Need advice on batteries

[Stu]

My week long vacation on the boat got cut short because my main house bank (2-group 27 AGM's = 140AH) went bad and won't recharge. My secondary House bank (1-group 27 AGM = 70 AH) has been going bad for some time but I can still get 6 or so hours before it drops to 9.5amps. I have a 3rd bank that works fine that has a standard starting battery on it. So, now that I need to replace all 3 AGM I thought I would ask you pros out there for your recommendations. I just got back from the Discount Battery dealer in town confirming they are all bad and he was showing me golf cart batteries. He said that if I got just two golf cart batteries ($103 ea) I would have way more AH's than I have right now. I know nothing about this type of battery. 6 years ago when I got the 3 AGM's I did a lot of research and the AGM's sounded perfect for the sailboat I then owed. When I sold the sailboat I moved the batteries to the Searay. The 3 batteries fit perfect just aft of the water tank on the port side. The boat is up for sale but that might take a while so I want to install something that I can use but want to watch costs since the boat could sell sooner than later (I hope). Time to move to the next boat To give some more info, if I haven't said enough already. I don't mind reducing to just one house bank versus the two I have now. Some say that one LARGE bank is better than two smaller banks. Well, what do you folks suggest? And thanks again for all your help

 

[Stu]

What happen, everyone still out on the water

 

[promocop]

Went thru same thing this past weekend. Two of the six were bad, two were OK and Two (bow thiuster) were iffy. Many articiles here on AGM vs. Lead Acid. I went all six NEW LA. Cheaper, didnt't like the fall off 'curve' on the AGM. We will see of they hold their charge. They were the original SR batts that came with the boat, so five years of service is good.

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

I had two 1 and 1/2 year old Napa batteries group 27 deep cycle go bad but they have a 3 year warranty and I got half the cost back. Since you are going to sell it I would get a couple of GR 27 from NAPA and you get a three year warranty. They have changed vendors for their deep cycles.