Do I need power?

[PeterCr]

1 minute ago, OldGoat said:

Hey, hey 'twas in response to my trying to write Strine. I didn't know, but then I don't read everything... 

Not a bad effort I thought either. 

[Mike Todd]

9 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Don't forget that if you are going to leave it permanently plugged into the mains yo really do nedd a galvanic isolator or isolation transformer fitted, if you are not going to risk erosion of your bat's hull.

 

Even if you do connect to the mains and leave a battery charger connected you will need somebody periodically checking thed arrangements surely?  If something causes a breaker on that supply to trip after you have got on that plane back to Australia, and you have nobody to keep an eye, and reset things if required, you could be no better iff than leaving the boat with no mains.

I was going to post the same point - earlier this year we left the boat for a couple of weeks in a marina with shore line. We wanted to experiment with leaving just one item on which would not prevent the batteries from being charged. BAD IDEA. About four days before we returned something caused the marina supply on the pontoon to trip and we returned to a flat set of batteries. Did not do them much good. 

[OldGoat]

12 minutes ago, PeterCr said:

Not a bad effort I thought either. 

You're most kind, young Sir.

[Alan de Enfield]

17 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

Hey, hey 'twas in response to my trying to write Strine. I didn't know, but then I don't read everything... 

Proper Strine :

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhyrjbvDHT8

[Sea Dog]

29 minutes ago, roland elsdon said:

For the last 7 years we have kept the boats batterys charged over uk winter with a 160 panel and regulator. We put all the batteries in parallel during our time in oz, and leave only the bilge pump fuse in circuit.

 

we do the same in aus with our camper ( apart from the bilge pump bit)

 

neither boat nor van has failled to start in spring.

There are a few ways to skin this particular cat, but this one seems to reflect 7 successful years of experience in dealing with the same situation as the OP.  Hard to argue with that. 

[ditchcrawler]

47 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

You have explained this a number of times over the last couple of years, surely it shouldn't need explain again ?

 

I'd go for power if you can.

You can also add in engine room heaters save any freezing up problems and the forecast is for the coldest winter since 1814-15 when the Thames froze over.

My engine room heaters use about £30 per month of electric.

So long as the big freeze doesn't cause a power cut

[Arthur Marshall]

Can you not get an arrangement with a friend to come down to the boat once or twice a month and run the engine for a few hours?  That's basically what I do over winter - quite a few of the other boats on my mooring don't get visited at all from October to April and they seem to survive OK.

[PeterCr]

3 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Can you not get an arrangement with a friend to come down to the boat once or twice a month and run the engine for a few hours?  That's basically what I do over winter - quite a few of the other boats on my mooring don't get visited at all from October to April and they seem to survive OK.

The only people we really know over here are my inlaws who are quite elderly and a little past that unfortunately. We've lived in Australia for the last 25 years so really don't know anyone local.

 

It sounds pretty clear, from the replies, that leaving the batteries off power for that length of time will be pretty much the end of them. Will have to come up with another option. Maybe Roland's option is the best.

[Rob-M]

Some marinas may offer a checking service for you, would be worth enquiring.

[DandV]

We left our boat for 6 1/2 months each year as we returned to NZ. It was disconnected from power for 5 winters and we only replaced batteries once. We did have a few days on shore power before leaving, and before recommencing cruising. This was a continuation of the regime of seven years of the previous owners. Not a recommended battery management regime but it worked better then we thought and better and cheaper them any alternatives that we could find

 

 

 

[DandV]

Add to previous post. For the five years I would probably recommend installing some solar to offset self discharge in winter and reduce engine charging whilst cruising.

[PeterCr]

1 minute ago, DandV said:

Add to previous post. For the five years I would probably recommend installing some solar to offset self discharge in winter and reduce engine charging whilst cruising.

But I assume that for those 5 years you didn't have any solar? You were just fully disconnected from the power over winter?

[Arthur Marshall]

A lot probably depends on where you'e going to leave your boat.  Here on the Macc it gets pretty nippy in winter, where i was before near Chester, it doesn't, really.  If you're further south, warmer again.  Presumably the only power that needs to be left on is for an automatic bilge pump (not that they're much use anyway - every one I've ever had has failed when it was needed!) so any other batteries could be just disconnected and stored in the boat where i would imagine they wouldn't come to much harm.  It's only below the water level it gets really cold for any length of time.

