Deep cycle battery

[Kassie]

If you truly want the best deep cycle battery that modern technology has to offer right now, find a back-yard surgeon - get him to remove one of your kidneys - sell this on the black market - use the money to buy a Lithium-Ion deep cycle battery from the united states of americaland - looking at US $ 1300+ for a 100Ah.

Then you may just get your 100:1 odds.

[Kassie]

I thought this was very funny and very appropriate to what I said earlier about finding a LOT of contradictory information.

I received the April edition of The Bass Angler magazine earlier. Page 22 has Werner Lubbe methodically caring for their batteries for the trolling motor - one can clearly see that they are Willard Solar 105Ah batteries.

Go look for Willard Solar 105Ah batteries on the net searching the pages from South Africa and 4x4 Community Forum guys have blogged about their bad experiences with and issued warnings to stay away from the Willard Solar 105Ah batteries.

Makes me laugh - in a nervous way :eusa_eh:

[Ernst]

I have a energizer 105ah that has given up now it is just over a year old but it was used every weekend and the whole day as no outboards were allowed where I fished.Now I have a Deltec still going no issues yet will have to wait and see.

I too use a Benton bx2 charger bought from Shanon and it is a great charger (was 1200+-) I charge as soon as I get home till full then take it off then the night before I go I put it on and leave it till I go fish

I just had a look last year I fished approx 600+ hours on the one bat and it was running constantly for those hours.

I also run my x4 finder on it as it has a volt meter and I NEVER let the battery go below 11.5 v (x4 require to function) and to prevent damage to bat.

I also never travel with the bat connected no real reason just personal thing.

I also use proper cables and fuses for troller and finder and make very sure the connections is secure as I think loose connections will bugger up a battery and will make your wires very hot and dangeroooooooos

My 2c

[Kassie]

Thanks Ernst.
Your submission is worth a lot more than 2c.

I must admit that I have been considering an Energizer (also called Enertec) 105Ah. I found them for around R1600 - R1700.

[Riprap]

Kassie, speak to Rich @ Sportcraft, he is the agent - best price you'll get. most of our club are on these batteries (Enertec)!

[breedesmallie]

Morning Kassie.
The Willard solar batteries are made for solar panels and solar panel regulators witch is made for trickle charge only. The problem is people put these batteries on normal charge and the 4x4 guys normally charge them from the vehicle witch is not trickle charging. It's not the batteries, it's human error. It is simple, buy the right product for the right job.
Just my 2c

[Kassie]

Rip - Thanks for the info - Sportcraft, are they still in Beacon Bay industrial area? Does one phone them or go to their premises?

Breede. You are correct. I also said as much at the bottom of page 1 of this thread.
The human component when it comes to electrical equipment is very often the root cause of all problems.

[Bassaholic]

Thanks for that Bassaholic - exactly the type of reply I was looking for.

The BX2 - is that a 5A charger?
Do you leave the charger continuosly connected to the battery?

The specs say it is a 7A charger. I charge my batteries as soon as I get home from an outing until fully charged. Thereafter I charge them once a week and again the day before my next trip.

[Navrik]

Rule of thumb is 10%A rate of you Ah rating for optimal charging I am told...so a 105Ah battery can optimally be charged with a 10.5A charger. I have been charging my Delco 105Ah with my 20Amp Auto Logic charger and it has lasted me in excess of 4 years before I started noticing a drop in power towards the afternoon. Not sure how long the previous owner had it. I know it was charged with the same charger by him as well as he included the charger when I bought the boat.

From what I understand is you can use a lower Amp charger than the 10% but the lower the Amps the longer it will take to charger which might pose a problem if you need to say charger 2 batteries at 12V each on a 24V system overnight in a 2 day competition.

[Kassie]

Nav - I emailed Mobatt in Pretoria asking them for stock availability and pricing of the Auto Logic charger. No reply yet.

For our applications, generally we have higher amperage batteries (100Ah +) so those low output chargers are not helping the cause.

[Navrik]

Sorry for reviving an old tread but my research into new deep cycles put me back on this tread.

I noticed that Hawkins and the AutoLogic batteries appears to be the same thing - they look identical and appears to have similar model numbers,

The Auto Logic 20A is a rock solid changer but without the bells and whistles of a C-TEK.

From all the experts I have spoke to I have concluded that the lower amp chargers (lower than 10% of Ah rating) is more for maintenance and trickle charging rather thab that nice fast overnight charge at a bass comp.

[Riprap]

I have used on of these for the last 10 yrs with no problem:

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Going to replace it tomorrow so will advise cost.

[Kassie]

I use one of these.....



And

One of these

[Navrik]

Just got some info on the Energizer range of deep cycle batteries and why the appears to be working so well:

"Well It is Manufactured In Germany/France using only virgin lead not recycled, as well as they have a patented power frame grid which prevents disintegration of plates material over the long run, and finally it is silver calcium and not calcium calcium which prolong battery life further."

[Riprap]

Nav, most of us this side use this battery because we have an agent here and they support our Classic. Never heard of any complaints!

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