A battery rant

[MH Hawker]

Over the last 5 years i have had to replace my group 27 duel purpose battery every year, i have tryed a interstate, a ever start( walmart), a auto craft( andvance)and the last is a exide(tractor supply) and while all of them did just barley make it out of their warranty period of 12 month's i am getting damm tired or replacing them.
This time i went with a AC delco one that i had to get direcetly from my local chev dealer, it at least has a 18 mouth warranty and i am wondering if any one else is using the AC Delco.

[PlaynDoc]

two walmart 27's, two years old

[BoatCop]

Interstate Deep Cycle Marine. Came with the boat. 2.5 years and still cranks it up every time.

[Strake]

I had 4 years on our DEKA Marine Deep Cycle 2 batteries on the Sea Ray we traded in for this new Berkshire last Nov. Never had an issue with them. Always there for me without issue. This new boat was also set up with twin DEKA Marine Deep Cycle batteries.

[old jim]

I have had good luck with a battery minder. Have 2 batteries, one came with the boat the other one I purchased
shortly after. I don't know how old the Interstate that came with the toon but it is at least 4 years old. outher battery
is from Les Schwab tire store. old jim

[kryptonite]

Are you properly storing and charging the battery? What are you using it for?

I would have to say it is getting neglected.

All 3 of my batteries (a starting battery-interstate, a combo-duralast, and a group 27 deep cycle-some off brand that interstate makes) are all 5 years old, and no problems. I have an on-board charger for all 3 that keeps them maintained.

[Heatman]

2 Interstates for trolling motor on my new boat bought 6/14. One bad at 10 month in warranty. Other lasted 14 months, no warranty. On board charger to maintain. So now have 1 interstate and one napa.

5 year old Walmart group 29 from old boat still good but won't fit new boat.

[MH Hawker]

it may be just how it is, i keep my boat on a slip for 10 mouth or so ever year and it dose not have power so a on board charger is out of the question and its a limited HP lake and my motor only has a 4 amp charging system so i added a 1500 watt solar panel thats around 1.25 amps of charge. i use the boat at least once a week and i have a battery meter to look at the % of charge and after a few days of sitting its at 100 % and i realize its not the best conditions, but it dose stay fully charged
Thats why i got a delco, i had one in the past on another boat that lasted 8 years, but that one i towed and put on a normal charger when i got back home.

[HarryO]

Over the last 5 years i have had to replace my group 27 duel purpose battery every year, i have tryed a interstate, a ever start( walmart), a auto craft( andvance)and the last is a exide(tractor supply) and while all of them did just barley make it out of their warranty period of 12 month's i am getting damm tired or replacing them.
This time i went with a AC delco one that i had to get direcetly from my local chev dealer, it at least has a 18 mouth warranty and i am wondering if any one else is using the AC Delco.

I'm thinking you have some kind of problem in your boats electrical system that's killing batteries. I'd start with checking the voltage output from your engine. Then look for some kind of voltage leak. Hawker you don't mention if you charge your battery when your away from your toon, nor do you mention any kind of maintenance on your battery. Such short life spans for modern batteries is rare. You should expect 3 years or more battery life with normal usage.

There are 4 major manufacturers of standard wet cell batteries, East Penn (Deka), Exide Tech, GNB (Gould National Battery) and Johnson Controls (Interstate) All of these companies private label for Wal Mart, Sears, Advance and AutoZone among many others. There is very little difference in technology among these manufacturers and they all compete for the major retailers business. I'd venture to guess you have hit at least 3 different makers JCI, East Penn and Exide.

Personally I've had good luck with Interstate (JCI)and EverStart (Wal Mart) (East Penn) My big boat has 2 dual purpose interstates group 27 that are 5 years old and still going strong. My trolling motor battery is an EverStart group 31 deep cycle and that one is 3 years old and still going strong. It has been charged at least twice a week from April thru Nov which is the fresh water fishing season here. All the batteries are kept on a maintenance charger during the winter and I'm careful about water levels and clean terminals again nothing exceptional maintenance wise.

[MH Hawker]

the solar panel is the only charger i can use with out pulling the battery and i do have a disconnect switch when i am away and i have tested for volt and amp draws with nothing on and thats clear, i am guessing its just the low charging and the build up in the cells that dont get a high enough rate to clean them, all have failed by going open cells

it may be just part of the cost of a restricted hp lake

[HarryO]

Man that's tough.....sounds like you have it figured out though. Hope your new Deka works better for you.

[ROLAND]

MH Hawker... Personally I have never had good luck with ac delco batteries in my vehicles... when I bought my toon in 2009 it came with a Continental Marine battery... It was in the boat for 4 years and in the off season I never kept a battery tender on it, and only once in those 4 years did I charge it back up before taking the boat out... It was still going strong, but after 4 years I decided to not push my luck, so last year bought another contintental... no problems so far...

[MH Hawker]

i haven't head of a Continental so thats another i can try, i really suspect that under my conditions ill just start putting in a new battery at the start of the season. its just a pain but my slip rental is really cheep its 750 for 10 mouths and that off sets things altho i would like to be on a bigger lake but this one is a 25 minute drive and the next on is a hour.

Ira been another long year of home repairs but its mostly done, Im mostly bitching, i had a bunch ready to go out riding last Wednesday and the battery was shot and while i have added a bit to the clock i haven't had neer enough lake time i added about 80 hours but its normal to add 150 plus

[Bill1031]

I have an Interstate that came with the boat in 2010. I take it out in winter and put on a trickle charger till spring. Still works fine but will replace this next year just to be safe. Will use same Interstate but new. Bill

[BobG]

I run Wal-Mart deep cycle marine for my house battery and Wal-Mart marine starting battery for the starter. Keep 'em in the garage where it never gets below freezing on a wooden platform all winter. 4 years, no problem.