Well, I changed the 32V banks today, all 8 of them 135 pound suckers. 5 steps up and down (and up and down and up and down.....) from the cockpit to the engine room, and made all new cables while I was at it.
Wow, that was fun!
I need a shower.
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Well, I changed the 32V banks today, all 8 of them 135 pound suckers. 5 steps up and down (and up and down and up and down.....) from the cockpit to the engine room, and made all new cables while I was at it.
Wow, that was fun!
I need a shower.
I need to do the same thing it is just so hard to spend $250/battery X 8. Heck for 2k I want something shiney and makes lots of noise so I can annoy my neighbors. On the other hand I will end up needing the batteries to run it so I guess I'll just get the batteries.
What batteries did you go with? I found the Rolls and the Interstate that are the right size but that is about it.
I paid $309.00 each for trojans, and I get a 15% discount.
Get ready to wimper.
I just read the rest of your post.
Trojan makes them, but doesn't list them on their website or in the catalog, you have to call. I think they made mine to order, but it only took about 4 days, no extra charge. Then of course the new batteries always have different post configurations than the old ones, (murphy's law) so you have to make some new cables.
I had to replace one last year. They are Interstate 8v and I replaced with the same thing for about $180.
I looked at Interstate and they don't make the size I needed. Perhaps the ones in my 60C (dual purpose batteries for 12V71's) are larger than the ones you have? If not, I was robbed.
I thought about golf cart batteries, they're great for house banks, but I need these to start the mains, too.
LuckyDave, I think you were not so lucky this time. I think you were robbed! That price is the neighborhood for Rolls-Surette batteries which are widely recognized as the best.
I might have been unlucky this time, but you have to realize there aren't nearly as many Hatts out here on the west coast (the primitive territories, you know) as there are on the east coast, so 32V bateries are hard to find locally. Most chandleries have never heard of them. I only had 2 choices, Rolls or Trojan.
Shipping batteries is absurdly expensive, and usually impossible due to hazmat rules, so you have to source them close to home.
Powerstride Battery down behind the Sports Arena in San Diego has 8 volt batteries in stock. I have replaced both banks there. I think the batteries were about $200 each last May. The cost of lead has dramatically increased over the last few months, but not to the tune of $100 more per battery. They will make any type of cable for you while you wait and are very helpful. Frank Trejo is the manager. My wife and I changed out all batteries and used lines from up above the entrance to the engine room to lower and pull up batteries. Person in the cockpit lowers with the line and person in the engine room guides it down.
Ross, I should have talked to you two weeks ago :( I bought mine at the Marine Exchange.
I made up my own cables, as I own and know how to use the crimpers, etc. It's a lot easier when you can just hold the cable in place and mark your cuts, no measuring, no confusing list (I knew what that number meant when I wrote it down, why can't I remember?) and no mistakes.
Chris (couragous) and his son/son's friend were very kind and helped me pass the batteries up and down the engine room hatch, that made that part easy. Two guys in the cockpit, and two in the engine room, we just passed them up and down, it took less than five minutes, and no strained backs or dented varnish.