Batteries and Charging

[Rumdirty]

I wanted to just go ahead and pull the plug on two deep discharge AGM Blue top Optimas. My 5w Guest charger doesn't have a setting for AGM, then again neither does the motor, so is this critical or can I use my existing charger without issue? I just want some maintenance free batteries and am willing to pay a little extra to not have to worry about them.

I'll be out nearly every week at least once. I have a 20 minute low speed motoring to get to the bay both out and back. Should be enough to keep the batteries charged?

[dlandersson]

Do you have shore power?

I wanted to just go ahead and pull the plug on two deep discharge AGM Blue top Optimas. My 5w Guest charger doesn't have a setting for AGM, then again neither does the motor, so is this critical or can I use my existing charger without issue? I just want some maintenance free batteries and am willing to pay a little extra to not have to worry about them.

I'll be out nearly every week at least once. I have a 20 minute low speed motoring to get to the bay both out and back. Should be enough to keep the batteries charged?

[Rumdirty]

Yes, available, but while keeping the boat at friends house, I didn't want to suck up his electricity all the time.

[Retcoastie]

Should be plenty of charging. Optima batteries can be used in motor vehicles without changing the charging system, so they should work in your boat also.

Ken

[grady]

Charging is very critical on AGM they can not afford to gas out any since there is verry little acid in them.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/en-us/su ... /charging/

I would not use a float charger that is not temp compensated. I am a fan of Battery Minder brand chargers. They have spent a lot of time designing chargers for all types of lead acid batteries.

[mastreb]

I wanted to just go ahead and pull the plug on two deep discharge AGM Blue top Optimas. My 5w Guest charger doesn't have a setting for AGM, then again neither does the motor, so is this critical or can I use my existing charger without issue? I just want some maintenance free batteries and am willing to pay a little extra to not have to worry about them.

I'll be out nearly every week at least once. I have a 20 minute low speed motoring to get to the bay both out and back. Should be enough to keep the batteries charged?

Hmm. Plenty of stuff to throw money at with a new boat. I'd say if your batteries work don't worry about it until they don't. I carry one of those "jump starters" aboard that has enough juice to easily start the outboard if I come home to a dead battery.

[RobertB]

I wanted to just go ahead and pull the plug on two deep discharge AGM Blue top Optimas. My 5w Guest charger doesn't have a setting for AGM, then again neither does the motor, so is this critical or can I use my existing charger without issue? I just want some maintenance free batteries and am willing to pay a little extra to not have to worry about them.

I'll be out nearly every week at least once. I have a 20 minute low speed motoring to get to the bay both out and back. Should be enough to keep the batteries charged?

This is exactly the usage profile the Practical Sailor article tested that showed a steady and permanent decrease in capacity of AGM batteries due to sulfation. You will be always just charging partially. I would suggest either buying really inexpensive batteries or figuring out how to keep them charged to 100%. Either shore power with a quality charger or a proper solar setup.

[Rumdirty]

Inexpensive batteries it is. Boat is too new to me, needs lots of toys, solar is absolutely not happening this year. My dockage is free thanks to a good friend, I do not want to impose by using his electricity all week long. I'm also not wanting to toss out what I'm presuming to be a perfectly good charger.

Surveyor recommended swapping out batteries. I'll probably just pick something up from Wally world to be safe. I like the idea of one of those jump starters though. We'll see. Charging batteries this week, if it holds a charge, I'm not gonna sweat it as I'm not going out overnight yet. Electronics are zilch, nadda, nothing. I start the motor and will turn on running lights if I'm late heading back. I really want a gps/chartplotter if I can find a decent one for $500 or so. Bottom paint, redoing fuel system, safety gear, and other odds and ends will probably suck down another $500. That's all my budget allows prior to the big launch.

[Tomfoolery]

I'll probably just pick something up from Wally world to be safe.

That's what I do. I've got 5 seasons on the Group 24 deep-cycle I got there the last time. It's not the same as the big 6V deep-cycle batts for golf carts and such, but it can handle my needs, and it was (and they still are) cheap to buy, so even if I get a new one or two every five years (I normally keep two batts, a couple of years age shifted), that's fine with me.

Oh, and I leave it/them in the boat all winter, with the charger hooked up, but only plugged in once in a while (extension cord pulled to the house to make it easy to plug in). If it/they're charged, they won't freeze, and they don't self-discharge much when they're cold, so cold they remain.

[RobertB]

I really want a gps/chartplotter if I can find a decent one for $500 or so. Bottom paint, redoing fuel system, safety gear, and other odds and ends will probably suck down another $500. That's all my budget allows prior to the big launch.

The Garmin 546s is almost ideal. High resolution, chartpltter/depthfinder/fishfinder all in one. Small to fit on the pedestal. Can upgrade with a Garmin SD add on card to get satellite maps and expanded functionality. Has database of tides, lunar cycle etc.
Can find these for under $600 (come-on, that is almost $500 .

[Russ]

I really want a gps/chartplotter if I can find a decent one for $500 or so. Bottom paint, redoing fuel system, safety gear, and other odds and ends will probably suck down another $500. That's all my budget allows prior to the big launch.

The Garmin 546s is almost ideal. High resolution, chartpltter/depthfinder/fishfinder all in one. Small to fit on the pedestal. Can upgrade with a Garmin SD add on card to get satellite maps and expanded functionality. Has database of tides, lunar cycle etc.
Can find these for under $600 (come-on, that is almost $500 .

I have an older Garmin 400 series. The dealer threw it in as part of the package. I didn't want it because I boat in a deep water lake and know where everything is. I find it is the thing I spend so much time looking at. For speed and charts. I love that device. I'm so glad I have a chartplotter.
Boating the NJ intracoastal waterway, you will LOVE having a chartplotter. Spend the money there.

Batteries...buy them at Wallyworld. I just bought a new one today. $100 bucks and they are rated well for performance. Do NOT buy a cranking battery. Only buy deep cycle. Keep them matched. Our outboards can be started with almost a 9v battery. The cranking is not an issue.

Santa brought this jump start pack. It's amazing. Light weight and small. Can even power USB junk. Good insurance.
http://www.amazon.com/PowerAll-PBJS1200 ... mp+starter


--Russ

[March]

RussMT wrote

Our outboards can be started with almost a 9v battery

That depends

[Rumdirty]

Holy Cow you guys are better at spending my money than my wife is!

Spent $500 at West marine yesterday. Bottom paint, some safety gear, charts, boat hook, and other odds and ends.

Still need the batteries (Wally World I'm convinced and make em both deep cycle), motor stuff (fuel lines, impeller, oil/fuel filters), and that Chartplotter. Jump Pack is on my wish list. Maybe Father's day I'll hint around

I can't seem to locate a 546s for under $1000. There's one used one on Amazon where the guy "is selling for a friend". I'll pass on that. The only other place is some Marina Supermall that is sold out. Unit is also discontinued. Would have been a nice find. Anyway it opened the doors to further research.

[RobertB]

New version looks like the 547xs.

[Tony E]

I read a post on here about Walmart deep cycle batteries that claimed that these batteries were not true , 100% deep cycle batteries. I researched it and it was true at the time. Check out Costco for deep cycle. They are suppose to be a good price and top of the line, deep cycle battery. I hope this helps.