Re: [Amel Yacht Owners] Battery Compartment Explosion
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svperegrinus@yahoo.com
Hello Mark,
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What brand batteries and type do you have? 25% failure rate! Ouch. Very sorry to hear, but glad your diligence in monitoring got you positive results. Cheerio, Peregrinus SM2K #350 (2002) At anchor, Pampelonne beach (St Tropez) ---In amelyachtowners@..., <mcerdos@...> wrote : I second Bill’s recommendation for this item and regular testing of the batteries. Because of his suggestion, I purchased a tester prior to departing on our cruise adventure. In the Bahamas a couple of months ago, I identified two bad batteries in our group of eight and was able to disconnect them. I re-arranged the 4 pairs of two to 3 pairs of two and reprogrammed the battery monitor for the 25% reduction of amp-hours. We continued our season the remaining 6 batteries. Now that we are back in an area of plenty, we can replace the bad batteries. Had I not checked or had the means to check, the bad batteries would certainly have damaged the remaining batteries in the group and caused us an unplanned expense, or worse.
With best regards,
Mark
Super Maramu 2000 Hull #275 www.creampuff.us Currently cruising: Tampa Bay for hurricane season
From: amelyachtowners@... [mailto:amelyachtowners@...]
Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2016 8:53 AM To: amelyachtowners@... Subject: Re: [Amel Yacht Owners] Battery Compartment Explosion
James, Buy a digital battery tester like the one any battery supplier has and most automotive shops have that test and printout the status, testing volts, charge state, current CCA, and test for internal shorts. Or if you don't need a printout, buy the Solar brand Chinese knock-off. That is what I have and I test all batteries about every 3 months. https://www.amazon.com/BA9-40-1200-Digital-Battery-System/dp/B00IZFNJ6Y Bill Rouse On Jun 26, 2016 8:43 AM, "Lokiyawl2 lokiyawl2@... [amelyachtowners]" <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:
Bill, How does one test for internal shorts by doing a load test? Good information. James
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From: "'Bill Judy Rouse' yahoogroups@... [amelyachtowners]" <amelyachtowners@...> Batteries, anchors, and other boat stuff that we all have firm options on...but for this posting I will stick to batteries. In my experience one person's experience with a single product, is only misleading and proves nothing, especially batteries where there are at least 10 variables in addition to make and model. For instance, I met a British guy in Turkey at a marina who was changing out his batteries. He had 14 years on them. He bought these batteries when he bought his boat, which was a Beneteau coming out of charter in Greece. He sailed to Marmaris Turkey where he lived aboard for 14 years. At least once a year, he would unplug and motor somewhere for the day. I think that regardless what brand battery you buy, the most you can hope for is 4 years, if you actually are cruising. BTW, the absolute worst brand that I bought was Varta freedom style calcium batteries. I bought 13 in Greece. They started failing 3 months later with internal shorts. They failed one at a time. Had I not supervised them, I had about 8 opportunities for a major problem like Phantom's battery problem. Those 13 batteries were each discarded in 12 months. Johnson Controls UK, the company that manufactures Varta chose to do nothing, telling me to take up the issue with the Greek who also chose to do nothing. At the time that I bought Varta I was told that Varta bought the Delphi Battery plant in France where the original Amel batteries were made. My single experience shouldn't eliminate Varta from your choices, but it does for me. In my experience the best performing batteries have been the original Amel-installed Delphi Freedom batteries and the same battery made by the Delphi licensee in Istanbul, Turkey. Sadly, I do not believe those are available in Turkey anymore, and Delphi France is just a brand made by someone else since the GM liquidation of Delphi. Be sure to load test and test for shorts any new batteries when they are delivered. The battery supplier should do this while you watch and should give you a printout for each battery. Or buy the digital battery tester and do it yourself, as I do. Out of 12 delivered, I had 2 batteries fail the internal short test. Bill Rouse |
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