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32 volts - New in Spring

  • Thread starter Thread starter JLR
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JLR

JLR

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Apr 17, 2005
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3,237
Hatteras Model
74' COCKPIT MY (1995 - 1999)
It looks like I will have to replace my 32 volt batteries this Spring. That is 4, 8 volt batteries on each side for a a total of 8 batteries. I know it has been discussed before but assuming I do want maintain 32 volts on each side, what are my options short of just replacing what I have. Thanks.
 
there are many threads on this, you have two choices...

keep what you have, the OEM setup, which works but the batteries are HEAVY and probably more expensive

go with 4 8v golf cart batteries (exide e4800) on each side, lighter and probably cheaper.

that's how my 53 is setup, it works fine. plenty of juice to crank the 8V71s and enough AH for house duties although in all fairness i dont 'have a lot of house loads (just the bilge pump, heads and water pumps, plus a few lights but most lights are AC on my boat)

the last set lasted 4+ years, not bad by florida standards... only $320 per bank delivered.
 
Pascal - I use the same amount of 32 volt stuff as do you. My present set of batteries cost about $1600, not delivered and have lasted about 4 plus years but are getting tired. Do you have a good source for the Exide batteries you were referring to?
 
I also forgot to ask how this setup fits in the existing Hatteras battery boxes?
 
my battery boxes were already modified when i got the boat, it seems like the 4 batteries fit in one of the two original boxes on each side.

I called the Exide warehouse here in so fl and they gave me the name and nr of one of their distributors, a local golf cart specialist.

you can look up the local Exide branch on their website and call them up. they also sell direct but at list, whereas most distributors sell at a discount price.
 
Pascal- thanks. I will give them a call.
 
When I need new batts, I have already decided to pony up the bucks for 8v Surettes. They even have an option whereby individual cells are replaceable/removable making a 130lb battery an easy-handling assembly of small units. There is a little graphic of this at their site.

These batts are anything but cheap but with common lives of 15+ years it's the typical relationship of cost for quality.

http://www.surrette.com/ On the left, click on "products" then "marine" and see the little clip showing the replaceable battery cells. You can then click on "specifications" at the top of the page for the actual marine batteries in various voltages.
 
I agree, Mike. As I understand it, the Rolls/Surettes were original equipment on our boats. I dread replacing those heavy 8v195s and I think the Rolls option not only provides much better life, but the amp/hour rating is considerable higher as well. Since I just rebuilt my batt boxes, I don't want to risk breaking them up again with frequent battery swaps. In this case, I think you get what you pay for.
 
Hatteras didn't use golf cart batteries for a reason. They didn't buy the original ones at WalMart either. You do get what you pay for within reason if you buy quality and know its reasonable value. Just don't pay $1200/battery at worst Morons when you can get them at a reasonable cost from a company that CAN and WILL support them.
 
My recollection is that I paid about $200 per battery for each of my existing 8 volt batteries that were installed 4.5 years ago. Frankly, in thinking about it, I may lose the cost benefit of using the golf cart batteries by having to modify my existing battery boxes and the connecting wires. I think I will probably stick with OEM at this point but probably not look to get 10-15 years out of the batteries. I suspect that this will only to the next fellow's benefit although I am going on my 10th year with the same boat-- a new record for me. I see no reason to replace them now, although I always like to get things like this behind me. The boat will be out of commission from November 1 until April 1. No reason to just let them cook for those 5 months, as I see it.
 
I went the cheap route as there is little pull on the batteries besides starting and I use AC power at all times so they stay charged. If you are using inverters or have large DC loads the Rolls would be the way to go. I had no issues getting them in the factory boxes.
 
Tod if the 8V195's were the cheap route I am so glad that I have 12 V systems. My 8D's are about the same price but I need 2 not 8.
 
Just for info purposes, I received a quote yesterday from my local marine shop of $189 per for Deka 8v195 batteries.
 
The surrette looks like a great idea because you can also replace individual cells. I've often have had batteries crap out because of a bad cell.
 
I believe interstates were $160 each recently. Where are you located?
 
A guy gave me a brochure for Discover Advanced Dry Cell Batteries. They make 8V sealed valve regulated batteries (maintenance free). I don't know anything about them but you can go to WWW.discover-energy.com. This guy sold them so of course he says they're just great. I wasn't aware anyone even made a maintenance free 8V.

Brian
 
I started a thread about batteries last week and got some great feedback. After talking with the battery companies contacts I was given, I went with the 8-195's $152.95 each. The guy I dealt with was great, since I asked a zillion questions ie: 8 volt, 12 volt+12 volt+8volt, and golf cart batteries. He gave me all the same issues about mixing voltages but the best was when I asked about golf cart batteries- "Son, ya play golf? yes I said, "Catch any tuna at the Lump (a drop off in Louisiana 33 miles out) in a golf cart?" nope I said. "Thats why their called golf cart batteries, not marine batteries". I bought the marine batteries.

I know some on here use the golf cart batteries. I can be 100 miles out and have a real concern about going to start my engines and finding out I made a bad choice. Call me a worry wart, $600 more for original spec batteries on a boat worth $400k was a small price to pay, especially if they last 3 years, thats only $200 per year. Cheap piece of mind to me.
 
How are the batteries going to know there Golf cart batteries. Just don't tell them there Golf cart batteries. What they don't know won't hurt them. Just have them write the bill up as multi purpose general usage deep cycle battery. Then hang the bill in the bilge where the batteries can see it. LOL. Give me a break. LOL. The other sport batteries would have performed just great and at a lesser price. I think You have just been Zoomed by a salesperson. Looks like he reeled in the tuna. LOL. Your good to go either way. Whatever makes you happy. I would trust the opinion of the guys on the group here before a sales person that most likely doesn't even own a boat. BILL
 
Since different types of batteries have different components and even different chemistries I would go with what I know.

FWIW I sell batteries for television and movie cameras so I do know something about them.

Starting batteries have a faster discharge without damage than deep cycle. deep cycle hold more power but limit its availability at one time as they are designed for long slow discharge. Plate design and size will determine the properties of the cell.

lead acid wet batteries have different chemistry's as the new gel cells and will require more maintenance.

No battery is totally maintenance free.

I have not heard of golf cart batteries being installed in any new boats and boat manufacturers ate the first to squeeze a nickel till the..............

That being said I believ if you are running off shore and want the most dependable batteries you did the right thing by going with the original style over golf carts.
 
Like so many things, there are places to save money and places where doing so is not a very good option. Certainly "cheap" batteries will work fine...for a while. Deep cycle batts can perform starting and house functions. Starting batts cannot. In my mind, the only possible use of a starting batt in a boat is if the batt bank has NO other function at all. IF it does, than all batts should be deep cycle.

IMHO, the option of buying "cheap" batteries that last a few years is false economy unless you know you will be selling the boat within that time. Otherwise, you are faced with replacing batts periodically with the accompanying pain in the back that's associated with it. I would much rather spend the money on batts that will probably last longer (with normal care) than my ownership of the boat than batts that I know I will have to replace several times.

I prefer good old flooded batteries. If the access was difficult, I might consider something else but checking/watering all the batts on our 53MY takes about 1/2 hour every 3-4 months which is an almost insignificant amount of the total maintanance time expended on the boat.
 
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