Battery/Inverter Standby
Doug
years and thankfully never needed to use it. After thinking about y2k and
problems with fuel I have considered purchasing a couple golf cart or marine
deep cycle batteries to use with inverter to extend fuel reserves rather than
running gen 24/7. My question is if I have no other use for these golf cart
batteries how long can I expect batteries to last (usefull life) sitting on
trickle charger? The marine batteries could double as power for my little jon
boat and would be used more regularly. Would the use keep them healthier
longer than golf carts just sitting there? Thanks for your suggestions.
Gigg A Watt
>.......to use with inverter to extend fuel reserves rather than
>running gen 24/7. My question is if I have no other use for these golf
cart
>batteries how long can I expect batteries to last (usefull life) sitting on
>trickle charger?
They will last many years.... but... if you got yourself a small PV panel
and used the sunlight to keep them recharged... then you would not
have a trickle charge electical cost... and if you occasionally used
them, with a small inverter, to power some home lamps, or TV... then
you could save some electrical costs, and get some practical use out
of them... until the 'big one' hits...
>The marine batteries could double as power for my little jon
>boat and would be used more regularly. Would the use keep
>them healthier longer than golf carts just sitting there?
Yes... I think so.... and again... use a PV on the boat to keep them
recharged...
Gig
Doug
So it sounds like you would favor the use (marine deep cycle) vs golf cart
(non-use) option? Also with marine battery no need to connect the batteries
because they are 12v, when they run low connect the next one?
Gigg A Watt
...or connect them parallel...
Golf Cart batteries, are 6 volt... and they are deep cycle batteries...
but... I in my own applications...I favor the Scrubber batteries... the
Scrubber Batteries (H-16's) are very heavy, 120 lbs each... and they
are 6 volts. each... and give over 400 amp hours each...
But... for your application... using either marine, or Golf Cart batteries
will do fine.... At many places... Golf cart batteries are only about $50
each... they are economical... I don't know the cost of Marine batteries...
On the other hand... a Marine battery would be handier to load onto
your boat... and it is already 12 volts... I think you will be OK...
whatever
you do... both Golf Carts, and Marine batteries should do fine...
I might suggest... that there is a kind of memory problem that happens
to lead-acid batteries that sit long times without use... they develop
a coating inside, on their plates... and that is why I suggested that
you use some of their energy... at home, or on your boat,... and then
recharge them up again... so this memory problem will not develop...
Whatever you do, don't use a car battery for this application
Gig
ju...@my-deja.com
and 5-6yrs. from the golf cart batteries. You can run the golf
cart batteries down further (80% discharge) than marine
batteries (50% discharge). Of course, the less the depth of
discharge you run them down to, the longer they last. You
will want to keep a good trickle charge on them and, charging
them once a day (or more, if you run them enough) during your
"emergency" applications will make them last much better. The
worst thing for them is leaving them discharged. Sulfation
builds up on the plates and is very hard to remove. Do a Deja
news search (www.deja.com) and a web search for marine battery,
battery FAQ, battery charging, etc. for more info.
Russ
In article <19990628141342...@ng-fh1.aol.com>,
dm...@aol.comno-junk (Doug) wrote:
> I live in So. Fla and have had a small gen for hurricane prepardness
for some
> years and thankfully never needed to use it. After thinking about
y2k and
> problems with fuel I have considered purchasing a couple golf cart or
marine
> deep cycle batteries to use with inverter to extend fuel reserves
rather than
> running gen 24/7. My question is if I have no other use for these
golf cart
> batteries how long can I expect batteries to last (usefull life)
sitting on
> trickle charger? The marine batteries could double as power for my
little jon
> boat and would be used more regularly. Would the use keep them
healthier
> longer than golf carts just sitting there? Thanks for your
suggestions.
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.