Battery Question....SBW1 are you there?

[Sum Escape]

I tried to send a PM but your mailbox if full SBW1....
So I had my four year old lead acid wet cell batteries load tested and they still exceed spec. But I am a little nervous trying for a fifth season. I do keep them watered and they are on a float charge year around which supposedly helps. Have you gotten five years out of wet cells in your experinece? Seven group 31 deep cycles are a bit of an investment so if I can get a fifth year it would be great. Thanks for your help.
See you on the water soon now!

Tom

 

[Bodkin Creek George]

I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER run batteries more than 3 yrs. Don't care what the specs read. Been doing this for 40 yrs. and never had a dead battery.

 

[fwebster]

Diesels are a bit of a different animal........they require a certain cranking speed to develop enough compression to make them fire up. The difference is subtle, but if you listen to the cranking speed carefully, you can nearly always tell when your cranking speed drops off. That is the sign of weak batteries with lower than spec reserve and cranking amps. A load check will almost always come back good since most checkers use simple resistance coils to load up a battery for the test. If the cranking speed is lower than normal, the batteries have lost capacity and soon you will be using the emergency start solenoid to crank up. Batteries are expensive, but not as expensive as starter motors and flywheel ring gears, so it is false economy to let then go past the point where you hear the slower cranking speed.

I use AGM starting batteries and I'm getting about 5 years out of a set, so you may have some time left yet.

Hope that helps.............

 

[Sum Escape]

Diesels are a bit of a different animal........they require a certain cranking speed to develop enough compression to make them fire up. The difference is subtle, but if you listen to the cranking speed carefully, you can nearly always tell when your cranking speed drops off. That is the sign of weak batteries with lower than spec reserve and cranking amps. A load check will almost always come back good since most checkers use simple resistance coils to load up a battery for the test. If the cranking speed is lower than normal, the batteries have lost capacity and soon you will be using the emergency start solenoid to crank up. Batteries are expensive, but not as expensive as starter motors and flywheel ring gears, so it is false economy to let then go past the point where you hear the slower cranking speed.

I use AGM starting batteries and I'm getting about 5 years out of a set, so you may have some time left yet.

Hope that helps.............

Thanks Frank. I did not notice any slower cranking last summer but once I launch in three weeks or so that will be the ultimate test. I am also planning to switch to AGMs when these are ready to be replaced based on your and others testimonies. I also like the idea of not having to water the batteries (especially the bow thruster batteries that require removal of the ER ladder to get to) and the longer reserve capacity for anchoring out. AGMs seem like no brainers although a bit pricey.
Thanks again for the info.