New Golf cart batteries

They appear to be similar to the Dyno, East Penn 6V 235 A/hr batteries. I will be buying 4 Dynos from Fisheries to create a new house bank very shortly.

One question for the group. I will be wiring series/parallel of course, but how far apart should the two series banks be from one another before they are wired in parallel? Space is a premium.

dhmeissner said:

One question for the group. I will be wiring series/parallel of course, but how far apart should the two series banks be from one another before they are wired in parallel? Space is a premium.

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My 6 GC's fit tightly together in 2 8D boxes. They touch without any issues. I have a temp sensor on my smart regulator in case they need less charge due to a temp rise.

I've heard that keeping the cable lengths the same will help even out the voltages across all batteries, but that's in an ideal world. Too many real life variables to prevent that in many cases.

I can't see the wisdom of a start bank if you have a genset with its own battery. No, the deep cells aren't designed as start batteries, but they will do it.

For starting main propulsion...I like backups to backups.


Every boat can be set up a little different and operated a little different.... no one size fits all....but 2 ways to start the main I would consider a "minimum" setup...not a "maximized" system.

psneeld said:

For starting main propulsion...I like backups to backups.


Every boat can be set up a little different and operated a little different.... no one size fits all....but 2 ways to start the main I would consider a "minimum" setup...not a "maximized" system.

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Totally agree with this. I can cross my mains to start one engine from either battery - worst case I can easily jump from the house.

I have Crown GC's for the house and so far (2 years) they seem to be quite decent.

Ken

How about Rolls batteries? I am going to look at replacing my two 4Ds with four 6v batteries when the time comes. I don't look forward to hauling two 150lb batteries out of the boat.

Rolls have a good reputation and the specs look good.

http://rollsbattery.com/public/specsheets/EHW220.pdf

Ken

Ya know...a Trojan 105 is listed at 20hr at 228 amps @6 volts. My son in law is a Trojan distributer $120 is the best he can do. $150 is a normal price. Costco has an equiv. interstate, for $88 gives 208 amps at 20 hrs. If the $150 range is the standard I would go with the interstate planning on a slightly earlier replacement. I have 10 batteries and dealing with my son in law is 1200 miles away so not so easy. Costco is right down the street.

For most any marine must-have system, batts being a primary:


Redundancy/Back-up, Redundancy/Back-up, Redundancy/Back-up Repeat three times before going to sleep and when first awakening.


In addition to all other batts we have on board our Tolly and tow behind runabout... There is one never used starter/deep-cell combo batt totally isolated in its own black box that is always kept at top charge. When a used starter goes bad it is then placed into service and a brand new isolated batt goes into the black box. We also have independent starter batt for gen set that charges while running the gen and otherwise has its own solar panel providing charge.


For batts - Redundancy/Back-up = Name o' da Game - - > IMHO! LOL

Mule said:

Ya know...a Trojan 105 is listed at 20hr at 228 amps @6 volts. My son in law is a Trojan distributer $120 is the best he can do. $150 is a normal price. I do not know If that is with recore or not. Costco has an equiv. interstate, for $88 gives 208 amps at 20 hrs. If the $150 range is the standard I would go with the interstate planning on a slightly earlier replacement. I have 10 batteries and dealing with my son in law is 1200 miles away so not so easy. Costco is right down the street.

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I keep seeing Costco batts mentioned. Last time I was in Costco, 4 +/- months ago I found none on the shelves. Floor attendant told me Costco stopped carrying batts?? You still finding batts at Costco? If so, maybe it's just this area.

Batteries are in the Costcos in Roseville, Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Woodland and Vallejo. Where are you shopping, Art?

I have 8 Crown CR235s in my house bank. They are two years old and were $942 all in. I also replaced an engine start 8D with a Crown 4D for $190. They looked like the biggest bang for the buck in my area. It will be at least another four years for me to be a satisfied customer. I think anything beyond six years is gravy for lead acid. I know there are folks with 8-12 year stories on lead acid batteries. I am skeptical, I would like to do a load test on one of those 8 year old lead acid battery.

I saw the batteries last week in Orlando.

FlyWright said:

Batteries are in the Costcos in Roseville, Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Woodland and Vallejo. Where are you shopping, Art?

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Read your post - Thanks! We shop Costco - Novato, CA

I just called and learned they moved the batts into tire store. That's why I could not locate in main store where they'd been for years. Attendant I'd asked who said they no longer carried batts... had no clue - obviously!

I didn't pursue... as I was not in need for batts, just going to check prices etc compared to Batteries Plus where I shop.

I also asked on phone for group 31 batts and was told they do not carry that size; only group 24 and 27 - 12 volt batts, as well as 6 volt GC batts.