But again, if you're moored anywhere near any of us forum members, one of us may be able to just run the engine for you?

[rusty69]

https://batteryuniversity.com/index.php/learn/article/elevating_self_discharge

[Slim]

21 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

A lot probably depends on where you'e going to leave your boat.  Here on the Macc it gets pretty nippy in winter, where i was before near Chester, it doesn't, really.  If you're further south, warmer again.  Presumably the only power that needs to be left on is for an automatic bilge pump (not that they're much use anyway - every one I've ever had has failed when it was needed!) so any other batteries could be just disconnected and stored in the boat where i would imagine they wouldn't come to much harm.  It's only below the water level it gets really cold for any length of time.

But again, if you're moored anywhere near any of us forum members, one of us may be able to just run the engine for you?

Can you give a hint of where you might leave it

[DandV]

31 minutes ago, PeterCr said:

But I assume that for those 5 years you didn't have any solar? You were just fully disconnected from the power over winter?

Fully disconnected. When reconnecting in the spring the Stirling Combi would trip the battery charger overload function unless you provided initial charge off the engine alternator to reduce the in rush current.

[NB Lola]

A good few could help if we had location etc

[PeterCr]

4 minutes ago, Slim said:

Can you give a hint of where you might leave it

The idea at the moment is in, (or at) a marina, I'm currently at Debdale and considering hardstanding for the winter. I've had this recommended to me by some other Australians who did the same thing for many years and were very happy with it. It also avoids problems with bilge pumps and pitting.

[DandV]

1 minute ago, DandV said:

Fully disconnected. When reconnecting in the spring the Stirling Combi would trip the battery charger overload function unless you provided initial charge off the engine alternator to reduce the in rush current.

All batteries were isolated but a feed was love to the bilge pump which was in a bucket under the gland which was tightened after last engine start and verified not dripping. A dry bucket always awaited our return

[ditchcrawler]

27 minutes ago, PeterCr said:

The idea at the moment is in, (or at) a marina, I'm currently at Debdale and considering hardstanding for the winter. I've had this recommended to me by some other Australians who did the same thing for many years and were very happy with it. It also avoids problems with bilge pumps and pitting.

I know a boater who use to do that there

edi

It also saves a licence

 

Edited October 6, 2018 by ditchcrawler

[roland elsdon]

One of our ones that failed was a year old and  had just the clock going , but because it was moved in the shade power went off. The battery was inert when we got to it, and 2 days on a trickle charge did nothing. With battery prices in oz expensive.

you need to get some charge in

[Arthur Marshall]

There again, after the cost of flying back to the UK from Australia and paying for half a year's hardstanding, I would have thought you could factor in a new couple of batteries as a normal maintenance cost...

 

[nb Innisfree]

Our disconnected AGMs went from 100% SoC to high 90s% SoC over 4 winter months. 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Arthur Marshall said:

There again, after the cost of flying back to the UK from Australia and paying for half a year's hardstanding, I would have thought you could factor in a new couple of batteries as a normal maintenance cost...

 

 

Seven, I thought the OP's boat had...

 

Just now, nb Innisfree said:

Our disconnected AGMs went from 100% SoC to high 90s% SoC over 4 winter months. 

 

Yes this is something that ought to be addressed. No-one has asked exactly what make and model of batteries the OP currently has, that I've noticed.  This could have a bearing on the collective advice. Has the OP told us exactly what batteries he has installed? Did I miss it? 

[rusty69]

6 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Seven, I thought the OP's boat had...

 

 

Yes this is something that ought to be addressed. No-one has asked exactly what make and model of batteries the OP currently has, that I've noticed.  This could have a bearing on the collective advice. Has the OP told us exactly what batteries he has installed? Did I miss it? 

Quote

I've got Vetus 105 ah lead acid batteries

I did post a battery self discharge link further up the thread which could prove useful to the OP if they can be kept cold (not much of a problem in Winter eh!).

Edited October 7, 2018 by rusty69