What Battery setup are you using?

[Mike Howell]

I have upgraded to LED Nav lights. It's time to upgrade my Battery power. 6 years ago, when I bought the boat, it had a Group U1 battery, that eventually died. I replaced it with 2 CHEAP starting batteries last year and they didn't last through the day.

I'm looking at a Group U1 35AH battery for the Nav lights only.

I have a Lowerance GPS/Depthsounder that draws between .7 - 1 amp. A second Group U1 battery will fit beside the porta potty that could power the GPS/DS but I don't think it would supply enough power to operate the GPS/DS for a 5 day trip. I'm thinking a Group 24 70 AH to provide power for the GPS/DS and phones, etc. I'll have to remove the wood strip sillng next to the portapotty for the G24 battery to fit.

The cabin lights will be supplied by a rechargable lanterns, so there in no power drain on the boat's batteries.

I haven't bought the new deep cycle batteries yet and would like to see set ups others are using. What battery set up are you using?

Thanks,

Mike
Suncat 'Majic'
Kelso TN

[Christopher]

I use a deep cycle marine M24 7DC battery.  I have been pleased with my setup.  I bought a solar panel and a controller before I made a trip up to the North Channel in Canada for two weeks with fellow Suncat and CP-19 sailors (met at previous CLRs).  The solar panel and controller worked out very well for me.  I installed the controller on the bulkhead inside the battery compartment.  The solar panel just sits up on the cabin top and is secured by resting against the hand rail.  I run the solar power cable down through the top hatch and then hook it to the controller by quick release clamps.  I can easily move the panel to one side of the cabin roof to the other to get maximum sun exposure.  The solar controller includes a couple USB ports which is great for keeping the phone charged. I forget what I paid for the controller and panel but it was very cheap on ebay or amazon.  I'm thinking like around $50 or so.  When I'm not using the solar panel I stow it easily in the stow bin under the starboard bunk.

[Jim in TC]

I installed a pair of Duracell Ultra SLA deep cycle batteries, 35 AH a few years ago. But I have little experience with their abilities, since it turns out that we use very little battery power. But I have some confidence in them, as what little we have used left them well charged, they seem to hold up well between occasional full charges and three years in they seem to be in good shape. I keep them inside the house in cold winter months and have a maintainer on them through the winter, and make sure they are fully charged at 2 or 3 week intervals in summer. It looks to me like Group U1 is more of a starting battery than a true deep cycle, though. Even marine batteries are not always equal to the task of providing reliable long term power (some are truly deep cycle, others not so much). A bit of research into what deep cycle really means can go a long way, though I  have lost the reference to a really detailed commentary.

[Mike Howell]

Jim and Christopher, Thanks for the answers. I'm still trying to decide on the U1 35AH or the G24 70AH, both are deep cycle,  for the GPS/DS. A U1 35AH should be plenty to handle my NAV light requirements.
I'll also check out the solar panel.