Battery dealer in SW Florida?

[Constellation1]

Does anyone know of a good and knowledgeable battery dealer in SW Florida?
Anywhere between Tampa and Fort Myers will work for me.

Thanks

 

[O C Diver]

Does anyone know of a good and knowledgeable battery dealer in SW Florida?
Anywhere between Tampa and Fort Myers will work for me.

Thanks

It might be helpful to expand on what you're looking for. Are you looking for motor, house bank, or thruster batteries? Do you know the chemistry you want or are you looking for someone to work with you changing from one chemistry to another? Or are you simply looking for a company to sell you replacements and do the install?

Ted

 

[Constellation1]

I’m always open for input from the forum gurus, so here is my current reality and what I’m thinking:

I have five 8Ds and one group 27 - all AGM. 3 banks + dedicated generator
2 x 8D house
2 x 8D thrusters & windlass
1 x 8D start
1 x gr 27 generator start

Thinking about replacing each 8D with Group 31s
9 x gr 31 house
2 x gr 31 thrusters & windlass
3 x gr 31 start
1 x gr 27 generator start

All above will be AGM, I’m not ready to move to lithium

This would give me significantly more house capacity, and less weight of course.

Looking for a knowledgeable dealer to speak with about this and purchase from.

 

[O C Diver]

For the size of your purchase, you might find an East coast vendor that could be competitive and do a delivery / install.

Personally I haven't found vendors in the Fort Myers region that inspired me to do business with them.

Ted

 

[DavidM]

Battery dealers won’t necessarily know much about boat systems. Your plan looks good except I doubt you need three G31s for starting.

Since Amazon can ship AGMs, why not buy from them. I bought two G31 WindyNation AGMs for about $200 each.

David

 

[Constellation1]

Battery dealers won’t necessarily know much about boat systems. Your plan looks good except I doubt you need three G31s for starting.

Since Amazon can ship AGMs, why not buy from them. I bought two G31 WindyNation AGMs for about $200 each.

David

Thanks - I agree. How about 2 g31 start and 3 for thrusters / windlass
Amazon is a good idea, but I would like someone to double check my wiring schematic.

 

[DavidM]

Post your schematic here and you will get lots of opinions that you will have to sort through for credibility . Or hire a marine electrician and you only will have one opinion, but you still need to sort it through .

Seriously, marine battery wiring diagrams are one of the hardest things to sort through since there are lots of right ways, and a few wrong ones.

David

 

[ranger58sb]

Thinking about replacing each 8D with Group 31s
9 x gr 31 house
2 x gr 31 thrusters & windlass
3 x gr 31 start
1 x gr 27 generator start

All above will be AGM, I’m not ready to move to lithium

Since you spec 9x G31s for house, I suspect you're at 12V. I've read paralleling more than about 5 (?) batteries isn't great.

You might look at 6V L16s as an alternative. Three pairs (serial/parallel to 12V) would be about 900 Ah capacity... presumably approx the same as the 9x G41s you've cited. Lifeline has an AGM version, and there might be others.

The 3x G31s for starting might be overkill, depending on your engine. Your engine specs will tell you minimum requirement, but I'd guess 1x or perhaps 2x will more than likely be sufficient.

YOur genset may be fine with a G24... or Odyssey makes a G34/G78 (PC-1500) and one of those worked very well for the 8 kW genset we had in the previous boat.

Odyssey Southeast is somewhere down in south Florida, and they may carry other brands too... or may have an AGM L16 equivalent.

-Chris

 

[Scooby5959]

I generally buy standard lead acid batteries sealed .I buy them from Freightliner dealer‘s they generally sell them pretty much at cost to get the truckers in the door last time I checked with a dealer in Portland Oregon They were $67 apiece ,at that price you can replace them often, I usually get close to five years out of them never had to add water .I don’t buy deep cycle batteries so that probably isn’t what you want they work fine for me and my needs but I’m sure that’ll bring the haters out

 

[Constellation1]

Since you spec 9x G31s for house, I suspect you're at 12V. I've read paralleling more than about 5 (?) batteries isn't great.

You might look at 6V L16s as an alternative. Three pairs (serial/parallel to 12V) would be about 900 Ah capacity... presumably approx the same as the 9x G41s you've cited. Lifeline has an AGM version, and there might be others.

The 3x G31s for starting might be overkill, depending on your engine. Your engine specs will tell you minimum requirement, but I'd guess 1x or perhaps 2x will more than likely be sufficient.

YOur genset may be fine with a G24... or Odyssey makes a G34/G78 (PC-1500) and one of those worked very well for the 8 kW genset we had in the previous boat.

