There Has to Be a better Battery

[Deep C]

Was launchin time in Deep C land today... I know full well that no matter how well I prep the boat before putting her away for the summer some things are gonna creep up and bite me at re-launch time.
When I hit the keys and saw no juice registering on the starboard battery that was no surprise. Even though I keep the plug out how she sits on the rack still gets enough water mid ships from heavy Florida summer rain. to trip the bilge pump. Ok no biggie.
Try the port side. She has juice and lights right up. She runs a minute then pukes... Was gonna jump from that one to the other and run for a while to get them both hot. Go to restart and nothing... Been there and done that. The contacts on the terminal get weak and no doubt whn she did she killed the electic fuel lift pump thus killing the engine...
Reconnect but she's to weak to refire the engine. The other battery too dead to Jump so I add the jumper box to this one. Run the battery and jumper box down as the engine is now full of air and needs some bleedin. There would be enough in that battery and jumper to lght the port though as she hasn't air bound. Simple just switch them.
Not! Remove the cables from the really dead battery and move her out of the way. Go to remove the cables from the kinda tired one. Positive comes right off. The negative that I had just tightened though gives me a fit. Its a stainless bolt through lead to the cell below. The bolt breaks free from the lead but because the head is inside the battery just spins. Been there and done that too. A crowbar and sledge usually allow me to pop the whole terminal out but this ***** wont give up the ghost!
Too hot to continue... Tomorrow I'll get my little cutter in there and cut the post right off. Shit! This should have been a simple swap and now a royal pain in the ass...
Third time this has happened. These batteries are built like shit... I would switch brands but unfortunately these are the only "24" size batteries that I have found on the market that deliver 1000 cold cranking amps which is still light for diesels. I would love to put in bigger but no place to put them. Trust me I've looked.
These pieces of crap last only about six months... West Marine. The company has been good about replacing them but I need reliable and don't want to have to carry a grinder every time I want to work on them. I need another brand that can handle the job. I need at least a thousand cold cranking amps in a small 24 series package. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

[Proheat]

Deep- check out this link.

If you look at the specs, it replaces the group 24 series and a few others too.
Look at the actual size of the battery- I think it is the same as the 24 series.

http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/assets/base/1143.pdf

[B.C.]

Paul, I dont know if they make what you need but we have had good luck with Interstate.

[mrfishy]

Deep,

I happen to work for that lovely company. some of those bateries sit there for a couple of years. I pulled one off the shelf the other day that was may of '05. but if it's only a few months old they should have no problem returning it and if they do come visit me and I'll exchange it

[flatbottom]

deep did ya ever want to just cry with no one around to witness the big deep c break a down move.....

how about a solar charger...less than 35 or one masher per side

just enough to keep them honest at 995 cranks

[Deep C]

Deep,

I happen to work for that lovely company. some of those bateries sit there for a couple of years. I pulled one off the shelf the other day that was may of '05. but if it's only a few months old they should have no problem returning it and if they do come visit me and I'll exchange it

They have ben great about replacing them and my cooler seat cushion that the straps fail every two or three months. Finally I just velcroed them down and that works. Its not the dealer its the product... I don't know what the manufacturer was thinking in making that particular stud ... Its a satndard 1 1/2" stainless bolt with the cap side set under the lead. The lead gets hot and works free (way poor alloy) from the bolt. Go to take the wing nut off and you cant beacuse the bolt just turns too. As it doesn't extend past the wing nut you cant grab the stem to keep from turning. Only choice is to either cut the cables or cut the bolt... At what I have wrapped up in those fancy 1/2 power lines I'm gonna grind the bolt.

[Deep C]

deep did ya ever want to just cry with no one around to witness the big deep c break a down move.....

how about a solar charger...less than 35 or one masher per side

just enough to keep them honest at 995 cranks

No Flat, I don't get in thecry mood over this stuff. In fact I get a kick out of cars stopping on the bridge and checking under their hoods as the noises I make growling at the beastly batteries eminates from my cockpit below.
To mount solar panels I'd have to move the combo hot tub/ jacuzzi, life raft from the bow.
I get pissed at a simple five minute job dragging into two days but I do love when I beat it... The Ryobi grindomatic and a roll of duct tape are good things to have...

I do get in the cryin mood when I either start pouring more hemoglobin into the bilge than the pumps can handle or when I pop the ring guide out of one of my favorite rods...

[flatbottom]

I would not suggest putting you through the misery of moving the misses jacuzzi. Lay it on your upper deck, then duck tape the hell out of it. We know you are in the windy state ! I can see it now. You buy it. The wind blows it to the next boat and his batteries are charged
Rip it off when ya get ready to launch her again
you favorite store carries them W/M

good luck with your battery shopping. Get there early !. The blue hairs rise with the sun

[Deep C]

The blue hairs arent the isue at this WM its the buffalo butt AFDC dependent ones... They don't stir til noon...

I actually went to one on my way down to renew my hunting license. That one was near Daytona. Damn fine and friendly staff at that one. Then went and bought some Ugly Stiks on sale at the one in town here and I was the only customer in sight and it still took ten minutes for the girl to ring up two rods...

The charge holds good on those batteries but the terminals shake loose inside a few months always on the negative poste. The wires don't shake loose from the post... The whole post shakes loose... The lead gets hotter and softer and the looser they get til they no longer make good contact...

[Reeltitanium]

Any reaon why you couldn't do a temporary deep cell for the bilge w/solar during the summer and remove the main batteries for the summer as well?