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Granite Guy Horse Mullet
Joined: 23 Sep 2012 Posts: 157 Location: Padre Island
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:30 am Post subject: Boat battery, whats the best to buy ? |
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Time to buy new battery, wife and i got stranded at cabin, thanks to Terrell Miller who came by in his Curlew with jumper cables.[ I fell asleep with bait wells running all night] Have had gell's before in the 90's, not impressed, for what they cost. Have an Enterstate now, but friends at ranch last weekend all said they were just sub par. I used a Stowaway from Acadamy in my Gulf Coast for five years, and had no issues, so i guess thats were i am heading unless someone has a better battery suggestion 22 " BAY BOAT WITH 150 YAMAHA. _________________ Been fishing Baffin/Land Cut since 1968 |
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ironmanstan Exalted Ruler of Flour Bluff

Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 12256
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:49 am Post subject: |
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I like Interstate, Walmart MAXX, or Stowaway. Make sure you get the most heavy duty. It used to be a 27 but now I think 29 is the biggest and best for your buck. _________________ I LIKE MINE FRIED. |
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Jellyfish Member White Shrimper Boot Club
Joined: 26 Aug 2010 Posts: 520 Location: The Island
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:23 am Post subject: |
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Even an inexpensive battery will last a long time if you keep it on a trickle charger when not in use. There are only a few battery manufacturers that produce all of the batteries sold in the US. _________________ E Pluribus Unum |
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ironmanstan Exalted Ruler of Flour Bluff

Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 12256
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:38 am Post subject: |
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| Jellyfish wrote: | | Even an inexpensive battery will last a long time if you keep it on a trickle charger when not in use. There are only a few battery manufacturers that produce all of the batteries sold in the US. |
Thats a true fact.....same with oils. _________________ I LIKE MINE FRIED. |
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MakoJJ Member White Shrimper Boot Club

Joined: 13 Aug 2011 Posts: 814 Location: San Antonio
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:50 am Post subject: |
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Agree with trickle charger. I work my batteries hard (livewell, lights, talon, etc.). They'll usually last at least 3 years if you take care of them. _________________ JJ |
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SaltyCuda Member White Shrimper Boot Club

Joined: 03 Nov 2009 Posts: 892 Location: Corpus
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:58 am Post subject: |
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Ya'll know that you are jinxing yourselves right!
Never, never ,never speak of battery problems and how you have evaded them by charging and such.
The battery gods are listening...
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BobBobber Guest
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:59 am Post subject: |
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Couple times we went to go fishing and Interstate boat battery (just more than 1-year old) was dead . . . stone dead. Had to put boat back in boat barn.
Interstate kept draining without even being hooked up to anything. Took to Interstate. They charged and insisted OK. But in less than 10 days, in storage on 2X8 blocks,, one was down to 40% and other was 75%. That was it. We decided never again for Interstate.
We replaced all Interstate with Sears AGM.
It's only been a short time, so the jury is still out on the Sears. Sears costs much more, but if it means having power when I need it, it's worth the money.
Now I keep both hooked up to solar panels with thing that prevents overcharging once battery is full charge. We mounted them onto the boat barn siding and ran cords inside to the boat. China Freight on Ayers has them on sale now and then. |
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ironmanstan Exalted Ruler of Flour Bluff

Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 12256
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 6:02 am Post subject: |
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Well what did you end up with???? _________________ I LIKE MINE FRIED. |
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kweber Full Grown Flour Bluffian

Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 2397 Location: Hondo
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:23 am Post subject: |
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I've seen the solar chargers at automotive places...
maybe you could do like BobBobber and set up a simular arrangement at your cabin w/a spare battery.. _________________ the creepy uncle that scares the kids.... |
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TroutSlayer Flour Bluffian in training
Joined: 26 Aug 2008 Posts: 432
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:55 am Post subject: |
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| SaltyCuda wrote: | Ya'll know that you are jinxing yourselves right!
Never, never ,never speak of battery problems and how you have evaded them by charging and such.
The battery gods are listening...
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Sage advice, do not tempt the battery demons. _________________ Wish I Were in Baffin |
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BobBobber Guest
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:59 am Post subject: |
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| kweber wrote: | | I've seen the solar chargers at automotive places... |
The panels at China Freight are several times more powerful than ones sold in auto parts stores, Sears and RV stores, at least at the time I bought ours 7 or so years ago. Compare the output listed on the spec sheet before you buy. One $99 one I looked at would require more than two weeks to charge a battery, so the price paid doesn't always mean it's any better.
Mine came as a 3-pack for approx $150 if I recall. The 15 watt one listed today on their website looks like mine. The overcharge prevention things on their website are less than $30.
I use one panel per battey.
Also, the two-pin connector plugs if you need them can be found at West Marine, amazing for less money than other places. Got to be a mistake; they probably priced it wrong to be lower than their competition.  |
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rutro Pony Mullet

Joined: 04 May 2006 Posts: 68
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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Hey, Hey battery probs can be the ruination of a good trip quicker than anything else in the boat. We've been full time RV'ers for years and I've got more batteries than the average bear. What I've learned over the years will make things easier but you don't have to make all the mistakes. Always use distilled water to refill your lead/acid batteries. Tap water will kill 'em quicker in anything. Get a turkey baster and a gal. jug of distilled water, I keep the turkey baster stuck through the handle of the water jug. Never let 'em dry out to the point the plates in the cell are showing. Use a good charger. The digital chargers you can get now have a recondition mode that will desulfate the plates and make even a cheap battery last for years past the stated life. Always charge as soon as possible after use. For sure use a good anticorrosion treatment on the posts and cable ends. I started useing CorrosionX products years ago and swear by them but there are others just as good now. Solar is the way to go for remote areas where you are off the grid and depend on battery power for anything. I've never priced any yet but there LEi batterys now for cars and other uses that are smart, if you leave lights or other loads on and the battery goes down it will shut off at 10% power. Then when you need to start the car or boat it can be reset and the vehicle started ......... why didn't I think of that!!!!
The thing is, take care of them and they'll take care of you. _________________ "If you don't like the way I'm live'n, just leave this long haired country boy alone" |
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ironmanstan Exalted Ruler of Flour Bluff

Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 12256
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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Great advise rutro. _________________ I LIKE MINE FRIED. |
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pinsjeepster Horse Mullet
Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 156 Location: The Great Northwest (CalAllen)
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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I put a Deka Intimadator in my boat and its always cranked. http://www.dekabatteries.com/assets/base/0181.pdf
It wasnt cheap $180. I got it at C.C. Battery.Its an AGM battery.Those
glass plates not lead acid.good luck |
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Granite Guy Horse Mullet
Joined: 23 Sep 2012 Posts: 157 Location: Padre Island
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks rutro, i am on my 24 th boat, some posts talked about trickle, ive done this for years on tractors, atv's, boats, what ever. I was looking for the ultimate 12 volt battery, money is no problem. Just want the best that will take a charge and hold it, when you have abused it. Yes big time on the distilled water, might go to running two side by side together like of done on offshore deisal engines . _________________ Been fishing Baffin/Land Cut since 1968 |
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