Odyssey Southeast is somewhere down in south Florida, and they may carry other brands too... or may have an AGM L16 equivalent.

-Chris

I appreciate this Chris, and I am 12v. I'm open to all suggestions.
I have a single Cummins QSB 5.9 to start and a Northern Lights 9kW generator. My goals are to get rid of the 8Ds and increase my house bank capacity.

Cheers!

 

[Bacchus]

I looked at similar options to replace my 3 8D AGMs when needed. I also contacted East Penn and Trojan and both confirmed that when using AGMs that they are capable of both hi amp (start) and deep cycle. They both indicated that either GCs or GP31s will perform equally well for both applications.
I have tentatively decided on using air of GP31 AGMs to replace each of my 8Ds.... a pair for single diesel start and B&S thrusters bank and 4 paralleled for house.
Part of my thinking is that if I have one or more fail or weakening with 6 identical and same age I can swap out bad and replace w existing and only replace one bank w new. i.e. if 2 are bad doesn't make any difference which bank(s) I would move any remaining thruster battys to house to make 4 good ones and replace the pair for thrusters.
If I used GP31 for start / thrusters and GC for house I'd lose any flexibility to move between banks.

 

[Martin J]

I bought my Trojan 10x L16 service batteries direct from Trojan in Clearwater.
And my 8D Engine Deka Batteries from Batteries Plus. (Less than $200.) each

 

[FF]

"My goals are to get rid of the 8Ds and increase my house bank capacity."

IT is the amount of LEAD that decides the batts capacity.

Removing batt weight and gaining capacity is at odds with batt chemistry .

 

[OldDan1943]

based upon my own experience with 8D batteries..... unless you are a young body builder and yoga expert, let someone else manhandle them.

 

[Constellation1]

"My goals are to get rid of the 8Ds and increase my house bank capacity."

IT is the amount of LEAD that decides the batts capacity.

Removing batt weight and gaining capacity is at odds with batt chemistry .

That's a fair statement. What I actually meant was reduce the handling weight of each battery. I hate moving 8Ds. I don't actually care how much total weight I have on my boat.

 

[Deckape]

Call American Battery here in Ft Lauderdale. 954-583-2470 They are the wholesale dealer for East Penn batteries , Deka


. Big warehouse here. East Penn is one of the few battery builders in the USA. They build the battery and then put who ever's sticker on battery. West marines batteries come from them . They have a warehouse full of black boxes waiting for a sticker. Give them a call with what you want to do, They deliver to the west coast .so they maybe able to get them to you. Always cheaper from them.

 

[Scottwb96]

I have somewhat of a similar setup...

twin CAT 3208's TA, bow/stern thruster, windlass, gen.

I have:
8 - Odyssey PC2150 AGM group 31 (12v) for my house bank. Set up for "perfectly balanced charging". Link below that you should take a look at and consider for larger banks like ours.

2 - AGM group 31 (blanking on brand, came w/ boat) wired for 24v for bow thruster. On separate 24v 20a charger in the bow stateroom.

Windlass connected to house bank.

1 - 8D sealed lead acid for start battery. Came w/ boat, but will be switching to 2 group 31's when that battery goes out...

1 - 4D sealed lead acid in stern for gen and stern thruster. Charged by gen also has sep 12v 10a charger/maintainer connected to house AC.

I also have 2 Wakespeed WS500 connecting both engines to the house bank. ACR off starboard going to start battery.

For the house bank you are looking at, you need to look very carefully at how you will maintain the charging. Both from the engine/alt aspect as well as the shorepower charging. Check out this link about "perfectly balanced charging" very good info in there...

https://www.impactbattery.com/blog/post/how-to-charge-marine-and-rv-batteries-in-parallel

 

[timb7734]

Nothing but Wards Marine in Fort Lauderdale, fresh batteries in stock and good advise.

 

[Constellation1]

Thanks everyone!

 

[bykpjfk]

Don't forget Sam's

Sam's sell Penn agm's also, around $200 each for the 31's I believe.

 

[OldDan1943]

I must be too old..... I pay the premium, buy from a company that will install the new batteries and tote off the old ones.

 

[Rkarran]

Not necessarily for battery purchase, but for EXCELLENT ideas, advice, and service on marine electrical SYSTEMS, you must speak with Charlie Johnson, owner of JTB Marine in St. Petersburg. He is THE MAN and is the perfect guy to run your questions by...and close to you. Google JTB marine.

 

[Deckape]

Nothing but Wards Marine in Fort Lauderdale, fresh batteries in stock and good advise.

Probelly from American Battery, " DEKA "