When shopping for your boat, do you purchase the cheapest product available because you can save a dollar? Here is a list of possible ways to save some money.
- Plastic cleats over stainless
- Running the thinnest gauge wire for running lights
- Aluminum props for your new offshore boat
- Finding the cheapest bilge pump
- Installing plastic through hull fittings
- Plastic rod holders for those 80 wide Tiagra’s
- Cheap flooded batteries for your new boat
- If you had to prioritize what to skimp on, which would it be?
Most experienced boaters would laugh at the though of saving a buck using these mentioned options. But, just a few years back many boat builders were cutting corners and looking to offer the least expensive boat on the market. It was not uncommon for all of the cost saving solutions discussed earlier to be found on one boat. I once saw a person at a boat show fall through a bow railing because it was so poorly made. I wonder how that would have held up once the boat got a few years on it and was exposed to saltwater. I will refrain from mentioning the boat builder.
A new discriminating buyer is emerging in the marine market place today. Many OEM’s are now taking the high road and putting the best possible products into their boats. They realize that their boats will be in service for many years and that it is their reputation on the line.
One item on board every boat that is often overlooked is the battery. It is the only item that runs all of your electronics and allows for you to make a distress call if needed. It can ruin a good day of fishing if you can’t run your live well pump. You know dead bait doesn’t work so well on the kite. The battery is what starts your engines to get you home, and perhaps most important it runs the bilge pumps that might keep the vessel from sinking.
Buying a cheap battery can cut into your experience on the water. On a recent trip to the keys I observed this flats fishing crew try to get their boat running.
They spent money on a quality flats boat, put bait in the well and lunch in the cooler, got a room in the Keys and drove down from somewhere and ended up spending the one calm morning during their trip trying to get their boat battery situation resolved.
Why don’t more people ask for the best battery? Well many don’t even know it exists, or may not realize the value in purchasing a better battery. People are probably less educated about batteries than they realize. This has contributed to boat builders taking advantage and installing the cheapest battery available. Why put a good battery in a boat if consumers think batteries are all the same? Why spend extra money on a product in the boat if customers can’t differentiate a good one from a bad one. Best of all, if a battery goes bad, even within a month of delivering a new boat it isn’t the manufacturer’s fault. It was just a bad battery. Most importantly why do anything proactive if it is not necessary? Many boaters expect to have to deal with corrosion and change out the battery every year to two years. They know they have to add water and maintain their battery.
So what are the differences and does it matter? To begin with there are three basic types of 12 volt batteries used today for marine applications. They are the flooded battery, the gel battery, and most recently the AGM battery, (which stands for absorbed glass mat). All of these batteries are constructed of lead and acid and measure a full charge at 12.85 volts, they can be divided into starting and deep-cycle, but the similarities end there. While we're on the subject of “marine” batteries, keep in mind that the term marine is used as a marketing tool and has no technical merit.
Most battery manufacture’s use recycled lead to construct their product. This practice introduces impurities, and add calcium or antimony as a cost effective way to construct batteries, but this is what significantly contributes to internal corrosion and rapid battery failure. Recycled lead, calcium, and antimony is found in all three types of batteries. A battery built with pure lead and no impurities would significantly outlast one that uses recycled lead or adds calcium, but would cost too much to build.
If a starting battery is used for deep cycle applications, it will not be able to recover from those deep discharges, and will fail in a short period of time. Many deep cycle batteries cannot produce the amperage required for starting or do not have internal connecting straps that are capable of handling this high current generated during starting, and will also fail prematurely if used for starting.
A flooded battery not maintained, filled using tap water, or just left with low water will fail relatively quickly. These “wet” batteries vent and leaks acid causing corrosion on the terminals which will lead to electrical issues on and around the battery with respect to wires and connections. This can cause electrical problems, but more importantly may produce explosive concentrations of hydrogen gas.
Gel batteries are maintenance free, but still vent gasses at one to two psi. and cause corrosion on the terminals and surrounding areas. A Gel battery requires the greatest care when recharging. If charged at over 14.3 volts, the silica actually separates out of the gel, settles to the bottom of the battery and leads to failure. Also, if deeply discharged, care must be given to the amount of current (amperage) used in charging the gel type battery to prevent explosion hazards. Furthermore, If mounted in any position other than vertical, a gel battery will expose lead plates and perform at less than a 100% from day one. For these reasons they are becoming a less popular choice for the marine industry.
AGM batteries are becoming the preferred battery for marine use. They excel because they will typically give you several years of maintenance free service. Unfortunately, most AGM batteries vent at 1-2 PSI causing them to corrode surrounding electronics similar to the Gel batteries. Almost all AGM’s today use recycled lead shortening their service life. They are typically more sensitive to charging than a flooded battery; however they are less sensitive than a gel. There are many AGM’s on the market so don’t just go out and buy an AGM battery and think you have the best. You may have been better off saving that additional money you just spent and bought that 100 year old technology found in a new flooded battery.
The Odyssey/TT Battery however is an AGM battery that is very unique and technologically advanced. It was designed to meet the demanding needs of the US Military with respect to heat, cold, shock and vibration, and built to last much longer than other batteries. It is currently used in tanks, fighter jets, battle ships, and many other military applications. On top of this it delivers higher cranking power while also being the best deep cycle battery available (two to three times the cranking amperage of other similar sized batteries and the ability to be drawn down to 100% over 400 times). Other attributes include the ability to sit dormant for up to two years and still hold enough charge to start the motor it was intended for. This is very important because we often don’t get to use our boats as much as we would like during the season. The Odyssey battery actually lasts up to 6-10 years which is attributed to it being manufactured with 99.9% pure virgin lead. The US Coast Guard has 500 batteries in 50 Bollinger 87 foot protector class cutters since 1998 without a single failure to date. On top of all this, it is maintenance free and will not vent during normal operation due to its patented technology to reuse its internal gasses. It is also the only battery to claim an explosion proof design.
Charging the Odyssey/TT battery is similar to a flooded battery. It is not sensitive to charging like other AGM’s and the Gel batteries. In fact, the Odyssey battery has no restrictions on the inrush of current and will recharge in one third the time of a conventional battery. This allows the battery to be utilized with traditional flooded chargers and typically does not require replacing your current charger in many applications. Most marine three stage chargers available today work very well for charging the AGM batteries.
It is time to replace your batteries when the capacity is degraded to a noticeable point. If your battery seems to not hold a charge as long, or if it does not support your needs fully, it is probably time to replace them. The rule of thumb when replacing batteries is to replace all batteries in the bank at the same time and to use batteries of the same type.
With the demands placed on batteries today by the marine community, I believe the best available product today for marine applications is the Odyssey/TT battery. It lasts three times longer than other batteries, delivers significantly more cranking amperage, has rapid charging features, and can deep cycle better than any other product on the market. Of course, it is maintenance free, does not vent, was designed for extreme shock and vibration, (like in a boat), and can sit for extended periods maintaining a charge. Finally, the spill proof design of the Odyssey battery allows it to be installed on its sides at any angle without sacrificing performance attributes. There is also no fear of any acid spillage as Odyssey recycles the internal gas during operation or charging.
Odyssey batteries are being installed today by many discriminating boat builders. Isn’t it time to eliminate battery issues in your boating?
