Comments on Best house Batteries?

Jackie J V

Jackie J V

Member
TECHNICAL Contributor
Feb 5, 2009
827
King City, ON
Boat Info
560DB
2 x Raymarine e125's
Walker Bay Generations 360 Centre Console w. Yahama 60HP
2 Seadoos
Engines
CAT 3406e (C15's) @ 800HP
I've got a bank of four 8D batteries running through an inverter to power the house - boat came that way. House batteries have finally died and am looking to replace with a better solution. The default that I'm thinking is a couple of (or four) 6V golf cart batteries (a set-up I had in my last boat) however I wanted to poll to see if there was a better solution. I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Paul
 
Really? Like, no one's got a comment to share?

Anyway, crisis 'inverted'. Battery switch had a loose connection and batteries are fine.

Paul
 
Last spring I replaced the group 27 house battery with 2 -6V Batteries from Costco. I've been happy so far. @ $75ea I figured I'd give it a shot and so far they've performed very well.
 
Glad you got her fixed - the last pair of 6V Trojan T145's I had lasted over 6 years, and give me plenty of amps to run the fridge, inverter and anchor lighting overnight. You will not find a better solution in a 12V group 24 or 27 in terms of amp hours. 2X 6V are the way to go, IMHO.
 
I have Golf Cart batteries the Interstate 215 amp hr. With the 2 batteries I get about 18 hrs while on the hook before I have to recharge. I bought the interstates because our marina carries them and the 2 year replacement warranty and they carried them to the boat for me. They weigh 65lbs each. I don't have the room in the bilge for 4 batteries or I would have put 4 in.
When we travel we have the stock fridge and a 42L portable freezer that keeps food frozen solid at -15, anchor light at night and an electric head and lights on when required and a chart plotter that runs 24 hours a day. We have never had a problem in 4 years with this set-up. I have a Xantrex smart charger (50 amp) with a 1000 watt inverter that we use to charge the laptops while under way. I also have a link 1000 from Xantrex that controls the charger and the inverter. I kept the original factory charger (35amp) and I turn both charger on when I start the generator in the morning and want to get over the 50 amp smart charger.

Ken
 
I just found out something that probably should have been obvious before. I have 2 US Battery 225 AH 6v golf carts as my house bank. I was thinking that would be 450 AH total. Wrong.... It's 225 total when you series them to get 12v. My non house bank is two group 31 12v with 115 AH each and with them in parallel that's actually 230ah total ( more than the house side). That said, the house golf carts will take a deeper discharge without damage so I won't be changing the setup.
 
I don't know if they make them as large as yours, but I love my Die Hard Platinum Group 31's.
 
I have 10 six volt Trojan golf cart and they seem fine after 6 years. Some new boats are going with Litium as house batteries you can charge them with 300 AMPS each according to what I have read Coastal Craft in BC is using them as standard house batteries. They are expensive but the almost instant charge would be nice. Would mean a whole new system for me so next time I will go with what I have.
 
Thanks for the input guys.

Paul
 
It depends what you are running on the inverter and how long you sit at anchor without a recharge, but I would suggest at least (8) and more likely (10) 6 volt golf cart batteries for your inverter bank. Trojan seem to be the best. We have (6) L16 6 volt batteries on our boat for the inverter bank but that is how the previous owner had it rigged and we are sticking with it. Remember, when you are 50% depleted, you are out of juice.
 
8 to 10 6V would be quite the battery bank!

I currently have 4 x 8D's and it seems to pretty much do the job. When on longer excursions, I typically anchor for three day stretches and hit a port on the fourth - just the way it works out. Last year, I had my longest stretch of nine straight days at anchor without being in port. I don't run the generator at night and the primary usage of the inverter batteries is to power the AC-only Sub Zero fridges, watch TV at night and make coffee in the morning. I find that running the generator for a few stints during the day can get the batteries back to full charge to last another day.

Paul
 
Jackie J V said:
8 to 10 6V would be quite the battery bank!

I currently have 4 x 8D's and it seems to pretty much do the job. When on longer excursions, I typically anchor for three day stretches and hit a port on the fourth - just the way it works out. Last year, I had my longest stretch of nine straight days at anchor without being in port. I don't run the generator at night and the primary usage of the inverter batteries is to power the AC-only Sub Zero fridges, watch TV at night and make coffee in the morning. I find that running the generator for a few stints during the day can get the batteries back to full charge to last another day.

Paul
Click to expand...

That would be a very large bank and a very heavy bank at 65 lbs a battery. As was stated you can only deplete the bank 50% I take mine down about 115 amp hrs and then I must recharge. My smart charger and my original charger will put out about 60 amp hrs but as the batteries start to absorb the charge the smart charger tapers off. I get about 1/2 hour at 60 amps then it drops to 40 to 45 amp hrs for a 1/2 hour then drops down into the 20 amp range. What should have taken 2 hours to recharge my batteries is closer to 3 1/2. I only charge to 80% because the charge rate drops off after the 80% to needing another 2 hours for that last bite. I wait till the late afternoon and run the generator, charger and ice maker to get back to the 80% for the night. I anchor out for 7 weeks when we are on holidays, only come to port for pump outs, gas and some shopping after 4 weeks out.

There was a fellow that posted on here that does not have a Sea Ray he has a 3888 brand B. He has 4 GC batteries and they anchor out for over 90 days each summer in the North Channel. They only dock for pump outs, they bring enough food for the summer. On CSR he is DMCB, a great guy with a ton of boating knowledge when it comes to anchoring out and living on the hook for a summer. Him and his wife left the first of June and won't return to Upper Mi the second week in September.


Ken
 
northern;589973Some new boats are going with Litium as house batteries you can charge them with 300 AMPS each according to what I have read Coastal Craft in BC is using them as standard house batteries. They are expensive but the almost instant charge would be nice. [/QUOTE said:
So does the new Dreamliner (787)...
Click to expand...
 
I found this on the internet once.

State of Charge
12 Volt battery
Volts per Cell Total
100% 12.7 2.12
90% 12.5 2.08
80% 12.42 2.07
70% 12.32 2.05
60% 12.20 2.03
50% 12.06 2.01
40% 11.9 1.98
30% 11.75 1.96
20% 11.58 1.93
10% 11.31 1.89
0 10.5 1.75
 
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