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From: (no name) (no email)
Date: Fri Aug 27 1999 - 08:32:51 EDT
In a message dated 8/20/99 3:32:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:
<<
The 8D package was designed as a cranking motor (starting) battery for
large diesel engines used in buses and over the road trucks.
It was not designed to be a deep cycle battery and to the best of my
knowledge, there has never been a deep cycle plate design developed for
an 8D housing.
>>
I have read that the 8D designation is only the physical size of the battery.
As a starting battery, the 8D is available in various CCA (cold cranking
amps) sizes, related to the power available from the battery, weight, and
price. I was also told that the 8D gets its name because it was developed
for the Catepillar 8 cyclinder diesel bulldozer. There is a 4D also.
I have seen 8D size batteries that are marked Deep Cycle for sale but do not
know if they are truly built for deep cycle service or not.
Aboard Bandersnatch I have two pair of golf cart batteries rated at 220 AH
each pair. We use between 150 and 200 amp hours of power a day, but this
varies depending mostly on how much Jan uses her desktop computer.
We bought the golf cart batteries from Sam's Club for $42 each, or $168 for
440 amp hours.
Charging is done sometimes by the 8KW genset powering the Trace SW2512
inverter which starts charging at about 100 A, tapering as the batteries come
up. At first the Trace would not fully charge the batteries until I
increased the charging parameters to max. I discovered this by using the
hydrometer, my bottom line when it comes to checking state-of-charge. We
cycle our batteries almost daily to about 150 AH and back again and we have
had these for about a year. If we are underway I parallel the house
batteries with the 8D engine starting battery and charge them with the main
engine alternator (a standard automotive Chrystler externally regulated unit)
using a Heart 3-stage regulator and limiting the max charge rate to about 40
amps with a reostat in the field line.
Time will tell how long these golf cart batteries will give satisfactory
service. The main factors which led me to buying flooded cell golf cart
batteries are:
Among the Home Power people (people on land who run their households from
batteries) the most popular battery is the Trojan L-16, a 6 volt industrial
flooded lead-acid battery.
Golf carts by the millions use flooded golf cart batteries. I presume those
that use deep cycle batteries in large quantaties, day in and day out will
use the most cost effective equipment.
I can use a hydrometer to see the actual state-of-charge.
Since the price is relatavely low, if I should carelessly ruin them they are
less costly to replace.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Anchored Ocean City NJ
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