Which battery?

[choppywaters]

We're about to launch our new to us boat and need a second battery. There are two batteries on it now, one is a dual purpose and we able to throw it on a charger and it's fine. The other was dead and not able to take a charge. We have the usual radio, fish finder and marine radio but it also has an inverter so we will be able to run a lap top or our phone chargers etc. I want a battery that will be able to run at least the radio's and fish finder for a while without having to worry about it dying in a few hours. Any recommendations?

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Which battery?

Is money an object? If not, I highly recommend Odyssey batteries. A little, not so guarded, secret is that the Sears Diehard Platinum line of batteries are actually Odyssey batteries rebadged and at around 25% cheaper.

I use nothing but Sears Platinum PM-2's: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02850134000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

P.S.: this is like starting a "which oil/wax/color of the rainbow is best?" thread. You will will get lots of opinions and probably end up as undecided as you started.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Which battery?

And at least 90 % of them are made by Johnson controls no matter who`s name is on the case. Personaly I like at least a group 27 and from whom ever is cheeper.

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Which battery?

And at least 90 % of them are made by Johnson controls no matter who`s name is on the case.

This is completely true. And the other 10% are good.

 

[riptide09]

Re: Which battery?

I found this site which has a pretty good FAQ on batteries. You might consider going with an AGM. I got a new batterry last season and went with an AGM.

http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Which battery?

You have no high current draw accessories. You didn't mention what engine, what chargine system output is so that's a major consideration in what you need or don't need in a battery. If you used a car charger rather than the inverter, you save current draw. There are loses when using an inverter. Your radio, unless it is a very high power system with an external amp will also run a very long time before it would run down the battery to the point where it wouldn't start the engine. All of that aside, you do not need a high buck battery. You do need a deep cycle or if it will be used to start the engine you can use any of the three types: Marine starting, Marine deep cycle, or Marine Dual Purpose. That will raise comments from the nay-sayers but there are folks starting 454 big block I/O's on deep cycle batteries. Check your local farm stores. I recently bought a group 27 deep cycle for $70 and it has higher reserve capacity than an AGM I looked at at Cabelas and was a heck of a lot cheaper. At half the price, it doesn't matter if an AGM lasts longer (which is questionable anyway).

 

[mark1905]

Re: Which battery?

Is money an object? If not, I highly recommend Odyssey batteries. A little, not so guarded, secret is that the Sears Diehard Platinum line of batteries are actually Odyssey batteries rebadged and at around 25% cheaper.

I use nothing but Sears Platinum PM-2's: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02850134000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

Lol.. that's the exact same Walmart battery as this:

Which is the exact same Autozone battery as this:

Which is the exact same Sears battery as this:


..because they're all the SAME EXACT BATTERY manufactured by Johnson Controls. Don't buy a battery by brand name, buy it by the month rating, size and type. If weight isn't an issue, put the biggest, highest rated marine deep cycle battery in there that you can find. WalMart has series 29s for around $70.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Which battery?

You do need a deep cycle or if it will be used to start the engine you can use any of the three types: Marine starting, Marine deep cycle, or Marine Dual Purpose. That will raise comments from the nay-sayers but there are folks starting 454 big block I/O's on deep cycle batteries.

Ahhh, the ol' "which oil/battery thread"!!! I recently got advice from one of the grey-beards on here that using a deep-cycle as a marine starting battery cuts its life short by a good amount due to the high current draw starting the engine (with frequent starts, skiing, tubing, etc, and very little ture "deep cycle" light loads). I can vouch for that, because it happened to my deep cycle... now replaced by a starting battery of same group with a higher CA, CCA and reserve capacity, and better warranty (plus it was cheaper, and abit lighter...less Pb?). I'm happy, but will always enjoy reading the pros-cons.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Which battery?

I recently got advice from one of the grey-beards on here that using a deep-cycle as a marine starting battery cuts its life short by a good amount due to the high current draw starting the engine (with frequent starts, skiing, tubing, etc, and very little ture "deep cycle" light loads). I can vouch for that, because it happened to my deep cycle

Then something else happened to your battery because using a deep discharge battery as a starting battery can't be the cause of it to fail unless you are discharging it too far. I use the same batteries to start my 7.4L engine. They always last 5 years+.

 

[pyrotek]

Re: Which battery?

I'm using a 7 year old deep cycle battery for starting as well. Just load tested at autozone two weeks ago. They told me not to buy a new one.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Which battery?

I just returned from my local farm store and the group 27 deep cycle I paid $69 and some change for a few weeks ago is now on sale for $64.95. RC = 200 min @ 23A draw. 575 CCA and 715 CA. What's not to like.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Which battery?

Plain simple fact boating is hard on battery's you are going to replace them. Their life expectancy is what it is.