Next message: George Geist: "Re(2): lv-ab: Permanent Bottom Paint"
Sandra,
Unfortunately your comparison of gel vs. Flooded batteries is incorrect!
The primary advantages of Gels over flooded are mounting options, and charge
acceptance. They certainly don't last as long as a comparably priced
flooded, they can't be brought back to life as reliably. Gel's can however
survive user abuse more often. Flooded batteries are far supperior in most
cases,IF you learn how to take care of them (water them, measure specific
gravity each month, and equalize them occasionally) dollar for dollar, you
get more Ah's per $ with a flooded battery, a little common sense and flood
batteries will last many years. People who replace marine batteries every
season on 2 are usually murdering there batteries. draining them too far,
and using an automotive charger to charge (really bad!)
Pierre.
----- Original Message -----
From: Flying_Cloud <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 10:48 PM
Subject: RE: lv-ab: Battery Charging: How Charge Large House Bank?
> I have a similiar setup; and my responses reflect on how I'm doing it. I
> have a Lehman as well (135hp); Heart 2500 (just upgraded to the new 3000);
> Link2000r (Cruising Equip upgraded it for me free of charge); Balmar 200
> amp; Had 4 gel cells 8Ds (banks 7 and 8 years old so upgraded to AGMs).
> Here are my thoughts.
>
> Why are you going with golf cart batteries? Regular lead acids can only
> absorb 25% the rated amp hour capacity; gel cells 75%; and AGMs 100% of
> capacity (AGMs can take twice as many deep cycles as gels which is way
more
> than reg lead acids). Also AGMs are 155 amp/hr per 8D which is 55 more
> amp/hr than a gel 8D. (I paid $134 per 8D) Going with regular lead acid
> rather defeats the purpose of going with a high output alternator because
> they cannot absorb the amp the high-output the alternator puts out. If
you
> are insistent on going with the golf cart batteries - save yourself a lot
of
> money - and put a smaller capacity alternator on it.
>
> I have a Lehman 135 (almost the same as the 120) and I had (because the
> engine is out of the boat right now) mounted the Balmar 200 amp
alternator -
> only I use only one belt. I checked with my mechanic at the time of
> purchase and he seemed to think this would be okay - just that I will go
> through the belt a bit faster (since I never gone through one - seemed
> reasonable to me). I have only done an overnight passage since then so I
> have no real data to support the mechanics advise. You know how it goes -
> there are more opinions that you know what.
>
> Delco make a 140 amp which is single belt driven as well, as I'm sure
other
> manufacturers do too. I had one of those too. Actually in practicality,
the
> 140 amp alternator was sufficient for my draw on a 54 footer - even with
the
> 3/4 hp ac refrigeration running on top of the stereo and all the cruising
> load etc. (the partial flooding is the reason for its demise).
>
> Question re the alternator on the genset: I presume you were only talking
> about doing this if you could not put the high output alternator on the
> engine. I I see no reason why you have to buy another charger - go with
the
> alternator on your engine even it's a bit smaller than you'd like - for be
> my advise. As for an alternator on the genset - why have one? - when the
> engine is not running why not use the generator to run the Heart 175 amp
> battery charger on the inverter to do the work? This is what I've been
> doing.
>
> Anyway you can add this to your list of opinions.
>
> Sandra
>
>
___________________________________________________________________________
> || The Live-Aboard List : send a "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" request
||
> || in body of message to:
||
>
___________________________________________________________________________
|| The Live-Aboard List : send a "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" request ||
|| in body of message to: ||
