[hapibeli]

We are installing a 250W panel on our Yamaha 30;

HES-250// 250Wp // 60-Cell Poly-Crystalline Solar Module

Morningstar's Remote Meter (RM-1)

Morningstar's SunSaver MPPT solar controller TrakStar

Our starting battery is 2008 and our cabin battery is 2002. What is the advantage of buying the

http://www.wegosolar.com/products.php?product=Deka-8A27-Absorbed-Glass-Matt-92-AHr-Solar-Battery

for the cabin circuit, over a regular deep cycle battery for half the price?
:laugher

Thanks

 

[mitiempo]

What existing batteries do you have?

 

[Maine Sail]

We are installing a 250W panel on our Yamaha 30;

HES-250// 250Wp // 60-Cell Poly-Crystalline Solar Module

Morningstar's Remote Meter (RM-1)

Morningstar's SunSaver MPPT solar controller TrakStar

Our starting battery is 2008 and our cabin battery is 2002. What is the advantage of buying the

http://www.wegosolar.com/products.php?product=Deka-8A27-Absorbed-Glass-Matt-92-AHr-Solar-Battery

for the cabin circuit, over a regular deep cycle battery for half the price?
:laugher

Thanks

That Deka AGM is "lab rated" at about 300 cycles..... Nor really a good choice for a long lasting deep cycling battery..

 

[hapibeli]

What existing batteries do you have?

Cabin is 24DC-140 (140 RES @ 25 Amp-----85 A.H. @ 20 HR)

Starter is 24M-10 1000 MCA

 

[hapibeli]

What is a "good choice for a long lasting deep cycling battery"?
Thanks

 

[Puddin'_Tain]

Unless the battery will be in a spot that is hard to get to, so you can't check the water on a regular basis, or it has to be installed at some sort of weird angle, I would get a flooded cell bank. I prefer using 6V golf cart batteries wired in series, just because they are easier to manhandle into place than the equivalent 12V batteries. A well-cared for bank of GC batteries will last as long, or longer, as just about any other reasonably priced option.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

I use Vetus 12 volt sealed Lead Acid batteries.

 

[hellosailor]

Compared to wet acid, which is the cheapest battery.

AGM can't spill acid, eat your clothes or anything else. Car upholstery or carpets.
AGM has a much lower self-discharge rate.
AGM can be a 30-50% price premium.
But if you cook an AGM battery, there's no way to "add water" and restore it.

Gel is similar to AGM, offers the most charge cycles, but is most easily ruined by overcharging, and needs different lower charging voltages as well.

 

[mitiempo]

I would stick with flooded batteries. 2 golf carts in series would be my first choice if they fit the space. The best value and double the cycles of any 12 volt battery.

 

[newhaul]

I second the 6volt series setup if you have the room I'm trying to find the height for this battery Dyno Battery - Premium Quality Battery Manufacturing - Made in the USA and at 315 ah with a 180 min reserve at 75 amp draw but would take a heck of a solar charging setup to recharge waiting on he company to tell me how big a loan I will need for a total of 4

 

[mitiempo]

Looks to be almost midway between a T-105 (220 AH) and an L-16 (370 AH)



I've never understood the theory that it will take longer to recharge really. As long as your daily use is the same the recharge time will be similar. The advantage of a larger bank is you will be using a smaller percentage of it and therefore will experience a much greater number of cycles before battery replacement. You will gain economically as the gain in cycles will more than offset the additional cost.

Due to this one of the best things you can do to a battery bank is increase its size.

 

[newhaul]

It is the 4h I was trying to find the 5h like the dead ones I was given as salvage same footprint but almost twice as tall looks like the fisheries l16 unit is the 5h unit I want but personally I would rather go factory direct they are made a few miles away from my marina

 

[mitiempo]

It was the 4H I was referring to. Cannot find a 5H on the Dyno site, but can find the D350, basically an L-16 size battery @ 350 AH.

Is this for your boat or your father's Spencer 42?

Here are the specs on the 4H

 

[newhaul]

The Spencer and the 5h is now called the L16 and I have an 8d on my lil boat was free had to relocate from lazerette to under the companionway steps for trimming fore and aft

 

[JimsCAL]

250 watts of solar panel sounds like overkill for two Group 24 batteries.

 

[newhaul]

250 watts of solar panel sounds like overkill for two Group 24 batteries.

That's the reason for charge controllers and if you have that much of an excess of power generation add a dump load like a 12 volt water heater element to use the excess power generated they make them as small as 100 watt

 

[hellosailor]

"overkill "
Nah, that's just a rapid charger. You know, like waiting for one clear minute so you can take a sextant sighting on a cloudy day?(G)

 

[travlin-easy]

I use 4 T-105s as a house battery setup, keep them charged with a 100-watt Grape solar panel I purchased from Home Depot. It is mounted on the stern rail using Bimini fittings and a couple short lengths of 3/4-inch stainless tubing. I run my fridge on the batteries 25/7 while cruising and there's always enough sunlight to recharge the batteries during a normal day. On rare occasions, I'll have to fire up the A4 and top off the batteries, which with a 100 amp alternator, doesn't take very long.

Cheers,

Gary

 

[christian.hess]

Gary how did you hook up the grape solar panels? they had the same at pricemart down south for cheap price controller included but I beleive they are positive ground panels no?

anything special or different about your install?

thanks

 

[mitiempo]

There are only 2 wires coming from a panel - positive and negative. How could they be positive ground?