Battery question

Hi Folks,

Looks like our starter battery is fecked. It has been playing up for a few weeks now. Had to jump start the engine whilst out on Sunday. The battery was really really hot and had no life in it. I put it on a trickle charge for a few days and it is only measuring 10.06 volts on the volt meter. I am wondering why it got so hot. Is it just the battery or could the alternator be giving out too much charge?

I was quoted £75 for a squadron starter battery its 120aH. Is this a good deal? Is this a good capacity for a battery?

Cheers,
Trev

Hi Trev,
I have a Varta (120aH ) for the engine and a Minn Kota Leisure battery for the electronics (and for back up if the Varta conks out - which so far it hasn't done). I bought both new at £50 and £54. I've never had a problem with either.

I know nothing about Squadron batteries, you may or may not be getting a deal there.

I'll have a look see if I can find where I bought them. I know my mate sells the Vartas in his Car Spares shop - I could price one for you - and he can pretty much order in any battery if you had one in mind. I'll ask him about Squadron batteries and see whet he reckons.

Another thing - I had my battery on charge for a full day once and it didn't charge - problem wasn't the battery , but a fuse blown in the charger - check your fuse - though this wouldn't explain the battery being hot I suppose. Check it anyway.

Batterys do start to heat when they are knackered and not accepting a charge.....

hi

yeah as mac said, the old leisure battery we used to have on our punts electric engine got really hot when it crapped out.

when we were charging it it used to get roasting hot but not actually charge up at all, so if you have an alternator to it and its resisting then that might expalin the heat

As always great replies lads.

I got the squadron 110ah from Down Marine today. Its a deep cycle starter and leisure battery combined. I think £75 was a good price as I searched the web to get an idea of the price.

The old battery was 95ah with CCA of 640, the new one has CCA of 700 so we should be in good shape.

Now if the wind would just die down we can get it fitted and get out for a run :-)

Cheers,
Trev

Hi Trev,
when you put the new battery back in, check with a volt meter again and bring the revs of the engine up.
check the voltage goes up to 13 ish (my one goes to 27v for 24v) and no spikes.
if a battery gets to hot it can blow up!

too late now but for future reference.

most boats do not need leisure batteries just a decent car type (one for a diesel car is ideal) you can pick them up from a scrap yard for £10-15.

think about how you use your car and how you use your boat is it similar? if it is then you dont need a leisure battery.
if in any doubt take a spare - a small 12v motorcycle battery will start your out board and M/C scrappers are full of them!

by the way if you motor out half a mile and sit at anchor with your marine radio, fishfinder, CD player radar, electric fridge and electric lights on all day then go for the leisure battery!

Cheers Sean and Ray,

Sean : I have bought a volt meter so will measure output next time. Thanks for that. Don't like the bit about the battery blowing up, scary stuff.
Ray : The reason we got a marine battery was because if it runs down too much it may be possible to recover it. The boat only gets out at most once a week and thats in the summer, less in the winter. Nice point about the MC battery!

Thanks for the sound advice lads.

Cheers,
Trev



:D