Battery life - Full time cruising - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

Today, 09:12	? #1
Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Somewhere in the west indies Boat: Gib sea 43 Posts: 635	Battery life - Full time cruising So how long have your batteries lasted? Please only reply if you are full time cruising, Looking to gain information on real life everyday use, not dockside live aboards or weekend use. Please reply with make/model and lifespan. ' + '?' + google_ads[i].line2 + '?' + google_ads[i].line3 + '?' + '' + google_ads[i].visible_url + ' '; } } '' } if (google_ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { /* insert this snippet for each ad call */ google_adnum = google_adnum + google_ads.length; } document.write(s); return; } google_ad_client = 'ca-pub-7757781251671730'; google_ad_channel = '1963435248'; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '6'; google_ad_type = 'text'; google_feedback = 'on'; // -->
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Today, 09:16	? #2
Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Somewhere in the west indies Boat: Gib sea 43 Posts: 635	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising My first lot were Elecsol AGMS and lasted about 6 months full time use, not very good. ' + '?' + google_ads[i].line2 + '?' + google_ads[i].line3 + '?' + '' + google_ads[i].visible_url + ' '; } } '' } if (google_ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { /* insert this snippet for each ad call */ google_adnum = google_adnum + google_ads.length; } document.write(s); return; } google_ad_client = 'ca-pub-7757781251671730'; google_ad_channel = '4899262343'; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '6'; google_ad_type = 'text'; google_feedback = 'on'; google_skip = google_adnum; /* to skip for multiple units, insert this snippet for each ad call */ // -->
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Today, 09:32	? #4
Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oakland, California Posts: 465	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising A very important component of battery life is the care the skipper takes. That makes answers to this question somewhat moot. Recharging, checking water levels, etc. is very important to battery life. Some skippers have solar, some generators, some only engines. It's really a hard question to answer the way you put it. With good maintenance, well over 3 years should be the norm, easily. __________________ Stu Jackson Catalina 34 #224 (1986) San Francisco Bay, SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)
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Today, 09:34	? #5
Senior Cruiser Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: On the Great Loop Boat: Grand Banks 42 Posts: 2,148	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising Gel batteries lasted 5 to 7 years. __________________
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Today, 09:41	? #6
Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Key West FL - Burlington VT Boat: O'day 32 CC Ketch Posts: 482	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising I bought 6 marine deep cycles (85 ah) from costco for $480, 510 ah total and this is my house bank. Solar and windgen, never run the diesel for charging, well maybe 10 times in the last 3 1/2 years. I wasnt sure what to expect from them but they've been great. I checked the fluid in them for the first time a couple months ago and added a pint total. When they do die I wanna add more ah's, so I'll look to see what better value is available. I have reefer, auto pilot, LCD/DVD tv, stero, LED nav lights. __________________
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Today, 09:41	? #7
Registered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Titusville Boat: Catalina 27 Posts: 93	A good lead acid battery will give you about 5 years of service under good conditions. I have seen some last 7 or 8 and some only 2 but 5 is the rule of thumb. Where I work we have started using SAFT batteries instead of lead acid an they are projected to last over 10. One issue is the newer batteries pull a crap ton of amps when recharging compared to lead acid. If your charge rsystem is not up to the extra load many headache may result. __________________ Gary S/V Knot a Clew
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Today, 09:44	? #8
Registered User Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Key West FL - Burlington VT Boat: O'day 32 CC Ketch Posts: 482	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising How many ah's were those AMGs and what did they cost? __________________
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Today, 10:43	? #11
Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Boat: Finnsailer 38 Posts: 125	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising Had a pair of Trojan L-16's on my last boat that were used hard for 3-1/2 years (often more than 50% discharged) cruising anchoring most of the time. After that they still had enough life for liveaboard and weekend cruising for another 3 years. They never died catastrophically, but the capacity was very low at the end. __________________
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Today, 11:22	? #12
Sea Monster Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea Boat: a sailing boat Posts: 8,084	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising Varta starter 10 years. Hella deep cycle 3+ years, Tudor Leisure 3+ years. I bet the Hellas had some potential but I killed them with solar charging. b. __________________
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Today, 11:41	? #13
Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: British Columbia Boat: Hughes 38 Posts: 654	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising With lead acid,full time cruising how often are batteries equalized?I do mine every 3 or 4 months.Not sure if that is too much or not.With regular charging,I try to get into float more than once a week. __________________
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Today, 11:41	? #14
Registered User Join Date: May 2011 Location: Toronto Boat: Sandpiper 565 Posts: 216	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising Quote: I bet the Hellas had some potential but I killed them with solar charging. How so? No solar charge controller and thus frequent overcharging? __________________
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Today, 12:04	? #15
Sea Monster Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea Boat: a sailing boat Posts: 8,084	Re: Battery life - Full time cruising ' + '?' + google_ads[i].line2 + '?' + google_ads[i].line3 + '?' + '' + google_ads[i].visible_url + ' '; } } '' } if (google_ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { /* insert this snippet for each ad call */ google_adnum = google_adnum + google_ads.length; } document.write(s); return; } google_ad_client = 'ca-pub-7757781251671730'; google_ad_channel = '2339395729'; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '6'; google_ad_type = 'text'; google_feedback = 'on'; google_skip = google_adnum; /* to skip for multiple units, insert this snippet for each ad call */ // --> __________________
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