Start Battery source in Jacksonville?

[PMF1984]

Need a new start battery for my Westerbeke 100.

Located in Jacksonville.

Any suggestions?

[DavidM]

For starting batteries:

WalMart (probably the cheapest)
Your local auto parts store (more expensive probably)
Batteries Plus (surprisingly competitive pricing)

David

[FF]

Sears Die Hard , or any sales place with lots of stores , so you can use the return if needed.

[PMF1984]

Right now the battery I have is an Interstate 8D-MHD

[PMF1984]

Just remember reading somewhere here that some brands are better than others

[menzies]

Check out Academy Sports and Outdoors

[drf6]

If your start battery is in the same locations as ours (starboard side, outboard) there is no way I would want to wrestle an 8D in or out of that location.

We have a pair of group 24's in series. If you are not in a hurry, you can get jumper wires from Marine Wiring, Boat Cable and Electrical Genuinedealz.com quickly at a fair price.

[bayview]

What you need to know is the CCA ( cold cranking amps) required by the engine. The dimensions of the space and the type and locations of the terminals.

[PMF1984]

Thanks Bayview and Don,

I have tried to find out the CCA requirements for the Westerbeke 100, but have been stymied by the fact that the operators manual I have is silent on the issue.

John

[High Wire]

Originally Posted by drf6

We have a pair of group 24's in series.

You meant parallel right unless you have a 24V system?

[FF]

8d is big and heavy , and sized for multiple start attempts in cold , below freezing weather.

Many folks will chose two series 12v 31 hooked up to provide 12v.

These are lighter to move although more wiring to keep clean and 2x the water fills to check are a PIA.

If the battery box is built for 8D , get another one Interstate is an excellent brand as there in many locations and GREAT if the unit craps out.

Personally I use NAPA , their 8D is only $205 , way less than the interstate.

[High Wire]

There seems to be a bit of confusion. A picture is worth a thousand words...

[PMF1984]

Folks,

Thanks for all the advice - very helpful.

Due to the location of the batteries, the start 8D will be replaced with two group 24's in series.

The house banks is not so hot either and will get two GC-5's in parallel.

John

[High Wire]

Bang head here.

[PMF1984]

crimminey! I got it backwards, damn you dyslexia!

2 Group 24's ( 12 volts ewach) to make one 12V - Parrallel!

2 GC-5's (six volts each) to make one 12V - Series!

(or did I get that wrong too?)

[DavidM]

Wow! I think the OP needs to ask his question on another forum. Maybe he will get a straight answer

Seriously guys. A single (that way we don't have to discuss series or parallel wiring) Group 31 battery will easily start any marine engine of 6 liters or less and some use a single one for an 8 liter Cummins. The Westerbeke 100 is 4 liters.

Many, heck maybe most engine manufacturer's don't specify CCA ratings required. A good Group 31 is rated at 900-1000 CCA and about 1,200 MCA and is more than enough for that engine.

So you will bust your hump getting that old 8D out, but the Group 31 will go back in much easier. Oh and just hook the red positive wire to the positive battery terminal and the black negative wire to the negative battery terminal. Sorry to be such a pedantic school teacher, but .....

David

[PMF1984]

In addition to the other issues, like getting an 8D in and out, the final one was the size of my existing battery box.

Finally got it sorted with the help of the folks at Palm Cove Marina. Bought two Group 24's down the street at Batteries Plus for the starter The yard vendor supplied two Trojan T-105's for the house bank. Two hours of boatyard time and they were switched out (and three new cables made up.)

All the batteries I can now manhandle myself.

So this started because I had a bad raw water pump, and a filling holding tank. Somewhere along the line, one of the bolts holding the pump bracket to the block disappeared. A regular bolt would not go in, so I looked at the parts book and saw this missing bolt was a 10mm fine thread job.

There was not one of those in Jacksonville. (Holding tank getting fuller)

I ordered a new bolt, that got lost in the mail for a few extra days, but there was still some room in the holding tank, so no worry.

The bolt showed up after a week, tried to turn in the bolt, no dice.

Think that the bolt was stripped out along the way and previous owner must have helicoiled a different bolt size.

Fooled around with different sizes and got the pump back together.

So the idea was to start up the engines, go to the marina, get the holding tank pumped out, come back to the dock, change the oil, and try to discover what was leading to a pool of fuel being generated under the engine.

That's when I started this string, with a now completely full holding tank and dead batteries.

New batteries in, the engine jumped out of its skin.

Just caught the tide in time to get up my canal, had some lunch and then switched on the oil pan extraction pump. No oil comes out.

Went to use my backup, the WM oil extractor, but I was missing the correct hose to go down to the oil pan. Went to use the backup for that, and there was no pick up hose. Ran over to WM and got a small manual pump.

Got back to the boat, pumped out the oil with is what is best described as a thin straw. Three hours later my forearms look like Popeye's and the oil is out. Put on a new filter add oil, and start the engine.

So I was checking for leaks, No leaks!

Found the fuel was coming from the injector pump (next project)

And found the bolt.

[PMF1984]

Oh yeah, forgot to add, to get at the pump bracket you have to remove the alternator belt. It was cracked 3/4 through.

[dhmeissner]

Mr. PMF,

Sounds like you’re having lots of fun! Good luck from now on...

[menzies]

Isle of Palms Marine Services at Palm Cove Marina - Donnie, Clive and the gang are good people!