just managed to destroy my battery so need a new one.....

al40 · 27 January 2008, 20:55

After a moment of extreme stupidity I have managed to destroy my energy squadron FLA85 leisure battery so now need a new bat.

2 choices are the sealed version of energy squadron (SFL85) or one that's made by EXRIDER. Anyone had any experience of EXRIDER batts? Never really heard of them and can't find any info on them other than they seem to be Korean.

Energy Squadron is a known entity although I read the SFL range is not actually fully sealed (not that it makes any diff). They do seem to have good support although the place that has the EXRIDER seems to offer a collection service for any faulty batts with 3 yr warranty.

I'm sure someone will ask how I killed the old one so here goes... I removed the batt from the RIB to take it home to give it a charge / de-sulphination having got one of these smart 6-stage batt reconditioner / charger things. It was reading a bit low (40%) and the energy squardon battery brochure at
http://www.squadronbattery.com/downl..._rec_broch.pdf mentions that the FLA and SDC range can need topping up. Ok I thought - I'll do the due diligence thing here and check the electrolite before charging it in case that's why it's a bit flat. Examining at the battery, it looked like there was a plastic cover with all 6 caps built in so carefully started to prise it off.. then there was a horrible cracking noise - the cover is glued on, so does not come off without breaking

=> For all you energy squadron FLA battery users out there, don't attempt what I did......

Al

jwalker · 27 January 2008, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by al40

..the cover is glued on, so does not come off without breaking ..

Sikaflex?

al40 · 27 January 2008, 22:19

I did think about that - or araldite but there is a big hole under the cover with all
kinds of clever venting passages that i'd have to be really careful not to block...

I think it's prob safer to use this as an emergency start batt and get a new one for the RIB unfortunately.

Hightower · 27 January 2008, 22:49

SFL for me

I bought a 85 ah one from ebay for £45 and just had a 120 SFL which was sulphated and out of warantee replaced FOC by Energy, so they get a BIG well done from me.

Limey Linda · 27 January 2008, 23:36

Has anyone tried the wound electrode Optima batterys?

al40 · 28 January 2008, 08:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

SFL for me

I bought a 85 ah one from ebay for £45 and just had a 120 SFL which was sulphated and out of warantee replaced FOC by Energy, so they get a BIG well done from me.

Yes they do seem to have excellent customer support!

Cookee · 28 January 2008, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

Has anyone tried the wound electrode Optima batterys?

Yes we used to use them, but we have now gone over to the Odyssey batteries: http://www.merlinequipment.com/prod_...cfm?cat_id=129 I appreciate you're in the States so the link is more for information really, and may be of use to others?

al40 · 28 January 2008, 18:05

Eventually went for one of these:

http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/cg...le&pid=368.htm

Seems like a good company to deal with and 3yr guarantee on the bat with collection if it's faulty.

I've also written to squadron to see what they say about their instructions online .. they should be modified I guess.

al40 · 28 January 2008, 18:14

Also got a ring smartcharge 8 a few months ago

http://www.ringautomotive.co.uk/prod....asp?prod=1371

It managed to revive a fairly gubbed car battery after it was pronounced dead by one of those load test gizmo's (my better half kept leaving the boot open on the car and flattened batt a couple of times which they do not like!). Battery has given no trouble since. The cost of the replacement battery was in excess of £100 (Lead Calcium heavy duty) and the charger was approx £50 so I thought I'd give it a go.

Anyway - reason I post this is that I imagine most outboards do not properly charge the battery (mine certainly doesn't) meaning the battery will most likely become sulphanted over time. Giving them a charge with something like this can really help prolong their life and keep the capacity up. When I connected the charger to the batt I removed from the RIB (last used a week ago), it was reading an estimated charge of approx 40-60%!