battery size....

[psychopic]

The manual for my Tohatsu 90 TLDI staes that i should use a 100 amp hour battery, but looking at the pysical size of one of these it's huge!! Do you think that i would get away with a 60 or 75 amp hour car battery, that way it would be a much better fit under the console....

[JABS]

If the engine manufacturer suggests a 100amp hour battery, that is what you need. They may even suggest something more for cold weather use. They probably suggest that based on the expected cold cranking current requirements.

I have a 90 Mercury and two 110 amp hour batteries.

Don't forget you could sit having a picnic, fishing or whatever with electronics running and you still want an easy start even with a partially discharged battery.

With a battery of lower capacity you could need to use heavier cables to maintain the voltage to the engine.

[codprawn]

A new 75A battery is going to perform better than a tired 100A - unless you make a habit of boating in sub zero conditions you should be ok. Let's face it you can start engines on a booster pack and they often have tiny batteries in them.

[Andy Moore]

Originally Posted by psychopic

The manual for my Tohatsu 90 TLDI staes that i should use a 100 amp hour battery, but looking at the pysical size of one of these it's huge!! Do you think that i would get away with a 60 or 75 amp hour car battery, that way it would be a much better fit under the console....

Have a look at a Squadron battery. We have just got one, 100amp/hr. It fits inside a jockey seat. Its more compact than a car battery:-

http://www.aquamarineuk.com/product_...oducts_id=1352

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

Have a look at a Squadron battery. We have just got one, 100amp/hr. It fits inside a jockey seat. Its more compact than a car battery:-

http://www.aquamarineuk.com/product_...oducts_id=1352

They are made/imported by Engery Batteries in Corby Northants, they do mail order too ?

[Hugh Jardon]

i have two 120/130 squadron batteries, were 70 quid each and i have very heavy battery cables as well, i never think it is worth scrimping on a battery as its the only way you can start some of these outboards and some need to turn a full revolution before they fire

[codprawn]

Those batteries look very good value.

[psychopic]

those look nice....as they are spill proof etc do have to put them in a battery box if they are in a watertight locker?

[Hugh Jardon]

Originally Posted by psychopic

those look nice....as they are spill proof etc do have to put them in a battery box if they are in a watertight locker?

i put mine in battery boxs just to protect them from other stuff and ensure nothing can touch the terminals, if you have space it is a nice idea

[Andy Moore]

Originally Posted by psychopic

those look nice....as they are spill proof etc do have to put them in a battery box if they are in a watertight locker?

Going by their website, the SFL range are sealed, maintenance free and leak-proof.

http://www.energy-batteries.com/

~Ours is not in a watertight locker, but I cannot vouch for it as it was a replacement battery as the original only lasted one season. However, I was assured that the original battery was from a duff batch.