Next time I visit I will stroll into the tire outlet.

Batts can simply drive ya Batty! :lol:

I looked for Grp 31 there also and found they had none in stock. Even asked if they could order them but no luck.

Tough to beat them on GCs, though.

FlyWright said:

I looked for Grp 31 there also and found they had none in stock. Even asked if they could order them but no luck.

Tough to beat them on GCs, though.

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JFHOI ("Just For Heck Of It" - lol) Acronyms have gone bezerk!!

- I tried to shop Costco marine batts on the net; to find stats, costs, etc. Not much luck. On one page Costco site mentioned: "...some items can be purchased at store only"

- Then I tried Sears marine batts. Fairly good info.

- When I brought up Batteries Plus there was good info on batts.

I believe, from my limited time this eve comparing batts between Sears and Batts Plus, that Batts Plus has best prices and double the guarantee... at least in group 31's. East Penn builds Batts Plus marine batts.

All batts on our boats have been Batts Plus' wet-cell batts for nearly seven years. All are still doing well. SFSG (So Far So Good - lol, acronyms...)

Happy Boat/Batt Daze! - Art

no one has mentioned the Optima AGM's - I installed two of the blue deep cycle ones on my boat last year....will know if they held up for the winter in a few weeks.

Thread drift alarm!

Just in case you get stuck with an acronym go to: Abbreviations and acronyms dictionary

HM

Karlheinz51 said:

no one has mentioned the Optima AGM's - I installed two of the blue deep cycle ones on my boat last year....will know if they held up for the winter in a few weeks.

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Optima Bluetops do not have much capacity compared to a traditional agm battery. The Optima group 31 equivalent has only 75ah (20 hr rate) compared to 100ah for your average deep cycle group 31 agm.

I saw an interesting 8D replacement at the Bay Bridge Boat Show yesterday. It is made by Northstar Batteries. On sale for about $600. It was comprised of 3 group 24 agm batteries with a bus bar that attaches to the top.

228 ah and 2250 CCA. It would be a lot easier to move three group 24s than one 8D

If you are reading CCA you are looking at a start batt.

A Quality 8D is about $150 at your local big truck store.

The golf cart batts are all Deep Cycle and a 6V 200Ah (20 hour rate)unit should run $80-$100 .

Any of the box stores or Sears could be low cost source.

A golf cart shop has huge buying volume , another source.

Inshore or for ICW travel the Sears may be the easiest to get replaced.

BlueYonder said:

I saw an interesting 8D replacement at the Bay Bridge Boat Show yesterday. It is made by Northstar Batteries. On sale for about $600. It was comprised of 3 group 24 agm batteries with a bus bar that attaches to the top.

228 ah and 2250 CCA. It would be a lot easier to move three group 24s than one 8D

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Sounds like a lot of money and no AH improvement over an 8D. That's where the GCs shine. $600 for a set of 6 to fit in 2 8D boxes and you gain almost 50% AH. My 8D was 225AH x 2 = 450AH. My GCs are 220AH per set x 3 sets=660AH. Each GC weighs something like 62 lbs.

Anybody that needs battery boxes might check this out. I used some for my new house bank.

Century Plastics: White Heavy Duty Battery Box - (part#: GCE-G)

dhmeissner said:

Anybody that needs battery boxes might check this out. I used some for my new house bank.

Century Plastics: White Heavy Duty Battery Box - (part#: GCE-G)

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I use these as well and they are very heavy duty and work great, I only wish they had one box for 6 or 8 batts.

I used one 4x and one 2x for a house bank of 6 GC batts. then bought another 4x when I upgraded to 8 GC batts. The 2x now is for spare parts storage.

Bought my battery boxes from those folks and I am very happy with them. I had to create my own house banks using 2-banks with 4-6vDC golf cart batteries I bought at Costco. I then wired in a Pro Mariner ProIsocharge (2-input with 4 outputs) that ties in my start and house batteries off my engine alternators.

I also rewired the battery charger so it only charges the house batteries. Less stress on the start batteries

Sea-Duction,
Mighty fine cable work. Do you "make your own" cables?

Toolbuddie said:

Sea-Duction,
Mighty fine cable work. Do you "make your own" cables?

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Yep and thanks. The cables and associated stuff cost just as much as the batteries!

It does look good ASD, ya need a heat gun however to make it perfect.

Flame just doesn't make the heat shrink look as nice.

I really like the cable sizing, looks correct in every way.

"I looked for Grp 31 there also and found they had none in stock. Even asked if they could order them but no luck."

Series 31 is a size start batt that is used in large reucks.

Will be hard to find with Golf Cart deep cycle construction.

What is a recuk? Truck maybe?