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View Full Version : Was not meant to be.



Peter Beck
04-30-2000, 08:12 PM
Well I took the new Donzi 22 to the lake this weekend and had to contact the sheriffs to have the hull ID checked with the title so I can have it registered. Well after contacting them on Friday, 29 hours later and four calls he finally came.On Sunday afternoon I hooked the boat up and had her filled with gas brought her back home made a once over check and turned the key before going to the ramp. Well it was not meant to be. The battery is shot. Just as it thought I was going to have my maiden voyage one more obstacle in the way. Instead of pushing my luck I put her away for next week. O well hope you guys did better then I!!!

kingair
04-30-2000, 09:39 PM
I have been there...not with the DONZ...but with lesser beasts.
Philip

jimmyc
05-01-2000, 08:36 AM
peter,
i feel your pain my friend. in feb., i took my whaler into the marina here in iowa for the "once over" before i pulled it to florida....anyway, i get to the ramp on the intercoastal and guess what.....dead battery! i had to make a quick run to west marine to "pay the piper" for a new EXPENSIVE battery. i guess they didn't bother to check the battery. to top it off, then ended up putting the wrong plugs in the engine as well. i thought i was doing this new marina a favor by giving them some business in the off season....guess that i should have done the work myself. live and learn......
j

Peter Beck
05-01-2000, 01:03 PM
Well I went to purchase a new battery for the boat and the size and amp options have me confused.Can anyone tell me what I need for a 502 motor? The battery I took out is 85 amps and 10" X 6 1/2" in size.

Forrest
05-01-2000, 04:08 PM
Don't mess around, get an Optima Blue Top marine cranking or deep-cycle battery. It's worth the extra bucks! Boat/US has them. About $125 for the cranking battery and about $160 for the deep-cycle battery. Either will crank any gasoline engine and last much longer than a standard battey.

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Forrest

RickSE
05-01-2000, 04:19 PM
Ditto to what Forrest says, go Optima. The one in my drag car is over six years old, seldom gets used but never lets me down.

digitalMan
05-01-2000, 04:20 PM
Sounds like you had an 85 amp deep cell in there.

I'm not an expert on this subject, but I think you need a starting battery, not a deep cell. Something that will provide 600 cold cranking amps or more. I'm not sure what a big motor like that will need.

As far as the size is concerned, most starting batteries are pretty much the same size. Deepcells come in all different sizes, but the 2 most common are normal and just like normal but longer. (I don't have exact measurements)

If I'm not mistaken, deep cells are typically used to run electronics and trolling motors, not to start the motor. This might be why yours failed.

RickR,GroveCity
05-01-2000, 04:28 PM
I have never used the Optmia that Forrest was posting.
Kmart sells Exide Marine batteries, I use the Group 27 for my 420HP/454, 875 Cold Cranking Amps.

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RickR mailto:riggerb@aol.comriggerb@aol.com</A>

Forrest
05-01-2000, 04:34 PM
It's OK to use the later generation deep-cycle batteries for cranking.

Walter
05-01-2000, 04:50 PM
Battery problems?

If you can't beat them join them. I always seemed to have a battery down either at the ramp or worse once on the water.

My solution was to realize that a Auto-Zone (chain auto part house) offers a 5 year free replacement battery (Dura-Last) at 650 amps. I found a low profile series (160??)and stacked two of them in my battery compartment on my 1968 18ft Corsican. With a dual battery switch I am hopeful that I won't get stuck again at least on the water. And if I ever get stuck on the ramp a quick trip to Auto Zone to trade two bad ones for two brand new ones will be a easy solution. Cost around $140.

Peter Beck
05-01-2000, 05:54 PM
Thanks everyone for the replys. So should I be looking at a Deep-Cycle or starting battery? Auto zone told me that they can not check marine deep cycle batteries I guess I don't know what would be the difference. The optima sounds like the way to go but I live in a rural area and have to see if I can find one for this next weekend. It is killing me to see that boat sit on the trailer.Should I use one of my three life lines?

