Well done mate, im in the market for batteries, once i work out what to and what not going to run. Let me know how well your batteries perform. Enjoy the bay and still waiting for the 'stanchion' story. Cheers Dale

That's what I need some advice on, what size etc should I be looking at in solar charging the batteries.

cisco said..

I have heard that Caterpillar batteries are really good quality and value for money. Maybe not deep cycle but huge grunt.

Read the warranty detail Cat will not honer it unless you state it was a starting battery, but that depends on is you want to take the risk.

Well, l am still happy with the set up l mentioned above.
My bike got a 'tiny' lead acid battery in the last 5 years, no worries. The one l replaced 5 years ago is still functioning as 'house battery' when l need one around my home.
The deep cycle lead acid house battery l replaced, went to Lightning Ridge to continue it's life as camp battery on my mates claim, while the other one, a lead acid cranking battery is still on the yacht as a back up.
Hooking up a house battery (deep cycle) and a cracking or starting battery as house batteries in a same bank is a NO NO!
Changing them for same kind, whatever your choice, would be proof of common sense.
Lead acid could leak, GEL is finicky to charge, AGM was my choice.
Will boost my solar capacity by 120V soon to get the additional 6AMP with my existing 40W which charges at 2AMP to 8AMPs over all. Just to be comfortable.

I am taking off to the south today, will tell you how it goes later.

sirgallivant,

What would be good to start a discussion on various choices of solar panels for charging our onboard batteries. I for one know zilch but I would like to have solar system on board to keep the batteries up to the job.

Maybe you could start a thread on solar choices etc.

During the day the battery state will show 13+ volt but the true reading will only be at night when the sun has gone.....also your battery's can be flat and still show 13 volt when the suns working the solar panel during the day. Well that's what I have found after a few years onboard.

I have been messing around with house battery's for a few years as a live-aboard.

I have and use 3 x 100 amp hour sealed maintenance free battery's. although they do require maintenance and you can pop the seals to add water.

Anyway what I have found is that the only way you can keep the battery's in peak condition is if your charging input is greater than what you take out....as I only have a 3amp solar panel and a 40 amp alternator and my greedy fridge takes around 70amp over a 24 hour period I will never win...

What happens to the battery's....well after about 1 year they start to get a low load test...eg go flat quicker.
And from there on they get worse and worse until eventually when I charge them they put out a bit of a toxic smell and never seem to go onto float with the 20 amp charger.....this is when I know they need replacing....I have even had them load tested when this gassing starts and the guys told me they where fine which is incorrect.

My 3 battery's last me approx 1.5 to 2 years and then they need replacement.

To solve this I need more solar and a wind generator and charged battery's for most of there life.

Hope this info can help.

Cheers

southace said..

Just replaced my battery's with caterpillar deep cycle 100amp hr @ $149 each !

wow, thats a great price, I paid more than $300 for a single 105A/h full river

Still happy with the AGM's. Never got below 12v, running fm radio, charge the phone and WiFi internet constantly, instruments, running the cabin lights at night, reading a lot at night but not running the fridge. Start the engine just for the heck of it - good practice once a week, anyway - to give a full charge that is all they need.

sirgallivant said..

Still happy with the AGM's. Never got below 12v, running fm radio, charge the phone and WiFi internet constantly, instruments, running the cabin lights at night, reading a lot at night but not running the fridge. Start the engine just for the heck of it - good practice once a week, anyway - to give a full charge that is all they need.

Running the engine each week is fine as long as its at a few revs and in gear. Run for at least 20 minutes under load to rid the crankcase of condensation.
You might be interested in one of these computers too if your a bit of a greenie! Draws 3 watts.
www.solid-run.com/

jev7337 said..

Ramona said..
You might be interested in one of these computers too if your a bit of a greenie! Draws 3 watts.
www.solid-run.com/

What would you use that for?

With a Led TV screen, mouse and a rubber keyboard, browse the internet, play games, record movies, but more importantly with a GPS puck and Wine installed, run the Seaclear navigation programme.

I personally would need a windows capable 12v computer but if you are into Ubuntu then this is a lot of computer for $150.

Ramona said..

jev7337 said..

Ramona said..
You might be interested in one of these computers too if your a bit of a greenie! Draws 3 watts.
www.solid-run.com/

What would you use that for?

With a Led TV screen, mouse and a rubber keyboard, browse the internet, play games, record movies, but more importantly with a GPS puck and Wine installed, run the Seaclear navigation programme.

I personally would need a windows capable 12v computer but if you are into Ubuntu then this is a lot of computer for $150.

OK, I see your point. I would have thought the laptop would use less energy for processing and displaying information than the TV but you do have the advantage of a cheap and fixed computer and don't have to carry the laptop around. Just not sure how much processing it can actually do.

I assumed the TV would be sucking a lot more but looking at your power saving that is pretty good.

I heard a bit about Li-ion deepcycle batterys starting to be produced, I searched the web and there was bits and pieces here and there but a chinese wholesaler has them up to 300ah!! They gave me a price on a 100ah as a "sample" for $600 anyway this is new technology to keep an eye on especially when you read the performance stats of these batterys, I know the Li-ion's in cordless tools are fantastic. There are some suppliers in oz but they are priced around 1300!!

Batteries are one of those items where you pays your money and takes your chances. These days it is nearly impossible to judge the quality of the battery you are buying. Most (not all) batteries on ebay are of Chinese origin and their low price is certainly indicative of the quality. I have bought Panasonic Lithium batteries of ebay that have registered zero on a voltmeter, they were cunningly disguised as batteries without actually being one.
Now, China can and does produce some really good quality stuff but you pay the same for that as you would for any other quality item.
It's quite simple, quality costs money.