Buying a battery!

[George8910]

Having just purchased a Tohatsu 50 at an extra special boat show price... I am in need of a battery - a gel one would be nice but I also understand that a lead acid sealed unit would be fine?

any ideas on most 'cost effective' suppliers?

[MeMe]

.........but if you find a nice local car accessory shop (not your big high street type) I'll bet you a fiver, they'll do you a great deal.

[pmorgan]

Congratulations on your purchase. Do be aware that most car batteries are not designed to be left for a long while between charges and discharging them over a long period of time shortens their life considerable. It might be better to choose a leisure or deep cycle battery if there are like to be long periods between usage. Or plan to charge it regularly.

[George8910]

Thanks for the advice - does anyone use an 'intelligent' charger - think there is one called an optimizer that can be left attached over time?

[Matt]

Yeh, I use a draper one on my kit car, works well.

[Nasher]

I subjected a cheap Halfords sealed battery to mad abuse on the understanding that it was cheap enough at £24 to replace each year.

Put it in the boat to start a Suzuki 55HP triple at the begining of a season.
Used the boat regularly over the summer and remembered to try and charge it about twice, although it wasn't required as the Suzuki had kept it topped up in use.

Left it in the boat without touching it from September to April expecting to have to replace it. Tried to start the engine with it in April and it fired up first time. Suzuki kept it topped up all season.

This cycle of abuse continued for 3 years with it being left in the boat untouched for each Winter. Each April it started the engine first time.

It was still performing fine when I sold the boat.

Any deep cycle leisure batteries I've owned have always died with much better maintenance.

Nasher.

[George8910]

excellent advice! did you bother with a vent pipe?

[PeterR]

does any one know wether optima red top batteries give off any fumes when charging thi may be a stupid question but it does nt say on leaflet

[peteb]

I think your local caravan & camping shop will have good deals on batteries, I know mine does, worth a try.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by no fear

does any one know wether optima red top batteries give off any fumes when charging thi may be a stupid question but it does nt say on leaflet

They are not supposed to vent in normal use but as they have a pressure relief valve they COULD sometimes - they have a remote venting kit available as an extra!

[ADS]

Originally Posted by George8910

Having just purchased a Tohatsu 50 at an extra special boat show price... I am in need of a battery - a gel one would be nice but I also understand that a lead acid sealed unit would be fine?

any ideas on most 'cost effective' suppliers?

Sorry to change the subject, can't help on the battery thing but is it the TLDI Tohatsu 50?

Alex

[George8910]

Originally Posted by ADS

Sorry to change the subject, can't help on the battery thing but is it the TLDI Tohatsu 50?

Alex

no just the standard 50 PTT after talking with the guys on the Zapcat stand I was reassured about durability and reliability - for the amount of use it will have the extra cost weight and complexity of a TLDI didn't add up for me

[ADS]

Fair enough mate, the standard tohatsu 50 is a very reliable engine, I was only interested because its the only small direct-injection rival to the 'rude E-TECs in the 50HP range and you don't read much about it and I was wondering if its any good.

Alex

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Put it in the boat ....
............Any deep cycle leisure batteries I've owned have always died with much better maintenance.

Agreed. Exactly my experience too.