battery changing

[luckydave215]

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.

 

[thoward]

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.

 

[luckydave215]

I paid $309.00 each for trojans, and I get a 15% discount.

Get ready to wimper.

 

[luckydave215]

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.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I had to replace one last year. They are Interstate 8v and I replaced with the same thing for about $180.

 

[luckydave215]

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.

 

[ThirdHatt]

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.

 

[luckydave215]

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.

 

[Ross Macdonald]

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.

 

[luckydave215]

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.

 

[Angela]

I've replaced my banks with the 8-volt golf car batteries that Pascal uses. They were $80 each, weigh a lot less, and take up half the space. They are working well and I am very pleased with them. So, why doesn't everyone use these instead of those twice as big, twice as heavy, and twice the price batteries? What am I missing here?

 

[luckydave215]

Reserve capacity.

 

[Angela]

Ahhhh... Well, I run the genny all the time anyway since I don't have an inverter....yet....

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Cranking amps. The golf cart batts are more of a deep cycle rather than a starting battery. It may not make much difference in S. FL., but here in MI, we need the cold cranking capacity.

 

[luckydave215]

Yeah, cranking amps too. I have to start 1271's on 40 degree mornings in the winter, and I don't have block heaters. Golf cart batteries aren't well suited to that, but they're great for inverter use if you have a dedicated inverter battery bank.

 

[thoward]

I thought about those as well but I am not sure if they will turn over those 12v71s.

Dave I just talked with the local Trojan guy and he can get them for me except the price is a lot less so thanks for the info.....

 

[luckydave215]

I just bothered to apply the discount I get from the Marine Exchange, and that puts me at $262 ea. It sounds like I still paid way too much.

 

[thoward]

Nope, I was at $240 range and they can get them in 3 days. Interstate wanted $220 but would take 2 weeks to get them. I'll go with the Troajans because the guy is a local and really went out of his way to help. The Interstate guy asked me if I really needed them...I guess he did not want to order them . It is hard to find good help!

 

[MicroKap]

I replaced my 8 volt batteries in Oct. 2004, just to get the engines started before winterizing them my first season with the boat. It sure made my wallet thinner putting in things to sit for about 5 months. I bought my batteries at Lee Battery in Point Pleasant, NJ and he gave me all new cables for around $230 per battery and also made sure that each was fully charged prior to me picking them up.

For the past two winters, I've had my boat in the water. This year, I'm having it hauled and stored on dry land. Part of the contract with the marina is that all batteries have to be taken off and stored so that they can be trickle charged throughout the winter. This is going to be fun. I've got 13 batteries on board, including 8 for the engines/house, 2 generator batteries, 2 dedicated windlass batteries and 1 battery for the tender. Is there anything I can do to "keep them in the boat" during the winter or do they need a special battery charger for 8 volt batteries. I'm not in the mood for a rude awakening in the spring.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Larry,
You could leave them in the boat, but you should charge them periodically. I would prefer that method than having some yard monkey drip acid all over the boat taking them out. Besides, they probably don't even have a 32v charger in the shop.