Battery...

[Renken2000Classic]

Charged it up this week, de-winterized the boat today and tried to start it, but it cranked so slow and for such a limited time it didn't. It seemed like it was cranking slow last season too. I am going to replace the battery, probably in a day or two.

My question is this: Do I need to go with the same thing? It's a marine dual purpose with 830 "marine cranking amps" and 205 Reserve. And it is SO heavy. It lasted 4 years if I figure it wasn't doing so great last year, and I've had car batteries go 10yrs+.

Is that an option? Something smaller like a land vehicle battery (and just change the cable ends)? I'm running an Eagle Cuda 250 and that's about it besides the bilge blower (and pump if I ever need it). Not really interested in going at night.

 

[nola mike]

That would be way overkill for my 25 hp merc. But maybe you'd care to share whatcha working on?

 

[jimmbo]

Buy a Marine Battery, Dual purpose Batteries aren't really all that great in either Role. Get a Starting Battery, just don't discharge it heavily.
Of course you can buy whatever Battery you want, but keep in mind, it takes a lot of Effort to Paddle back when the Battery Dies

 

[Scott Danforth]

It lasted 4 years if I figure it wasn't doing so great last year, and I've had car batteries go 10yrs+.

cant compare a car battery to a boat.

a car battery is only slightly discharged, and then becomes fully charged after you drive to work every day. that is a nice slight discharge/recharge cycle that batteries like. plus most people put better quality batteries in their car

A boat sits pretty much neglected for 2-3 weeks and then gets heavy use.

to echo what was stated above, what are you working on?

 

[Renken2000Classic]

...but keep in mind, it takes a lot of Effort to Paddle back when the Battery Dies

Lol. I dread that day, whatever the cause of it is...

It's an '88 19' open bow, 4.3L OMC Cobra. Forgot I don't have a signature with that. Battery is a Duralast from Autozone: 29DP-DL.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have never had luck with duralast batteries. After 8 failures in a month they will give you your money back.

 

[Dubed]

Marine batteries feature thicker internal lead plates than car batteries. This allows them to discharge energy over a longer period of time. Housings are also typically larger than an equivalent car battery, with extra plastic protection since boating environments are not nearly as smooth as on-road driving

 

[Dubed]

I have had very good luck with Interstate batteries over the years. I can only squeeze in 2 group 24s in the small compartment on my Chris Craft. But typically I still get 5+ years from them

 

[jimmbo]

The Marine Interstate Battery that came with my Boat still had 75% Capacity at 14 yrs, tested at the Interstate Store. It seem to garner a lot of attention from the Staff. I traded it in on a new one, that was 8 yrs ago.

 

[Dubed]

The Marine Interstate Battery that came with my Boat still had 75% Capacity at 14 yrs, tested at the Interstate Store. It seem to garner a lot of attention from the Staff. I traded it in on a new one, that was 8 yrs ago.

Yes, they are a good battery. Use them in all my vehicles.
Plus they will charge and check them for free as often as you like. I think its one area you dont want to look for a cheap alternative. Will literally leave your butt dead in the water. And buy marine batteries, there is a difference!

 

[Renken2000Classic]

I went with a 27 (series?) EverStart from Wal Mart. Those have been pretty good to me. And it's a marine, just about 3/4 the size of the other one. Maybe 50lbs instead of 65. 750MCA.

I finally got around to that today, and put it in tonight to try again for first start of the season (late for me, Jun 10th...). Cranked like it ought to, world of difference from the other one. And the boat fired up good pretty quickly. I need to double check my alternator output, but I feel like I looked at that at some point last year.

Darn it though, if the same unbelievable thing didn't happen as last year on first startup - through a misunderstanding, the water got turned OFF while the boat was running. There is a delay of what seems like forever before water starts coming out of the port in the impeller cover, but it's probably like 30sec. I don't remember that always being the case. Anyway, I had it at about 1500rpm after start to try and get the water flowing through everything quicker, but finally turned off the boat since all I was getting there was smoke (again, ran it 30, maybe 45sec before killing it to see what to do next).

One of my kids said water was coming out just as I did that and I saw it on the whale tail. So I fired it up again and checked for the stream and it was there. I asked him if the water was on all the way and he thought I said turn it off. I'm back and forth between the helm and the stern all this time. I got an inkling quickly something was wrong since he went back to the faucet and sure enough, no water coming from anywhere out the rear now.

SOOOO darn frustrating. Nobody understands but me how this thing works. I had him turn it back on right away (he was still standing there), and hopefully no harm done, other than to my health (blood pressure and who knows what the heck else bad chemicals coursing through the stream after that). I ran it for maybe 5min total. I avoided the muffs last year after that fiasco, and looks like I'll be avoiding them again.

 

[dubs283]

(N)EverStart

fify

 

[jimmbo]

If it ran even 20 seconds starved of water, I would be replacing the Impeller, no Ands, Ifs, or Buts...

 

[Scott Danforth]

^+1 (what he said)

 

[nola mike]

If it ran even 20 seconds starved of water, I would be replacing the Impeller, no Ands, Ifs, or Buts...

He had the water running for a while, not quite the same as starting it dry I wouldn't think.

 

[jimmbo]

Water is the Lubricant, so when it stops arriving, it is no different than a Dry Start.

 

[nola mike]

Water is the Lubricant, so when it stops arriving, it is no different than a Dry Start.

Not when it stops arriving, when it evaporates completely and the rubber is again dry on the housing. But who knows how long that is.

 

[jimmbo]

Think what you want, and Rationalize what you think to suit your thought pattern, but Impellers go bad very fast when starved of Water.

 

[nola mike]

Think what you want, and Rationalize what you think to suit your thought pattern, but Impellers go bad very fast when starved of Water.

What exactly are you doing here? Presumably you have proof of what you're saying, as opposed to guessing and giving your opinion.... Right?

 

[jimmbo]