell they a proper poorly. 

Hi nightwatch 

Did you say how old they were what batteries did you use to replace them with .

What was name of them .

Just keeping all my options open

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Nightwatch Veteran II

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Posted
Posted (edited)

They've gone up since October ish! 

https://advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk/product/4-x-abs-lxd110-dual-purpose-leisure-batteries-110ah/

Speak to them you may gat a deal. Maybe not. Just say someone bought some for just £330.

The age was just over four years. Most of which was continual cruising.

Ensure the terminals are in the correct location to fit. + left/- right. Vicky versa.

Edited by Nightwatch
To make a terminal comment.
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Tony ralph Engager

Tony ralph

Posted
  • Author
Posted
21 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

They've gone up since October ish! 

https://advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk/product/4-x-abs-lxd110-dual-purpose-leisure-batteries-110ah/

Speak to them you may gat a deal. Maybe not. Just say someone bought some for just £330.

The age was just over four years. Most of which was continual cruising.

Ensure the terminals are in the correct location to fit. + left/- right. Vicky versa.

Thanks again nightwatch for your information

I'll have a look at them 

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