Powering Down

[Renae]

The Optima AGM battery on my Suncat struggled with declining voltage a little last summer, but met my needs (LED lights, recharging my phone, occasionally an auto-tiller).  This spring it will not hold a charge.  ROGER tells me it was 7-8 years old, so not bad service all-in-all.

I replaced with a much smaller, lighter battery, a 35 A-h Duracell AGM aimed at the mobility industry.  I had to spend an hour securing it behind the anchor locker, but saved more than $100 over a Duracell 34M AGM replacement, and more than $200 vs. the Optima.  I also shed ~20 pounds. 

For me this seemed worthwhile.  I doubt I?ll miss the extra juice.

[Ken J]

I have one of those 35 ah as well - seems to be all the power I need

[Jim in TC]

I, too, use that battery (2 of them, actually) and it turns out they get very little use. But they have been holding up well, now starting their 4th season.

[curtisv]

The Optima AGM battery on my Suncat struggled with declining voltage a little last summer, but met my needs (LED lights, recharging my phone, occasionally an auto-tiller).  This spring it will not hold a charge.  ROGER tells me it was 7-8 years old, so not bad service all-in-all.

I replaced with a much smaller, lighter battery, a 35 A-h Duracell AGM aimed at the mobility industry.  I had to spend an hour securing it behind the anchor locker, but saved more than $100 over a Duracell 34M AGM replacement, and more than $200 vs. the Optima.  I also shed ~20 pounds. 

For me this seemed worthwhile.  I doubt I?ll miss the extra juice.

My no-name 8D 255Ah AGM lasted about 15 years.  The key is that is had a tiny (6W) solar panel and charge controller so it was always float charged when not in use (including over the winter) and the charge controller kept it from overcharging.  My original Group 27 80Ah (I think) lasted just a few years.  Many times I go on the boat and the voltage was over 15 with the tiny solar panel so it likely got baked.  Now I have to remove a 160lb battery.  I got it on there by myself ... so should work but won't be easy.

If I keep the boat I will go with 100Ah Lithium-ion (LFP) but that will be expensive ($899 last I checked LBP prices).

Curtis