I can only claim a lack of sleep. My normal nights are 2-3 am and my wife needed me to get up at 4:30AM and drive her to the airport. So I did.
Wing Tip can be jump started by my Honda 1000i and the built-in ferro-resonate charger that came stock. It might muster up 40 amps. Even if my estimate is off by 100% it would still be 80 amps, which is well within the range of the longer lasting better made deep cycle type battery. Starting batteries are more like 400-650 cold cranking amps, which sounds better until you understand how they get it (read Ralphs article). Phil Agur <http://www.catalina27.org/public_pages/profile270.htm> s/v Wing Tip C270 LE #184 MMSI 366901790 From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Savlin Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 10:27 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [IC27A] Battery? Hmm -- cracking amps -- I have to admit, I'd never considered the power required to crack a cast iron diesel block, if that's what you meant. ;-) Sorry, Phil, had to "crack" that joke! Hope it made you chuckle, at least, since it was at your expense. :) Phil is right, though -- we just don't need as many cold cranking amps. Car: 4, 6, or 8 cylinders (usually) and your battery matters most when it's 20º below zero, compared to perhaps 60 degrees in chilly sailing weather and 2 cylinders with small displacement in our little diesels. IMHO if I were to have to replace my starting battery "on the cheap" I'd definitely go with an inexpensive car battery. As it was, back when I bought my AGMs, I was a little more flush and was willing to spend the dough to "do it right" in the interest of the long view. Best wishes, David On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 6:10 PM, Phil Agur <[email protected]> wrote: And cracking amps on our diesels is very small compared to your typical, I have more horsepower than sense power boats. Therefore you have the option of using a deep cycle instead of the starter battery for a drag boat. This construction option lets them survive recharge neglect a better than a starting battery. Phil Agur <http://www.catalina27.org/public_pages/profile270.htm> s/v Wing Tip C270 LE #184 MMSI 366901790 From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Savlin Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 11:02 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [IC27A] Battery? I personally favor "marine" so I don't have to clean the battery posts of oxidation each season. I also chose AGM because they are maintenance free, have slightly more capacity, AND won't spill acid all over the boat if they tip over in a knock-down hard enough to break battery box mounts. I read somewhere you can punch a hole in the side of an AGM battery and they won't leak! Otherwise, well, heck, Ralph is right. Cold cranking amps is the key when starting up a diesel. Them glow plugs suck down a lot of juice! David On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:58 PM, Ralph Ahseln <[email protected]> wrote: Ken, The simple answer is .. Yes. The discussion of batteries is an On Going and sometimes gets rather silly. There are differences in construction and slight differences in chemistry in Cells (batteries), of course, but in general, All you really need is a battery with sufficient Crank Power. That is, enough to turn the engine over in the conditions you experience. It's all a matter of AMPERES.. Enough Amperes !! Words like "Marine", "Power", and "Outdoor Use" are really only Advertizing Buzz words. And don't get caught up in the Blah Blah of "What is better ....Flooded, Gel or AGM.. They are ALL lead Acid cells but are only of a different construction than the tried and true "Car" battery. A lot of information OF and ABOUT Lead Acid batteries can be found on...the following LINK.. http://www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery.html Get a good old inexpensive Car battery.. and be happy, UW Ralph Ahseln "Oblio" Lying: Portland OR From: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 10:28 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [IC27A] Battery? I need to replace the starter battery for my Universal 5411 inboard diesel. Question: is a normal automotive battery adequate? I'm assuming it is less expensive than the "marine" batteries sold at boating supply stores. Does that "marine" designation really signify anything? Because this is for starting a diesel, are there any special requirements there? Thanks very much for your help! Ken