Donzi Dave
05-01-2000, 07:47 PM
I agree with DigitalMan - I always use a starting battery because of the cranking amps. The case for a deep-cycle is if you sit for extended periods of time with the engine off and running lights, radios, stereo, cell phone charger, and of course that trolling motor (mental image of one bolted to the transom of an 18). But I have never been able to sit still long enough to kill a battery.
In either case follow Forrest's advice and only buy a high quality marine battery. The plates in automotive batteries can't take the vibration. When you are sitting 3 miles offshore with a crappy dead battery, you will have plenty of time to think about that $50 bucks you saved. Dave

Peter Beck
05-01-2000, 07:52 PM
Who told you guys about my trolling motor. How about three in a row and ditch the 502!!!
Thanks for the help!
Peter

Tony
05-01-2000, 09:37 PM
I just bought a Champion UF-10 4x4 starting battery from Sam's Club, advertised for use in trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles. It is said to have "shockproof" characteristics able to withstand vibrations. It produces 850 CCA and 1000 cranking amps at 32 degrees F. $48 less a $10 rebate and a $5 core charge made it a $33 purchase. It should crank my 302/300, since the last battery was a 650 CCA Delco that lasted 3 years.

[This message has been edited by Tony (edited 05-01-2000).]

AVickers
05-02-2000, 01:53 AM
Deep cycle batteries are for trolling motors. They don't mind being fully discharged and then recharged. Car batteries hate that...

Marine batteries are heavy duty to take the pounding of hammering waves. Car batteries hate that...

Recently, deep cycle and marine batteries seem to have been combined into one battery. NAPA has two different size/cranking-amp batteries that are designed for deep discharged (lights or trolling motors) and heavy pounding (hammering the waves). Both were on sale for $59. I bought the big one and it fit perfectly in the well of my 22 Classic.

Optima (aka Gates) makes a battery that has felt saturated with acid instead of liquid-filled cells. Essentially, they are vibration and wave resistant... They are also expensive (no problem for us boat owners, right?). However, they are not deep cycle batteries -- they don't like fully discharged and then recharged. Nor do they like being left idle for long periods of time. I've had a couple of them and really like 'em for their cranking power and for the fact that they can be mounted sideways or upside down. I have one on a car that doesn't get driven much and I've had to replace a few 'cause they won't hold a charge very well after sitting for a month or so...

If you use your boat all year and/or keep the battery charged, I'd think about the Optima... If not, I'd give some serious thought to a NAPA or some other heavy-duty maring battery.

Forrest
05-02-2000, 09:43 AM
Here is a link to Optima Battery Specs (http://www.bulldogdirect.com/optima_specs.html). The blue top batteries are for marine use. The D900M is the deep cycle version and the 1000M is the cranking version. Here is a link to Optima Batteries web site (http://www.optimabatteries.se/index.html).

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Forrest

[This message has been edited by Forrest (edited 05-02-2000).]

RickSE
05-02-2000, 10:12 AM
My Optima is over six years old and has sat for six months or more without a charge and has never failed to start my engine, which has 11.6:1 comp. and 15 feet of cable. It's the older style red version that I think has 850 CCA. Optima claims their batteries can sit for 2 years without a charge. I especially like the fact that this battery will not leak acid. Jegs has the regular and deep cycle versions but very pricey $144 & $182, plus delivery must be expensive. If you need something right away then go with a good quality marine battery for now and consider the Optima for future needs.

Bandit
05-03-2000, 01:04 PM
At the end of last year's boating season I had one battery on my Donzi w/twin 460's going low and I waited until this year to replace it.

From what I've read concerning dual battery usage is that if your going to replace one you should do the other because the older battery will eventually pull from the newer one (control switch in "All" position).

Last week I went to AutoZone and purchased 2 Duralast Marine Starting Plus Deep Cycle batteries which have 1000 crank amps, 110 amp hrs and 180 reserve minutes for $56.99 each.

I bought the same batteries early last spring for my houseboat which has dual 318's and I've not had any problems with them yet.


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Bandit...