My battery set-up

[larman]

My current battery system set up by the previous owner consists of 2 - 4d starting batteries and 2 4d batteries for the house 12v system. One of my starting 4d batteries is bad and will need to be replaced. I was thinking of taking one of the 4d house batteries switching it with the bad battery and getting deep cycle batteries for the house system. What do you think?

[DDW]

If I had the opportunity to get rid of the 4D batteries (and I will on my boat shortly), I'd do it. They are not space efficient and too heavy to deal with. 4C (golf cart) 6V are worth consideration. Available also as 6C (150% capacity and 13" tall) and L16 (200% capacity and 18" tall). L16 are getting heavy again. I've got two 4D house batteries and one 4D start, I'm planning on replacing the house batteries with four 6C batteries which will take far less space and add 50% capacity, and replacing the 4D start battery with two G24, more CCA and smaller footprint.

[rslifkin]

L16s are heavy, but IMO, their shape and handle placement makes them not quite as bad to lift as a 4D, even though the L16 is only a few pounds lighter.

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

How much money are wanting to spend? How much room do you have? 1 or 2 engines? Generator?

I completely rebuilt my battery system about 5 years ago.

You can go with 6Vdc golf cart batteries for the house and Group 31 batteries for start batteries, all connected with ACRs.

https://www.bluesea.com/systems

[DavidM]

Good plan to replace the 4D house batteries. Here is an article I uploaded to the TF Library on this subject: https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/...do=file&id=113

While you are at it, consider the following:

How are the start and house banks isolated.

How is each bank charged: from shorepower charger and from the propulsion alternator.

A bit of rewiring and a battery combiner or ACR will resolve those issues and won't require relying on switches.

David

[larman]

Not sure if the golf batteries are worth the investment. How often do you use your 12v system? I have a generator with seperate battery and twin cummins diesels with their own starting battery.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by larman

Not sure if the golf batteries are worth the investment. How often do you use your 12v system? I have a generator with seperate battery and twin cummins diesels with their own starting battery.

A lot of us try to run our generators as little as necessary, so having a solid battery setup is important. Personally, I've got a house bank and 2 start batteries (generator shares with one of the engines). When away from shore power, assuming I'm not sitting in the same place for days, the generator usually runs for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. That's enough for coffee, cooking and to re-heat the hot water tank for showers and such. If I'm traveling and have at least some engine runtime in a day, I don't usually need any extra generator runtime for battery charging and I tend not to run the thing overnight for A/C or anything (although I'll sometimes run the A/C in the evening to cool the boat down on a hot day).

[larman]

Yes I am you on running the generator as little as possible. I essentially want to do the same thing as you do. Could you recommend a brand and model of 6v batteries and quantity.

Originally Posted by rslifkin

A lot of us try to run our generators as little as necessary, so having a solid battery setup is important. Personally, I've got a house bank and 2 start batteries (generator shares with one of the engines). When away from shore power, assuming I'm not sitting in the same place for days, the generator usually runs for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. That's enough for coffee, cooking and to re-heat the hot water tank for showers and such. If I'm traveling and have at least some engine runtime in a day, I don't usually need any extra generator runtime for battery charging and I tend not to run the thing overnight for A/C or anything (although I'll sometimes run the A/C in the evening to cool the boat down on a hot day).

[larman]

Thanks David was able to download article.

Originally Posted by DavidM

Good plan to replace the 4D house batteries. Here is an article I uploaded to the TF Library on this subject: https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/...do=file&id=113

While you are at it, consider the following:

How are the start and house banks isolated.

How is each bank charged: from shorepower charger and from the propulsion alternator.

A bit of rewiring and a battery combiner or ACR will resolve those issues and won't require relying on switches.

David

[rslifkin]

Personally, my house bank is a pair of L16 Mastervolt 6V AGMs in series for 400 amp-hours at 12V. There are other good battery choices in that size, both flooded and AGM.

L16s are tall though, so they may not fit in your existing space. It would be good to know what space you have before suggesting alternatives to your 4Ds.

[DavidM]

Originally Posted by larman

Yes I am you on running the generator as little as possible. I essentially want to do the same thing as you do. Could you recommend a brand and model of 6v batteries and quantity.

The Deka GC2 batteries from Batteries Plus or Sams Club or Costco is a good solid choice. Should be about $100 each with one 4D as a core return for two GC2s. Trojans are the top of the line for GC batteries but are about $50 more.

David

[DDW]

With a proper DC system, running the genset can be a rare event. In fact you don't need it at all. The exception being living aboard on a mooring (so not going anywhere) or living in the SE where AC is necessary to support life.

[larman]

Originally Posted by DDW

With a proper DC system, running the genset can be a rare event. In fact you don't need it at all. The exception being living aboard on a mooring (so not going anywhere) or living in the SE where AC is necessary to support life.

Last year we moored for the season so we relied on the genset. This year we have a slip so I will have shore power.

[larman]

Originally Posted by DavidM

The Deka GC2 batteries from Batteries Plus or Sams Club or Costco is a good solid choice. Should be about $100 each with one 4D as a core return for two GC2s. Trojans are the top of the line for GC batteries but are about $50 more.

David

Are these the batteries you are referring to?

https://www.samsclub.com/p/duracell-...lp_product_1_1

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by DDW

With a proper DC system, running the genset can be a rare event. In fact you don't need it at all. The exception being living aboard on a mooring (so not going anywhere) or living in the SE where AC is necessary to support life.

It depends somewhat on your systems layout. For me, to be totally genset independent outside of A/C, I'd need a much bigger battery bank and a very big inverter. My galley is all electric and I haven't plumbed a coolant loop to the water heater from either engine (not a big deal to heat it electrically and it's less plumbing in the way and that can potentially fail). So for my boat, for example, it just doesn't make sense to try to eliminate the generator. Especially considering that if I don't physically remove it, I'm adding a lot of weight with extra batteries.

[syjos]

Costco lead acid golf cart batteries are the only way to go. I bought 6 in June 2019 to replace the 6 I bought from Costco in 2012.

After cruising the summer of 2019, anchoring 75% of the time, I noticed on my battery monitor that the battery efficiency was not where it should be for new batteries. I suspected that one of the 6 batteries was defective and not holding a full charge or some other issue that I did not want to troubleshoot or deal with. I talked to Costco Auto Center about the issue and they advised me to bring them in and get 6 new ones.

Took the 6 batteries in and they exchanged them for 6 new ones without any fuss nor cost to me. I expected to pay some sort of prorate. I don't think any other battery store would offer a liberal return policy as Costco.

Costco batteries are currently manufactured by Interstate Battery.

Plus I get money back at the end of the year from Costco and Costco Visa for purchases. I'm getting $980 back this month from Costco Visa

[DavidM]

Originally Posted by larman

Are these the batteries you are referring to?

https://www.samsclub.com/p/duracell-...lp_product_1_1

Yes, I think Deka and Duracell are made by the same folks.


David

[larman]

Thanks one and all for the replies. I now have some direction as to where to go. I think 6 - 6v batteries will fit for my house bank going to take some measurements.

[Pete Meisinger]

If one battery is dead or dying the others are not far behind. If all your batteries are not the same age you will never get on top of the issue of one always dying. Not a good idea to add one new battery to a bank comprised of older batteries, they all become the same age, old.

Now would be a good time to get an entire new battery group. House and Starting. if you have one or two batteries which you know are fairly young and good use them as stand alone batteries either for your windless, generator or to have as a spare.

pete

[larman]

The one bad battery was due to a faulty alternator which I have since replaced. It gave me issues all of last season.