I use much the same procedure that Robert described with my wet cell Great Northern batteries (2 six V golf cart and 1 group 24, all deep cycle, group 24 used mostly for starting and backup)...in fact Robert may have started using this procedure after discussing with me...my batteries have remained onboard ever since I got them about 9 years ago...one other inportant issue though is to check electrolyte level in fall before that winterizing charge...if it's low and especially if you can see that any plates are not covered with electrolyte then replenish with distilled water before applying the charge...and another guideline that I find useful as an indicator is that if in spring after having done absolutely nothing to the batteries all winter long, a battery has not held most of its charge then it is likely time to get a new battery...the voltages that Robert reported measuring in his batteries just lately are characteristic of good lead acid batteries and about what I would expect to see in my batteries come spring, maybe a bit lower to around 12.4 but not much if the battery is good. Such batteries have started my little M4-30 diesel each spring without further charging but I will apply a 24 hour slow charge to each before launch. I do not have shore power so the only charging my batteries see during the sailing season comes from my alternator...after 9 years on these batteries no problems yet...I still have incandescent lights throughout and I run an Adler barbour refrigerator while cruising but not continuously...I also add ice to my ice box when it is available and we start all cruises with frozen fresh drinking water in the ice box and frozen meets as well. Works good for us in August here in Nova Scotia.
Dwight Veinot C&C 35 MKII, *Alianna* Head of St. Margaret's Bay, NS d.ve...@bellaliant.net On Wed, Feb 25, 2015 at 12:56 PM, robert via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com > wrote: > Edd: > > We have two Great Northern Group 27 wet cell batteries that are left on > board all winter.....these two batteries get a full charge late in the Fall > and sometimes a short charge (one hour) at 6 amps during the winter and > that's it. They have seen 6 sailing seasons, have spent every winter on > board, and last week I went to check the boat, mostly for the build up > snow and ice on the shrinkwrap, my volt meter said one battery was 12.59V > the second was 12.57V. My point is, if fully charged in the Fall, there is > very little, if any, winter maintenance involved. > > A side story.....got on a step ladder to board my boat last > week.....didn't realize there was 2 inches of solid ice lying on the white > shrinkwrap directly above me.....when this approx. 3' x 3' piece of solid > ice started to slide towards me, I got my head and shoulders in the > gate/companionway just in time before it decapitated me and/or removed all > my front teeth. Lesson learned... won't do that again, he says! > > Rob Abbott > AZURA > C&C32 - 84 > Halifax, N.S. > > > > > On 2015-02-25 12:30 PM, Edd Schillay via CnC-List wrote: > > I do want to go with 4-6 golf carts. How often do you need to add water to > them? > > A problem I have is the ability to get to the boat to maintain them > during the winter months. > > > All the best, > > Edd > > > Edd M. Schillay > Starship Enterprise > C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B > City Island, NY > Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log <http://enterpriseb.blogspot.com/> > > On Feb 25, 2015, at 11:27 AM, Joe Della Barba <j...@dellabarba.com> wrote: > > Quick answer: gel is best and wet cells - golf carts - are by FAR the > best for $$$ per amp hour. I do not care for AGM > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Feb 25, 2015, at 11:17, Edd Schillay via CnC-List < > cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > Listers, > > As you know, I’m redoing the electrical systems on the Enterprise > (thanks to all for diagrams and advice). > > So now comes the question of what type of battery to use in my house > bank — Flooded, Sealed or AGM? What do you have on your C&C and why do you > prefer it? > > And, if you have flooded, how often do you top them off with distilled > water? > > The countdown has begun! > http://enterpriseb.blogspot.com/2015/02/launch-of-enterprise-countdown.html > > > > All the best, > > Edd > > > Edd M. Schillay > Starship Enterprise > C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B > City Island, NY > Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log <http://enterpriseb.blogspot.com/> > > _______________________________________________ > > Email address: > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the > bottom of page at: > http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Email address:CnC-List@cnc-list.com > To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the bottom > of page at:http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Email address: > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go to the > bottom of page at: > http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com > > >
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