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Author Topic: Battery Help.  (Read 4305 times)

stew49

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Battery Help.
« on: November 24, 2010, 12:37:09 pm »

Hi All. this might be a silly question, but can i put my battery on it's side. it's a 6v Graupner.

 thanks stewart  :-)
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Stan

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2010, 12:43:22 pm »

If it is a sealed gel type battery no problem.


Stan
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stew49

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2010, 02:37:57 pm »

Thanks for that Stan. it's a lead acid, so will leave it stood up. :-))
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2010, 02:50:20 pm »

Gel cells ARE lead acid!
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Lord Bungle

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2010, 02:54:19 pm »

Hi All. this might be a silly question, but can i put my battery on it's side. it's a 6v Graupner.

 thanks stewart  :-)
simple answer yes mate, I have a 12 volt lead acid gell battery and its on its side, make sure its held in tight so it doesn't slide around as this will cause problems.  :}
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stew49

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2010, 03:32:51 pm »

ok ta for that. i will make a battery box. think i will be asking lots of daft questions being a newby to boat building  {-)

 stewart
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boat captain

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2010, 06:25:42 pm »

Hi Stewart

It is always best if possible to put your battery as low as possible in your boat, even if it means putting it on it's side this aids stability.

Joe :-)) :-))
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stew49

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2010, 07:32:58 pm »

Hi Joe, yes thats what i was thinking, Just didnt know anything about batteries.
Thanks for the info.

 Stewart  :-))
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roycv

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2010, 12:27:04 pm »

Hi Stew, I would also think about how you will charge the battery as you may not want to take the battery out every time it needs charging.
good luck, Roy
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RaaArtyGunner

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2010, 10:42:16 pm »

Are they the same?? Am confused.   {:-{ {:-{

Have seen lead acid battery zappers which say they are not for use with lead acid batteries.
This infers that lead acid and Gel cells are not the same. <:( <:(

My understanding is Lead acid are what are used in cars and can be topped up with water although the newer makes are now sealed and don't require topping up. Suppose as these are sealed it would be OK to lay them over.

So are the newer sealed lead acids as used in motor vehicles now the same as gel cells which are a sealed battery. {:-{ {:-{
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2010, 11:05:47 pm »

Cars may be fitted with traditional lead acid 'wet' cells which need topping up from time to time but this type are very rare these days. Cars now have low maintenance or sealed batteries where the electrolyte is still liquid sulphuric acid but is 'recycled' in normal use so that you don't usually have to top up the battery. All these types need to be kept in an upright position

Gel cells have the sulphuric acid held in a gel and these are usually only found in smaller sizes such as those used in fire alarms and the ones we use in our models. They can be used in any attitude and gases generated during the charging process are recycled within the cell unless the battery is charged at too high a rate in which case the valves on the cells will vent and the battery will be damaged as a result.

Colin
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RaaArtyGunner

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #11 on: November 26, 2010, 12:51:33 am »

Colin,

Thank you.  :-)) :-))
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stew49

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #12 on: November 26, 2010, 08:32:25 am »

My battery says maintenance free, and is sealed. :-)
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Lord Bungle

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #13 on: November 26, 2010, 08:45:54 am »

Before I answered I googled 6v Graupner lead acid battery, it is a gel battery. so is safe to put on its side  ;)
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stew49

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #14 on: November 26, 2010, 09:15:50 am »

oh very good, didnt think of Googling it.  :-))
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Lord Bungle

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #15 on: November 26, 2010, 10:06:47 am »

I have 12 volt gel batteries in my boats so hope it is OK to keep on their sides  {-)

Keep them as low as you can get them, and on the centre line of the hull as well, this will help as ballast and lower the center of gravity, Nothing like watching your pride and joy capsize because its to top heavy  :((.
I don't worry about a box I strap my batteries in with some cut down lugage ties I picked up from a local cheepy shop. I think poundland do something similar as well, they don't move and if you want to take battery out for charging its just undoing a couple of clips, (this way is also usefull if you want to experiment with other batteries as the straps are adjustable :-)
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #16 on: November 26, 2010, 10:41:28 am »

If you are not familiar with lead acid batteries then there a few other important things to take into account.

1. The small types that we use in our models must not be overcharged or charged at too high a rate. 10% of the nominal capacity is the normal recommendation. It should say on the battery or on the accompanying documentation what the appropriate rate is. There are plenty of cheap plug in automatic chargers around which will cut off the charge when the battery reaches full capacity. No harm will be done by using a lower charging rate but quite a lot might be if you go the other way!

2. The nominal capacity is just that - nominal. The practical capacity is around half the nominal figure. Unlike NiMH and LIPO batteries, lead acids are not designed to be 'drained'. When the battery has been depleted to around 50% of it's nominal capacity the voltage reduces and internal chemical changes take place which are often irreversible and the battery dies. In practice this is not a problem for us as lead acids are usually installed in relatively sedate models and the average current draw is quite low. For example, a 7amp hour battery should be assumed to have an actual capacity of 3.5 amp hours for working purposes. If your motor draws 1.5 amps this will give you at least 2 hours at full speed. But in a normal sailing session the boat only spends a proportion of it's time at full speed so the average current draw may be well under 1 amp. You will get bored before the battery drops below 50%

3. Because of the above, always recharge your battery immediately after a sailing session and give it a top up every month or so to keep it fully charged. It will last you for years then.

Colin
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stew49

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #17 on: November 26, 2010, 10:56:37 am »

lots of good advice. I'm so glad i joined this forum. would be stuck without it.
Thanks again for all the helpful advice.

   stewart
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #18 on: November 26, 2010, 04:10:21 pm »

My battery says maintenance free, and is sealed. :-)
"Maintenance free", and "sealed" usually mean that when it does need maintenance, it needs a new one.  With proper care, a SLA battery should last a long time.
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john s 2

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #19 on: November 27, 2010, 01:13:29 pm »

My personal experience of so called maintenance free car batteries is that they fail because of electrolyte loss. Although so called
sealed evaporation occurs with use.Ive successfully revived these types of battery by topping up.Lids may be removable or drill
a hole above each cell then seal with suitable plug.John     
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Lord Bungle

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #20 on: November 27, 2010, 07:36:06 pm »

My personal experience of so called maintenance free car batteries is that they fail because of electrolyte loss. Although so called
sealed evaporation occurs with use.Ive successfully revived these types of battery by topping up.Lids may be removable or drill
a hole above each cell then seal with suitable plug.John     

I normally find the ones in my cars fail only when I am many miles from home, in the middle of no where, out of mobile range with snow on the ground or rain chucking it down  {-)
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Battery Help.
« Reply #21 on: November 27, 2010, 07:43:14 pm »

Car batteries used to fail gradually but on modern petrol  fuelled cars it seems that if the electronic controller decides that the battery can't supply enough power for the very high voltages need for spark plugs these days it simply refuses to even try and turn the starter motor. So the lights and radio etc. still work but the engine won't turn over which puzzles many people. If you have an old battery which is a bit marginal then a cold snap will reduce the voltage to the extent that the above effect happens. So the only remedy is jump leads or a call to your motoring organisation.

Colin
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