Do I really need a MARINE battery?

[totallydave]

The main battery on my Zodiac Pro Open 550 has just about given up the ghost - not sure how old it is but probably >6yrs.

It has no markings on it, and the Honda BF90A manual just states '70Ah' (no CCA noted).

It is very much a Starting battery as very little equipment on the boat to drain and usually engine running when in use.

I'm thinking >500 CCA - just from a recommendation on the excide website.

Something ~ 500CCA and 70Ah from Vetus is ~£130

An equivalent 'Leisure Battery' generally comes in around £85 and a reasonable Car Battery from Halfords (OK I know there are better places) is around £75

So - any recommendations on the CCA and whether / why I really need a 'Marine' battery.

[Wightdiver]

Originally Posted by totallydave

The main battery on my Zodiac Pro Open 550 has just about given up the ghost - not sure how old it is but probably >6yrs.

It has no markings on it, and the Honda BF90A manual just states '70Ah' (no CCA noted).

It is very much a Starting battery as very little equipment on the boat to drain and usually engine running when in use.

I'm thinking >500 CCA - just from a recommendation on the excide website.

Something ~ 500CCA and 70Ah from Vetus is ~£130

An equivalent 'Leisure Battery' generally comes in around £85 and a reasonable Car Battery from Halfords (OK I know there are better places) is around £75

So - any recommendations on the CCA and whether / why I really need a 'Marine' battery.

I've always used standard car batteries.

[office888]

There's no such thing as a "marine battery".

My personal preference is to buy a starting battery or buy a deep cycle...hybrid batteries suck at both!

If it is a trailered boat, I would just use a starting battery... just be careful about sitting around, running the bilge pump and listening to music+VHF with the engine off. Starting batteries don't recover from being deeply discharged as easily.

[jyasaki]

From my understanding, "Marine" batteries may be designed to handle vibration better, with the operative word being "may".

I suspect that in many (you can probably substitute that with "most") cases, you pay a premium for the inclusion of the word "Marine" on the label (and maybe the inclusion of a MCA rating.)

jky

[Nos4r2]

I never use marine batteries either.
Either car batteries or truck batteries, and the occasional also called leisure battery but in normal use I really don't need anything special

[jeffstevens763@g]

Car batteries work ok marine batteries have thicker plates I was told but if a car battery can go off road it can take on the marine environment IMO

[ribber]

LFD75 Varta Professional DC Leisure Battery 75Ah (930075065) 650cca

Must admit to having this battery and is now 11 years old and still going strong.

Have purchased batteries off TAYNA http://www.tayna.co.uk/LFD75-Varta-P...065-P3636.html

and found them to be very competitive prices.

[Xk59D]

"marine" batts are different to car batts and more akin/same as leisure batts which have thicker plates (which is why they are usually quite a few kg's heavier) the thicker plates allows them to be deeper discharged without damaging the plates as much. with that said no lead acid battery likes to be discharged but one for a diff thread!

i always buy leisure batts for my boats, never had one fail without user error (light left on). i suspect a car battery would also be fine but i would pay the extra for a leisure battery.

whilst i have not researched this enough to comment concretely, i suspect the marine battery is a sticker change and a price hike on a leisure battery. there may be some mileage in them being better at handling severe pitch changes (i.e at sea) and keeping the plates covered but i have never seen anything on that.........one for a bored moment at work!

[ShinyShoe]

Are Marine Bats not intended for yachties with house functions?

Car bat seems to start my car OK and I'm 99% sure there is vibration in my car. It also manages to power my car electronics... But I don't usually sit with the main beams on, With the stereo blaring etc. While the engine is off.

[office888]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

Are Marine Bats not intended for yachties with house functions?

Car bat seems to start my car OK and I'm 99% sure there is vibration in my car. It also manages to power my car electronics... But I don't usually sit with the main beams on, With the stereo blaring etc. While the engine is off.

There's 3 types of batteries:
Starting = designed to discharge lots of amps within a few seconds, thin plates, not designed to be discharged deeply (Discharging below ~11 volts will shorten battery life substantially), high CCA for its size

Hybrid = mixed design with thin & thick plates... in my opinion, hybrid starting/deep cycle batteries suck at both!

Deep Cycle = designed to discharge a small amount of amps over a long period of time, thick plates, can recover from being deeply discharged (Do not leave them this way for long, or the plates will sulphate which will inhibit charging), low CCA for its size

[gareth9702]

One point to add to the helpful comment of office888. Batteries will endure being fully discharged a limited number of times. This number is higher for a deep cycle battery which is why they are used for domestic electrics on boats and caravans where they run light loads for long periods and may suffer heavy discharge. A deep cycle should also be used on a rib to run an automatic bilge pump but always in partnership with a starting battery on a separate circuit.

[Oscarguitar]

Or try an AGM battery. Pricey but you can install and then forget.
Car battery might save you £50 but what's that in boating terms. One tank of fuel? A couple of fenders? One pack of Holt stainless steel washers?

[totallydave]

Originally Posted by ribber

LFD75 Varta Professional DC Leisure Battery 75Ah (930075065) 650cca

Must admit to having this battery and is now 11 years old and still going strong.

Have purchased batteries off TAYNA http://www.tayna.co.uk/LFD75-Varta-P...065-P3636.html

and found them to be very competitive prices.

Thanks Riber for the specific recommendation

[totallydave]

Thanks to all for the advice and info.

I think I' going for the leisure battery and looking specifically for high CCA, although will look at the specific recommendation from Ribber.

[ribber]

I have checked my Varta battery today and can confirm she's still up and running. That's 13 years from new in the boat.

All I do is occasionally hook up up to a Halfords battery charger over winter months.

How is everyone else doing with their choice of battery?

[jambo]

I have two non marine and I do exactly the same as you over the winter.

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by ribber

All I do is occasionally hook up up to a Halfords battery charger over winter months.

+1
"Normal" battery, ensure everything's switched off and isolater turned off as well. Put charger on over winter, palys run thenging fro c. 15m every few weeks.

Only problems I've had have been from leaving bilge pump on auto and it's rained lots

[deshet]

Group 31 truck batteries are the best thing going.
Many of the truck supply stores have them in my area for around $69.99. (US Dollars)
They have top posts and are made to work hard and perform over the road, can also run more electronics then one would every put on a rib boat.
Most have at least 900 cold cranking amps
When judging a lead battery quality it is all based on weight and a group 31 truck battery is about as heavy as it gets until you step up to 8d batteries.

If money is not an issue the AGM group 31 batteries are hard to beat.

Thanks,

[matt h]

Do I really need a MARINE battery?

Nope.....

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by matt h

Nope.....