marine batteries in Hampshire

[andrew.adamson]

where is the best place to get these? Likely to need one for my 200 optimax so needs to 1000 MCA. Also, is it easy to make a dual battery set up?

[Swifty]

Originally Posted by andrew.adamson

needs to 1000 MCA.

Correct me if I am wrong, do you mean CCA Cold Cranking Amps?

As regards dual battery setup, easy peasy. Get yourself a battery change over switch. Available from all good stockists.

[andrew.adamson]

book says 1000 MCA or 750 CCA.
Thanks

[ashbypower]

Not just a matter of change over switch, you should really use a split charge diode pack aswell.

Regards

Brian

[Swifty]

Brian,
Cant say I agree with using a diode pack, They are generally used on bigger boats with different alternators to that found in an outboard. Also they are quite big and not waterproof, so fitting can be awkward.

I prefere the line that using two batteries that are entirely seperate from each other, except for the change over switch, allows one to quickly change to the other battery in the evnt of a failure. Never use the both setting, as a fault somewhere could leave both batteries flat!

I employ the regime of Saturdays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I use battery 1 and the other days I use battery 2. This ensures each battery gets charged up.

Indeed I had a charging problem in mid channel this year. Switched over to the other battery and it got me home. If I had been running in both mode, I would have had 2 flat batteries and a long tow home.

Tim'mers.

[Matt]

Oops. Swifty pretty much said what I meant.

[jwalker]

Some info here but be prepaired for a long read.

[ashbypower]

Tim'mers.
I beg to differ I’m afraid. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with your setup it just requires a modicum of discipline. I’d much prefer to have both batteries charging and thus fully charged when needed (but blocked from each other) to prevent cross feeding. I would agree that a switch able output is required. All the yachts and Mobos we sail all have this arrangement and have saved a few embarrassing moments e.g. when one battery dropped a couple of cells!! if we had switched to it in anger it would have been as much use as a chocolate fireguard.!! But the prime battery’s charge was being maintained.

Regards

Brian

[Nick Thompson]

Originally Posted by Swifty

ndeed I had a charging problem in mid channel this year. Switched over to the other battery and it got me home. If I had been running in both mode, I would have had 2 flat batteries and a long tow home.

If it was a charging problem, it wouldn't have made any difference. Two batteries in parallel have the same output capacity in Ah as the same two batteries used one after the other.

If the battery you were using has a shorted cell, then yes, that would have taken the other battery down (unless you had a split charging system)

[Matt]

Except a split charging diode has a voltage drop across it so neither battery ends up being fully charged. So then you need to use a remote sensed alternator, which adds more potential failure points. Or, twin alternators. Let's get real, Mr Priddy needs the level of redundancy being considered here.
KISS!